Mounir Louhaichi

This study examined various shrub species integrated into field crops (wheat, vetch, barley), including leguminous varieties (Medicago arborea, Colutea istria, Coronilla glauca), Atriplex species (A. canescens, A. nummularia, A. undulata), and...

A morphological and quality analysis of 64 global core collections of cactus genotypes was conducted using 30 growth and fodder quality traits. Results indicated a high coefficient of variation for primary cladode perimeter (91.0%), root fresh weight...

The Thar Desert, Sindh, Pakistan is characterized by low productivity. Besides, economy is based on agriculture, livestock and mining, nevertheless, livestock graze freely on public and private land. The aim of this research was to determine biomass...

The growing demand for native planting material in ecological restoration and rehabilitation
for agro-silvo-pastoral ecosystems has resulted in a major global industry in their sourcing,
multiplication, and sale. Plant tissue culture is used for...

Spineless forage cactus can be a cost-effective solution for the livestock keepers of semi-arid tropics by providing a stable source of nutritive forage capable of maintaining healthy and productive herds/flocks especially during lean periods...

Arid and semi-arid lands are considered unsuitable for crop production because they require substantial amounts of water and additional nutrients. However, certain species can perform well and enhance the livelihoods of poor farmers. In the semi-arid...

As livestock is an important component of livelihoods in the arid regions of Kutch in Gujarat, India, smallholder farmers have difficulties in cultivating fodder crops during the driest seasons of the year. Water scarcity in arid regions can...

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) fruits are increasingly in demand by consumers in Jordan and across the Mediterranean region. For many decades, the only cactus pear fruit available in local markets were the yellow-orange fruits...

In Kutch (Gujarat District, India), there is a growing concern about the lack of good quality forage owing to the arid climate and poor soil health. Opuntia ficus-indica has been increasingly recognized as a drought-resilient forage in arid Kutch...

An experiment was conducted from 2015 to 2017 on a community rangeland located in Ajeet Nagar, Bawarli, Jodhpur to study the effect of different management interventions and soil depths on vegetation characteristics. The community rangeland area (10...

The study aimed to assess the rate of adoption of silvopastoral practices and identify main constraints that limit
their adoption in Rajasthan, India using adoption and
diffusion outcome prediction tool (ADOPT) in 2015-16.
Focus group discussions...

Arid steppes, with scattered vegetation, are commonly qualified as degraded ecosystems. Their natural vegetation cover is affected by both abiotic stresses and human activities and, therefore, suitable managements are needed for their sustainability...

Scrub rangelands support livestock grazing and provide ecosystem services to their inhabitants. The present study was conducted in Chakwal, an important tract of the Pothwar Plateau, which sustains herds of small domestic and nomadic ruminants...

Watershed rangelands in Northern Afghanistan provide various ecosystem services that support the local people’s livelihoods, but they are now highly degraded essentially due to the continuous high grazing pressure and recurrent droughts. Effects of...

Cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) can survive extreme environmental condition and is known for its fodder potential in many parts of the world. The morphological diversity of 15 introduced accessions was evaluated at Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh...

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of short grazing periods with high-stocking density on vegetation during weather conditions favorable to plant growth. Continuous grazing is widely practiced in Tunisian arid rangelands and across most...

Livestock are critical for incomes, livelihoods, nutrition and ecosystems management throughout the global South. Livestock production and the consumption of livestock-based foods such as meat, cheese, and milk is, however, under global scrutiny for...

The short-term fencing effects on vegetation in dryland landscape depressions are analyzed and the economic performance of grazing-only and integrated grazing with cropping in regard to land capital are compared. The goal is to suggest efficient...

Rangelands of Tunisia show a great indigenous species diversity with considerable potential as forage for livestock. However, information on their fodder yield and quality is scanty and restricted to few species. The objective of the study was to...

As in vitro culture environments can be mutagenic, it's challenging to produce true-to-true type plants from meristems. Therefore, the present study aimed to devlop an efficient protocol for micropropagation from shoot tip explants of medicinally...

Study of appropriate planting time and response to agronomic management practices is imperative for the newly introduced cactus pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) into a semi-arid region of India. Responses of cactus pear to agronomic practices...

Tajikistan’s rangelands are mostly mountainous and consist of summer and winter pastures. Vegetation structure and composition in these diverse landscapes are generally influenced by environmental factors. The objective of this study was to assess...

Aloe vera L. is used largely in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and agro-food industries. The in vitro technique was proposed as an alternative method for large-scale propagation and/or conservation breeding programmes in response to the increasing...

Resting or grazing exclusion is an effective practice widely adopted to restore degraded, arid rangelands. To understand its effect on plant diversity, we studied Hill’s diversity indices during two growing seasons (2017–2019). The experiment...

Long-term protection of arid ecosystems changes the vegetation and soil structures. The quantification of aboveground biomass and carbon content are among the principal indicators to evaluate these changes. Most methods used to quantify these...

Natural rangelands occupy about 5.5 million hectares of Tunisia’s landmass, and 38% of this area is in Tataouine governorate. Although efforts towards natural restoration are increasing rapidly as a result of restoration projects, the area of...

