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Geographical variation on cone and seed production of natural Pinus halepensis Mill. forests in Tunisia |
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| Authors: | A Ayari D MoyaMN Rejeb A Ben MansouraA Albouchi J De Las HerasT Fezzani B Henchi |
| Institution: | a Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts (INRGREF), B.P. 10, Avenue Hédi Karray, Ariana 2080, Tunisia b Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos de Albacete, UCLM, Campus Universitario, Albacete 02071, Spain c Faculté des Sciences Mathématiques, Physiques et Naturelles, Tunis, Université El-Manar, Campus Universitaire, 2092 El Manar, Tunisia |
| Abstract: | Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill.) is found in discontinuous bands along the Mediterranean Basin, usually at low elevations and in dry climates. This study was conducted to relate bioclimatic zones and geographic distribution with representative individual tree of populations for cone number and weight from the driest to the wettest Aleppo pine forest zones. Epidometric values were recorded in all sample stands in the monitoring plots set in 79 native populations from the Algerian border to the eastern coast of Tunisia, representing a wide range from each region in northern Africa. Simple and multiple regressions were performed on the data. Results showed that the canopy seed bank increased according to elevation, latitudinal and longitudinal gradients. The simple regression analysis showed a latitudinal effect positively relating increasing latitude to greater cone crop. Similarly, longitudinal and elevation variations were related to significant differences in cone dimensions. Higher average seed mass was related to populations located westwards or at higher elevation. The multiple regression analysis indicated that the longitudinal variations were the most determinant geo-positional factors in Aleppo pine cone dimensions and average seed mass in natural Aleppo pine forests in Tunisia. |
| Keywords: | Aleppo pine Bioclimatic zones Canopy seed bank Cone dimensions |
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