La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Water potential and phenology of two shrubs in the Saharan zone of Tunisia
Auteurs :	Lotfi Abdallah, Auteur ; Mohamed Chaieb, Auteur ; Édouard Le Floc'h, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	Ecologia Mediterranea (29(2) 2003)
Article en page(s) :	165-178
Résumé :	An experimental study of the relationship between water potential, plant phenology and climatic conditions was performed in a Saharan ecosystem in south of Tunisia on two shrub species, Spartidium saharae and Calligonum polygonoides subsp. comosum. This work concerned a large program of ecosystem restoration with autochthonous phytogenetic resources. The results showed that water potential of both species remained strongly higher unlike several desert shrubs. However, relations between water potential of Spartidium saharae and rainfall were not evidently outlined and access to a permanent ground water supply my be the main factor of this decoupling. Conversely, water potential and biological activity of Calligonum polygonoides subsp. comosum was closely related to rainfall, suggesting that this species have a superficial root system. Although shoot elongation of Spartidium saharae can occur beside the wet season period whereas fruit production decreased.

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