Southeast Algeria Research Articles

Use of a local Saharan plant (Cladium mariscus) in the solar still under southeast Algeria climate

Use of a local Saharan plant (Cladium mariscus) in the solar still under southeast Algeria climate

Linguistic development and permanence of the linguistic imprint in the populations: The area of the ancient palace in Ouargla sample An exploratory field study

The study aims to monitor the phenomenon of linguistic development in a society in which there were many movements and historical trips in the southeast of Algeria, but it remained conservative in its linguistic use of a special linguistic imprint, which occurs among the inhabitants of the Ouargla region, especially the old palace district - which is full of previous historical facts. It was caused by multiple circumstances, including commercial, political, and economic....etc. The people of the region were affected by the arrivals to it, and they also, in turn, influenced the residents of the neighboring regions, so the linguistic diversity was, and its different characteristics were What is that linguistic development and what distinguished that linguistic imprint of the inhabitants of the ancient palace of Ouargla? In order to reveal that linguistic use in the past and present, we relied in this exploratory field study on the descriptive analytical approach as a way to reach linguistic facts for the region.

A fortuitous encounter with the invasive gecko, Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden,1827) (squamata: Gekkonidae): A new locality of an in the province wilaya of Ouargla, south-east Algeria

The Rough Bent-toed Gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden,1827) is one of the invasive species in Algeria and Northwestern Africa. where was it recorded in Algeria, from the east (Souf) and west (Ghardaïa) of north Sahara. In this note, another new locality of this species in the province wilaya of Ouargla, south-east Algeria. C. scabrum is medium-size adult may reach 4.5±0.8Cm of snout vent length and up to 9.5 ±2Cm total length.

Microclimatic quality of urban routes and pedestrian behavior in arid zones case of the city of Biskra, South-East Algeria

PurposeThe purpose of the study is to implement a methodology intended to identify the links between the microclimatic quality of urban routes and the behavior of pedestrians. This document will open up new opportunities for the development of urban open spaces and facilitate decision-making for urban decision-makers.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology intended to identify the links between the microclimatic quality of urban routes and the behavior of pedestrians is deployed in two stages. The first stage represents a microclimatic characterization of the pedestrian routes. The second step represents a behavioral characterization of these same journeys, based on the on-site video observation of the pedestrians.FindingsThe analysis of the results obtained by applying this method shows that the physical factors of the urban environment in the two climatic seasons (winter, summer) significantly influence the choice of routes, the percentage of route use, the speed of travel and the frequency of user stops.Originality/valueThe authors have recently observed that the issue of the influence of microclimatic factors on the behavior of pedestrians, and more particularly their movements, has only rarely been addressed. It is therefore in this context that the authors would like to provide, through this article, some technical solutions for analysis and characterization as well as some answers to the problem of the influence of microclimatic factors on pedestrian movements.

Exploring agro-morphological diversity of Algerian hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) accessions using multivariate statistics

Pepper is an inevitable constituent in the diets of Algerian population. Unfortunately, the local landraces are endangered by both genetic erosion and pollution. This study aimed to perform agro-morphological characterization of hot peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) accessions. Twenty one accessions collected from the east and south of Algeria were evaluated for 24 quantitative and 38 qualitative morphological characters under green-house conditions. The trial was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), with four replicates at the experimental station of the Department of agronomical sciences of Biskra University in Southeast Algeria. Significant variations in most of the traits were strikingly demonstrated using variance analysis and coefficients of variation and the number of modalities, frequencies and Shannon–Weaver diversity index (H′) values for the quantitative and qualitative characters respectively indicating the heterogeneity of the studied accessions. The correlations between the studied quantitative variables showed that the yield parameters were correlated with the variables related to the vegetative part of the plant. The first five PCs explained 76.877 % of the total variation and identified the most discriminant variables related particularly to yield and fruit characteristics contributing to PC1: fruit width; fruit index; fruit weight, number of locules; placenta length, pedicel length, anther length, leaf width and plant height /stem length ratio. For several qualitative traits, an important degree of variability was observed. The first factorial dimension explained 42.5% of the variance and was mostly associated with: plant height; growth habit; flower position; corolla shape; number of flower per axil and fruit shape at pedicel attachment and at blossom end; calyx margin. Cluster analysis of the combined data grouped the pepper landraces into four clusters regardless of the localities and the closest accessions belonged to different localities and/or provinces. This study notably confirms the presence of considerable genetic diversity within and between accessions of hot pepper in Algeria and provides a basis for its active conservation and future selection to develop improved local pepper populations

