Moroccan chestnut populations cover a small area in northern Morocco. They occupy great environme... more Moroccan chestnut populations cover a small area in northern Morocco. They occupy great environmental and socio-economic interests. Nonetheless, such interests remained unvalued and little studied. This study aims to characterize and assess phenotypic similarities (or disparities) among the Moroccan populations of C. sativa via univariate and multivariate analyses of leaves traits. The experiments involved 6200 leaves from 31 populations, 10 trees per population, and 20 leaves per tree. Six morphometric parameters [blade area (S), perimeter (P), lamina length (LL), lamina width (LW), distance between the base and largest width (DBW), petiole length (PL)] and four ratios [LL/LW, LL/LP, LL/DBW, DBW/LP] were analyzed. Analysis of descriptive statistics within and between populations showed large variations among the studied parameters. This trend was supported as well by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) which revealed a highly significant differences (P <0.0001). Furthermore, the st...
For thousands of years, humans have domesticated different plants by selecting for particular cha... more For thousands of years, humans have domesticated different plants by selecting for particular characters, often affecting less-known traits, including the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these plants for defense or reproduction. The fig tree Ficus carica has a very wide range of varieties in the Mediterranean region and is selected for its traits affecting fruits, including pollination, but the effect of human-driven diversification on the VOCs emitted by the receptive figs to attract their pollinator (Blastophaga psenes) is not known. In the present study, VOCs from receptive figs of eight varieties in northern Morocco, were collected at different times within the manual pollination period and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Genetic analyses using microsatellite loci were performed on the same varieties. Despite strong inter-varietal differences in the quantity and relative proportions of all VOCs, the relative proportions of the four pollinator-attra...
Background The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the most iconic tree species of the Me... more Background The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the most iconic tree species of the Mediterranean region, with valuable economic, ecological and cultural value. Carob has been exploited around the Mediterranean region since antiquity and has been regarded as an important component of natural habitats and traditional agroecosystems. Several studies have focused on its morphological, biochemical, and genetic diversity. However, less is known about the intraspecific variation of seed traits. In this regard, and as an overall objective, we intend to evaluate the amplitude and the expression of intraspecific variations of carob seed traits at different ecological scales ranging from individual trees to different geographical landscapes. In addition, we investigated how the climate along the study area affects the extent of carob seed variability. Using image analysis techniques, we measured seven traits related to the size and the shape of 1740 seeds collected from 18 populati...
The purpose of this study is to show how local authorities (municipalities) deal with their commu... more The purpose of this study is to show how local authorities (municipalities) deal with their community real estate. The study is an annually recurring research: every year since 2008 (except for 2013), Dutch municipalities have been asked to complete a questionnaire about how they manage their real estate. With these results it is possible to perform quantitative analyses on both trends and the current situation. The questionnaire responses have led to the following conclusions: (1) Half of the municipalities has a policy but takes few risk measures, (2) Withdrawing local government, (3) Management and operations most outsourced tasks, (4) Obstacles remain unchanged, (5) Cost reduction most relevant policy theme since 2009, (6) Relevance of some policy themes depends on municipality size, (7) More real estate is offered, smaller percentage is sold, 8) More FTEs for real estate management, especially executive tasks and (9) Conscious focus on quality. Dutch municipalities tune their n...
