Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020
This study evaluated of the impact of wildfires, burned areas and affected species, for the first time, in Fez, Sefrou and Boulemane provinces located in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Data collected from field surveys from 2000 to 2020 and GIS-based aggregation functions were used to produc...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Trees, Forests and People |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719322001261 |
| _version_ | 1811185491126517760 |
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| author | Safaa Serbouti Younes Abbas Abderrahim Ettaqy Hassan Boukcim Hamid Achiban Bannari Abderrazzak Naïma El Ghachtouli |
| author_facet | Safaa Serbouti Younes Abbas Abderrahim Ettaqy Hassan Boukcim Hamid Achiban Bannari Abderrazzak Naïma El Ghachtouli |
| author_sort | Safaa Serbouti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study evaluated of the impact of wildfires, burned areas and affected species, for the first time, in Fez, Sefrou and Boulemane provinces located in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Data collected from field surveys from 2000 to 2020 and GIS-based aggregation functions were used to produce spatial distribution maps and to show the evolution of wildfires and burned areas. Results show that wildfires were intense during summer periods, mainly in Sefrou and Boulemane where the rate of wildfires and burned areas were higher. Nine plant species were affected mostly, Pinus halepensis (43 wildfires) and Quercus rotundifolia (21 events). In Fez province, only two pre-urban forests were affected (51 wildfires), while in Boulemane (91 wildfires) and Sefrou (193 wildfires), the wildfires were severe and affected mountainous areas far from urban perimeters. Although this study demonstrated the impact of wildfires in the Middle Atlas, the biotic and abiotic factors might have a crucial role in this phenomenon and their impacts must be addressed carefully. This investigation offers new insight into the impact of wildfires in the forests of the Middle Atlas Mountains and provides valuable reference data to study other regions in the High Atlas and other plant species taking into account the threatened species. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:30:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b0b954cf2e494f3386155e25cf3e1327 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2666-7193 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:30:15Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Trees, Forests and People |
| spelling | doaj.art-b0b954cf2e494f3386155e25cf3e13272022-12-22T04:21:50ZengElsevierTrees, Forests and People2666-71932022-12-0110100319Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020Safaa Serbouti0Younes Abbas1Abderrahim Ettaqy2Hassan Boukcim3Hamid Achiban4Bannari Abderrazzak5Naïma El Ghachtouli6Microbial biotechnology laboratory, Faculty of Sciences and Technique, USMBA, Fez, MoroccoPolyvalent Team in Research and Development, Polydisciplinary Faculty, Sultan Moulay Slimane University, Beni Mellal, Morocco; Corresponding author.Environmental, Ecological and Agro-industrial Engineering laboratory, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, University of Sultan Moulay Slimane, Beni Mellal, MoroccoAgricultural Innovation and Technology Transfer Center, AgroBiosciences laboratory, Polytechnic University of Mohammed VI, Ben Guerir, MoroccoLaboratory of Geo-environmental, Analysis Planning-Sustainable Development, Faculty of Sciences Dhar El Mahraz, Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdelah University, Fez, MoroccoSpace pix-Map International Inc., Gatineau (Quebec) Canada J8R-3R7, CanadaMicrobial biotechnology laboratory, Faculty of Sciences and Technique, USMBA, Fez, MoroccoThis study evaluated of the impact of wildfires, burned areas and affected species, for the first time, in Fez, Sefrou and Boulemane provinces located in the Middle Atlas Mountains of Morocco. Data collected from field surveys from 2000 to 2020 and GIS-based aggregation functions were used to produce spatial distribution maps and to show the evolution of wildfires and burned areas. Results show that wildfires were intense during summer periods, mainly in Sefrou and Boulemane where the rate of wildfires and burned areas were higher. Nine plant species were affected mostly, Pinus halepensis (43 wildfires) and Quercus rotundifolia (21 events). In Fez province, only two pre-urban forests were affected (51 wildfires), while in Boulemane (91 wildfires) and Sefrou (193 wildfires), the wildfires were severe and affected mountainous areas far from urban perimeters. Although this study demonstrated the impact of wildfires in the Middle Atlas, the biotic and abiotic factors might have a crucial role in this phenomenon and their impacts must be addressed carefully. This investigation offers new insight into the impact of wildfires in the forests of the Middle Atlas Mountains and provides valuable reference data to study other regions in the High Atlas and other plant species taking into account the threatened species.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719322001261Burned areasWildfiresAffected plantsMiddle AtlasMorocco |
| spellingShingle | Safaa Serbouti Younes Abbas Abderrahim Ettaqy Hassan Boukcim Hamid Achiban Bannari Abderrazzak Naïma El Ghachtouli Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020 Trees, Forests and People Burned areas Wildfires Affected plants Middle Atlas Morocco |
| title | Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020 |
| title_full | Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020 |
| title_fullStr | Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020 |
| title_short | Evolution of wildfires, burned areas, and affected species in Middle Atlas forests (Morocco) from 2000 to 2020 |
| title_sort | evolution of wildfires burned areas and affected species in middle atlas forests morocco from 2000 to 2020 |
| topic | Burned areas Wildfires Affected plants Middle Atlas Morocco |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666719322001261 |
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