Chemical compositions and characterization of date palm empty fruit bunch fibers of five cultivars growing in Southeast Algeria

Date palm tree can produce annually large quantity of natural fibers; these by-products could be used with or without chemical treatment as sustainable bioresource in industrial applications to resolve different socio-economic and environmental issues. In this study, the chemical compositions and characteristics of Date Palm trees Empty Fruit Bunch fibers (DPEFB) of five cultivars were investigated. These by-products were obtained from the region of Ouargla, Southeast Algeria. Effectively, it was revealed that empty fruit bunch of Degla Baidha cultivar has the highest cellulose content with 49.28% compared to the other cultivars; the highest crystallinity index (36.25%) was detected in the samples of Deglet Nour cultivar. On the other hand, the surface morphology and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis were investigated.

Solar flat plate collector enhanced by two reflectors: optimum tilts of reflectors

Introduction. In some solar concentrating system applications, in which the incoming sunlight is augmented by using commercial flat plate reflectors placed on different sides of the planar collector, it is very important to choose the optimum tilts of boosters (attached edge-to-edge on the top and bottom sides of the solar collector) for each month, to enhance their received solar irradiation over the year in the southern Algeria. The novelty of the proposed work consists of the development of a novel mathematical model in which the reference of the reflector’s tilt angles is the collector plane, and optimal tilts are optimized on the average day of each month. Purpose. This paper proposes a novel analytical model of two identical planer reflectors, placed on the top and bottom of a latitude tilted flat plate solar collector, for optimizing their optimal inclination angles during the daytime throughout the year in Ouargla city, southeast of Algeria. Methods. Optimal tilt angles of reflectors were obtained by searching for the optimum captured solar irradiation on the collector’s surface from each reflector in the representative day of each month of the year. After that, the obtained tilts were used for calculating incoming solar irradiation on the received area and comparing them to the solar collector without reflectors. Results. The findings of this paper showed that the reflector’s inclination angles were variable from one month to another in which the upper reflector’s tilts reached its maximum in June and minimum in December, contrarily for the lower reflector. Again, an increase of 28.05 % in the daily received solar irradiation on the collector surface with reflectors compared to the conventional one.

Performance of pilot scale constructed wetland as ecological practice for domestic wastewater treatment in an arid climate - Algeria.

The objective of this study was to investigate the potential for pollutant removal in a pilot-scale horizontal flow polyculture constructed wetland functioning in an arid region during different seasons. The analyzed system is located in the southeast of Algeria, where the climate is arid. During the research, 32 samples of sewage were collected from both the inflow and the outflow of the constructed wetland (CW). The effluent Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD5), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Suspended Solid (TSS), Ammonia-Nitrogen (NH4-N) and Ortho-Phosphate-Phosphorus (PO4-P) from all of the treatments were significantly lower than the influent and had a removal efficiency of 71.83, 73.75, 82.77, 80.29 and 59.49% respectively. The results showed that pollution removal efficiency in the tested CW system was affected by the season (air temperature and sunlight hours). It was observed that the removal rate of pollutant indicators was higher in summer and autumn compared to winter and spring. Finally, these findings confirmed that CW with polyculture would be an excellent candidate for treating domestic wastewater in rural settlements under arid environments.

