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The north western Atlas Mountains (Béchar region) act as refugia for relict populations of many species which highlights their interest as priority areas for conservation. Further work since the beginning of the last century has been difficult because of restricted access in a military area with long-standing border conflicts. This paper aims to analyse the temporal dynamics of the vegetation communities, to assess the floristic diversity of one of those isolated djebels, Djebel Antar, and to contribute to the knowledge of the conservation status of the species found. Surveys from 1925,1951 (published data) and 2017 (fieldwork) were interpreted and investigations were carried out on honey harvesting, production, and marketing in the Benzireg area to better understand and contribute to the development of beekeeping. A high proportion of endemic and very rare species was found. A tendency towards the homogenisation of the flora was detected with a decrease in plant diversity. Beekeeping is being tested as a means of enhancing biodiversity and contributing to the fight against vegetation degradation by reducing pastoral pressure. Djebel Antar retains its function as a refuge for biodiversity and may play an important role in conservation measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. In pine ecosystems, the role of the larval nests of the Mediterranean defoliator Thaumetopoea pityocampa as shelter of other arthropods, was studied for the first time. In Portugal, Pinus stands which differed in understorey plant diversity and level of attack by T. pityocampa were compared. 2. The arthropod fauna found sheltering inside the nests consisted of 60 species, representing 12 foraging types. Both arthropod richness and abundance were positively correlated with nest size, expressed as larval biomass. Arthropod richness was further positively correlated with understorey plant diversity, while no correlation was detected between arthropod richness and nest density. 3. Spiders accounted for up to 50% of the species richness, while 80% of the individuals collected were either juveniles, or females with brood, implying that T. pityocampa nests are used for overwintering and brood care. Seventy-six per cent of the Araneae were nocturnal ground foragers and specialised cryptic hunters, demonstrating the occurrence of indirect interactions among species belonging to different communities, namely ground vegetation layers and forest pine coppice. 4. It was concluded that, in Mediterranean pine ecosystems, T. pityocampa nests (i) create habitat diversification and contribute to improve overwintering survival of a wide range of arthropod species; (ii) play a functional role in the food web of pine ecosystems, by promoting indirectly mediated interactions among species from different communities; and (iii) do not contribute to create habitat for symtopic phytophagous arthropods, since contrary to literature references for different types of shelters, 98% of the associated species belonged to foraging types other than T. pityocampa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]