Makhlouf Sekour

University of Ouargla · Department of Agricultural Sciences

Background: Barn Owls (Tyto alba Scopoli, 1769), which are nocturnal birds of prey, play a crucial role in controlling rodent populations that damage crops. They are valuable allies for farmers because they can effectively hunt small rodents. In Algeria, the Barn Owl is represented by two subspecies, Tyto alba alba and Tyto alba guttata. Methods: T...

The cultivation of wheat is a relatively new agricultural endeavor in the Algerian Saharan. The Algerian government has recently prioritized this initiative as part of its broader strategy to enhance food security and reduce dependence on cereal imports. However, this new speculation, grown under a pivot, is often impacted by various environmental...

Background Black rats (Rattus rattus; Rodentia: Muridae) cause significant damage to agricultural and human health, and they are considered a reservoir for a variety of diseases. Objectives The current study aimed to evaluate the toxicity of oral anticoagulants derived from Halocnemum strobilaceum (Pall.) M. Bieb. to these dangerous animals. Meth...

The spatial and seasonal variations in amphibian and reptile diversity were studied in different biotopes (lowlands, desert pavements “Reg,” Sabkhas “salt lakes,” date palm groves, wadis, and urban sites) at the Algerian Sahara Desert. No prior research has explored the connection between the distribution of reptiles and amphibians in Algeria’s Sah...

The present study aimed to detect the parasitic fauna associated with black rats (Rattus rattus) from southeastern Algeria. It showed the presence of seven species of parasitic fungi namely Penicillium sp. (Prevalence Pr=91.3%), Aspergillus niger (Pr=91.3%), Alternaria sp. (Pr=58.7%), Cladosporium sp. (Pr=87%), Microsporum sp. (Pr=19.6%), Trichophy...

This paper investigates the diet and breeding parameters of the Golden eagle in southwestern Algeria. A synthesis of observations of food remains found in four Golden eagle nests in southwest Algeria from 2020 to 2022 is given. During the breeding season, eagles in the study area fed their young predominantly with Alectoris barbara (RA = 41.6%), fo...

This study examines the bio-ecology and reproduction of Buteo rufinus (Cretzschmar, 1927) from southwestern Algeria. The first studied nesting site is a cliff on the edge of the wadi valley in the Taghit region. The second nest is in an Atlas pistachio tree (Pistacia atlantica) in the El Bnoud region. The breeding period began in April 2018. Each n...

In ordre to promote aquaculture in the south of the country, and specifically, to reduce the cost of feeding farmed fish, this study was carried out to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of fishmeal with a mixture of duckweed meal (DWM) and mealworm larvae (WLM) on growth performance, feed utilization and carcass composition of Nile tilapia...

Ctenodactylus gundi were captured in the southern region of Aures, Algeria from December 2015 through June 2017 to assess their ectoparasite diversity. 63.5% of the gundi had one or more ectoparasites, while 36.5% had none. Eight species of ectoparasites were identified. The most abundant taxa were species of Neotrombicula (61.5%), Trombicula (10.6...

This paper studies the effect of the plant support on the biological activity of Ceratitis capitata, as well as the estimated infestation rate of certain fruit trees (orange, mandarin, fig, apricot and pomegranate) in two regions of extreme south-eastern Algeria. The results show that the fruits most bitten by the Mediterranean fly are pomegranates...

ABSTRACT.– Biological notes on the Fulvous Babbler Argya fulvain agrosystems of the northern Algerian Sahara. Monitoring of Fulvous Babbler breeding has been running since November 2016 until March of the year 2019, we have taken into consideration two successive breeding seasons 2017 and 2018 in four oasis agro-systems at Ouargla (Algerian Norther...

Black rats are considered a carrier of arthropods that are vectors of diseases to animals and humans. No studies have ever been reported on ectoparasites of this rodent in Algeria. Where Rattus rattus was introduced recently in the south-eastern oasis and has taken refuge in palm groves. To identify the ectoparasites, richness, and prevalence of th...

Introduction – Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is a cosmopolitan pest that has invaded almost all temperate and tropical countries. Biological control of C. capitata is now well established in many American countries, but it is still limited in Europe. Recently, the use of the parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead)...

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Zergoun, Y., Guezoul, O., Sekour, M., Bouras, N., and Holtz, M.D. 2020. Diet selection of Heteracris littoralis, in a cultivated environment, Mzab valley, Septentrional Sahara, Algeria. Tunisian Journal of Plant Protection 15 (2): 69-80.

