Phytosociometry, a new vision, for evaluating the potential of steppe rangelands and the sustainability of extensive sheep farming systems

Abstract

Some plant species are frequently found together under edaphic-climatic conditions, so similarity of presence and association becomes an indicator of ecosystem conditions. The idea of evaluation of the quality of rangelands by breeders in the steppe zone is quite different from those applied by academic methods, so the mentions "good, average, and poor" find a particular meaning for breeders, especially farmers, nomads, and transhumant. Surveys conducted on the sustainability of livestock systems in the steppe zone of Naâma have led to the importance of the Pole resources, especially pasture management. A high biomass does not necessarily mean a good pasture course, especially when toxic plants present, which hinder the exploitation of the rangeland. The knowledge of the plants, their stages of evolution, and their distribution, are indices of orientation for the use of the course and the duration of exploitation, of course among the connoisseur breeders. So, a new approach of course evaluation becomes a necessity to give an explanation to the reasoning of the direct operator who is the breeder. With this in mind, we proposed the phytosociometry method, based on the link between Bio-Marker and other annexations, a new method to determine the nature of phyto-association at the spatial scale in an arid environment, which can correct the vision of evaluation and estimation of the forage potential of a steppe rangeland.