FLORISTIC DIVERSITY OF WETLANDS OF OUED RIGH VALLEY, NORTHERN OF ALGERIAN SAHARA.

N KOULL; A CHEHMA

N KOULL Centre de Recherches Scientifiques et Technique sur les Régions Arides. CRSTRA, RN N°03 Aïn Sahera Nezla Touggourt.
A CHEHMA Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla. Laboratoire de Bioressources sahariennes "Préservation et valorisation".Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Ouargla, Algérie.

Keywords: Wetland, Flora, Halophytes, Sahara, Algeria

Abstract

Wetlands arean essentialecologicalecosystemin Saharan. Their ecologicalstudyis necessary for anyconservation project.The aim of this study was to explore thecompositionand dynamics ofthe natural vegetationin five saline wetlands of OuedRighregion, locating in the north east of Algerian septentrional Sahara. A total of 17 species belonging to 10 families were identified from the five studied habitats. Water bodiesare devoid ofsubmerged plants. Species distributionof wetlands is heterogeneous so Ayataand Megarinelakesare the richestwith 10species.The most frequentbiological typesare Chamephytes(41%) and Geophytes(17%), which characterize thedesert vegetationwith lowcoverandlow height.Chenopodiaceaeincludesthemain numberof specieswithsixplantswhich resistsalinityand drought. The major ofthe inventoriedspeciesarehalophytesas well asArthrocnemumglaucum, HalocnemumstrobilaceumandSalicorniafruticosa, or hydrophytesespeciallyPhragmitescommunis, JuncusmaritimusandTamarixgallica. Wetlands of OuedRighregion habitat a little diverse floraadapted todifficult environmental conditionsas high soil salinity and drought climate.