This paper presents the results of a study on the diet of Heteracris littoralis in an agro-ecosystem at Mzab valley, Ghardaïa Province, Northern Sahara, Algeria. The diet was determined by the analysis of plant fragments in the feces of H. littoralis sampled in the field. The studied grasshopper consumed 12 of the 30 plant species found in the cult...

Ceratitis capitata (Diptera: Tephritidae) an emerging pest damaging protected crops of chilli pepper (Solanaceae) in Sub‐Saharan area (Algeria) In Algeria, the Mediterranean fruit fly has long been associated with fruit production in coastal regions with a temperate climate. But with climate change, especially in autumn and spring, this fly has spr...

La diversité entomofaunistique est étudiée dans trois milieux agricoles dans la vallée d'Ouargla (34" 54'N.,5'20'E.).En effet, dans l'agroécosystème de Hassi Ben Abdellah (31'59'N.; 5o 26'E.), le milieu céréalière, maraîchère et phaenicicole sont choisis pour l'élaboration de cette étude. _I,a méthode appliquée est celle des pots Barber qui permet...

La diversité entomofaunistique est étudiée dans trois milieux agricoles dans la vallée d'Ouargla (34" 54'N.,5'20'E.).En effet, dans l'agroécosystème de Hassi Ben Abdellah (31'59'N.; 5o 26'E.), le milieu céréalière, maraîchère et phaenicicole sont choisis pour l'élaboration de cette étude. _I,a méthode appliquée est celle des pots Barber qui permet...

Breeding ecology and inter-specific relationships between collared dove, laughing dove and turtle dove in various habitats in Ouargla region (Northeast of Algerian Sahara). This study was carried out for two successive years 2016-2017 and according to plant diversity and remoteness or proximity of these habitats to urbanization. The breeding season...

Cyrtopodion scabrum, an invasive gecko, was detected 2400 km east of its current range in Algeria and in North and West Africa (Egypt excluded). During herpetological surveys conducted from 2009-2018, 40 individuals (20 females and 20 males) were caught by hand in urban sites and in oases of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera). The morphometric traits...

After three years of monitoring (2016-2019), no less than 6256 individuals of Orthoptera were counted on 3 palm groves in Ghardaïa. These specimens are represented by 22 species belonging to 4 families. The presence of a herbaceous layer such as Cynodon dactylon and Setaria verticillata promotes the development of Gomphocerinae such as Ochrilidia g...

Pomegranate trees are susceptible to many pests. Marketing quality of pomegranate fruits is mainly affected by the pomegranate butterfly Virachola livia. This study aimed to determine some bio-ecological parameters of Virachola livia (Klug) and the evaluation of their damages on pomegranate (Punica granatum) in the region of Djanet (Southeastern of...

ABSTRACT The estimated damages caused by Rattus rattus on Phoenix dactylifera (L. 1753) involved 25 sites distributed equally over 5 stations in the Souf region (south-east of Algeria). The first traces of the damages could be summed up in a deterioration of the inflorescences (spathes) before and after their openings. However, a five-year follow-u...

The plastic had been subject to several criticisms related to the environmental aspect when it experienced very slow biodegradability. On the other hand, it contains chemicals that are very harmful to health and cause many diseases, such as cancer. However, this situation, which our objective is carried out in the recovery of potato waste in the ma...

The present work covered the study of monthly variations of Atlas Goundi recorded in the southern Aures (Algeria). A total of 117 individuals of caught C. gundi, females (Individuals Number: Ni = 64) are the most captured than males (Ni = 53), with a sex ratio of 0.8 (♂ / ♀). The majority of trapped individuals belong to the adult age group (63.3%)...

Caelifera is one of the largest and most diverse group of insects, and they are the dominant Orthoptera in agriculture ecosystems. We present here an inventory of Acridid fauna of the agricultural ecosystems in the Mzab valley (Septentrional Sahara, Algeria). Grasshoppers were sampled with quadrats in Béni Isguen, Ghardaïa and El-Atteuf, and we hav...

The counting and characterization of the black rat population in 4 stations (2 palm groves and 2 storage sites) located in the region of Touggourt (southern Algeria) were studied by comprehensive trappings, following the use of BTS traps. These allowed the capture of 492 individuals through a trapping effort of 936 trap nights. The palm groves (n =...

