An anthroscape from Morocco: Degraded rangeland systems and introduction of exotic plant material and technology

Abstract

Fodder shrub plantations (Atriplex nummularia) were extensively introduced to rehabilitate degraded rangeland and to mitigate desertification in the Rural Municipality of Ouled Dlim (Marrakech Province, Morocco). The original rural landscape, characterised by sparse or absent natural vegetation cover due to a long history of intense grazing activities, has been deeply modified during the last decade by these agroforestry interventions. The purpose of this contribution is to describe the occurred environmental changes under the perspective of the Anthroscape concept, by giving emphasis to the description of the Anthroscape units affected by the plantations and to the geo-pedological processes that influenced the technical success obtained by the interventions. Some critical aspects and possible scenarios of the future evolution of the anthroscapes are also discussed. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.