39 results on '"Abdeljebbar Qninba"'
Search Results
2. Feeding Ecology of the Cuvier’s Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri, Ogilby, 1841) in the Sahara Desert
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F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Omar López, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, Ángel Arredondo, Juan Manuel Sáez, Begoña Álvarez, Inmaculada Cancio, Jesús de Lucas, Joaquín Pérez, Gerardo Valenzuela, Jaime Martínez-Valderrama, Mariola Sánchez-Cerdá, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Emilio Virgós, Juan Antonio Calleja, Jordi Bartolomé, Elena Albanell, Emmanuel Serrano, Teresa Abáigar, and Jose María Gil-Sánchez
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Gazella cuvieri ,climatic change ,diet ,deserts ecology ,Sahara ,wild ungulates ,Veterinary medicine ,SF600-1100 ,Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
Knowledge of the feeding ecology of ungulates in arid biomes offers an interesting model for understanding the drought resistance of large desert-adapted herbivores, a crucial issue in the face of increasing desertification due to climate change. To assess the feeding ecology of the endangered Cuvier’s gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) in the Sahara desert, we used a multi-method approach combining faecal samples, direct observations, and the recording of indirect signs of feeding. We hypothesised that browser behaviour is the best foraging strategy for species living in hyper-arid environments, mainly due to long periods without grazing opportunities. Complementarily, we explored the effects of the main environmental descriptors (rainfalls and NDVI) on feeding patterns and diet quality. We found that Cuvier’s diets are based mainly on acacias (Vachellia tortilis, V. flava) and occasionally on the annual forb Anastatica hierochuntica. In total, eighteen species (five trees, nine shrubs, three herbs, and one grass) belonging to fifteen families were recorded. Our result confirmed the browsers’ characteristic of this species, reaffirming its ability to settle in a hostile environment. Acacias stand out as key species consumed at the southernmost limit of their range; hence, future conservation plans and strategies should take this into account for the survival of Cuvier’s gazelle in desert environments.
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- 2023
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3. Distribution and Numbers of Three Globally Threatened Waterbird Species Wintering in Morocco: The Common Pochard, Marbled Teal, and White-Headed Duck
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Asmaâ Ouassou, Mohamed Dakki, Mohammed-Aziz El Agbani, Abdeljebbar Qninba, and R’himou El Hamoumi
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Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
Morocco plays a key role in the life of many migratory birds and their survival, thanks to the diversity and richness of its ecosystems. The International Waterbird Census (IWC) has been regularly implemented in Morocco since 1983. Thanks to this program, a large database on wintering waterbirds’ populations has been collected. In this article, we summarize the wintering data of three globally threatened waterbirds: Aythya ferina, Marmaronetta angustirostris, and Oxyura leucocephala. The population of Aythya ferina, which is declining, is largely distributed in the country, in over a hundred wetlands, 26 of which verify the national importance criteria. Marmaronetta angustirostris has a stable trend over the years even though its population can know high annual fluctuations; it winters in more or less 50 wetlands, among which 18 host more than 1% of its regional population and 16 verify the criteria for national importance. On the contrary, Oxyura leucocephala, a globally endangered bird only encountered in a dozen wetlands, shows a moderate increase in its numbers; only two wetlands verify the Ramsar criterion 6, while a total of six can be considered of national importance. Furthermore, given the conservation statuses of these waterbirds and according to the Ramsar criterion 2, all their hosting sites are of international importance. The results presented in this paper are a crucial step for the adoption and implementation of adequate conservation measures for the species and their key sites. Nevertheless, comprehensive research and coordinated efforts on the factors (ecological and anthropogenic) influencing the species, at the national and international levels, are required for a better understanding of their populations’ dynamics.
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- 2021
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4. The farmland refuge of the last Andalusian Buttonquail population
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Carlos Gutiérrez-Expósito, Ruth García-Gorria, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Miguel Clavero, and Eloy Revilla
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Ecology ,QH540-549.5 - Abstract
The last populations of threatened taxa usually survive in low-impacted areas, whose protection and management is critical for its conservation. However, they can also be located in humanized and highly dynamic areas, whose management can be extremely challenging. The Andalusian buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus sylvaticus) is the critically endangered nominal subspecies of the common buttonquail, a largely unknown species due to its secretive habits. Here, we show how the last Andalusian buttonquail population is restricted to a small, intensively used agricultural area (4,675 ha) in the Atlantic coast of Morocco, where the birds adapt their life cycle to a fast crop rotation. Buttonquails occupy crops in the flowering and fruiting stages, thus changing the preferred crop types along the year, although Alfalfa fields were occupied in all seasons. We used estimated occupancy rates in different crops to obtain seasonal (2017) and year-to-year population estimates (2011, 2014 and 2017). Numbers showed wide seasonal fluctuations between the lowest in winter and the maximum in summer (112–719 individuals). Year-to-year summer estimates also showed wide variations and large uncertainties, ranging between a maximum 1,890 estimated in 2011 and a minimum in 2014 with 492 individuals. The last population estimate available was 596 in 2017. The area is suffering a rapid shift from traditional irrigation farming towards practices more akin to commercial industrial agriculture. The conservation of this critically endangered taxon is highly dependent on the maintenance of traditional farming practices and a rational on-site agricultural modernization. Keywords: Refugee species, Agriculture intensification, Andalusian buttonquail, Turnix sylvaticus
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- 2019
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5. Feeding Specialization of Honey Badgers in the Sahara Desert: A Trial of Life in a Hard Environment
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Jose María Gil-Sánchez, F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, Juan Manuel Sáez, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, Ángel Arredondo, Begoña Álvarez, Inmaculada Cancio, Jesús de Lucas, Salvador Castillo, Emil McCain, Joaquín Pérez, Gerardo Valenzuela, Jaime Martínez Valderrama, Jesús Bautista, Carlos Sarabia, Jennifer Leonard, Mariola Sánchez-Cerdá, Emilio Virgós, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
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arid environments ,exploitative competence ,specialist ,feeding ecology ,mellivora capensis ,sahara ,uromastyx genus ,Biology (General) ,QH301-705.5 - Abstract
The honey badger (Mellivora capensis) is a medium-sized carnivore distributed throughout Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Turkmenistan, and India. However, available information on its ecology is very scarce. We studied its feeding ecology in the remote north-western Sahara Desert, based on the contents of 125 fecal samples collected during large scale surveys. Samples were confirmed to belong to honey badgers by camera trapping and genetic analyses. Barely 18 prey species were detected. The diet primarily consisted of spiny-tailed lizards Uromastyx nigriventris and U. dispar (72% of volume in scats). Secondary prey items were arthropods (14%), small mammals (8%), other reptiles (4%), and eggs (0.8%). Some small geographic and temporal differences were related to the consumption of beetle larvae and rodents as alternative prey. Camera trapping and distance sampling surveys showed that diel activities did not overlap between honey badgers and spiny-tailed lizards, suggesting that badgers primarily dig lizards out of their burrows when inactive. Consumption of spiny lizards by other sympatric meso-carnivores was < 6.1% of occurrence (223 analyzed scats); the honey badger behaved as a trophic specialist in the Sahara, probably thanks to exclusive anatomical adaptations for digging. We discuss the role of this circumstance minimizing the exploitative competition, which could allow the survival of this large mustelid in this low productive and highly competitive environment.