Out of 89 individuals of Ctenodactylus gundi trapped in the Algerian Aures massif, the captured females (Ni = 47) outnumbered the males (Ni = 42). Most of the animals belonged to the age class of adults (70.8%). The females (7 months) were often more captured than the males (3 months), with a peak in December 2016 (8 ♀ / 7 ♂). Juveniles had been no...

The climatic condition is assumed as the main factor responsible for development and survival of insects; this investigation was conducted to study the responses of Caelifera to temperatures and precipitation variations during 2017 in three natural environments of Mzab Valley, Ghardaïa, Algeria. A total of 22 grasshopper species were collected, rep...

A year-long survey was conducted to determine species composition, abundance and diversity of grasshoppers in three date palm groves in Mzab Valley, Northern Sahara, Algeria. A total of 2398 Orthoptera (Insecta) individuals belonging to 4 families and 22 species were recorded during the study period. On the basis of total number of species, Acridid...

The counting of birds was conducted in a forest area of Aleppo Pine and Holm Oak Trees. A total of 35 species of birdswas recorded in this forest area. These species are distributed over 6 orders and 15 families. The Order Passeriformes was the most represented with 25 species and 9 families. The red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra wasthe most observed...

The estimated damages caused by Rattus rattus on Phoenix dactylifera (L. 1753) involved 25 sites distributed equally over 5 stations in the Souf region (south-east of Algeria). The first traces of the damages could be summed up in a deterioration of the inflorescences (spathes) before and after their openings. However, a five-year follow-up (from 2...

The bio-ecological study of Utetheisa pulchella in the Algerian Sahara (Biskra) shows that the life cycle of this species was completed within 46 to 53 days (49.4 ± 2.7), with an egglaying amount that can reach 310 eggs (105.9 ± 84.9 eggs), which hatch within 5 to 6 days (5.3 ± 0.6 days). Hatching rate varies from 72 to 100% (CV = 8.8%), followed b...

Le présent travail porte sur une contribution à l'étude des ectoparasites vecteurs des maladies transmissible à l'homme chez la population des goundi (Ctenodactylus gundi) capturées dans la région sud de l'Aurès à Batna. Au sein de cette région et dans le but d'avoir une idée sur la diversité parasitaire vecteurs des maladies transmissible à l'homm...

The diet of the Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus was analysed in an arid environment in Hassi El Gara located in the southeast of El Golea (Ghardaia, Algeria). The diet was determined by analysing 138 pellets. Our data showed that the diet was dominated by mammals (Chiroptera and Rodentia). Based on relative biomass, birds were the main prey species....

Nesting data of this species were collected in 2009 and 2012 in two habitats (palm groves and daya). The density of breeding pairs varied between 4 pairs/167 ha and 6 pairs/10 ha in the palm groves and was of 4 pairs in daya (8ha). In palm groves, the nests are located in the canopy of young palms Phoenix dactylifera. The height of nests varied bet...

The application of two sampling methods (pitfall traps and sweeping net) on three lucerne fields of different ages (one year, two years and three years) in a Saharan area of Algeria allowed the enumeration of 9158 arthropods divided into 4 classes, 13 orders and 73 families. About 4/5 of them are obtained by the pitfall and 1/5 caught by sweep nett...

The study of the diet of the Barn Owl in two steppic regions (M'Sila and Djelfa) located in the Algerian highlands is based on the analysis of the pellets of rejections collected in six stations. The analysis of 706 pellets resulting from the various stations made it possible to count 1380 individuals, represented by seven classes, 12 orders, 32 fa...

La biométrie corporelle révèle que les espèces de rongeurs capturées appartiennent à trois catégories, celle des rongeurs de grande taille avec Meriones shawii (131,29 ± 15,88 mm). Celle des rongeurs de taille intermédiaire avec Gerbillus gerbillus (108,4 ± 11,76 mm), Gerbillus campestris (97,25 ± 5,91 mm) et Mus spretus (97,5 ± 37,47 mm). Et enfin...

The diet of the House Martin Delichon urbica was analyzed in a suburban area in Pins maritimes, northeast of Algiers (Algeria). The diet was determined by analyzing 120 faecal samples collected from a breeding colony between April and September 2007. Insects were the most numerous prey types (99.86%). Hymenopterans were the dominant preys (56.99%),...

The study of the diet of the Barn Owl in two steppic regions (M'Sila and Djelfa) located in the Algerian highlands is based on the analysis of the pellets of rejections collected in six stations. The analysis of 706 pellets resulting from the various stations made it possible to count 1380 individuals, represented by seven classes, 12 orders, 32 fa...

