Abderrahmane Merzouki

Abdelmalek Essaâdi University | UAE · Flora Research, Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology Group, Laboratory of Applied Botany. Department of Biology

This study discovers the distribution of vegetation in the Sougna Mountain and its modern pollen representation and investigates the relationships with environment and land use variables. A total of 31 moss polsters were collected between 138 and 1364 m above sea-level from wooded to open areas (e.g., cork oak forest, pine reforestation, and shrubl...

The Islamic Republic of Mauritania (IRM) is a vast country situated where the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa converge. With an area of 1,030,700 km2, it is located within the latitudes from 15 to 27 degrees North and longitudes from 5 to 17 degrees West (Schlüter 2008). It shares borders with Senegal to the south, Mali to the southeast, Algeria to...

Abstract: The achenes evaluated had average dimensions of 4.242 ± 0.329 mm long, 3.38 ± 0.294 mm wide, 2.75 ± 0.227 mm thick. They contained an average moisture of 7.614 ± 1.623 and an average mass of 0.01808 ± 0. 0038 g. No significant differences in the yields of the oil obtained by hexane and press extraction (p-value0.05), they varied respecti...

Abstract Background: In the province of Adrar (northern Mauritania), there is significant interest in medicinal plants and their use. However, the utilization of herbal medicines has been largely underestimated, with little or no scientific data regarding the status, perception of inhabitants of northern Mauritania, confidence in the healing proper...

Background: This study aims to compare the information recorded in the three provinces of Jerada, Nador, and Al Hoceima in the Northeastern part of Morocco, in order to evaluate variability of medicinal plant knowledge in these provinces. Methods: All the data were gathered through conducting open-ended semi-structured interviews with randomly sele...

Background: The Talassemtane National Park (PNTLs) characterized by a rich floristic diversity. We carried out an ethnobotanical survey in the PNTLs, we have identified a total of 152 medicinal plant species belonging to 44 botanical families. The Lamiaceae is one of the 20 largest plant families, and one with the significantly higher proportion of...

The process of quantifying and reconstructing past vegetation changes is a crucial step towards comprehending the dynamics of human-environment interactions throughout time. In this study, we present a reconstruction of the vegetation cover of the Sougna mountain (Western Rif Mountain) over the last 6000 yr based on multivariate statistical analysi...

The investigations of modern pollen and vegetation relationships have long been recognised as an important approach for the convenient interpretation of fossil pollen records. Despite several studies on fossil pollen records applied to the Rif landscape, investigations focused on modern pollen and vegetation relationship are still rare. This study...

Background:The present ethnobotanical-ethnopharmacological study of plants used to treat ailments of the digestive system was carried out in the north of Morocco. The study aims to collect data on the plants used, their vernacular names, the parts used, and their modes of preparation and administration. Methods:Surveys and interviews were carried b...

Hemp known botanically as Cannabis sativa L. (CS) is an important industrial crop. A huge literature was devoted to its biology owing to its numerous health-healing properties and biotechnological applications. However, little is known about essential oil (CSEO) chemical composition in the cultivars grown in Morocco. In this research work, we aimed...

Most of the records refer to hydroclimatic conditions, and therefore we have built a series showing the frequency of dry/wet events in every twenty-year period, as seen in Figure 3. For Iberia, the series ends in the fourteenth century, when the Arabic settlement started its decline. For Morocco and North Africa, the series covers the period from A...

Archival records and historical documents offer direct observation of weather and atmospheric conditions and have the highest temporal and spatial resolution, and precise dating, of the available climate proxies. They also provide information about variables such as temperature, precipitation, and climate extremes, as well as floods, droughts and s...

The secondary school performance of Ghomara’s students (coastal area of Chefchaouen province, Rif Mountain, Morocco) is deeply influenced by the cultivation of cannabis practiced by many Ghomarian families. To highlight this relationship, a field study was conducted with students, their parents, and other stakeholders through the adoption of a quan...

Morocco has ratified most of the international conventions for environmental protection and sustainable development through official policies to ensure global environmental governance. The purpose of this study is to analyze the main obstacles that hinder the good environmental governance of Al Hoceima National Park (AHNP) within the development st...

Acknowledgments: This article could not have been done without the fruitful comments and intellectual generosity of Pr. Abderrazzak Merzouki from Polytechnic School of Montreal and special thanks also go to Mr. Mustapha Semmar, for his diligent proofreading of the work. Abstract: The cultivation of cannabis in Ghomara (coastal side of Chefchaouen p...