Water compatibility of M’sila region (South- East Algeria) for cultivation of Spirulina & evaluation of methods of extraction of Phycocyanin and investigation of stability by β-Cyclodextrin

Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is a microalga that has existed for more than three billion years. It belongs to the family of cyanobacteria. It is extraordinary, rich in nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, Spirulina is rich in phycocyanin, a blue protein pigment. It can be used as a dye in food, pharmacology, and cosmetics. Our work focused first on the compatibility of the waters of M’sila region (southeast Algeria) for the cultivation of Arthrospira platensis. Then, we evaluated several methods of extracting phycocyanin to be able to determine the optimal method in terms of yield. We have succeeded in developing a new extraction method coupled with maceration in a glycerol-water mixture with a molar ratio (8/2) assisted by ultrasound with a yield of 52.93 mg/g. The excellent results obtained may be due to the salinity of the waters of the region, to the used nutrient culture medium and/or the climate change of the region. We have formed an inclusion complex between phycocyanin and β-Cyclodextrin to keep it and make it more stable. The encouraging results allow Algeria to gain a foothold on the world market as a producer of blue goldSpirulina (Arthrospira platensis) is a microalga that has existed for more than three billion years. It belongs to the family of cyanobacteria. It is extraordinary, rich in nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, Spirulina is rich in phycocyanin, a blue protein pigment. It can be used as a dye in food, pharmacology, and cosmetics. Our work focused first on the compatibility of the waters of M’sila region (southeast Algeria) for the cultivation of Arthrospira platensis. Then, we evaluated several methods of extracting phycocyanin to be able to determine the optimal method in terms of yield. We have succeeded in developing a new extraction method coupled with maceration in a glycerol-water mixture with a molar ratio (8/2) assisted by ultrasound with a yield of 52.93 mg/g. The excellent results obtained may be due to the salinity of the waters of the region, to the used nutrient culture medium and/or the climate change of the region. We have formed an inclusion complex between phycocyanin and β-Cyclodextrin to keep it and make it more stable. The encouraging results allow Algeria to gain a foothold on the world market as a producer of blue gold

Brucellosis in small ruminant: seroprevalence, risk factors, and distribution in the southeast of Algeria.

The impact of brucellosis on public health and economy is unquestionable in developing countries such as the case of Algeria. This study aimed to provide further understanding of epidemiological status of brucellosis in small ruminant flocks in the southeast of Algeria. Therefore, a cross-sectional study was conducted among small ruminant flocks (n = 51) in El Oued district using simple random sampling strategy. The serum samples collected from 612 sheep and goats (sheep = 280, goats = 332) were screened for Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal test (RBT) and the indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (iELISA) in parallel on all the serum samples. The seropositive serum samples of both tests were confirmed with the complement fixation test (CFT). A structured questionnaire regarding animal, herd, and farm management was prepared and completed in parallel to sampling. Association between variables and Brucella spp. seropositivity status of herds was assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis using simple and binary logistic regression. Estimated true herd prevalence was 27.95% (95% CI, 17.18-42.01), and true individual prevalence was 3.98% (95% CI, 2.51-6.03). Seropositive herds were detected in bordering areas and regions with the highest livestock density. Occurrence of abortions in herds (p = 0.03) increased at least five times (5) the odds of being seropositive (OR, 6.25; 95% CI, 1.20-32.46). Poultry presence in farms revealed to be a protective factor (p = 0.01) (OR, 0.11; 95% CI, 0.02-0.61). The high-level seroprevalence quantified in this study in small ruminant flocks reflects the persistent animal infection endemicity and the high risk of human exposure.

Effect of Season and Age on Dry Matter Intake in Female Camels on Sahara Rangelands of Algeria

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of season and age on intake in female camels. Methods: study was conducted in the El Alia region (South-East of Algeria). In order to measure bite counts and dry matter intake (DMI) in the dry and wet seasons, monitoring were made on 64 females camels consisted of two age categories, 32 adult (AF) and 32 young (YF). This was done by following one animal randomly selected/day/category. Thus, sixteen simple were observed during each season. Forage intake for each preferred plant species was estimated by multiplying bite counts by the average mass per bite. Forage consumption was quantified by the bite count technique (Gauthier-Pilters and Dagg,1981). Result: The results showed that there was a significant difference (p less than 0.05) in the number of bites between seasons and age categories, with a maximum average 63.33±23 for AF and a minimum average 16.8±12.47 for YF in the dry season and wet season respectively. The highest amounts of dry matter intake (DMI) are recorded in the wet season on Traganum nudatum 1.9 kg DM for YF and 0.34 kg DM in YF. The season influences the feed intake of female camels on course.

