Argan orchards (aged 2 to 10 years) managed under extensive systems in the Arganeraie Biosphere Reserve were studied to assess carbon stocks in the main ecosystem components (aboveground argan tree biomass, leaf litter, herbaceous vegetation, and soil). The study, conducted across six sites between 2021 and 2023, combined morpho-physiological and dendrometric measurements with structural equation modeling to analyze interactions among compartments. Carbon stocks were estimated according to IPCC guidelines (2006, revised in 2019).
The results show an increase in carbon stock in argan tree biomass with age (from 0.003 to 1.938 t C ha⁻¹ between 2 and 10 years). Contributions from litter (0.36–8.51 kg C ha⁻¹) and herbaceous biomass (0–0.56 t C ha⁻¹) remain limited. Soil constitutes the main carbon reservoir, with stocks ranging from 10.12 to 80.5 t C ha⁻¹ (0–30 cm) and from 8.49 to 75.94 t C ha⁻¹ (30–60 cm).
These results highlight the dominant role of soil in carbon sequestration and emphasize the potential of extensive arganiculture for ecosystem restoration and climate change mitigation. They also confirm the relevance of integrating these systems into national climate strategies and carbon valuation mechanisms, particularly in arid regions.
Ref. Oumasst A., Tiouidji F. E., Chabbi N., et al. 2026 - Evaluating the dynamics of carbon accumulation in extensive argan orchard ecosystems in arid regions. Ecological Processes (2026) 15:6 - https://doi.org/10.1186/s13717-025-00666-1
Posted by Jean-Paul Peltier.
The study aims to map, using very high spatial resolution satellite imagery, the argan tree formation located in the upper valley of Oued Grou. This stand corresponds to a disjunct population located about 400 km north of the main distribution range of the argan tree. It is considered a site of biological and ecological interest and has been identified as a priority for the implementation of conservation and enhancement measures.
The study area is characterized by a semi-arid bioclimate with mild winters, with annual precipitation estimated between 400 and 450 mm.
Overall, the argan grove appears as a degraded matorral resulting from the combined effects of wood cutting and overgrazing. It includes approximately 775 argan trees scattered over a 1,200 ha area with a silvo-pastoral vocation, located between 200 and 600 m above sea level.
Most of the argan trees grow on very steep slopes exposed to the south or southwest, on Paleozoic schist substrates characterized by poorly developed soils. In these areas, argan trees are mainly associated with five-leaved sumac (Rhus pentaphylla).
A few individuals are also observed on north-facing slopes. However, on these slopes, where soils are generally deeper and better developed, the dominant vegetation formation corresponds to woodlands of thuya (Tetraclinis articulata), wild olive (Olea europaea subsp. europaea), and mastic tree (Pistacia lentiscus).
To date, this site has never been subject to a management plan. This absence of management measures partly explains the degree of degradation observed, with nearly 68% of the area currently occupied by bare soils.
It should be recalled that the presence of the argan tree in the Oued Grou valley was first reported by Emberger in 1924. Furthermore, the study of the chloroplast genome of the argan tree has shown that these stands likely result from a relatively recent dispersal, probably of anthropogenic origin (El Mousadik & Petit, 1996).
Ref. Sahel Y., Dellahi Y. & Chahhou D., 2022 - Mapping the Site of Biological and Ecological Interest of Rganat-Bouchkal (Tsili) Argan forest (Moroccan Central Plateau) using remote sensing. IOP Conf. Ser.: Earth Environ. Sci. 1090 012001
Posted by Jean-Paul Peltier.
This study presents a bibliometric analysis of 926 scientific publications devoted to Argania spinosa, extracted from the Scopus database and covering the period 1897–2024. It constitutes the first investigation encompassing all research themes related to the argan tree. The selection of the corpus and the search strategy were carried out according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.
The methodological approach relies on the use of the Bibliometrix package and the VOSviewer software, which since the late 2010s have become reference tools for evaluating scientific performance, analyzing collaboration networks, and visualizing keyword co-occurrences.