The mountain rangeland chain of Matmata (southern Tunisia) is characterised by an arid Mediterranean climate with severe droughts and high temperatures, combined with substantial human disturbance. In order to withstand these harsh conditions, plants...

Climate change and degradation of natural resources pose daunting challenges in arid and semi-arid rangelands of southern Mediterranean region. Overcoming these challenges requires considerable management actions efforts. In this context, the current...

The study investigated the e_ect of soil volume restriction on the below- and above-ground growth of Opuntia ficus-indica through understanding the limit imposed by root confinement via di_erent soil volumes on root and canopy architecture and growth...

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) is one of the most drought-tolerant perennial legumes that can thrive in dry, alkaline soils. A 3-year study in the Central Anatolian Region of Turkey compared the persistence, productivity and nutritive value...

Spatial variability in terrain, vegetation, and other features affect cattle and wildlife distribution on mountainous grazing lands of the western United States. Yet we have a poor understanding of how this spatial variability influences risk of wolf...

Climate change poses a significant threat to agroecosystems, especially in the dry areas,
characterized by abrupt precipitation pattern and frequent drought events. Ideal crops, tolerant to
these events, such as cactus, can perform well under such...

Climate change poses a significant threat to agroecosystems, especially in the dry areas, characterized by abrupt precipitation pattern and frequent drought events. Ideal crops, tolerant to these events, such as cactus, can perform well under such...

The study was conducted on a community rangeland in Ajeetnagar, Bawarli, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India from 2015 to 2017. The objective was to investigate the effect of reseeding and soil depth on plant biomass production, density and botanical...

Direct seeding techniques often result in unsatisfactory outcomes in rangeland rehabilitation, primarily because of low seedling emergence and poor establishment. Seed processing techniques aimed at improving seedling emergence have gained interest...

The objective of this study was to investigate farmers' adoption of sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) cultivation in northern Tunisia. Sulla adoption at farmer level and farmers‟ perception about the role of sulla were investigated through a survey of...

The technological advancements in agriculture have resulted in higher yields but lower ecological efficiency and nutritional value. Little innovations in later sectors such as integrating ecological functions in the production systems have crippled...

Le changement climatique est un des plus importants defis auquel le monde doit faire face aujourd’hui et dans le futur. Les secheresses prolongees et la desertification font partie des problemes rencontres par de nombreux pays, particulierement en...

Plants are important components of any rangeland. However, the importance of desert rangeland plant diversity has often been underestimated. It has been argued that desert rangelands of Tunisia in good ecological condition provide more services than...

Livestock production in arid and semi-arid regions is facing the challenges of low and erratic rainfall, poor nutrient soils, and high temperatures, which all contribute to inadequate forage production to support livestock. Under these challenging...

Actualmente el cambio climatico es uno de los mas grandes retos que el mundo debe enfrentar, y en el futuro las sequias prolongadas y la desertificacion son los temas - entre otros-, que atenderan muchos paises, especialmente en Africa y Asia, donde...

Despite the importance of fodder shrubs to small ruminant diets and production in arid and semiarid ecosystems, they are often not considered when quantifying grazing land potential. This oversight is mainly due to the time consuming and costly...

The vegetation cover and the biomass production of the rangeland ecosystems are decreasing at an alarming rate. The valorization of saline water, by irrigating planted pastoral halophytes on salt‐affected soils, is considered among the valuable tools...

The nutritive value of opuntia [(Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.] in combination with conventional fodders was assessed on 32 adult sheep, divided into 4 equal groups. The experimental diets consisted of chopped (5-8 cm) green opuntia cladodes (150 g...

Controlled grazing is considered a good management strategy to maintain or increase the live weight of livestock and to reduce vegetation degradation of rangelands. The present study investigated soil characteristics, aboveground vegetation biomass...

In dry areas, natural plant communities are mainly affected by climatic stress and human disturbances – overgrazing, ploughing and biomass harvesting – that accelerate their degradation. Management techniques, including creation of national parks...

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges the world must meet today and in the future. Prolonged droughts and desertification are among the issues faced by many countries, especially in Africa and Asia, where the rural poor and smallholders are...

Grewia tenax (Forssk.) Fiori is a multi-purpose shrub indigenous to Indian Thar desert. It grows naturally in the wastelands, rangelands and other uncultivated lands during the rainy season, and provides green fodder to livestock for a longer period...

The Cactaceae family includes about 1 600 species native to America but disseminated worldwide. Opuntia is the most widely known genus in this family and O.ficus-indica (L.) Mill. is cultivated in more than 20 countries (Nefzaoui et al., 2014). Cacti...

The spatial occupancy patterns and activity of cattle grazing three riparian pastures was investigated in northeastern Oregon using Global Positioning System (GPS) collars logging at 1-sec intervals. Cattle consistently selected plant communities as...

The objective of this study was to investigate the antifungal essential oil activity. The InVitro antifungal activity of myrtle essential oil against seven fungi allowed us to specify the corresponding minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of...