Secondary school students' achievements in Ghomara (coastal area of Chefchaouen, Rif Mountains, Morocco) is deeply influenced by the cultivation of cannabis. To illustrate this relationship, a field study was conducted with students, their parents, and other stakeholders; the study is based on a quantitative and qualitative sociological approach. I...

The aim of the study is to analyse the sharing and dissimilarities of current popular knowledge on the medicinal uses of plants in two neighbouring areas of the Western Mediterranean with a shared historical background: Eastern Morocco and Eastern Andalusia (Spain), focusing on the most important botanical family in both territories, the Asteraceae...

The humans have the capacity to transmit knowledge to other individuals remote in space and time by verbal and written means. Ethno-pharmacology is based on approaches from the sociocultural and natural sciences. Ethnobotanical research in the Talassemtane National Park was undertaken following a perspective to establish the base of comparative stu...

The Talassemtane National Park (PNTLS) represents a significant biome for flora diversity in Morocco and North Africa. Based on its floristic richness and on the rural lifestyle of its population, we hypothesize that the inhabitants of the park hold a substantial knowledge of medicinal plants. The Apiaceae is one of the 20 largest plant families, a...

The Talassemtane National Park (PNTLS) presents a significant floristic source in northern Morocco. In order to identify and establish the catalog of taxa used in traditional medicine by the park population, an extensive two-year study (2014-2016) was conducted. The ethnobotanical approach based on different types of surveys has been adopted to exp...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Mauritania is a country in which few ethnobotanical studies have been conducted and consequently the ethnomedical data is scarce. Since the geographical region reflects the transition between tropical and Northern Africa, influenced by the Mediterranean floristic region, the traditional knowledge was influenced by s...

To understand the relationship between Muslim religious attitudes and the growing/consumption of cannabis, we surveyed 251 residents and conducted interviews in Northern Morocco. The local population is Ghomarian, an ethnic group of Berber heritage that experienced socioeconomic marginalization. Cannabis is grown throughout the region, despite Isla...

Ethnopharmacological relevance: Transmission of traditional knowledge over time and across culturally and historically related territories is an important topic in ethnopharmacology. Here, we contribute to this knowledge by analysing data on medicinal uses in two neighbouring areas of the Western Mediterranean in relation to a historical text that...

The archival records and historic documents offer direct observation of weather and atmospheric conditions with highest temporal resolution and precise dating, a major advantage of these proxy data is that they allow the reconstruction of large numbers of variables such as winter temperature, precipitation, climate extremes as well as floods, droug...

The archival records and historic documents offer direct observation of weather and atmospheric conditions with highest temporal resolution and precise dating. It is considered a major advantage of these proxy data in the fact that they allow the reconstruction of large numbers of variables such as winter temperature, precipitation, climate extreme...

Abstract The drinking water systems are subject to a number of failures given the state of the pipes, the nature of the land and to be monitored for economic and environmental leaks, spills, pipeline ruptures, Backflow. Hence the need to use new techniques including automation and computerization by using GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and au...

EVOLUCIÓN DEL SABER ETNO-MEDICINAL EN MARRUECOS Y ANDALUCÍA A PARTIR DEL SIGLO XIII: EL TRATADO DE LOS SIMPLES DE IBN AL BAYTAR COMO BASE Asmae El Gharbaoui1, Joaquín Molero Mesa1, Abderrahmane Merzouki1,2 1. Departamento de Botánica, Facultad de Farmacia, 18071 Granada. España. (asmae@correo.ugr.es) 2. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Cienc...

The medieval Arab-islamic authors have a rich medical knowledge and tradition in the use of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). The traditional methods of its applications are described in ancient manuscripts in the field of medicine and pharmacognosy dated back from the IX to XVIIIth century AD. As a result of these studies, it was established that various...

Aim: High mountains in the Mediterranean region of Europe are particularly rich in endemic vascular plants. We aimed to compare the altitudinal patterns of vascular plant species richness and the proportion of endemic species in two Mediterranean region: Lefka Ori on the island of Crete (Greece) and Sierra Nevada on the Iberian peninsula. Location:...

Introduction: Vitamin A deficiency can result from malnutrition, malabsorption of vitamin A, impaired vitamin metabolism associated with liver disease, or chronic debilitating diseases like HIV infection or cancer. Background & aims: Cannabis administration has been described as a palliative symptom management therapy in such pathological stages...