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- 2020
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6. Assessing the Changes in the Moisture/Dryness of Water Cavity Surfaces in Imlili Sebkha in Southwestern Morocco by Using Machine Learning Classification in Google Earth Engine
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Sofia Hakdaoui, Anas Emran, Biswajeet Pradhan, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Taoufik El Balla, Alfred Homère Ngandam Mfondoum, Chang-Wook Lee, and Abdullah M. Alamri
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google earth engine ,permanent salt water cavities change ,remote sensing ,sebkha ,southern morocco ,Science - Abstract
Imlili Sebkha is a stable and flat depression in southern Morocco that is more than 10 km long and almost 3 km wide. This region is mainly sandy, but its northern part holds permanent water pockets that contain fauna and flora despite their hypersaline water. Google Earth Engine (GEE) has revolutionized land monitoring analysis by allowing the use of satellite imagery and other datasets via cloud computing technology and server-side JavaScript programming. This work highlights the potential application of GEE in processing large amounts of satellite Earth Observation (EO) Big Data for the free, long-term, and wide spatio-temporal wet/dry permanent salt water cavities and moisture monitoring of Imlili Sebkha. Optical and radar images were used to understand the functions of Imlili Sebkha in discovering underground hydrological networks. The main objective of this work was to investigate and evaluate the complementarity of optical Landsat, Sentinel-2 data, and Sentinel-1 radar data in such a desert environment. Results show that radar images are not only well suited in studying desertic areas but also in mapping the water cavities in desert wetland zones. The sensitivity of these images to the variations in the slope of the topographic surface facilitated the geological and geomorphological analyses of desert zones and helped reveal the hydrological functions of Imlili Sebkha in discovering buried underground networks.
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- 2020
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7. Status and Trends of the Ferruginous Duck’s (Aythya nyroca) Wintering Population in Morocco: Analysis of 35 Years of Winter Census Data (1983-2017)
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Asmaâ Ouassou, Mohamed Dakki, Saïd Lahrouz, Mohammed Aziz El Agbani, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
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Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
The Ferruginous duck is a winter visitor and breeding resident in Morocco. The species breeds regularly in several coastal and inland wetlands, with remarkable numbers in some marshlands (Sidi Boughaba, Fouwarate, Bargha, Bas Loukkos, etc.). This duck is listed as near threatened in the IUCN Red List, and its populations have been in decline in many European countries. In Morocco, the national wintering population has known, during the last decade, a strong increase, in both its numbers (from tens to thousands of individuals) and distribution area (from a couple of sites to more than 21 wetlands). The North-West region of Morocco has been hosting regularly, during the last decade, between 31 and 91% of the Moroccan wintering population, which is mainly concentrated in two marshlands: Merja de Fouwarate and Merja de Sidi Boughaba. A small reservoir, Barrage Hassar, recently created in the Centre-Atlantic region, has also been, in recent years, one of the most important wintering sites of the species. 15 wetlands have hosted, at least once during the last decade, more than 1% of the regional population of “West Mediterranean/North and West Africa”. This work is an important step to a better knowledge of the Ferruginous duck’s population. This knowledge is the basis for adopting adequate measures for the conservation of the species at the national and international level.
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- 2018
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8. Population Processes of Genetic Divergence in Palearctic Buzzards During the Late Pleistocene: Advance Report
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Michael J. Jowers, Santiago Sánchez- Ramírez, Susana Lopes, Igor V. Karyakin, Valery Ch. Dombrovski, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Thijs Valkenberg, Nuno Onofre, Nuno Ferrand, Pedro Beja, Luís Palma, and Raquel Godinho
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birds of prey ,buteo ,genetic ,General. Including nature conservation, geographical distribution ,QH1-199.5 ,Zoology ,QL1-991 - Abstract
Our study illustrates how complex population processes over the Late Pleistocene have shaped the patterns of genetic divergence in Palearctic buzzards, due to the effects of population expansions and contractions, with hybridization at contact zones leading to admixture, introgression and incomplete lineage sorting. Here we report in advance the study that is being currently ultimated for publication.
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- 2018
9. Applications of non-intrusive methods to study the sand cat: a field study in the Sahara Desert
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Jose María Gil-Sánchez, F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, Ángel Arredondo, Juan Manuel Sáez, Begoña Álvarez, Inmaculada Cancio, Jesús de Lucas, Emil McCain, Joaquín Pérez, Gerardo Valenzuela, Jaime Martínez Valderrama, Mariola Sánchez-Cerdá, Thomas Lahlafi, Jose Manuel Martín, Tamara Burgos, José Jiménez, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Emilio Virgós, Universidad de Alicante. Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio 'Ramón Margalef', and Laboratorio de Ecología de Zonas Áridas y Cambio Global (DRYLAB)
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Camera trapping ,Felis margarita ,Drylands ,Wildlife surveys ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Sahara ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Surveys based on indirect signs and camera trapping are two non-invasive methods extensively used for monitoring elusive mammals. Both approaches can be useful to obtain key information on wildlife in remote areas, since they may allow for the logistically viable design of optimal field frameworks. The sand cat (Felis margarita) is a feline that inhabits the Sahara Desert, the Arabian Peninsula, and western Asian deserts. Its basic ecology is poorly known and the status and impacts of threats are difficult to assess. Some local population declines have been detected, and more research is needed. Based on field surveys carried out in the Atlantic Sahara, we have evaluated the applications of both methods to study this species. Our results show that (a) camera trapping provided reliable data on several key aspects of its ecology, (b) walking surveys to collect feces for molecular data failed completely, and (c) for footprints, identification problems and the marked effects of the absence of optimal substrates and the prevalence of wind are relevant handicaps. Beyond this evaluation, we provide for the first time some key aspects of the ecology of sand cats in the Sahara Desert, including habitat selection, density, diel activity, and predator–prey relationships., Universidad de Granada/ CBUA, Fundación Barcelona Zoo (PRIC Project 2017 grant)
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- 2023
10. Evolution of the benthic communities in a north-African river, the upper Sebou (middle atlas-Morocco) between 1981 and 2017: effects of global changes
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Majida El Alami, Mohamed Dakki, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Mariam Zerrouk, Oumnia Himmi, Mohammed Aziz El Agbani, and Nard Bennas
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Mediterranean climate ,Ecology ,Global change ,Context (language use) ,Cell Biology ,Plant Science ,Anthropization ,Biochemistry ,Geography ,Benthic zone ,Genetics ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Ordination ,Species richness ,Molecular Biology ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Invertebrate - Abstract
The invertebrate communities of running waters are known to be highly sensitive to environmental disturbances and have, therefore, high interest in bio assessment. The objective of this study is to reveal, through a case study (the Upper Sebou, Morocco), the trends of these communities in the South Mediterranean region in a context of global change. The study consists in describing and interpreting the changes undergone by insect populations in the studied river between two periods (1981–1985 and 2015–2017), i.e. over a 34-years period. These changes are mainly attested by a strong decrease in species richness, indicating the disappearance of several rheophilic and/or pollution-sensitive species, especially among Plecoptera, and the regression of some taxa against the proliferation of thermophilic and/or pollution-tolerant forms. The data melting of both periods, via a binary matrix ‘species × stations-periods’ treated by the Correspondence Analysis, revealed the classical upstream-downstream ordination of the studied waters, where the majority of the stations register a downstream migration by the time. In this evolutionary perspective, the study implicates the hydrological and thermal factors depending on global warming and on anthropization of the watershed.
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- 2021
11. Correlates of persistent electrocution-related mortality of raptors in Guelmim-Oued Noun province, Morocco
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Abdeljebbar Qninba, Mohamed Aourir, Mohamed Aziz El Agbani, and Ali Irizi
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0106 biological sciences ,Electrocution ,Electric power transmission ,Geography ,Noun ,people ,Socioeconomics ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,people.cause_of_death ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,010605 ornithology - Abstract
Electrocution on poorly designed power pylons is one the most important human-related causes of large bird mortality worldwide. Raptor mortality caused by 22 kV distribution power lines was studied...