The earliest writings on the argan tree date back to the 12th century and are attributed to Andalusian Arab scholars, but scientific research remained limited until the 1990s. Between 1996 and 2021, scientific output increased progressively, in connection with the development of the argan oil sector and its economic valorization, particularly in medicine, phytotherapy, and cosmetics. This dynamic can also be explained by the creation of women’s cooperatives, international development programs, various certifications (UNESCO biosphere reserve, intangible cultural heritage), the strengthening of public policies, the contribution of national and international funding, and the organization of scientific conferences. Industrial interest and international demand have stimulated research on the chemistry, genetics, domestication, and biological properties of the argan tree. However, the period 2021–2024 shows a recent decline in publications, probably related to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, financial constraints, and unfavorable climatic conditions.
Network analyses highlight the intellectual and social structure of the research field (authors, domains, sources, countries, and collaborations).
The co-occurrence analysis of eighty-eight emerging keywords identifies two major thematic clusters. The first concerns research on argan oil: chemical composition, extraction techniques, the role of phenolic compounds in tolerance to water stress, variation of fatty acids and phenolic compounds among argan tree varieties, as well as antioxidant properties and effects on human health. The second cluster deals with the conservation and reforestation of argan forests and their adaptation to climate change. Publications address conservation initiatives, plantations, genetic diversity, germination techniques, and the valorization of by-products such as argan shells.
The cross-analysis of conceptual, intellectual, and social structures provides a contextualized interpretation of the evolution of research and helps better understand the dynamics and orientations of the scientific community working on the argan tree.
Today, research remains mainly oriented toward the valorization of argan oil, while long-term forest sustainability remains relatively understudied in the context of climate change. Future research should adopt a multidisciplinary approach integrating genomics, biotechnology, nursery innovation, molecular genetics, digital monitoring tools, and socio-institutional governance.
Among the strategies proposed to strengthen the resilience of argan forests is assisted migration, which involves intentionally relocating the species to areas less affected by climate change. However, this approach overlooks the fact that the argan forest also constitutes a cultural landscape, reflecting a long-standing and close relationship between local populations and their environment.
The originality of this publication lies in the construction of the corpus, the depth of the analysis, and the scientific interpretation of the results.
Ref. Timzioura R., Ezzine S., Benomar L., et al., 2025 - Bibliometric Analysis of Argan (Argania spinosa (L.) Skeels) Research: Scientific Trends and Strategic Directions for Climate-Resilient Ecosystem Management. Forests, 16, 892. https://doi.org/10.3390/f16060892
Posted by Jean-Paul Peltier.
This study reconstructs the history of vegetation and land use over the last 2000 years in southwestern Morocco, based on a multi-proxy approach conducted on sediment core GeoB 6008-1 collected offshore from Cape Ghir. The age–depth model of the core is based on 17 lead-210 datings for the upper levels and 8 radiocarbon (¹⁴C) datings using Accelerator Mass Spectrometry for the older levels, covering the chronological interval from 520 BC to 1977 AD and providing a robust chronological framework.
The study combines three types of analyses. A palynological analysis reconstructs changes in the vegetation environment. A grain-size analysis of sediment particles, combined with End-Member Modeling, identifies sediment sources (fluvial versus aeolian transport). Finally, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis, using the Fe/Ca intensity ratio, compares terrigenous inputs (Fe) to marine carbonate production (Ca), thereby reflecting environmental variations (erosion, river floods, dust inputs, etc.).
The results show that between 650 and 850 AD, the sedimentation rate increased significantly (rising from about 100 to 300 cm per 1,000 years), accompanied by a doubling of pollen flux and the Fe/Ca ratio. These converging signals indicate a substantial increase in terrestrial inputs to the marine environment and suggest a strengthening of erosion processes and fluvial transport to the ocean. At the same time, marked changes are observed in the pollen record: a sharp increase in Cichorioideae, Artemisia, and Plantago pollen—taxa indicative of open or anthropogenically disturbed environments—and a decline in deciduous oak pollen, while evergreen oaks show more limited variations.