ABSTRACT Résumé. Géographiquement, le pays Jbala occupe la majeure partie du Rif occidental (Nord... more ABSTRACT Résumé. Géographiquement, le pays Jbala occupe la majeure partie du Rif occidental (Nord-ouest du Maroc) et s&amp;#39;intègre dans un contexte naturel et socio-économique qui le fait appartenir à un système de production de type agrosylvopastoral. C&amp;#39;est un pays montagnard caractérisé par une agriculture traditionnelle et une grande diversité de cultures et de produits typiques. Il possède un éventail important de produits de terroirs, issus de l&amp;#39;agrodiversité et des savoir-faire des agroécosystèmes traditionnels de montagne. Ce pays représente un territoire géographiquement délimité et hébergeant une population avec des traits culturels distinctifs et une originalité qui lui confèrent une typicité. Les conditions sont ainsi réunies en faveur de la reconnaissance et la valorisation de ses produits de terroirs. Cette valorisation peut profiter de la dynamique actuelle au Maroc suite à différentes initiatives comme la création d&amp;#39;un cadre légal de labellisation et les ouvertures du pilier II du programme Maroc vert. D&amp;#39;autre part, la dimension méditerranéenne du pays Jbala est un atout important permettant de se démarquer de l&amp;#39;image traditionnelle des autres produits de terroirs marocains. Cependant, il faudra veiller à concilier les impératifs économiques de la valorisation et les exigences de la conservation de la diversité. Mots clefs. Système agrosylvopastoral, région d&amp;#39;altitude, diversification, agriculture traditionnelle, connaissance indigène, produit du terroir, valorisation, label de qualité, plan Maroc vert, Maroc Abstract. Geographically, the country Jbala, occupies most of the western Rif (North west of Morocco) and fits in a natural context and the socio-economic system that belong to a type of production agrosilvopastoral. It is a mountainous country characterized by traditional agriculture and a wide variety of cultures and typical products. It has a large range of regional products, from agrodiversity and know-how of traditional agroecosystems mountain. This country is a geographically delimited and hosting a population with distinctive cultural and originality that gives it a uniqueness. Conditions are met and for the recognition and promotion of its products terroirs. This valuation can enjoy the current dynamics in Morocco following various initiatives such as the creation of a legal framework for labeling and openings Pillar II of the Green Morocco. On the other side, the Mediterranean dimension of Jbala countries is an important asset to differentiate themselves from the traditional image of other products of Moroccan soils. However, care must be taken to reconcile the economic recovery and the requirements of the conservation of biological diversity Key words. Agrosilvopastoral system, altitude region, diversification, traditional agriculture, indigenous knowledge, local product, promotion, quality label, Green Morocco Plan, Morocco
This study is intended to analyse the current situation and trends in terms of services and envir... more This study is intended to analyse the current situation and trends in terms of services and environmental goods availability and use in the Oued Laou river basin, with a focus on water availability and use. These issues were investigated considering since the very beginning the different categories of inhabitants: as a matter of facts, some categories are more exposed to risks than others, because of their different links to the environmental goods. The consideration of these categories is particularly relevant in the case of a changing environment such as the Oued Laou river basin, in which the populations are experiencing a sudden change in environmental management and are under pressure by different development models at the time. The gender perspective was integrated within the study, as women represent an essential part of the system, they are usually directly deal with local environmental goods, but at the same time have limited or no representation among decisional or powerfu...
Legumes are an essential component of human and animal food, particularly in the Mediterranean ar... more Legumes are an essential component of human and animal food, particularly in the Mediterranean area. While some legumes are widely cultivated and consumed, others are neglected and underused. This is the case of an ancient Mediterranean legume, chickling-vetch (Lathyrus cicera L.), currently considered as a marginal crop. In Morocco, this crop persists in some traditional mountain agroecosystems in the Tadla-Azilal region. This study allowed to specify the cultivated area and the socio-economic characteristics. The estimation of local ecotypes diversity was carried out using agromorphological descriptors on a collection gathering 13 accessions. The used descriptors include germination, phenology, morphology, and production. The analysis of variability revealed the existence of a structured diversity based on ecotypes differentiation with significant geographical and altitudinal influences. The absence of dormancy, precocity, and a short vegetative lifecycle unveil an interesting ada...
A Global climate change has raised serious concerns about food security and the sustainability of... more A Global climate change has raised serious concerns about food security and the sustainability of agriculture, particularly in developing regions of the world. In response to these concerns, attention should be called to the global importance of conservation of some neglected and underutilized crops, such as Lathyrus species, which are nutrient-rich and already adapted to harsh environments and low-input agriculture. L. cicera L., known in Morocco as ‘ikiker’, ‘kiker’ or ‘ichicher’, is marginally cultivated in the region. Landraces of this crop species, which are maintained locally by traditional agricultural practices, correspond to ecotypes adapted to local agroclimatic conditions. We have surveyed the traditional cultivation sites of this crop to identify specific associated agroecosystems in the Middle and High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. We have evaluated the diversity of ecotypes of L. cicera L. by a set of characters associated with the socioeconomic and agromorphological asp...