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- 2021
12. Parasites of Moroccan desert Coptodon guineensis (Pisces, Cichlidae): transition and resilience in a simplified hypersaline ecosystem
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Halima Louizi, Kristina M. Hill-Spanik, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Vincent A. Connors, Amine Belafhaili, Jean-Francois Agnèse, Antoine Pariselle, Isaure de Buron, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (UMR ISEM), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), and Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Montpellier (UM)
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Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) tilapiae ,Veterinary (miscellaneous) ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Water ,Cichlids ,Metacercaria ,Acanthocephala ,Fish Diseases ,Infectious Diseases ,Insect Science ,Host-switching ,Wetland ,Animals ,Pygidiopsis genata ,Sebkha Imlili ,Parasites ,Metacercariae ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Parasitology ,Ecosystem ,Sahara - Abstract
Sebkha Imlili (Atlantic Sahara) is a salt flat with over 160 permanent holes of hypersaline water generated in the Holocene and inhabited by euryhaline organisms that are considered to be relics of the past, including the cichlid fish Coptodon guineensis. We surveyed the fish parasites four times over one year, to i) identify the parasites, and ii) determine possible seasonality in infection patterns. Over 60% of the fish were infected by one to three helminths: an acanthocephalan in the intestine and two digenean metacercariae in the kidney, spleen, liver, muscle, and mesenteries. The acanthocephalan Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) cf. tilapiae was identified morphologically and molecularly; only one digenean (the heterophyid Pygidiopsis genata) could be identified molecularly. Both identified parasites were present throughout the sampling periods; the unidentified metacercariae were present only in summer and fall. Mean intensities, but not prevalence of infection by the acanthocephalan, reflected a biannual pattern of transmission. Infection accrued with fish size, possibly due to cannibalism. Because the water holes include only a few invertebrates, the intermediate hosts of these parasites can be inferred to be the gastropod Ecrobia ventrosa for the digeneans and either the copepod Cletocamtpus retrogressus or the ostracod Cyprideis torosa for the acanthocephalan. This ecosystem appears stable and provides a window into the past, as the acanthocephalan likely switched from freshwater tilapia to C. guineensis when the Sebkha formed. However, this is a vulnerable environment where the survival of these parasites depends on interactions maintained among only very few hosts.Parasites de Coptodon guineensis (Pisces, Cichlidae) du désert marocain : transition et résilience dans un écosystème hypersalin simplifié.La Sebkha d’Imlili est une sebkha (étendue désertique sableuse et salée) dans le Sahara Atlantique caractérisée par la présence de plus de 160 poches permanentes d’eau hypersaline qui sont apparues à l’Holocène et qui sont habitées par des organismes considérés comme des reliques du passé, dont un poisson cichlidé, Coptodon guineensis. Nous avons fait l’inventaire des parasites de ce poisson au cours des quatre saisons d’une année pour 1) identifier les parasites et 2) déterminer une éventuelle transmission saisonnière. Plus de 60 % des poissons étaient infestés par un à trois helminthes : un Acanthocéphale dans l’intestin et des métacercaires de deux espèces de Digène dans le rein, la rate, les muscles et le mésentère. L’Acanthocéphale Acanthogyrus (Acanthosentis) cf. tilapiae a été identifié morphologiquement et génétiquement mais seul un des deux Digènes (l’hétérophyidé Pygidiopsis genata) a pu être identifié par séquençage. Ces deux parasites étaient présents à chaque période d’étude, mais la métacercaire non identifiée était présente seulement en été et en automne. L’intensité moyenne de l’infestation par l’Acanthocéphale, mais pas sa prévalence, reflète une transmission biannuelle. L’infestation augmente avec la taille du poisson, peut-être à cause du cannibalisme. L’identité des hôtes intermédiaires de ces parasites peut être avancée parce que cet écosystème est simplifié et inclut seulement quelques invertébrés : pour les Digènes, le Gastéropode Ecrobia ventrosa, et pour l’Acanthocéphale, le Copépode Cletocamtpus retrogressus ou l’Ostracode Cyprideis torosa. Cet écosystème apparait stable et offre une vue sur le passé étant donné que l’Acanthocéphale a sans doute été transféré d’un tilapia d’eau douce quand la sebkha s’est formée. Cependant, c’est un environnement vulnérable où la survie de ces parasites dépend d’interactions entre très peu d’espèces hôtes.
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- 2022
13. Spatial distribution and breeding territories of Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata in the western Anti-Atlas Mountains, Morocco
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Ali Irizi, Mohammed Znari, Mohamed Aourir, Mohamed Aziz El Agbani, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
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0106 biological sciences ,Eagle ,education.field_of_study ,biology ,Population ,Spatial distribution ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Archaeology ,010605 ornithology ,Bonelli's eagle ,Geography ,biology.animal ,North african ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
The North African population of Bonelli’s Eagle Aquila fasciata (Vieillot, 1822) is limited to the south by the northern fringe of the Sahara Desert. This study provides the first data on the spati...
- Published
- 2019
14. Unravelling population processes over the Late Pleistocene driving contemporary genetic divergence in Palearctic buzzards
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Michael J. Jowers, Santiago Sánchez-Ramírez, Nuno. Onofre, Raquel Godinho, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Nuno Ferrand, Igor Karyakin, Pedro Beja, Luis Palma, Susana Lopes, Thijs Valkenburg, and Valery Dombrovski
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Genetic Markers ,0106 biological sciences ,0301 basic medicine ,Time Factors ,Climate Change ,Population ,Buteo ,DNA, Mitochondrial ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Birds ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mutation Rate ,Species Specificity ,Genetics ,Animals ,education ,Molecular Biology ,Phylogeny ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Demography ,education.field_of_study ,Panmixia ,biology ,Arctic Regions ,Genetic Variation ,Paleontology ,Bayes Theorem ,Sequence Analysis, DNA ,Buteo buteo ,biology.organism_classification ,Mitochondria ,Genetic divergence ,Phylogeography ,Genetics, Population ,030104 developmental biology ,Haplotypes ,Evolutionary biology ,Genetic structure ,Gene pool ,Microsatellite Repeats - Abstract
Population range expansions and contractions as a response to climate and habitat change throughout the Quaternary are known to have contributed to complex phylogenetic and population genetic events. Speciation patterns and processes in Palearctic buzzards (genus Buteo) are a long-standing example of morphological and genetic data incongruence, attributed to panmixia, habitat range shifts, contact zones, and climate change. Here we assess the systematics, phylogeography and population genetic structure of three nominal species of Palearctic buzzards, Buteo buteo (including B. b. vulpinus), B. rufinus (including B. r. cirtensis) and B. hemilasius. Phylogenetic analyses inferred from mitochondrial data recover B. hemilasius as sister to the sister clades B. r. rufinus and B. buteo complex (B. b. buteo, B. b. vulpinus, but also including B. r. cirtensis). In contrast, we find an unresolved genetic delimitation inferred from four nuclear loci, suggesting an ancestral genetic pool for all species. Time-trees suggest population contractions and expansions throughout the Pleistocene, which likely reflect habitat change and contrasting ecological niche requirements between species. Microsatellite-based extended Bayesian skyline plots reveal relatively constant population sizes for B. hemilasius, B. r. rufinus, and B. b. vulpinus, in contrast to a dramatic population expansion in B. r. cirtensis within the last 3 kya. Overall, our study illustrates how complex population processes over the Late Pleistocene have shaped the patterns of genetic divergence in Palearctic buzzards, due to the joint effects of shared ancestral polymorphisms, population expansions and contractions, with hybridization at contact zones leading to admixture and introgression.
- Published
- 2019
15. Distribution and Numbers of Three Globally Threatened Waterbird Species Wintering in Morocco: The Common Pochard, Marbled Teal, and White-Headed Duck
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Mohamed Dakki, Rhimou El Hamoumi, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Asmaâ Ouassou, and Mohammed-Aziz El Agbani
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0106 biological sciences ,education.field_of_study ,Aythya ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Oxyura leucocephala ,biology ,Article Subject ,Population ,Endangered species ,Wetland ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010605 ornithology ,Fishery ,Geography ,QL1-991 ,Marmaronetta angustirostris ,Threatened species ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Species richness ,education ,Zoology - Abstract
Morocco plays a key role in the life of many migratory birds and their survival, thanks to the diversity and richness of its ecosystems. The International Waterbird Census (IWC) has been regularly implemented in Morocco since 1983. Thanks to this program, a large database on wintering waterbirds’ populations has been collected. In this article, we summarize the wintering data of three globally threatened waterbirds: Aythya ferina, Marmaronetta angustirostris, and Oxyura leucocephala. The population of Aythya ferina, which is declining, is largely distributed in the country, in over a hundred wetlands, 26 of which verify the national importance criteria. Marmaronetta angustirostris has a stable trend over the years even though its population can know high annual fluctuations; it winters in more or less 50 wetlands, among which 18 host more than 1% of its regional population and 16 verify the criteria for national importance. On the contrary, Oxyura leucocephala, a globally endangered bird only encountered in a dozen wetlands, shows a moderate increase in its numbers; only two wetlands verify the Ramsar criterion 6, while a total of six can be considered of national importance. Furthermore, given the conservation statuses of these waterbirds and according to the Ramsar criterion 2, all their hosting sites are of international importance. The results presented in this paper are a crucial step for the adoption and implementation of adequate conservation measures for the species and their key sites. Nevertheless, comprehensive research and coordinated efforts on the factors (ecological and anthropogenic) influencing the species, at the national and international levels, are required for a better understanding of their populations’ dynamics.
