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| Biosphere Reserve Information | ||||
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OASIS DU SUD MAROCAIN |
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| General Description | This biosphere reserve situated in the east of Morocco encompasses altitudes from 680 to 4,071 meters above sea level. It represents mountainous regions of the High Atlas in the north and the Anti-Atlas in the west, alluvial plains and depressions as well as stony deserts (Hamadas). This large biosphere reserve (> 7 million hectares) plays a critical role in buffering the advance of the Sahara desert. It represents a wide range of bioclimatic areas, from the humid Mediterranean area to the hyper-arid Sahara. There is a rich biodiversity in the area, which is protected from desertification and the invasion of sand by a very effective system of oases with a rich agro-diversity including date-palms. These agro-ecosystems are the backbone of the economy for the inhabitants of the oases (1,299,000 in 2000) which have settled here for a thousand years. The biosphere reserve also hosts the World Heritage Site ‘Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou’, designated for its architectural and historic value. | |||
| Major ecosystem type | Warm desert and semi-desert; Temperate grasslands; Mixed mountain and highland systems | |||
| Major habitats & land cover types | Aquatic habitats with Cyperaceae, Juncaceae and Potamogetonaceae; pre-Saharian rivers and lakes, palm oases; mountain lakes with Potamogeton pectinatus; artificial lakes; high-altitude forests including Juniperus thurifera, J. phoenicea, Quercus rotundifolia, Arenaria pungens etc.; Acacia forests dominated by Acacia raddiana and A. ehrenbergiana; desert steppes with Fredolia aretioides, Haloxylon articulatum, Gymnocarpos decander etc.; rocky habitats (cliffs and screes) including Warionia saharae, Perralderia coronopifolia, Trichodesma calcaratum etc.; sand dune habitats with Aristida pungens, A. plumosa, A. tenutana, Lotus jolyi etc.; oases (up to an altitude of 1,600 meters above sea level) with agroecosystems including cereals, potatoes, olives, dates etc.; grazing areas; urban areas | |||
| Location | 29°28' to 32°09'N; 3°34' to 7°45'W | |||
| Area (hectares) | ||||
| Total | 7,185,371 | |||
| Core area(s) | 908,581 | |||
| Buffer zone(s) | 4,619,230 | |||
| Transition area(s) when given | 1,657,560 | |||
| Altitude (metres above sea level) | +680 to +4,071 | |||
| Year designated | 2000 | |||
| Administrative authorities | Offices Régionaux de Mise en Valeur Agricole; Services Provinciaux des Eaux et Forêts reporting to Ministère de l'Agriculture, du Développement Rural et des Pêches Maritimes; Ministère Chargé des Eaux et Forêts | |||
| Last updated: 10/16/2001 |
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