Ecology in Chott Sidi Abdel Salam oasis, southeastern Tunisia: cultivated vegetation, fungal diversity and livestock population

The Gabes oasis in the southeastern Tunisia is particularly important as it represents a unique coastal oases in the Mediterranean and the world. Chott Sidi Abdel Salam oasis, with an area of approximately 100 ha, was chosen for this study (2018–2019). Aiming to effectively manage and protect the biodiversity of this coastal oasis, the cultivated vegetable, fungal and livestock diversity were investigated using ecological indicators. Our results indicated that the agricultural system in this oasis is traditionally organized into three vegetation layers: palm trees, fruit trees and herbaceous plants. 41 vegetable species, representing 18 families and 32 genera, have been recorded. The highest values of species richness, species diversity, Simpson’s concentration of dominance, Simpson’s diversity index and equitability of evenness were registered for the lowest layer. Also, 15 fungal families, belonging to 27 genera and 33 species, were recorded in this oasis where the most frequent fungal species were Erysiphe pisi , Leveillula taurica and Sphaerotheca fuliginea . The ongoing results revealed that sheep (35.91%) registered the highest number of livestock, followed by poultry (32.17%). The findings of this study establish basic information on the overall biodiversity status in Chott Sidi Abdel Salam coastal oasis; some recommendations to maintain and conserve this rare agrosystem are also presented in this paper.