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Climate impact studies have indicated ecological fingerprints of recent global warming across a wide range of habitats1, 2. Although these studies have shown responses from various local case studies, a coherent large-scale account on temperature-driven changes of biotic communities has been lacking3, 4. Here we use 867 vegetation samples above the...

The Ghomarian woman plays a fundamental role in her society: the ruling agricultural activity as well as the socio-cultural life depends strictly on her, but this woman still suffers some discrimination. To clear up this situation, a study concerning 249 people was realized through the adoption of a quantitative and qualitative sociological approac...

Purpose This paper aims to highlight the drivers and trends of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from fossil fuels of 21 Mediterranean countries, and suggest some policy recommendations to help mitigate them and fostering energy partnership within the studied area. Design/methodology/approach Simplified Kaya identity was used to analyse the drivers...

To strengthen the quality of information, inclusion and implementation of continuous link between different categories of actors by mobilizing P-GIS as tools for participation and methodological aid to decision-making, and help to better understanding of environmental issues and challenges related to climate change, allowing regional authorities to...

The aim of this paper is to analyse the vascular flora and temperature data in the highest zone of the Sierra Nevada massif (Sierra Nevada National Park) and evaluate the potential effects of climatic change on the biodiversity of this zone. The floristic and temperature data have been recorded using the methodology of the European Gloria Project....

This study aims to find a solution based on the computerized geographic information system (GIS). By manipulating ArcGIS 9.2, ArcView 3.2 and ERDAS Extensions for ArcGIS mainly to delimit the protection zone of the dam Ibn Battouta in the region of northern Morocco, as an appropriate model. The approach used in this pilot project for the delineatio...

The common perception of forest biotechnology, giving special thought to forestry education by answering the main issue of this century Forestry, Biotechnology and Climate Change will be highlighted. Also, advances in forest biotechnology, drawing attention to Pine genus, possibly able to shape the new forests of the 21st century will be underlined...

RESUMEN La instalación en la alta montaña de escenarios para la observación, estudio y previsión sobre los efec-tos del cambio climático, tomando como base la flora y la vegetación, se ha desarrollado en Europa desde los inicios del presente siglo, teniendo en el proyecto GLORIA-EUROPE su mejor ejemplo. En dicho proyecto se instalaron, con una meto...

As a cross boundary issue, Climate Change (CC) is seen as an avoidable challenge for scientists, economists as well as policy makers. Mediterranean region is one of the most vulnerable places in term of CC. It is also extremely vulnerable to global changes due to it geo-strategic position in the world. Together, global and climate changes affect se...

Total pollen production per inflorescence and per square meter were studied in anemophilous species of the Poaceae family, to determine the relative contribution of each species to the total load of pollen released and to identify the species with the highest potential pollen emission. This was done by calculating the number of pollen grains per fl...

Although the measurement of eye pupil variations is a common method in the only few cannabis effect research, there are no studies on short term effects of kif (Moroccan traditional preparation of cannabis) on eye pupil. The aim of the present paper is to present results about effect of a smoked kif preparation (Cannabis sativa L.) on pupil diamete...

Summary 1. The stress gradient hypothesis suggests a shift from predominant competition to facilitation along gradients of increasing environmental severity. This shift is proposed to cause parallel changes from prevailing spatial segregation to aggregation among the species within a community. 2. We used 904 1-m 2 plots, each subdivided into 100 1...

Tis research was performed as part of a larger study on the effect of Cannabis on vision process, including study of retinol levels in serum of VAD animal model. In a another study, Etnobotanical data background reveals the use of cannabis for respiratory ailments. In this way, respiratory parameters (FVC, IVC, ERV, IRV..etc) were estimated by micr...

An ethnobotanical study carried out from September 2003 to August 2004, in the rural community of Zoumi (Chefchauen province, northern of Morocco) reveal that 101 species are used by the autochtonous population as medicinal remedies. Key words: Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants, Rif, Morocco.

La aproximación etnobotánica a la problematica del cultivo de cannabis en el norte de Marruecos fue elaborada en el año 1991 en un proyecto multidiciplinar coordinado por los profesores Merzouki et Molero Mesa. La perspectiva etnobotánica permitió abordar la problemática del cultivo de cannabis desde diferentes lineas de trabajos, socio-antropólogi...

La aproximación etnobotánica a la problematica del cultivo de cannabis en el norte de Marruecos fue elaborada en el año 1991 en un proyecto multidiciplinar coordinado por los profesores Merzouki et Molero Mesa. La perspectiva etnobotánica permitió abordar la problemática del cultivo de cannabis desde diferentes lineas de trabajos, socio-antropólogi...