Man made ecosystems of dry lands are key habitats due to their ecological characteristics to survey biodiversity. This study investigated bird diversity in three oases of the Northern Algerian Sahara (i.e., Biskra in 2006, Oued Souf in 2008 and Ouargla in 2009), by using the spot-mapping method. Bird density “D” (pairs/10 ha), species richness “S”...

The diet of the Black-shouldered Kite Elanus caeruleus was analysed in a recently colonised area in Meftah, south-eastern Algiers, Algeria. The diet was determined by analysing 144 pellets. Our data showed that the diet was dominated by rodents with Algerian mouse Mus spretus comprising between 61% and 77% of the diet. Based on relative biomass, ro...

Sparrow (Passer domesticus × Passer hipaniolensis) causes enormous damage on the fruit of Phoenix dactylefera, indeed, it causes date losses of 'Deglet-Nour' in the valley of Ouargla. The estimation of the damage on dates is variable from one block with another, and palm trees with another. In the first block on the edge of the palm plantation of K...

The diet of the common raven Corvus Corax in the region of Djelfa (Algeria) was analysed from 63 collected pellets. The trophic spectrum was made up of 887 items, mainly belonging to invertebrate prey. Reptiles, birds and mammals were also present, along with plants (Triticum and Hordeum species) and inert material. The omnivorous feeding behaviour...

Résumé : L'étude du régime alimentaire de la Chouette effraie (Tyto alba) dans la région du Souf (33° à 34° N. et 6° à 8° E.), suite à l'analyse de 60 pelotes de rejections, a permis de recenser 150 individus de rongeurs proies représentés par 13 espèces appartenant à deux familles (Muridae et Dipodidae). Les Muridae sont représentés par la sous fa...

L'étude du régime alimentaire de la Chouette effraie (Tyto alba) dans la région du Souf (33° à 34° N. et 6° à 8° E.), suite à l'analyse de 60 pelotes de rejections, a permis de recenser 150 individus de rongeurs proies représentés par 13 espèces appartenant à deux familles (Muridae et Dipodidae). Les Muridae sont représentés par la sous famille de...

In this taphonomic study we examine bone modifications to small mammal remains in regurgitated pellets from Algerian Black-shouldered Kites, Elanus caeruleus. This is the first paper to examine the diet and taphonomic alterations of this species. It is shown here that the majority of prey remains appearing in the diet of E. caeruleus come from smal...

From the autumn 2007 to the spring 2008 we studied the diet of the Little Owl Athene noctua in the area ot Ujanet, situated in the extreme soum-fcast of Algeria. The analysis of 128 pellets enabled us to identify 80 species belonging to 6 classes, 12 orders and 32 families, preyed upon by this raptor. Considering the number of preys, insects (relat...

Etude du régime alimentaire du Hibou ascalaphe Bubo ascalaphus à Ghardaïa

Nous avons étudié de l’automne 2007 au printemps 2008 le régime alimentaire de la Chevêche d’Athéna (Athene noctua) dans la région de Djanet, située dans l’extrême sud-est de l’Algérie. L’analyse de 128 pelotes de réjection nous a permis de reconnaître 80 espèces-proies réparties en 6 classes, 12 ordres et 32 familles. En nombre de proies, les Inse...

The study of the diet of three species of nocturnal raptors in the area of Ain El-Hadjel (Algeria), resulted in the determination of 23 agriculture-pest prey species. The study shows that the ravagers invertebrates make 31.9 % of the Little Owl diet of which Rhizotrogus sp. (R.A. = 18.7 %) and Messor structor (R.A. = 12.1 %) are the most consumed p...

This study based on the analysis of pellets collected in an arid area of northern Algeria shows that Little Owl mainly feeds on insects (85.5 %), Barn Owl on rodents (89.6 %), long-eared Owl on rodents (43.5 %) and passerines (37.5 %) and Desert Eagle Owl on rodents (48.0 %) and insects (34.5 %).

Export Date: 1 December 2013, Source: Scopus

RÉSUMÉ : L'étude du régime alimentaire de la Chouette effraie dans la réserve naturelle de Mergueb, a porté sur l'analyse des pelotes de régurgitations. Les arthropodes, les oiseaux, les rongeurs et les insectivores sont les catégories-proies recensées. Les rongeurs constituent l'essentiel du régime de l'Effraie (AR = 94,8 %). L'espèce-proie la plu...