Abstract
In the frame of the sustainable use of neglected and underutilized phytogenetic resources, and along with numerous studies in Abies spp. due to the innate conservation value of fir forests, this research focused on the Moroccan endemic fir, Abies marocana. The aim was triple-fold: to assess its potential and dynamics in economic sectors for sustainable exploitation; to determine the ecological conditions in which the species naturally thrives; and to find the appropriate requirements for its successful seed germination. We sourced multifaceted evaluations for three economic sectors performed in three levels, using 48 attributes and eight criteria from previous studies of our own, and the relevant species-specific assessments are overviewed herein in detail. The species’ ecological profile was constructed using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and open access data (Worldclim). Seed germination trials were performed to examine the effect of cold stratification (non-stratified, one- and two-months stratified seeds), the influence of four temperatures (10 °C, 15 °C, 20 °C, and 25 °C), and interactions thereof in relation to germination percentage (GP) and mean germination time (MGT). The experiments showed that the interaction of cold stratification and germination temperature has a strong effect on the GP and MGT of A. marocana seeds. A detailed GIS-derived ecological profile of the focal species was created in terms of precipitation and temperature natural regimes, enabling the interpretation of the seed germination results. The multifaceted evaluations reveal an interesting potential of the Moroccan fir in different economic sectors, which is mainly compromised due to extant research gaps, unfavorable conditions, and low stakeholder attraction. The findings of this study fill in extant research gaps, contribute to in situ and ex situ conservation strategies, and can facilitate the sustainable exploitation of this emblematic local endemic plant of northern Morocco.
Highlights
The genus Abies Mill. (Pinaceae) includes about 40 recognized species distributed in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere [1]
Potential and to evaluate the impact of temperature on it examine the effect of cold stratification, the 94 Moroccan endemics comparatively examined [18], the highest-evaluseedAmong germination
A multidisciplinary scientific consortium, including 13 experienced scientists, was engaged to develop a new methodological scheme for the multifaceted evaluation of target Neglected and Underutilized Plant species (NUPs), deciding collectively after a case-by-case examination and consultation the following issues: individual attributes per economic sector to be used for the evaluation; typology of attributes used for evaluation; selection of data sources to be used for documentation; scaling per attribute, and directionality for the scoring of different attributes
Summary
The genus Abies Mill. (Pinaceae) includes about 40 recognized species distributed in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere [1]. (Pinaceae) includes about 40 recognized species distributed in the temperate regions of the northern hemisphere [1]. Members of the genus Abies have been a valuable phytogenetic resource for humans. Fir trees have been long-exploited for their timber and the production of paper [2], and studies suggest that. Abies spp. has been used in traditional medicine to heal people’s wounds [3]. Abies spp. has been used widely in other sectors of the economy, such as the ornamental industry, with various fir species used traditionally as Christmas trees in different places [2]. The circum-Mediterranean firs form a distinct group of 10 native taxa and a natural hybrid, i.e., Abies × borisii-regis Mattf. Six fir species among them, i.e., Abies cephalonica
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