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Turkish Journal of Zoology

Author ORCID Identifier

KAMEL EDDINE MEDERBAL: 0009-0001-6709-3948

MOHCEN MENAA: 0000-0002-6893-282X

ABDALLAH AOUADI: 0000-0002-3259-7396

LAMIA BOUTABIA: 0000-0002-7757-8228

LAMIA BENSAÂD-BENDJEDID: 0000-0001-7719-1026

KHALLADI MEDERBAL: 0000-0001-6850-6807

AMIRA BOUDERBALA: 0000-0001-9635-8952

ABDERRAHMANE CHEBLI: 0000-0002-8682-5614

SALAH TELAILIA: 0000-0002-4653-3764

DOI

10.55730/1300-0179.3178

Abstract

The Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauritanica) is an endemic bird to North Africa, encompassing Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia. Unfortunately, its population is facing a significant decline primarily attributed to habitat loss and fragmentation resulting from urbanization and agricultural practices. Due to the lack of studies on habitat requirements of Pica mauritanica on a large scale, investigating the habitat preferences of this species and thereby understanding the potential threats, remains crucial for effective conservation strategies. We performed species distribution modeling (SDM), incorporating both occurrence records and predictor variables, to investigate the potentially suitable habitat and the factors influencing the distribution of the Maghreb Magpie (Pica mauritanica) in North Africa. Among the environmental predictors examined, the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI), elevation, and human settlement have been identified as key factors influencing habitat suitability. Specifically, EVI and human settlements positively contribute to suitability, while precipitation and temperature exert negative effects. The SDM results were consistent with our field observations, indicating that Pica mauritanica tends to avoid urban settlements or densely forested regions, thus preferring village farm areas, especially during the breeding period. The model forecasts high habitat suitability for Pica mauritanica along the eastern coastal regions of Tunisia, the western coastal areas, and the High Atlas mountain range of Morocco, as well as the Hautes Plaines region in Algeria, with a fragmented patch pattern.

Keywords

Pica mauritanica, remote sensing, nesting habitat, GIS, SDM, Algeria.

First Page

220

Last Page

232

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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