Proceedings of 1st International Electronic Conference on Biological Diversity, Ecology and Evolution, 2021
For decades, local and traditional species have been neglected and replaced by industrial and imp... more For decades, local and traditional species have been neglected and replaced by industrial and improved species. Sweet chestnut ‘Castanea sativa MILL.’, found in a small area in northern Morocco, is no exception. Indeed, Moroccan ecotypes are neither classified nor characterized. This study aims to evaluate the local genetic resources of Castanea sativa MILL. via multivariate analysis of morphometric parameters of leaves. The study involved 6200 leaves from 31 villages in 3 regions; 10 trees/village and 20 leaves/tree were sampled. Then eight morphometric parameters were analyzed: lamina length (LL), lamina width (LW), petiole length (PL), distance from the base of the leaf to the widest point of the leaf (DBW), surface (S), perimeter (P), and ratios LL/LW and LL/DBW. Analysis of the descriptive statistics within and between ecotypes initially showed a large variation in the ten parameters studied. This finding was supported by analysis of variance (ANOVA) which revealed a very highl...
Ce numero special situe a la croisee d’approches interdisciplinaires ethnobotanique, linguistique... more Ce numero special situe a la croisee d’approches interdisciplinaires ethnobotanique, linguistique et anthropologique, revele les modalites d’interactions entre les hommes, la nature et autrui chez les Jbala et dans le Rif, au Maroc. Nous observons une diversite linguistique elevee, des pratiques anciennes et tres resilientes sur la nature ainsi qu’une agrobiodiversite associee exceptionnelle. Nous suggerons que l’organisation sociale rifaine ainsi que la diversite des parlers constituent des elements identitaires stables creant des frontieres entre les differents groupes sociaux arabophones et berberophones d’origines variees du Rif, et du Pre-Rif. Des echanges aux frontieres dans les souks ou lors de mariages, contribuent a la richesse linguistique ainsi qu’a l’agrobiodiversite. Celle-ci repose, en outre, sur la biodiversite naturelle et sur des echanges historiques avec la Mediterranee. Ces travaux montrent egalement une grande proximite entre les habitants du Rif et la nature, y ...
Moroccan chestnut populations cover a small area in northern Morocco. They occupy great environme... more Moroccan chestnut populations cover a small area in northern Morocco. They occupy great environmental and socio-economic interests. Nonetheless, such interests remained unvalued and little studied. This study aims to characterize and assess phenotypic similarities (or disparities) among the Moroccan populations of C. sativa via univariate and multivariate analyses of leaves traits. The experiments involved 6200 leaves from 31 populations, 10 trees per population, and 20 leaves per tree. Six morphometric parameters [blade area (S), perimeter (P), lamina length (LL), lamina width (LW), distance between the base and largest width (DBW), petiole length (PL)] and four ratios [LL/LW, LL/LP, LL/DBW, DBW/LP] were analyzed. Analysis of descriptive statistics within and between populations showed large variations among the studied parameters. This trend was supported as well by the analysis of variance (ANOVA) which revealed a highly significant differences (P <0.0001). Furthermore, the st...
For thousands of years, humans have domesticated different plants by selecting for particular cha... more For thousands of years, humans have domesticated different plants by selecting for particular characters, often affecting less-known traits, including the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by these plants for defense or reproduction. The fig tree Ficus carica has a very wide range of varieties in the Mediterranean region and is selected for its traits affecting fruits, including pollination, but the effect of human-driven diversification on the VOCs emitted by the receptive figs to attract their pollinator (Blastophaga psenes) is not known. In the present study, VOCs from receptive figs of eight varieties in northern Morocco, were collected at different times within the manual pollination period and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Genetic analyses using microsatellite loci were performed on the same varieties. Despite strong inter-varietal differences in the quantity and relative proportions of all VOCs, the relative proportions of the four pollinator-attra...
Background The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the most iconic tree species of the Me... more Background The carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the most iconic tree species of the Mediterranean region, with valuable economic, ecological and cultural value. Carob has been exploited around the Mediterranean region since antiquity and has been regarded as an important component of natural habitats and traditional agroecosystems. Several studies have focused on its morphological, biochemical, and genetic diversity. However, less is known about the intraspecific variation of seed traits. In this regard, and as an overall objective, we intend to evaluate the amplitude and the expression of intraspecific variations of carob seed traits at different ecological scales ranging from individual trees to different geographical landscapes. In addition, we investigated how the climate along the study area affects the extent of carob seed variability. Using image analysis techniques, we measured seven traits related to the size and the shape of 1740 seeds collected from 18 populati...
