New data on the ecological distribution of Euphorbia resinifera O.Berg in the Beni Mellal-Khenifra region

¹ Regional Direction of water and forest, Forest and Water Department, Beni Mellal, Morocco
² Ecology and sustainable development team, Faculty of Sciences and Technics, SMSU Beni Mellal, Morocco
³ Polyvalent Laboratory R&D, Polydisciplinary Faculty, SMSU, Beni Mellal Morocco

^* Corresponding author: a.younes@usms.ma

Abstract

Euphorbia resinifera O. Berg, also called Euphorbusresin, is a species belonging to the Euphorbiaceae family. It is endemic to the Beni Mellal Khenifra region and extends discontinuously between El Ksiba and Demnate. Currently, this plant is known as a meliferous species and its product is considered as a terroir product with a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). However, few studies have conducted on its ecology and particularly its mapping in relation to the environmental conditionswhere it thrives. That’s why in this study, we tried to establish, for the first time in the region of Beni Mellal, a distribution mapping of E. resinifera according to the ecological needs of the plant, the exploration of high-resolution satellite imagery and on the field by observing a representative sample of the study area. Results showed that it spread from Demnate to Elksiba in the Atlas piedmont area but appears as scattered individuals from Demnate to AitOurir due to a complexity of factors mainly related to the soil characteristics, paleogeography and the climate exacerbated by the negative results of anthropogenic impacts. It extends also into the central high Atlas valley as small isolated units which reach 1900 m of altitude. This could explain why other ecological requirements should be considered in terms of the distribution of this endemic species in the context of climate change.