[Threats to and conservation of North African wetlands: the case of the Ramsar site of Beni-Belaid (NE Algeria)]. / Menaces et conservation des zones humides d'Afrique du Nord : le cas du site Ramsar de Beni-Belaid (NE algérien).

Because of their biogeographical and geomorphological context, the northeastern Algeria wetlands present high species and community richness. The vegetation study of the Ramsar site of Beni-Belaid (Kabylia) showed the existence of four main communities, distributed along gradients of hydrology and disturbance. The obtained results reveal worrying threats on short term: overgrazing results in the lake invasion by the sand eroded from the coastal dune; agriculture induces illegal cutting, water pollution and excessive groundwater pumping; finally, hunting and fishing are illegally practiced into the Ramsar site. The awareness of public authorities is needed in order: (1) to completely protect the wetland with the aim of restoring a riparian forest belt; and (2) to initiate a campaign for increasing the local population awareness, and its involvement in conservation programs.

[Alder forests of Numidia (N.E. Algeria): floristic biodiversity, vulnerability and conservation]. / Les aulnaies de Numidie (N.E. algérien) : biodiversité floristique, vulnérabilité et conservation.

The phytoecological study of the alder forests of north-east Algeria shows that these habitats with boreal affinities harbour very high species richness (> 400 species) and complex structures, which suggest their ancient origin. They correspond phytosociologically to two syntaxa, the Campanulo alatae-Alnenion glutinosae (riparian alder forests) and the Rusco hypophylli-Alnetum glutinosae (peat-forming alder carrs), respectively. Their degraded state and their regressive dynamics, observed during the 14 years of the study, reveal their precarious situation and their rapid ongoing decline under the influence of human-induced uncontroled disturbances (cutting, burning, draining, dumping…). With regard to their ecological, historical and patrimonial importance, the alder forests of Algerian Numidia should be urgently protected, with the aim of assuring the perennity of their exceptional floristic corteges.

Recent discovery of the small pillwort (Pilularia minuta Durieu, Marsileaceae) in Tunisia: hope for an endangered emblematic species of Mediterranean temporary pools?

This article presents a synthesis of all localities where Pilularia minuta, an endangered Pteridophyte endemic of acidic Mediterranean temporary pools, was observed since its discovery in 1835. It aims at analysing the implications of its recent discovery in Tunisia, based on the comparison between new and previously published floristic surveys. The obtained data confirm the heliophilous pioneer character of P. minuta and reveal a disturbance-favoured behaviour in Tunisia. The small pillwort, which occurs in 16 locations around the Mediterranean basin, could be characterised by a good dispersion. However, it experienced the extinction of a quarter of its known populations over the last century. This decline seems to have affected only small populations (Maritime-Alps, France; Lazio, Italy) and highly disturbed areas (Algeria), while large ones (Sardinia, Italy; Corsica and Hérault, France; Andalusia, Spain; western Morocco), presumably more stable, survived. In a context of metapopulation, these large populations could be considered as 'source populations', and should be taken more especially in account in conservation strategies. Further investigations are needed for improving the conservation of the rare plants of Mediterranean temporary pools as well as contributing to a better knowledge of the mechanisms controlling their distribution and their present-day status.