The purpose of this study is to show how local authorities (municipalities) deal with their commu... more The purpose of this study is to show how local authorities (municipalities) deal with their community real estate. The study is an annually recurring research: every year since 2008 (except for 2013), Dutch municipalities have been asked to complete a questionnaire about how they manage their real estate. With these results it is possible to perform quantitative analyses on both trends and the current situation. The questionnaire responses have led to the following conclusions: (1) Half of the municipalities has a policy but takes few risk measures, (2) Withdrawing local government, (3) Management and operations most outsourced tasks, (4) Obstacles remain unchanged, (5) Cost reduction most relevant policy theme since 2009, (6) Relevance of some policy themes depends on municipality size, (7) More real estate is offered, smaller percentage is sold, 8) More FTEs for real estate management, especially executive tasks and (9) Conscious focus on quality. Dutch municipalities tune their n...
ABSTRACT Résumé. Géographiquement, le pays Jbala occupe la majeure partie du Rif occidental (Nord... more ABSTRACT Résumé. Géographiquement, le pays Jbala occupe la majeure partie du Rif occidental (Nord-ouest du Maroc) et s&amp;#39;intègre dans un contexte naturel et socio-économique qui le fait appartenir à un système de production de type agrosylvopastoral. C&amp;#39;est un pays montagnard caractérisé par une agriculture traditionnelle et une grande diversité de cultures et de produits typiques. Il possède un éventail important de produits de terroirs, issus de l&amp;#39;agrodiversité et des savoir-faire des agroécosystèmes traditionnels de montagne. Ce pays représente un territoire géographiquement délimité et hébergeant une population avec des traits culturels distinctifs et une originalité qui lui confèrent une typicité. Les conditions sont ainsi réunies en faveur de la reconnaissance et la valorisation de ses produits de terroirs. Cette valorisation peut profiter de la dynamique actuelle au Maroc suite à différentes initiatives comme la création d&amp;#39;un cadre légal de labellisation et les ouvertures du pilier II du programme Maroc vert. D&amp;#39;autre part, la dimension méditerranéenne du pays Jbala est un atout important permettant de se démarquer de l&amp;#39;image traditionnelle des autres produits de terroirs marocains. Cependant, il faudra veiller à concilier les impératifs économiques de la valorisation et les exigences de la conservation de la diversité. Mots clefs. Système agrosylvopastoral, région d&amp;#39;altitude, diversification, agriculture traditionnelle, connaissance indigène, produit du terroir, valorisation, label de qualité, plan Maroc vert, Maroc Abstract. Geographically, the country Jbala, occupies most of the western Rif (North west of Morocco) and fits in a natural context and the socio-economic system that belong to a type of production agrosilvopastoral. It is a mountainous country characterized by traditional agriculture and a wide variety of cultures and typical products. It has a large range of regional products, from agrodiversity and know-how of traditional agroecosystems mountain. This country is a geographically delimited and hosting a population with distinctive cultural and originality that gives it a uniqueness. Conditions are met and for the recognition and promotion of its products terroirs. This valuation can enjoy the current dynamics in Morocco following various initiatives such as the creation of a legal framework for labeling and openings Pillar II of the Green Morocco. On the other side, the Mediterranean dimension of Jbala countries is an important asset to differentiate themselves from the traditional image of other products of Moroccan soils. However, care must be taken to reconcile the economic recovery and the requirements of the conservation of biological diversity Key words. Agrosilvopastoral system, altitude region, diversification, traditional agriculture, indigenous knowledge, local product, promotion, quality label, Green Morocco Plan, Morocco
This study is intended to analyse the current situation and trends in terms of services and envir... more This study is intended to analyse the current situation and trends in terms of services and environmental goods availability and use in the Oued Laou river basin, with a focus on water availability and use. These issues were investigated considering since the very beginning the different categories of inhabitants: as a matter of facts, some categories are more exposed to risks than others, because of their different links to the environmental goods. The consideration of these categories is particularly relevant in the case of a changing environment such as the Oued Laou river basin, in which the populations are experiencing a sudden change in environmental management and are under pressure by different development models at the time. The gender perspective was integrated within the study, as women represent an essential part of the system, they are usually directly deal with local environmental goods, but at the same time have limited or no representation among decisional or powerfu...
