Vascular Flora Analysis in the Southern Part of Chott El Hodna Wetland, Algeria: An Advanced Research

Abstract

The study aimed to provide vegetation data for a wetland of international importance which implies knowledge of its flora and especially the endemic species or rare and those reflecting the importance of the local or regional biodiversity. The southern part of Chott El Hodna (M’Sila province - Algeria) wetland belongs to mediterranean arid bioclimatic stage with mild winter. During the period 2009-2013, an inventory of the natural vegetation took place in this area where 79 floristic samples were conducted along two transects from north to south and from east to west. We found 116 species, distributed in 85 genera belonging to 29 botanical families. The Magnoliopsida have 27 families and 68 genera and the Liliopsida have only 02 families and 17 genera. There are six families whose are best represented by 65.52% of the total flora (Poaceae, Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Brassicaceae and Caryophyllaceae). This flora contains 20 endemic taxa including 8 rare species. It has the following biological spectrum: annuals (therophytes): 60.34% and perennials: 36.66% (chamaephytes: 18.10%, hemicryptophytes: 11.20%, phanerophytes: 6.03% and geophytes: 4.31%). This is a characteristic of arid habitats. The numerical analysis of vegetation by using the Sørensen’s similarity index and the Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) resulted in the individualization of three major groups of samples that reflect different environmental conditions and specific enough of the study area. The vegetation appeared much adapted to the environment. The preservation of this habitat and flora must register in emergency concerns.