- Published
- 2021
16. Distribution of the European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) at the edge of the South-Western Palaearctic: transboundary differences and conservation prospects
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Irene Hernández-Téllez, Elena Tena, José Luis Tellería, Álvaro Ramírez, Roberto Carbonell, Alejandro Onrubia, Guillermo Fandos, Abdeljebbar Qninba, José I. Aguirre, and Carlos A. Martín
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0106 biological sciences ,Ecological niche ,biology ,Ecology ,Western Palaearctic ,Context (language use) ,Turtur ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Streptopelia turtur ,010605 ornithology ,law.invention ,Geography ,law ,IUCN Red List ,Turtle (robot) ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Dove ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The European turtle dove (Streptopelia turtur) is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. In this context, it is important to explore the factors affecting its abundance and the ways in which it can be effectively managed for conservation. This study compares the distribution of this dove in Spain and Morocco. These countries, which are separated by the Strait of Gibraltar, are each occupied by a different subspecies (i.e. Streptopelia turtur turtur in Spain and S. t. arenicola in Morocco) that may be adapted to different environmental conditions. Such differentiation could result in differences in the species’ abundance between the two countries. The occurrence of this dove was assessed by means of road counts, and the resulting records were used to explore the niche overlap between the two subspecies. The niches of both populations overlapped, suggesting the selection of similar environmental conditions in the two countries. However, the species occurred more frequently in Morocco than in Spain. To study the potential role of local effects on the observed differences in abundance, 494 sampling points were surveyed in four different sectors of Spain and Morocco. These additional counts indicated that, after controlling for the effect of local habitat structure and climate, the European turtle dove is more frequent in Morocco than in Spain. Differences between the two countries, in relation to hunting pressure, agricultural intensification and the abandonment of marginal cultures and woodlands, could account for the observed transboundary differences in the abundance of European turtle dove and help to explain its severe decline in Spain.
- Published
- 2020
17. Publisher Correction: Identifying priority conservation areas in a Saharan environment by highlighting the endangered Cuvier’s Gazelle as a flagship species
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José María Gil-Sánchez, Emil McCain, Begoña Álvarez, Jesus de Lucas, Ángel Arredondo, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, Juan Manuel Sáez, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Joaquín Pérez, Teresa Abáigar, Inmaculada Cancio, and F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez
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Conservation of Natural Resources ,Multidisciplinary ,Published Erratum ,lcsh:R ,Endangered Species ,Endangered species ,lcsh:Medicine ,Ruminants ,Publisher Correction ,Fishery ,Morocco ,Cuvier's gazelle ,Geography ,Africa, Northern ,Flagship species ,Animals ,lcsh:Q ,lcsh:Science ,Animal Distribution ,Ecosystem - Abstract
Monitoring populations and designing effective conservation actions for endangered species present significant challenges. An accurate understanding of current distribution, ecological traits and habitat requirements is imperative in formulating conservation strategies. Recent surveys on the southernmost Cuvier's Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) population, an ungulate endemic to North Africa, showcase its importance in terms of numbers and genetic diversity. This population inhabits a remote region in the extreme north-western portion of the Sahara Desert and has not been well studied. Here, we examine the potential distribution of Cuvier's Gazelle and the environmental factors limiting the species in a Saharan environment, by combining broad-scale field survey data and species distribution models. Our objective was to identify high priority conservation areas in the southernmost known portion of the species' distribution by modelling habitat selection at the landscape scale using a predictive distribution map. Our results show that the distribution of Cuvier's Gazelle is strongly related to mountainous areas with heterogeneous terrain and remoteness from large human settlements over other ecological factors that had less impact on the species' presence and distribution. We also provide a quantitative estimate of the potential distribution range of Cuvier's Gazelle in southern Morocco, identifying two well-demarcated key areas. The two core areas currently contain enough rugged terrain isolated from human encroachment to support the endangered species in this harsh desert environment. We encourage the implementation of conservation planning for Cuvier's Gazelle as an "umbrella species", which will confer effective protection to higher-quality habitat zones and co-occurring species, leading to sustainable and ecologically responsible development in the region.
- Published
- 2020
18. Identifying priority conservation areas in a Saharan environment by highlighting the endangered Cuvier’s Gazelle as a flagship species
- Author
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Emil McCain, Ángel Arredondo, Joaquín Pérez, Juan Manuel Sáez, Begoña Álvarez, Inmaculada Cancio, José María Gil-Sánchez, F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Teresa Abáigar, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, Abdeljebbar Qninba, and Jesus de Lucas
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Range (biology) ,Species distribution ,Population ,Endangered species ,lcsh:Medicine ,Gazella cuvieri ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Flagship species ,Umbrella species ,education ,lcsh:Science ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,education.field_of_study ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ecology ,Conservation biology ,lcsh:R ,biology.organism_classification ,Geography ,Habitat ,Biogeography ,lcsh:Q ,Zoology - Abstract
Monitoring populations and designing effective conservation actions for endangered species present significant challenges. An accurate understanding of current distribution, ecological traits and habitat requirements is imperative in formulating conservation strategies. Recent surveys on the southernmost Cuvier’s Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) population, an ungulate endemic to North Africa, showcase its importance in terms of numbers and genetic diversity. This population inhabits a remote region in the extreme north-western portion of the Sahara Desert and has not been well studied. Here, we examine the potential distribution of Cuvier’s Gazelle and the environmental factors limiting the species in a Saharan environment, by combining broad-scale field survey data and species distribution models. Our objective was to identify high priority conservation areas in the southernmost known portion of the species’ distribution by modelling habitat selection at the landscape scale using a predictive distribution map. Our results show that the distribution of Cuvier’s Gazelle is strongly related to mountainous areas with heterogeneous terrain and remoteness from large human settlements over other ecological factors that had less impact on the species’ presence and distribution. We also provide a quantitative estimate of the potential distribution range of Cuvier’s Gazelle in southern Morocco, identifying two well-demarcated key areas. The two core areas currently contain enough rugged terrain isolated from human encroachment to support the endangered species in this harsh desert environment. We encourage the implementation of conservation planning for Cuvier’s Gazelle as an “umbrella species”, which will confer effective protection to higher-quality habitat zones and co-occurring species, leading to sustainable and ecologically responsible development in the region.
- Published
- 2020
19. Breeding ecology of the Andalusian Buttonquail Turnix sylvaticus sylvaticus
- Author
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Miguel Clavero, Eloy Revilla, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Carlos Gutiérrez-Expósito, and Ruth García-Gorria
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Avian clutch size ,biology ,Ecology ,Ecology (disciplines) ,Turnix sylvaticus ,Breeding ecology ,Wildlife ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010605 ornithology ,Geography ,Buttonquail ,Nest ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Understanding the breeding cycle of wildlife is essential to afford conservation strategies. This is especially important for barely studied species and urgent for those at serious risk of extinction. The Andalusian Buttonquail is an endangered endemic of the Western Mediterranean, confined to a cultivated strip in the Moroccan Atlantic coast. We performed 2 302 sampling events to determine the presence-absence and breeding of the species. The breeding season lasted for eight months, from February to October. Present in 17 different crops, breeding occurred in all but cucumber and artichoke. However, a strong preference for breeding crops was found for alfalfa, pumpkin and maize fields. Nests were 82 mm × 71.4 mm grass-lined structures built on a ground scrape. Eggs had 26.14 mm mean maximum length, 20.24 mean diameter and weighed 5.9 g. All complete clutches had four eggs and the hatching rate was 3.42. All but one of the monitored nests successfully reared at least one chick. Clutch size and hatching rate matched other Buttonquail populations and species, so causes of the decline must be found in other stages of the reproductive cycle. In this sense, additional studies are needed to reveal chick and juvenile survival.