Legumes are an essential component of human and animal food, particularly in the Mediterranean ar... more Legumes are an essential component of human and animal food, particularly in the Mediterranean area. While some legumes are widely cultivated and consumed, others are neglected and underused. This is the case of an ancient Mediterranean legume, chickling-vetch (Lathyrus cicera L.), currently considered as a marginal crop. In Morocco, this crop persists in some traditional mountain agroecosystems in the Tadla-Azilal region. This study allowed to specify the cultivated area and the socio-economic characteristics. The estimation of local ecotypes diversity was carried out using agromorphological descriptors on a collection gathering 13 accessions. The used descriptors include germination, phenology, morphology, and production. The analysis of variability revealed the existence of a structured diversity based on ecotypes differentiation with significant geographical and altitudinal influences. The absence of dormancy, precocity, and a short vegetative lifecycle unveil an interesting ada...
A Global climate change has raised serious concerns about food security and the sustainability of... more A Global climate change has raised serious concerns about food security and the sustainability of agriculture, particularly in developing regions of the world. In response to these concerns, attention should be called to the global importance of conservation of some neglected and underutilized crops, such as Lathyrus species, which are nutrient-rich and already adapted to harsh environments and low-input agriculture. L. cicera L., known in Morocco as ‘ikiker’, ‘kiker’ or ‘ichicher’, is marginally cultivated in the region. Landraces of this crop species, which are maintained locally by traditional agricultural practices, correspond to ecotypes adapted to local agroclimatic conditions. We have surveyed the traditional cultivation sites of this crop to identify specific associated agroecosystems in the Middle and High Atlas Mountains of Morocco. We have evaluated the diversity of ecotypes of L. cicera L. by a set of characters associated with the socioeconomic and agromorphological asp...
Proceedings of 1st International Electronic Conference on Biological Diversity, Ecology and Evolution, 2021
For decades, local and traditional species have been neglected and replaced by industrial and imp... more For decades, local and traditional species have been neglected and replaced by industrial and improved species. Sweet chestnut ‘Castanea sativa MILL.’, found in a small area in northern Morocco, is no exception. Indeed, Moroccan ecotypes are neither classified nor characterized. This study aims to evaluate the local genetic resources of Castanea sativa MILL. via multivariate analysis of morphometric parameters of leaves. The study involved 6200 leaves from 31 villages in 3 regions; 10 trees/village and 20 leaves/tree were sampled. Then eight morphometric parameters were analyzed: lamina length (LL), lamina width (LW), petiole length (PL), distance from the base of the leaf to the widest point of the leaf (DBW), surface (S), perimeter (P), and ratios LL/LW and LL/DBW. Analysis of the descriptive statistics within and between ecotypes initially showed a large variation in the ten parameters studied. This finding was supported by analysis of variance (ANOVA) which revealed a very highl...
Ce numero special situe a la croisee d’approches interdisciplinaires ethnobotanique, linguistique... more Ce numero special situe a la croisee d’approches interdisciplinaires ethnobotanique, linguistique et anthropologique, revele les modalites d’interactions entre les hommes, la nature et autrui chez les Jbala et dans le Rif, au Maroc. Nous observons une diversite linguistique elevee, des pratiques anciennes et tres resilientes sur la nature ainsi qu’une agrobiodiversite associee exceptionnelle. Nous suggerons que l’organisation sociale rifaine ainsi que la diversite des parlers constituent des elements identitaires stables creant des frontieres entre les differents groupes sociaux arabophones et berberophones d’origines variees du Rif, et du Pre-Rif. Des echanges aux frontieres dans les souks ou lors de mariages, contribuent a la richesse linguistique ainsi qu’a l’agrobiodiversite. Celle-ci repose, en outre, sur la biodiversite naturelle et sur des echanges historiques avec la Mediterranee. Ces travaux montrent egalement une grande proximite entre les habitants du Rif et la nature, y ...
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