En un mundo cada vez más cambiante las interacciones a nivel local y global son más evidentes. El Desarrollo Humano, es la base de una mayor seguridad humana que actúa sobre la vulnerabilidad social, económica, política y medio ambiental de las naciones del mundo. Estos elementos constituyen los medios para evitar las desigualdades y favorecer un D...

En un mundo cada vez más cambiante las interacciones a nivel local y global son más evidentes. El Desarrollo Humano, es la base de una mayor seguridad humana que actúa sobre la vulnerabilidad social, económica, política y medio ambiental de las naciones del mundo. Estos elementos constituyen los medios para evitar las desigualdades y favorecer un D...

Previous reports have documented an improvement in night vision among Jamaican fishermen after ingestion of a crude tincture of herbal cannabis, while two members of this group noted that Moroccan fishermen and mountain dwellers observe an analogous improvement after smoking kif, sifted Cannabis sativa mixed with tobacco (Nicotiana rustica). Field-...

Continuous and intensively ethnobotanical surveies were carried out in the Rif (North om Morocco) since 1992 with aims to study diferents aspects of Cannabis crops and recense flora with ethnobotanical interest. This paper deal with results about plant species commonly used to treating diabets in three villages of Chefchaouen province. Analysed dat...

The aim of the present paper is to present information about a kif preparation smoked by the Moroccan population. Results are considered as an advance of our actual investigations undertaken in the Rif zone to observe an improvement in night vision after smoking kif [Ethan et al., 2002. International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) meeting, in...

An ethnobotanical survey of the medicinal plants used by the local population of the Ksar Lakbir district (NW Morocco) was conducted. One hundred and eighty-six species from 61 botanical families were recorded as well as their uses and modes of administration. Quantitative ethnopharmacological data (medicinal plant knowledge and use indices) were a...

The correspondence of Zias et al. (1993), re-lated the finding of carbonized matter containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the primary psy-choactive component of marijuana, in the abdo-men of an adolescent girl who apparently died in childbirth around 400 AD. The researchers's hy-pothesis was that Cannabis was administered to women in child birth t...

An ethnobotanical survey undertaken in the Rif, northern region of Morocco since 1992 revealed an original herbal remedy used in Laksar Lakbir district for respiratory ailments (tuberculosis, bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, cough and colds) made up of 70 plant species from 37 botanical families.

With the purpose to carried out an ethnobotanical research about Cannabis crop in the Rif zone, north of Morocco which was caracterized by marginalization and deficient socio-economically conditions, we studied some aspects fo Cannabis plant. Ethnobotanical research undertaked in the Rif zone reveal that Cannabis, a psychoactive plant was used than...

The fatty acid composition of achene oil from five Cannabis climatic cultivars cultivated in the nort of Morrocco is determined. Linoleic acid predominated (40 to 45%), followed by linolenic (12 to 17%) and oleic (7 to 10%) acids. Differences in the fatty acid composition of oils are attributed to environmental factors. Se estudia la composición e...

Cannabis achenes from fourth climatic zones of Rif (North of Morocco) were analysed for their morphological caracteristics (weight, length and SEM analysis). The results reveal two forms of fixation assise, but these variations don't permit us to distinguish variety or species.

A field experiment of nitrification potentiality in a clearcut Holm Oak coppice (Quercus ilex L.) stand in a Mediterranean zone relate the stimulation of soil organic matter mineralization. Nitrification production is significantly correlated with the nitrate available in soil, otherwise the ammonium availahle don't influence this production.

Hemp is considered as one of the widespread plants. Although a consensus of botanists today agree that only one species, Cannabis sativa L. It should be recognized, that a variety of other specific epithets, specially C. ruderalis Janisch. and C. indica Lam., are still used by some authors.

Mineralization potentials of some mediterranean soils developed under Quercus suber; Quercus ilex and Eucalyptus camaldulensis coppices are estimated by the anaerobic nitrogen mineralization test (41); which is adequate for the estimation of the disturbances impact such as clearcutting and new species introduction. The variations of ammonium accumu...

L'étude de l'effet du déboisement pratiqué dans les taillis peu productifs de chêne vert (Quercus ilex L) du Sud de la France sur l'activité biologique des sols rouges méditerranéens a été poursuivie de janvier 1984, date d'une coupe à blanc, jusqu'en avril 1986. Un aspect important de l'étude a consisté à estimer la dynamique des quantités d'azote...