Analysis of Date’s Market Functioning (Phoenix Dactylifera L), in Ouargla, South-Est of Algeria: Challenges and Constraints

This study aims to analyse date’s market functioning and constraints that are facing it in Southeast of Algeria, Ouargla region. To analyze potential market pathways (traders, collectors and intermediaries) 100 respondents were randomly selected. Descriptive statistical analysis has been applied to achieve the research’s gaols. Analysis confirms that, Ouargla does not have an organized date-palm market dedicated to dates only, and which is characterized by total anarchy mainly due to lack of improved and advanced management, regulation and a lot of intermediaries spread. Date’s marketing in this area of study is complex because it is a string composed of producers, collectors, storers and mandataries in upstream. However, packers, processors and exporters are in downstream, thus a stakeholder’s divergence is created, for varietie’s quality as well as destinations in the marketplace’s channels. Most of traders are at an economically active age. Therefore, they should be able to perform their marketing functions effectively. Date’s varieties that are sold in the area of study differ from trader to another which is depending on their availability customers, prices offered as well as operator’s financial capacity. Indeed, 46% of fresh dates are available in market during the full harvest period but unfortunately this coincides with local and external market’s saturation where imbalanced supply and demand induce lower date’s price. This study allows to identify main constraints of date’s sector marketing that hinder its efficiency, which are related to technical, professional, social - cultural and commercial environment as a result this sector’s market suffers from serious dysfunctions.

Irrigation Water Impact on Soil Properties in Arid Oued-Souf Region, Southeast Algeria

The perimeters of the Oued-Souf region are irrigated by salty water coming from the phreatic water and thus progressive salinization of the soil occurs. This study aims at a qualitative analysis of the evolution of the salinity in the soils irrigated by pivot irrigation for several years. For this, three plots were irrigated by pivots in each agricultural region. The choice of these 3 plots is justified by the number of years of their cultivation: plot 1 has been cultivated and irrigated for 2 years (2016–2017), plot 2 has been cultivated and irrigated for 5 years (2016–2020) were studied and compared to the controlled soil not irrigated. The irrigation is done by sprinkling with mineralized water from the phreatic water. The results obtained showed that the irrigation water is characterized by high salinity and low sodium adsorption ration (SAR). Sodium and chloride contents are excessive in sprinkler irrigation mode. The evolution of salinity in irrigated soils between 2 and 5 years was very significant compared to the control (non-irrigated). The salinity goes from 0.38 dS/m in the control site classified as low salinity to 1.54 dS/m in the cultivated site for the 5 years classified as high salinity soil. The geochemical facies at the three study regions after irrigation are sulfate-calcium. A significant correlation is observed between calcium and sulfate with electrical conductivity (EC), so the salinity of our soils is dominated by sulfate. These results are confirmed by statistical analysis of the data (PCA), which revealed that salinity is heavily influenced by Mg2+, Ca2+, SO42- in the topsoil. Keywords: Hydrochemical; Irrigation water; Oued-Souf area; Phreatic aquifer; Salinity; Soil; Statistical analysis.

Thermal requirements for the ripening of date palms in Biskra (South-East Algeria)

The monitoring of phenological stages of date palm and air temperature in Biskra, which is a potential date palm cultivation region in Algeria, during the years 2018 and 2019, has recorded a temporal advancement of the phenological cycle of this plant. This advancement has influenced the dates of harvest, which have become earlier. For their part, the thermal accumulations recorded during the fruiting of the date palm, have experienced an upward trend; they are 3689 to 5141°C, for a base temperature of 10°C. These accumulations are higher, if 7°C is considered as vegetation zero (5170-6835°C). In contrast, the flowering zero recorded in the study area is around 13°C.