- Published
- 2020
20. Expansion of the North African ground squirrel Atlantoxerus getulus (Rodentia) along the Moroccan Mid-Atlantic Plains
- Author
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Abdeslam Rihane, Rhimou El Hamoumi, Christiane Denys, Mohamed Aziz El Agbani, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,biology ,Atlantoxerus getulus ,010607 zoology ,North africa ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Archaeology ,Geography ,Animal Science and Zoology ,North african ,Ground squirrel ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
The North African ground squirrel, Atlantoxerus getulus, is a Maghreb endemic whose northern limit in the central Atlantic plains of Morocco was located south of the Safi city. New observations show that the species is extending its range in the central Atlantic plains of Morocco and provide indications about its ecology in the new range. Field observations and enquiries of local populations conducted in the spring and summer of 2017 found the species 50 km further from the old limit. This expansion to the north along the Atlantic coast seems to have occurred recently and the species has become rather abundant only since 2–4 years. Atlantoxerus getulus settled in various habitats: low walls (52.8% of cases), abandoned quarries (18.9%), rock piles (stones) (15.1%), cliffs (7.5%) and traditional abandoned reservoirs (5.7%). The diet of this species in the region includes wild plants, cereals, and some damages to cultivated legumes and fruits are observed. In this conquest of new territories in the North Abda region, the anthropogenic habits of this squirrel may have negative effects on the human, poultry and livestock health.
- Published
- 2018
21. The effect of rainfall on population dynamics in Sahara-Sahel rodents
- Author
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Abdeljebbar Qninba, Zbyszek Boratyński, Tapio Mappes, Fábio Vieira Sousa, José Carlos Brito, Margarida Isabel Barros, and João Carlos Campos
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Moonlight ,education.field_of_study ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,biology ,Ecology ,Population ,15. Life on land ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Gerbillus ,Arid ,Population density ,Predation ,13. Climate action ,Animal ecology ,parasitic diseases ,Animal Science and Zoology ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Full moon - Abstract
In arid and semi-arid regions, rainfall is scarce, limiting primary productivity and animal reproduction. As long-term population monitoring is limited in remote arid areas, indirect and remote technicals are needed. We investigated if and how populations of rodents in Sahara-Sahel responded to past events of rainfall. Using short field surveys and remotely sensed rainfall data, spanning between years 2010 to 2015, we tested if rainfall prior to field surveys affected populations of Gerbillus rodents. Generalized additive analysis showed that amount of moonlight (the effect of number of days away from full moon) negatively correlated with number of trapped animals. When controlling for moonlight and geographic and temporal variation, rainfall up to 1 year prior to surveys positively and rainfall 2 years prior to surveys negatively correlated with number of trapped gerbils. We suggest that the effect of increased number of gerbils resulted from reproduction and population density increase after bursts of primary productivity. Negative correlation with rainfall could be related to increased predation or other ecological effects (e.g., resource collapse, pathogens spread) on prey population densities and activity levels. Our results suggest multiphase delayed effect of gerbils population response to rainfall implying interactive model of population regulation in rodent communities on Sahara-Sahel. Presented indirect method and results are readily applicable to population monitoring and management of remote and understudied areas.
- Published
- 2018
22. A euryhaline fish, lost in the desert: The unexpected metapopulation structure of Coptodon guineensis (Günther, 1862) in the Sebkha of Imlili
- Author
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André Gilles, Jean-François Agnèse, Halima Louizi, Antoine Pariselle, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Abdelaziz Benhoussa, Ouafae Berrada Rkhami, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (UMR ISEM), Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-École Pratique des Hautes Études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut méditerranéen de biodiversité et d'écologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Avignon Université (AU)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UMR237-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université de Montpellier (UM)-Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (Cirad)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UR226, and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de recherche pour le développement [IRD] : UMR237-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Avignon Université (AU)
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Population Dynamics ,Population ,Endangered species ,Zoology ,Metapopulation ,Conservation ,Environment ,Biology ,[SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics, Phylogenetics and taxonomy ,DNA, Mitochondrial ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Cichlid ,Animals ,14. Life underwater ,education ,Ecosystem ,ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS ,education.field_of_study ,Extinction ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Cichlids ,General Medicine ,Euryhaline ,biology.organism_classification ,Morocco ,030104 developmental biology ,Habitat ,Microsatellite ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Tilapia ,Microsatellite Repeats - Abstract
Euryhaline Cichlid fish of the species Coptodon guineensis are present in different water holes situated in a dried depression in the desert in the extreme South of Morocco, the Sebkha of Imlili. A genetic survey of this population, using complete sequences of the ND2 gene (mtDNA) and sixteen microsatellite loci, revealed that the fish in the sebkha did not form a single population, but rather a metapopulation. This metapopulational structure may be regarded as good news from the point of view of the conservation of fish in the sebkha. Although small individual populations may have short, finite life spans, the metapopulation as a whole is more stable, because immigrants from one population are likely to re-colonize the habitat, left open by the extinction of another.
- Published
- 2018
23. Nowhere to swim to: climate change and conservation of the relict Dades trout Salmo multipunctata in the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco
- Author
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Virgilio Hermoso, Miguel Clavero, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Ana Veríssimo, Miguel Delibes, Javier Calzada, and Javier Esquivias
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,biology ,Ecology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Climate change ,Biota ,Structural basin ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Fishery ,Trout ,Critically endangered ,Geography ,Threatened species ,Freshwater fish ,Salmo ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Montane biota is vulnerable to climate change, especially in the case of relict species in environmentally extreme areas. The Dades trout Salmo multipunctata is a relict species from the Draa basin, on the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains, Morocco. Apart from its genetic and morphological singularity almost nothing is known about this species. We surveyed the whole potential distribution range of the Dades trout and found that only two isolated populations exist (in the Dades and M'Goun catchments), occupying an extremely small range, < 22 km of stream reaches in a narrow altitudinal range (c. 2,150–2,375 m). The species was found more frequently and more abundantly at intermediate elevations within its range, and somatic condition increased with altitude. Climatically suitable areas for the Dades trout will be confined to mountain summits without permanent water bodies by 2070. The Dades trout is a Critically Endangered species in need of active management for its persistence. We propose actions for the long-term conservation of the species, including catchment-scale erosion control, riverbed restoration, local-scale measures to mitigate global warming, and an ex situ breeding programme.
- Published
- 2017
24. The first coordinated trans-North African mid-winter waterbird census: The contribution of the International Waterbird Census to the conservation of waterbirds and wetlands at a biogeographical level
- Author
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P. Defos du Rau, Mohamed Dakki, Essam Bouras, W. Bashaimam, Haitham Ibrahim, Hichem Azafzaf, Naoufel Hamouda, Mohamed S. Sayoud, Khaled Etayeb, Habib Dlensi, A. Berbash, A. Abu Elnoor, Jean-Yves Mondain-Monval, W. Abdel Latif Ibrahim, Clemence Deschamps, S. Véran, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Hosni H. Asran, H. Salhi, A. Allali, B. Chalabi, Claudia Feltrup-Azafzaf, M.A. El Agbani, and A.L. Brochet
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,geography ,education.field_of_study ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,Ramsar Convention ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Population ,Biodiversity ,Wetland ,Census ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Fishery ,Sampling design ,Conservation status ,Species richness ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The International Waterbird Census (IWC) is one of the most widespread biodiversity monitoring programs, assessing waterbird populations in the framework of several international agreements including the African-Eurasian migratory Waterbirds Agreement and the Ramsar Convention. In 2013, the IWC was coordinated for the first time across the whole of North Africa with the aim of developing recommendations for methodological improvements to current design in North Africa, as well as to update the conservation status of certain waterbird populations and wetlands of international importance. We show that coordinating the IWC across all five North African countries significantly improves knowledge of waterbird population sizes and distribution and confirmed that current North African Ramsar wetlands perform well in conserving waterbirds. Nevertheless, biodiversity conservation could potentially be further enhanced by designating additional Ramsar sites, which this study contributes to identifying. We show that reducing sampling effort by half over the entire region would have been sufficient to cover 100% of the species richness of wintering waterbirds recorded and > 98% of the total abundance. Finally, we show that larger wetlands are insufficiently sampled. These findings call for revised sampling design in a coordinated, region-wide framework. The maintenance, optimization and reinforcement of the IWC program over time on a regional scale, with the collected data made available in a shared database, seems essential in order to make appropriate conservation decisions for waterbirds and wetlands in the future. Adding a temporal dimension to these analyses will be critical to confirm the patterns observed in the 2013 census.