Water developments have been considered a fundamental tool for dispersing livestock and reducing livestock impact on riparian and aquatic habitats associated with perennial streams. Quantifying the efficacy of water developments has been difficult...

Stream and riparian health is a major concern for state and federal land management agencies that are charged with oversight of extensive land holdings in the mountain west of the United States. Several federal agencies in the 1980s and 1990s...

Large-scale mismanagement of natural resources emanating from lack of appropriate policies and reg- ulatory framework is arguably one of the reasons that led to resource degradation and poor livelihoods in many countries in the Middle East and North...

Rangelands cover about 82% of the arid area of Morocco. It is generally acknowledged that these areas are threatened by desertification.
Monitoring desertification requires accurate knowledge about the current status of rangeland degradation. Remote...

Plant biomass is usually assumed to be positively correlated with canopy cover. Measurements of
canopy cover can now be easily and precisely made through image processing of high-resolution
digital photography. This study aims to determine rapid...

Despite their ecological, economic and social importance,
grasslands in areas with Mediterranean climates
continue to receive limited scientific, political and
media attention. The main objectives of this review
are to compare and contrast dryland...

Rangelands of Central Asia (referring to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan in this study), the largest contiguous area of grazed land in the world, serve as an important source of livelihood for pastoral and agro...

Seedlings of Artemisia herba-alba grown in glasshouse were watered with differing salinities (0, 150, 250 or 350 mM NaCI) and watering frequencies of 3, 7, 14 or 21 days for a period of 6 weeks. At the end of the study, plant survival, dry matter...

Proper soil preparation provides the basis for good seed
germination and establishment of steppe vegetation in
the arid and semi-arid areas of West Asia and North
Africa. Salsola vermiculata is a key shrub species of the
region and contributes to...

Livestock rearing is an important pathway out of poverty for both pastoralist communities and mixed crop-livestock
fanners in drylands. Pastoral cnt.ecprises make an important contribution to the state, as well as to the national economy, despite...

This study investigated whether offering either binary or multiple choice among low quality
forages has an effect on intake and feeding behaviour compared to no-choice situations
where only one single low-quality forage is offered. Forages from...

Land degradation occurs in all continents and affects the livelihoods of millions of people, including a large proportion of
the poor in the drylands. Opuntiaficus-indica (L.) Mill. is a xerophytic cactus species, widely cultivated in arid and semi...

Sustainable development of pastoral and agro-pastoral systems, dominated by collective and/or tribal ownership of
rangelands, is a key issue for the West Asia and North Africa region. These two systems are located in arid and semi-arid areas and
are...

heterogeneity that is associated with Mediterranean
climate, floristic biodiversity and topographic
variability. Satellite remote sensing can be an effective tool
for characterizing and monitoring forest vegetation distribution
within these...

A satisfactory intake of novel lowquality
forages by ruminants may require previous
experience with this feed. Therefore, this study tested
in sheep whether experience with forages from
woody plants had an influence on feed intake, feeding
behavior...

Slickspots are soil inclusions with unique loamy soils that provide habitats for many endemic plants worldwide, including those within sagebrush steppe. Sagebrush-dominated communities are declining and require restoration, but restoration techniques...

Digital elevation models (DEM) can be used to derive a wealth of information about land surface morphology. When analyzed using GIS information about stream channels and watersheds it can determine the flow of water over the Earth’s surface...

Seed yield is an important factor to any farmer. Most farmers recognize that yield will vary within a field due to many factors, but they are unaware of the actual magnitude of the yield variability. Yield mapping is a technique whereby the actual...

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of climate change on the geographical
distribution of selected native species from two areas from West Asia and North Africa.
Three species representing two genera were selected for assessment of their...

Protection of designated areas within rangelands is widely
considered to be the most effective and the practical way
to conserve plant diversity and maintain ecosystem
composition and structure. Thus, the effect of protection
(two levels of grazing)...

Deficit irrigation can be a useful management tool to increase water productivity of forage and sheep
production from pastures in water deprived areas of the world. A three year study compared sheep
production from permanent sown pastures on clay...

Ecosystems protected from heavy grazing impacts, such as national parks and refuges, are generally considered to sustain higher plant species diversity and better ecosystem composition and structure compared to heavily grazed areas. To evaluate the...

Satellite-based technique of global positioning systems (GPS) is useful for tracking long-distance livestock movement across the grazing routes md to study the specific needs of livestock herders. There are two kinds of GPS tracking systems: live md...

The medicinal plants of the Libyan Mediterranean Coast represent an opportunity to reduce rural poverty in the arid and semi-arid ecosystems due to their water use efficiency, low costs of collection and cultivation, high economic returns per unit...

Although rangelands cover approximately 10.5 million ha in Syria, no comprehensive description of rangelands or benchmark sites is available. This study describes some important characteristics on both ecologically healthy and unhealthy sites in...

Rangeland degradation has been widespread and severe throughout the Syrian steppe as a result of both unfavorable environmental conditions and human induced impacts. To explore the effectiveness of management-based strategies on establishing...