Pathological Findings on Genital Abnormalities in Female Camel in the El Oued Region, Algeria

The present study was performed to give a detailed histopathological description of genital abnormalities found in normal, clinically healthy female camels. A total of 165 apparently healthy female camels were randomly selected at the El Oued slaughterhouse at the south east of Algeria. Histopathological analysis was carried out on 25 pathological formations of ovaries (follicular, haemorrhagic and luteinized cysts and teratoma), uterine infections (clinical, chronic and pyometra), uterine serosal inclusion cyst, uterine agenesis and ovarian infundibular cyst, by establishing elementary lesions related to each macroscopic condition. A significant impairment of normal structure of each studied reproductive organ was recorded. The prevalence of animals showing genital abnormalities was 15%. The frequency incidence of ovarian lesions was ranked first (56%) followed by uterine affections (28%) and finally ovarian bursa abnormalities with four cases (16%). The incidence of genital conditions was as follows: follicular cysts (28%), haemorrhagic cysts (16%), hydrobursitis (16%), chronic endometritis (12%), luteinized follicular cysts (8%), clinical metritis (4%), pyometra (4%), dermoid cysts (4%), uterine agenesis (4%) and uterine serosal inclusion cysts (4%). The main lesions of the uterine infection were congestions, oedema, endometrial epithelium and glandular degeneration and infiltration by inflammatory cells. Uterine agenesis was characterised by a lack of endometrial glands and hyalinization of the myometrium. The mean lesions for the infundibular cyst were congestion, haemorrhage and hemosiderophages, infiltration by inflammatory cells, endometrial degeneration and vacuolation and pseudo-glandular dilations. The ovarian dermoid cyst showed a keratinized and scaly epithelium housed in fibrous connective tissue containing hair follicles, and sebaceous and sweat glands. The ovarian cysts showed thin or enlarged granulosa and internal theca with luteinization or vacuolation of the antral cavity. Finally, serosal inclusion cyst of the uterus appeared as dilation between the myometrium and the perimetrium with homogenous content. Concerning the above, the reported elementary genital abnormalities are indicated as responsible for the delayed reproduction, infertility and unsatisfactory camel livestock outcomes.

THE ROLE OF TELEVISION IN RAISING THE LEVEL OF HEALTH AWARENESS AND HEALTH PRACTICE AMONG THE ALGERIAN FAMILY IN LIGHT OF THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC - A FIELD STUDY ON FAMILIES IN NEIGHBORHOOD 08 MAY 1945, IN EL-OUED CITY

This study aims to reveal the role of television in raising the level of awareness and health practice among Algerian families in light of the Covid 19 pandemic. This paper attempts to uncover the extent to which television has been investigated as a mass media to educate Algerian families. In addition to studying the contents and persuasive appeals used in the field of raising the level of health awareness and health practice among Algerian families in light of this pandemic. So, the role evaluation of this mass media has been verified based on two main theories. First is the sociological theory which is represented Durkheim's functional theory, and the second media theory is the cultivation theory (cultural implantation theory). As we relied on the descriptive and analytical method using the questionnaire that was distributed to a sample of families living in the neighbourhood of May 08, 1945, in the city of EL-Oued in the southeast of Algeria. Where it was chosen in a deliberate way and it was estimated: 33 families, then it was treated statistically according to the SPSS system that adopted the triple Likert scale.

A Preliminary Survey of Olive Grove in Biskra (Southeast Algeria) Reveals a High Diversity of Thrips and New Records.

Simple SummaryThe diversity of thrips from olive trees in Algeria is unknown. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, thrip species have caused economic damage to the olive yield in the region of Biskra throughout the history of this crop, although the thrips pest species was unknown. To solve this question, we studied the thrips composition of one olive orchard over three years and the seasonal abundance of the species responsible of the damage of the olives in relation to the phenologic development of the olive treeThis study was conducted to determine Thysanoptera species composition associated with olive trees, fruit injury, fluctuations in the abundance of the most phytophagous species relative to the phenological stages of the olive tree, and the temporal variations in the species Neohydatothrips amygdali in relation to environmental variations in Biskra province between 2018 and 2020. The olive orchard chosen for this study is located at the Experimental Station of the Technical Institute for the Development of Saharan Agriculture (ITDAS) in El Outaya (Biskra, a Saharan region of Algeria). Five trees were sampled each week, and thrips were collected by shaking 20 twigs (4 twigs per tree). Identification of thrips species was based on morphological characters of adults. Microscopic observation of the collected thrips specimens made it possible to report nine thrips species. Among them, four are reported for the first time in Algeria. Three taxa, namely Haplothrips tritici, Neohydatothrips amygdali, and Frankliniella occidentalis constituted the eudominant groups, representing 28.65%, 27.98%, and 23.39% of total specimens collected during the study, respectively. Thrips injury appeared as scaring and silvering of the fruit. The most abundant species was H. tritici, but N. amygdali was most common in the last two years of the survey. The influence of phenological stages of olive trees on the total number of H. tritici and F. occidentalis was significant. The highest numbers were recorded in flowering stage. The highest number of N. amygdali had two peaks: April (2020) and May (2018, 2019), as well as September (2020) and October (2018, 2019), when temperatures fluctuated between 20 °C and 30 °C. N. amygdali was totally absent during the other months (in winter and summer). During the three years of investigation, N. amygdali reproduced by thelytoky, with only females present.