- Published
- 2017
25. Evaluating methods for surveying the Endangered Cuvier's gazelleGazella cuvieriin arid landscapes
- Author
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Jesus de Lucas, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, José María Gil-Sánchez, Ángel Arredondo, Emil McCain, F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Begoña Álvarez, Juan Manuel Sáez, Jesús Bautista, Inmaculada Cancio, Jaime Martínez-Valderrama, Joaquín Pérez, Salvador Castillo, Emilio Virgós, Gerardo Valenzuela, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,education.field_of_study ,Distance sampling ,Ungulate ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,biology ,Occupancy ,Ecology ,Population ,Endangered species ,Sampling (statistics) ,Gazella cuvieri ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Geography ,Endemism ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
The Endangered Cuvier's gazelleGazella cuvieriis an endemic ungulate of north-western Africa. Information on the species has been based primarily on non-systematic surveys, and the corresponding status estimates are of unknown quality. We evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of two field methods for systematic surveys of populations of Cuvier's gazelle in arid environments: distance sampling (based on sightings) and sampling indirect sign (tracks and scats). The work was carried out in the north-western Sahara Desert, in Morocco, where what is possibly the largest population of Cuvier's gazelle persists. A logistically viable survey was conducted over a total area of c. 20.000 km2in 10 expeditions during 2011–2014. A total of 67 sites were surveyed, with 194 walking surveys (2,169 km in total). Gazelle signs were detected at 50 sites, and gazelles were sighted at 21 sites (61 individuals). We found a relationship between sightings and abundance indices based on indirect sign, which could be useful for population monitoring or ecological studies. Additionally, the data could be used in occupancy modelling. Density estimates based on distance sampling required considerable effort; however, it is possible to survey large areas during relatively short campaigns, and this proved to be the most useful approach to obtain data on the demographic structure of the population.
- Published
- 2016
26. Desert otters: Distribution, habitat use and feeding ecology in arid rivers of Morocco
- Author
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Abdeljebbar Qninba, Javier Esquivias, María Riesco, Miguel Delibes, Javier Calzada, and Miguel Clavero
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Barbel ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,Ecology ,biology ,business.industry ,Distribution (economics) ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Arid ,Otter ,Spraint ,Geography ,Habitat ,biology.animal ,Luciobarbus ,Lutra ,business ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Earth-Surface Processes - Abstract
Some of the most arid environments inhabited by the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) are the river systems draining the southern slopes of the High Atlas Mountains into the Sahara Desert, where we have studied otter distribution, habitat use and feeding ecology. We found signs of otter presence in 61% of 80 sampled sites. The species was widespread at intermediate elevations within the study area, being rarer at high altitudes (above 2000 m a.s.l.) and, especially, in the arid lowlands. The intensity of habitat use, estimated from spraint counts, also peaked at intermediate elevations. Otter diet, described through the analysis of 554 spraints, was dominated by fish in general (found in 97% of the spraints) and Luciobarbus barbels in particular (86% of spraints). The otter positively selected barbels of intermediate sizes (100–160 mm in length), avoiding the smallest size classes and consuming larger ones according to their availability. Our results suggest that otter may be vulnerable to the harsh environmental conditions in arid areas. This aridity-driven vulnerability is expected to increase in the area and to expand to other peri-Mediterranean regions in the future.
- Published
- 2020
27. Feeding Specialization of Honey Badgers in the Sahara Desert: A Trial of Life in a Hard Environment
- Author
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Begoña Álvarez, Jesus de Lucas, Emil McCain, Juan Manuel Sáez, Jennifer A. Leonard, Emilio Virgós, Ángel Arredondo, Javier Rodríguez-Siles, José María Gil-Sánchez, Salvador Castillo, Jesús Bautista, Jaime Martínez Valderrama, Joaquín Pérez, F. Javier Herrera-Sánchez, Mariola Sánchez-Cerdá, Inmaculada Cancio, Gerardo Valenzuela, Carlos Sarabia, Miguel Ángel Díaz-Portero, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
- Subjects
Feeding ecology ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Arid environments ,Zoology ,Specialist ,mellivora capensis ,Honey badger ,Competition (biology) ,Predation ,biology.animal ,Carnivore ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,Sahara ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,media_common ,Trophic level ,Exploitative competence ,Ecology ,biology ,Ecological Modeling ,uromastyx genus ,biology.organism_classification ,Agricultural and Biological Sciences (miscellaneous) ,Uromastyx ,Digging ,Uromastyx genus ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,Sympatric speciation ,Mellivora capensis - Abstract
The honey badger (Mellivora capensis) is a medium-sized carnivore distributed throughout Africa to the Arabian Peninsula, Iran, Turkmenistan, and India. However, available information on its ecology is very scarce. We studied its feeding ecology in the remote north-western Sahara Desert, based on the contents of 125 fecal samples collected during large scale surveys. Samples were confirmed to belong to honey badgers by camera trapping and genetic analyses. Barely 18 prey species were detected. The diet primarily consisted of spiny-tailed lizards Uromastyx nigriventris and U. dispar (72% of volume in scats). Secondary prey items were arthropods (14%), small mammals (8%), other reptiles (4%), and eggs (0.8%). Some small geographic and temporal differences were related to the consumption of beetle larvae and rodents as alternative prey. Camera trapping and distance sampling surveys showed that diel activities did not overlap between honey badgers and spiny-tailed lizards, suggesting that badgers primarily dig lizards out of their burrows when inactive. Consumption of spiny lizards by other sympatric meso-carnivores was <, 6.1% of occurrence (223 analyzed scats), the honey badger behaved as a trophic specialist in the Sahara, probably thanks to exclusive anatomical adaptations for digging. We discuss the role of this circumstance minimizing the exploitative competition, which could allow the survival of this large mustelid in this low productive and highly competitive environment.
- Published
- 2020
28. Status and Trends of the Ferruginous Duck’s (Aythya nyroca) Wintering Population in Morocco: Analysis of 35 Years of Winter Census Data (1983-2017)
- Author
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Saïd Lahrouz, Asmaâ Ouassou, Mohamed Dakki, Abdeljebbar Qninba, and Mohammed Aziz El Agbani
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,education.field_of_study ,geography ,Aythya ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Near-threatened species ,biology ,Article Subject ,Population ,Ferruginous duck ,Wetland ,Census ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,010605 ornithology ,Fishery ,lcsh:Zoology ,IUCN Red List ,Animal Science and Zoology ,lcsh:QL1-991 ,Hassar ,education - Abstract
The Ferruginous duck is a winter visitor and breeding resident in Morocco. The species breeds regularly in several coastal and inland wetlands, with remarkable numbers in some marshlands (Sidi Boughaba, Fouwarate, Bargha, Bas Loukkos, etc.). This duck is listed as near threatened in the IUCN Red List, and its populations have been in decline in many European countries. In Morocco, the national wintering population has known, during the last decade, a strong increase, in both its numbers (from tens to thousands of individuals) and distribution area (from a couple of sites to more than 21 wetlands). The North-West region of Morocco has been hosting regularly, during the last decade, between 31 and 91% of the Moroccan wintering population, which is mainly concentrated in two marshlands: Merja de Fouwarate and Merja de Sidi Boughaba. A small reservoir, Barrage Hassar, recently created in the Centre-Atlantic region, has also been, in recent years, one of the most important wintering sites of the species. 15 wetlands have hosted, at least once during the last decade, more than 1% of the regional population of “West Mediterranean/North and West Africa”. This work is an important step to a better knowledge of the Ferruginous duck’s population. This knowledge is the basis for adopting adequate measures for the conservation of the species at the national and international level.