These transformations are interpreted as resulting from intensified human pressures, consistent with socio-historical dynamics associated with the arrival and spread of Islam from the 7th century onward, a period marked by the expansion of human settlement, agriculture, and pastoralism in the region. The increase in agropastoral activities, particularly goat herding, likely promoted the degradation of woody vegetation and intensified erosional processes.
After 850 AD and up to the present, sedimentary indicators (sedimentation rate, Fe/Ca) remain relatively stable, suggesting lower variability in terrigenous inputs. In contrast, pollen assemblages continue to indicate degradation of natural vegetation, including signs of expansion of tree crops (olive, argan) and the introduction of exotic species such as eucalyptus over the past 150 years.
Overall, the results highlight the significant impact of socio-economic dynamics on vegetation and regional erosion, as recorded in marine sediment archives.
Ref. McGregor H.V., Dupont L., Stuut J.-B. W & Kuhlmann H., 2009 - Vegetation change, goats, and religion: a 2000-year history of land use in southern Morocco. Quaternary Science Reviews 28, 1434–1448.
Posted by Jean-Paul Peltier.
The classification of continental habitats in Morocco proposed in this work constitutes a first systematic formalization of a typological reference framework harmonized at the national scale. It is grounded in the conceptual framework of EUNIS (European Nature Information System), a classification system for natural, semi-natural, and anthropogenic habitats covering European terrestrial and marine environments. Developed by the European Environment Agency, the EUNIS typology pursues a dual objective: to standardize habitat descriptions in order to ensure spatial comparability and to support biodiversity monitoring schemes and conservation policies.
However, the direct transfer of this framework to the North African context encounters major biogeographical and ecological limitations. The present typology therefore undertakes a reasoned adaptation of the EUNIS framework, based on consideration of Morocco’s climatic, geomorphological, and phytogeographical specificities. In particular, it incorporates arid and Saharan habitats that have no strict equivalents in the European reference system (argan woodlands, arid and Saharan steppes, formations dominated by thuya, Acacia spp. or Euphorbia spp., oases, chotts and desert sebkhas). It also takes into account structuring geomorphological units (graras, regs, ergs, wadi beds), as well as the major vegetation units described for Morocco by Ionesco and Sauvage (1962), whose physiognomic and ecological significance remains decisive in landscape organization.
The typology is based on a nested hierarchical structure. The first level corresponds to major environment types (Level 1, referred to as the highest level of description). Each Level 1 unit is subdivided into Level 2 units, which are themselves divided into Level 3 units. This graduated structuring progressively increases the degree of descriptive precision and refines the ecological characterization of habitats.
Within the scope of the present essay, the hierarchy does not extend beyond the third level. At lower levels, discriminating criteria become more specialized and draw upon conceptual frameworks that do not always benefit from scientific consensus. In particular, the definition of finer units could rely on a phytosociological approach. Although this approach provides a rigorous theoretical basis, its application often remains challenging in operational contexts, due to its technical complexity and its relative difficulty of appropriation by a broader audience of stakeholders, particularly managers and field practitioners. At this stage, the authors have therefore favored a consultative approach, leaving open the possibility of further refinement based on feedback and the input of managers.
The classification distinguishes 11 major environment types, whose degree of resolution varies according to the state of available knowledge and existing literature. It builds upon the Moroccan phytosociological tradition while adopting a structure compatible with international standards. In its current form, this proposal constitutes an operational reference framework for the identification and mapping of Morocco’s continental habitats. It demonstrates satisfactory internal coherence and defensible conceptual robustness, and provides a methodological foundation capable of evolving toward finer levels of precision as knowledge advances and scientific consensus is consolidated.
Réf. Sghir Taleb M. & Fennane M., 2025 - Essai de classification des habitats continentaux du Maroc (niveaux hiérarchiques supérieurs et moyens). Université Mohammed V de Rabat, travaux de l’Institut Scientifique, série Générale, n° 10, 122 p.
Posted by Jean-Paul Peltier.
Last modified on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 15h30.