A novel model for optimizing tilts of four reflectors on a flat plate thermal collector: Case study in Ouargla region

Enhancing the produced thermal energy of a flat plate thermal collector by increasing the received sunlight using reflectors is an economical solution. For this purpose, tilts optimization of four identical planar reflectors surrounding a fixed and a bi-axial tracked flat plate thermal collector in the southeast of Algeria was investigated experimentally and by simulating novel mathematical model. The findings showed that the novel tilt angles of the reflectors in the fully tracked case, which were fixed at 67° anywhere throughout the year. On the other hand, in the fixed case, they varied from one month to another. According to the simulation results, the average annual solar irradiation was increased by 64% in the stationary system without shadowing and by 111.28% in the two-axis solar tracked system. Experimental results showed that the daily average benefit ratio of incoming sunlight and the produced thermal energy for a two-axis tracked V-Trough concentrator were considerably enhanced, especially the received irradiation, and were equal to 4.25 and 2.48, respectively. However, in the fixed case, the improvements were only 1.52 and 1.33, respectively.

Thermal and Mechanical Shock Testing of a Brick Wall and A Polystyrene Wall

Polystyrene is one of the many novel materials being developed today. The goal of our research is to demonstrate that polystyrene is a good construction material in the El Oued region of Southeast Algeria. It can also be a strong rival for other building materials like brick. The results of our research, particularly in thermal testing, are very promising. Polystyrene is a better insulator than brick; the temperature of the polystyrene chamber varies between 26 and 27°C, whereas the temperature of the brick chamber varies between 36 and 37 °C. Polystyrene has a 5 times mechanical impact compared to brick. Despite its lack of availability in the region's markets, polystyrene is a strong rival to other materials such as brick.

Evapotranspiration from pilot-scale vertical flow subsurface constructed wetlands in arid area

This paper aims to conduct a comparative evaluation of evapotranspiration (ET) rates in two experimental pilot-scales vertical flow subsurface constructed wetlands carried out in south east of Algeria (Touggourt), planted separately with P. australis (Ph) and T. latifolia (Ty) in two different substrate types with constant hydraulic loading rate under arid climatic conditions. An estimate of crop coefficient (Kc) for the two macrophytes based on climate conditions and the plant growth was also provided. Two kinds of vertical flow subsurface systems has been tested in the hottest period of the year 2018 over five months (April-August): first with fine gravel (G) (experiment 1), and second with sand (S) (experiment 2). During this period, the cumulative ETTy-G, ETPh-G and ETNp-G in the 1st experiment were 206, 276 and 125 mm, whereas in the 2nd experiment; the cumulative ETTy-S, ETPh-S and ETNp-S were 833, 968 and 635 mm, respectively. Comparing these results with cumulative reference evapotranspiration (ET0), ET0 value (426 mm) was higher than ET in the 1st experiment, and lower than in the 2nd experiment. Cumulative ET values in planted lysimeters were found to be different and higher than unplanted ones. Moreover, the highest accumulated ET value was obtained with P. australis bed which was found to have higher accumulated ET values than T. latifolia bed. Regarding the crop coefficient (Kc), the average seasonal value of Kc in the 1st experiment was relatively smaller than 2nd experiment. The Kc Ph-S value was almost three times the Kc Ph-G, and Kc Ty-S values were also almost four times the Kc Ty-G.In general, this study demonstrated that ET and Kc are dependent on climate conditions, the macrophytes growth as well as on the type of substrate in which the macrophytes are planted.