- Published
- 2018
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29. Post-release monitoring of a critically endangered galliform subspecies,Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha,in Morocco: a field study using playback call counts
- Author
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Abdeljebbar Qninba and Saâd Hanane
- Subjects
Post release ,education.field_of_study ,Ecology ,biology ,Population ,Zoology ,Francolin ,Subspecies ,biology.organism_classification ,Annual change ,Critically endangered ,Threatened species ,Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha ,Animal Science and Zoology ,education - Abstract
The Double-spurred Francolin Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha is a critically endangered galliform subspecies in Morocco. To improve the viability of this threatened population, 300 captive-bred francolins were released into the Didactic Lot of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Hunting, and post-release monitoring was conducted. In this study, we used playback call counts to assess differences in habitat use and temporal variations in vocal activity of Double-spurred Francolins. The number of male calls per point count was significantly higher in the wooden matorral (WM) than in the non-wooden matorral (MT). The male responses per point count also increased depending on date, reaching a maximum in the first 10 days of March. The pattern was similar in the two habitats, although the maximum average call rates were significantly different [WM = 1.575 (95% CI: 1.394–1.780), MT = 0.481 (95% CI: 0.393–0.589)]. We suggest that call counts collected during this period could be used to index the annual change of th...
- Published
- 2014
30. New Breeding Sites of the Critically Endangered Northern Bald Ibis Geronticus Eremita on the Moroccan Atlantic Coast
- Author
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Halima Bousadik, Mohamed Znari, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Mohamed Aourir, Widade Oubrou, and Mohamed El Bekkay
- Subjects
Ibis ,Fishery ,Critically endangered ,Vocal communication ,Geography ,biology ,Ecology ,Northern bald ibis ,Endangered species ,Wildlife management ,biology.organism_classification ,Geronticus ,Wildlife conservation - Published
- 2017
31. Moroccan desert rivers: fish on the arid extreme of Mediterranean streams
- Author
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María Riesco, Javier Calzada, Miguel Delibes, Miguel Clavero, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Ecotono s.c.a., Seville, Spain, and Javier Esquivias
- Subjects
Fishery ,Mediterranean climate ,Geography ,Desert (philosophy) ,%22">Fish ,STREAMS ,Arid - Published
- 2017
32. Fish invading deserts: non-native species in arid Moroccan rivers
- Author
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Néstor Fernández, Javier Calzada, Miguel Clavero, María Riesco, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Miguel Delibes, Javier Esquivias, and Filipe Ribeiro
- Subjects
Ecology ,biology ,Atherina boyeri ,Biodiversity ,Introduced species ,Aquatic Science ,biology.organism_classification ,Alburnus alburnus ,Invasive species ,Pseudorasbora parva ,Lepomis ,Geography ,Species richness ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Desert rivers are highly dynamic systems in which dry periods, frequently involving the cessation of superficial flow, alternate with violent flash floods. In spite of their territorial importance and high functional and biological diversity, desert rivers have received little attention in the scientific literature, especially in Northern Africa. This study investigated the distribution of non-native fish, their relationship with river damming and their potential impacts on native biodiversity in the main river basins draining arid areas of Morocco (Oued Draa, Oued Ziz and Oued Ghir), based on field sampling covering 84 stream reaches. Thirteen fish species were recorded, eight of which are non-native. Two species (stone moroko, Pseudorasbora parva, and bleak, Alburnus alburnus) had not been previously recorded in Morocco, while the native sandsmelt (Atherina boyeri) had not been cited as an invader. Pumpkinseed (Lepomis gibbosus) was the most widely distributed non-native fish. Non-native fish species were associated with reservoirs, colonizing the regulated downstream reaches. In contrast, unregulated upstream reaches tended to be free of non-natives. The low abundance of native fish in reservoirs seems to be caused by the impacts of introduced fish species. Management options for environmental flow are limited, owing to reduced water availability. Non-native fish management should thus focus on limiting the spread of species already introduced and avoiding new introductions, especially into reservoirs. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
- Published
- 2014
33. The farmland refuge of the last Andalusian Buttonquail population
- Author
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Eloy Revilla, Carlos Gutiérrez-Expósito, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Miguel Clavero, and Ruth García-Gorria
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Occupancy ,Andalusian buttonquail ,Turnix sylvaticus ,Population ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Common buttonquail ,Critically endangered ,Refugee species ,lcsh:QH540-549.5 ,education ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation ,education.field_of_study ,Ecology ,biology ,Intensive farming ,business.industry ,Agroforestry ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Agriculture intensification ,Crop rotation ,biology.organism_classification ,Geography ,Agriculture ,Threatened species ,lcsh:Ecology ,business - Abstract
The last populations of threatened taxa usually survive in low-impacted areas, whose protection and management is critical for its conservation. However, they can also be located in humanized and highly dynamic areas, whose management can be extremely challenging. The Andalusian buttonquail (Turnix sylvaticus sylvaticus) is the critically endangered nominal subspecies of the common buttonquail, a largely unknown species due to its secretive habits. Here, we show how the last Andalusian buttonquail population is restricted to a small, intensively used agricultural area (4,675 ha) in the Atlantic coast of Morocco, where the birds adapt their life cycle to a fast crop rotation. Buttonquails occupy crops in the flowering and fruiting stages, thus changing the preferred crop types along the year, although Alfalfa fields were occupied in all seasons. We used estimated occupancy rates in different crops to obtain seasonal (2017) and year-to-year population estimates (2011, 2014 and 2017). Numbers showed wide seasonal fluctuations between the lowest in winter and the maximum in summer (112e719 individuals). Year-to-year summer estimates also showed wide variations and large uncertainties, ranging between a maximum 1,890 estimated in 2011 and a minimum in 2014 with 492 individuals. The last population estimate available was 596 in 2017. The area is suffering a rapid shift from traditional irrigation farming towards practices more akin to commercial industrial agriculture. The conservation of this critically endangered taxon is highly dependent on the maintenance of traditional farming practices and a rational on-site agricultural modernization
- Published
- 2019
34. Habitat preference of the sole wild population of Francolinus bicalcaratus Ayesha in the palearctic : implications for conservation and management
- Author
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Saâd Hanane, Nabil Alahyane, Najib Magri, Mohamed-Aziz El Agbani, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
- Subjects
Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
The critically endangered Double-spurred Francolin (Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha) is endemic to Morocco, where it inhabits cork oak forests. Its populations have been reduced chiefly due to hunting and habitat destruction. Characterizing the habitat use of native-bred birds is a tool which can optimize recovery programs. Auditory detection was used during transect surveys of calling males to locate breeding birds. We analysed factors determining the occurrence of native Double-spurred Francolins in North-western Morocco using a set of 13 environmental variables. Predictors were aggregated using PCAs and related to species presence/ random data using GLMs. The best-supported model of the species’ occurrence included three PCA axes and was clearly better (AIC weight = 0.75) than other models. Francolins showed a preference for large trees with low density, and a proximity to cereal fields. This suggests a trade-off between the need to forage efficiently and that to avoid predators. Further studies are needed to improve our understanding of the effects of ecological factors on nest habitat selection, productivity and survival of Double-spurred Francolin., Préférence d’habitat de la seule population sauvage de Francolinus bicalcaratus ayesha dans le Paléarctique : implications pour sa conservation et sa gestion. Le Francolin à double éperon (Francolinus bicalcaratum ayesha) est un oiseau en danger critique d’extinction et endémique du Maroc, où il habite les forêts de chêne-liège. Ses populations ont été réduites principalement en raison de la chasse et de la destruction des habitats. La caractérisation de l’habitat utilisé par ces oiseaux indigènes peut optimiser les programmes futurs de réintroduction. La méthode de détection auditive a été utilisée sur des transects pour localiser les mâles chanteurs. Nous avons analysé les facteurs qui déterminent la présence du Francolin à double éperon dans le Nord-Ouest du Maroc en considérant 13 variables explicatives. Ces prédicteurs ont été regroupés par Analyse en Composante Pricipale (ACP) et les données associées à la présence/ aléatoire de l’espèce ont été traitées par des GLMs. Le meilleur modèle, sélectionné sur la base du critère d’Akaike, a montré les effets combinés, en additif, des axes ACPTaille des arbres, ACPProximité aux parcelles de céréales et ACPDensité des arbres (AICweight = 0,75). Les Francolins ont montré une préférence pour les grands arbres à faible densité et pour la proximité de champs de céréales. Cela suggère que la sélection de l’habitat chez les francolins est un compromis entre la nécessité de se nourrir et celle d’éviter les prédateurs. D’autres études sont nécessaires pour améliorer notre compréhension des effets des facteurs écologiques sur la sélection de l’habitat de nidification, la productivité et la survie de ce Gallinacé., Hanane Saâd,Alahyane Nabil,Magri Najib,El Agbani Mohamed-Aziz,Qninba Abdeljebbar. Habitat preference of the sole wild population of Francolinus bicalcaratus Ayesha in the palearctic : implications for conservation and management . In: Revue d'Écologie (La Terre et La Vie), tome 71, n°3, 2016. pp. 288-297.
- Published
- 2016
35. Observations on the diet of the North African houbara bustard during the non-breeding season
- Author
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M.A. El Agbani, A. Zaime, Abdelaziz Benhoussa, Y. Hingrat, J.-F. Léger, K. Bourass, H. Rguibi, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
- Subjects
Ecology ,biology ,food and beverages ,biology.organism_classification ,Herbarium ,Taxon ,Dry weight ,Habitat ,Seasonal breeder ,Omnivore ,Bustard ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Earth-Surface Processes ,Invertebrate - Abstract
The North African houbara bustard ( Chlamydotis undulata undulata ) is a medium-sized steppeland bird described as omnivorous and opportunistic. Its diet reflects the local abundances of plants and invertebrates. However, comprehensive studies based on both plant and animal materials are lacking to confirm or invalidate this characterization. The diet of the species during the non-breeding season was studied based on the contents of the stomachs of 42 adults collected during 2004, 2006 and 2007 in two regions of eastern Morocco. Taxa were identified to species or genus using a herbarium, a plant epidermis reference collection, an invertebrate reference collection, and an invertebrate fragment reference collection. We analyzed variation in the diet according to sex, region and year. The diet primarily included plant material (66 ± 25% of the dry weight of the stomach contents). The relative proportions of plants and invertebrates did not differ between the sexes but showed variations in space and time. The ingested plant and invertebrate assemblages differed between year and area but not between the sexes. These results suggest that both sexes forage in similar habitats and that their diet reflects spatial and temporal variations in plant and invertebrate availability, as expected for an opportunistic feeder.
- Published
- 2012
36. Conservation Strategy and Action Plan for the Great Bustard (Otis tarda) in Morocco 2016-2025
- Author
-
R. Aboulouafae, N. Collar, Y. Chaker, M. Abdellilah, S. Chakri, A. El Idrissi Essougrati, A. Ouafae, Z. Amhaouch, M. Noaman, V. Barrios, D. Mallon, T. Dodman, R. Raab, C. Magin, B. Haddane, Z. Arhzaf, A.S. M’rabet, M. Radi, C. Numa, A. Troya, Juan C. Alonso, M. Thevenot, M. A. El Agbani, M. Bousfizza, A. Driss, Carlos Palacín, H. Mesbah, A. Bouajaja, A. Britel, M. Sidi Ben Salah, A. Bouabbad, R. El Khamlichi, S. San Román, Oumnia Himmi, I. Cherkaoui, E. Alcázar, Abdeljebbar Qninba, and K. Kébir
- Subjects
Geography ,biology ,Otis tarda ,Action plan ,Forestry ,Bustard ,biology.organism_classification ,Environmental planning - Published
- 2015
37. Complete Moult of an Undescribed Resident Taxon of the Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus / BaeticatusComplex in the Smir Marshes, Northern Morocco
- Author
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Anass Louah, Ian Thompson, Charles Perez, Mohamed Amezian, Keith J. Bensusan, John Cortes, Mohammed Aziz El Agbani, and Abdeljebbar Qninba
- Subjects
geography ,education.field_of_study ,Marsh ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Ecology ,Population ,North africa ,Biology ,biology.organism_classification ,Warbler ,Taxon ,Acrocephalus ,Juvenile ,Animal Science and Zoology ,education ,Moulting ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
A complete moult north of the Sahara has never been reported conclusively in the Reed Warbler Acrocephalus scirpaceus complex. During a ringing program carried out in the Smir marshes (northern Morocco) 140 adults and 292 juvenile Reed Warblers were examined during four autumns in the period 2004–2008. Of these birds, 8.9% of juveniles were either in active moult (n = 17) or had completed moult (n = 9) and 48.6% of adults were either in active moult (n = 32) or completely moulted (n = 22). At least some of the moulting birds were of local origin (i.e. Smir breeding population), since 14 males and one female were captured in autumn and later recaptured in spring showing signs of breeding activity, or captured in spring and recaptured moulting in autumn. Also, one juvenile captured in May was recaptured in November while moulting. Capture history of some moulting birds indicate that they over-winter locally and others most likely winter somewhere else in Morocco (i.e. north of the Sahara). Therefore, we rep...
- Published
- 2010
38. Rôle de la côte Atlantique marocaine dans l'hivernage des limicoles (Aves, Charadrii)
- Author
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Mohammed-Aziz El Agbani, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Mohamed Dakki, and Abdelaziz Benhoussa
- Subjects
Fishery ,Geography ,Habitat ,Range (biology) ,business.industry ,Environmental protection ,Western europe ,Distribution (economics) ,business ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,West africa - Abstract
An analysis of the distribution of wintering waders in Morocco showed that 91% were found on the Atlantic coast, where their preferred habitats (sandy beaches, mudflats, marshlands) are best represented. Waders in Morocco can be grouped into three categories based on their distribution: (1) species which occur all along the Atlantic coast, without any favoured sites; for this group the Moroccan coast is part of a continuous range from Western Europe to West Africa; (2) species whose distribution is restricted to northern Morocco, which represents the southern limit of their wintering range in Western Europe; (3) species found primarily on the southern Moroccan coast, which then represents a northward extension of their main wintering area, the Banc d'Arguin in Mauritania. Thus the Moroccan coast is a transitional zone between Western Europe and West Africa, with the northern sector allied to Western Europe, the southern sector to West Africa. The boundary between the two is the Souss region, and the range...
- Published
- 2007
39. On regular wintering of Eurasian Penduline Tits Remiz pendulinus in northern Morocco
- Author
-
John Cortes, Mohamed Amezian, Abdeljebbar Qninba, Keith J. Bensusan, Anass Louah, and Ian Thompson
- Subjects
geography ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Marsh ,biology ,Ecology ,Penduline tit ,Remiz pendulinus ,Spring (hydrology) ,Period (geology) ,Zoology ,biology.organism_classification ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
The Eurasian Penduline Tit Remiz pendulinus was until recently considered to be an accidental winter visitor to Morocco. Regular wintering was suspected in the north-west of the country but had been poorly documented. The ringing data collected in the Smir marshes (north-west Morocco) during the period 2004-2008 indicate that Eurasian Penduline Tits regularly winter in Morocco. During the study period, 50 birds were caught on 68 occasions. The intra-seasonal recapture data, i.e. autumn to the following spring, and winter observations showed that some individuals over-wintered locally at this site. The inter-annual recapture data indicate that wintering birds return regularly to the Smir marshes. OSTRICH 2011, 82(1): 39–42
- Published
- 2011
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