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The Mediterranean fig (Ficus carica) is dioecious, with distinct male and female trees. Its pollinator, Blastophaga psenes, is hosted within male figs. We studied caprification, a practice to facilitate pollination by placing male figs from which pollinators emerge in female trees, among Jbala farmers in Morocco to analyze (1) farmers' knowledge of the pollinator's life cycle and receptivity of female figs; (2) the distribution of female fig varieties and diversity of male trees planted; and (3) the roles of social exchange networks in securing access to caprifigs using participant observation, open and semi-structured surveys, and an ego-centered protocol to study caprifig exchange networks. We document farmers' knowledge regarding caprification, the pollinator life cycle, and the caprification of intermediate male fig generations under adverse climatic conditions. Caprifig exchange networks show the critical role of markets in obtaining caprifigs for early fig varieties and in exchanges among farmers for late varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New data about Moroccan soldier flies (Stratiomyidae) are presented in the present study that discusses 15 species. Six species are recorded as new to the fauna of Morocco, four of which, Oxycera analis Wiedemann in Meigen, 1822, O. flava (Lindner, 1938), O. marginata Loew, 18959, and Chorisops tibialis (Meigen, 1820) are new records for North Africa. Oxycera morrisii (Curtis, 1833) is recorded for the first time in Morocco. Hermetia illucens (Linnaeus, 1758) was recently reported based on a personal communication without details but is now also formally added. It adds a new subfamily to the Moroccan fauna, the Hermetiinae. Notes on taxonomy, distribution and biology of the species are added. The male of O. flava is described and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species belonging to the genus Habrophlebia Eaton, 1881 is described at the nymphal stage from the Rif Mountains of Morocco. This species presents unique features, such as the chorionic arrangement of the egg and the ornamentation of the posterior margin of abdominal tergites. It is compared to all west European Habrophlebia species and a table with discriminating characters is given. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on COI sequences fully supports the hypothesis of a new species in the Rif Mountains, with possible further distribution in southern Spain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population of the Rif mountains in Morocco depends mainly on the cultivation of cannabis for its livelihood. This study shows the role played by such cultivation in landscape changes in the upstream part of the Laou river catchment area between 1985 and 2019. The analysis was developed using Landsat data. The results indicate that cannabis cultivation has contributed to accelerating the process of LUCC, given that most types of forests were largely transformed to cultivated areas. The increasing pressure on agricultural land, especially after agricultural innovations and the culture of new cannabis hybrids, has had serious consequences on the environment, economy and society. This has been demonstrated in the intensive exploitation of water, and as a result several areas are now denied access to drinking and irrigation water. To reduce the harm of these transformations, diversified and sustainable agricultural practices must be restored to their previous state.

High‐resolution microstructural analysis of porphyroblast inclusion trails integrated with Sm‐Nd garnet geochronology has provided new insight into the tectonic history of the Betic‐Rif orogen. Three principal age groups of porphyroblasts are demonstrated with distinctly oriented inclusion‐trails. Inclusion‐trail curvature axes or "FIA" (Foliation Inflexion/Intersection Axes) are shown to represent "fossilized" crenulation axes from which a succession of different crustal shortening directions can be deduced. The regional consistency of microstructural orientations and their geometric relationship with multiple sets of macroscopic folds reveal the composite character of the Gibraltar Arc formed by a superposition of different folding directions and associated lineations. Bulk‐garnet ages of 35–22 Ma obtained from five micaschist samples of the Alpujarride‐Sebtide complex (ASC) and of 35–13 Ma from four micaschists of the Nevado‐Filabride complex (NFC) allow to deduce NNE‐SSW directed shortening in the Late Eocene changing to NW‐SE shortening in the early Oligocene, alternating with suborthogonal NE‐SW shortening during the Miocene. These directions can be related to a major swing in the direction of relative Africa‐Iberia plate‐motion known from kinematic modeling of magnetic seafloor anomalies, and subsequent dynamic interference between plate convergence and suborthogonal "tectonic escape" of the Alboran Domain. Coupled to previously established P‐T‐t paths, the new garnet ages support a common tectono‐metamorphic evolution of the ASC and NFC as laterally equivalent orogenic domains until, in the Miocene, the second became re‐buried under the first. Plain Language Summary: A 3D microstructural analysis of tectonic foliations preserved within garnet porphyroblasts combined with radiometric dating of these crystals has allowed reconstruction of a complex tectonic history experienced by the Betic‐Rif orogen, the strongly curved mountain belt connecting southern Spain and Morocco. Multiple porphyroblast age groups can be linked to differently oriented microfolds preserved within these metamorphic crystals. The specific ages and orientations of these microstructures measured using conventional thin sections and X‐ray tomography can be matched to known changes in the direction of convergence of the African and Iberian plates, thus demonstrating a powerful new tool for reconstructing past plate motions. Key Points: Three sets of microfolds (Foliation Inflexion/Intersection Axis, FIA) preserved within garnet porphyroblasts of the Betic‐Rif orogen record changes in crustal shortening directionNew Sm‐Nd garnet ages reveal Eocene to Miocene tectonism in the Nevado‐Filabride complexIntegration of FIA data with garnet geochronology shown powerful tool for reconstructing past plate motions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the end of the last century, the Rif mountains of Morocco have experienced significant changes in the level of agricultural activity, especially it concerns the increase in cannabis cultivation, which is characterized by high water requirements. For that reason, a number of Artificial Impoundments (AIs) have been constructed in the Tangier-Tetouan-Al Hoceima (TTA) region, where by August 2017 there were more than 1400 of such structures. This requires to a study the efficiency and potential negative effects of such noticeable development. It has been shown that these hydraulic structures have provided additional positive value to the agricultural sector, especially to the proscribed industry of cannabis cultivation. Regarding other effects, the present study has found that their impact on the hydraulic and hydrographic aspects at the moment is very limited and that the only major constraint for their application is related to the issue of security, which arises from the fragile geological structure that is observed in the majority of the region.

The Eastern Rif Mountains are frequently subject to exceptional rainfall events, whose consequences are sometimes disastrous. The impact of these phenomena on environments is more important as the majorities of slopes are bare and subject to strong human influence. The protective natural forests of the slopes are almost destroyed; they currently cover only a few peaks of mountains in the region. They represent 1.84% of the total area of wadi Tleta sub-basin and only 1.32% of the Tarmast wadi sub-basin. However, croplands, occupying respectively 60% and 34% in the two sub-basins, extend even on the steepest slopes. Similarly, the accelerated and uncontrolled human occupation of the urban peripheries, located downstream of the basins, amplifies the vulnerability of these environments to the hydrological hazards, that threaten several sites surrounding the agglomeration of Taza. Thus, the whole region is subject to different degradation processes. Hydric erosion affects the majority of the slopes; it causes excessive sediment production that may exceed 60 t ha-1 year-1 in some sub-basins. Similarly, flood disasters are quite common in the region. The flood of 20/9/2000 is a reference, with a volume estimated at 4 million m3(DRH-Sebou 2000). Human and material damage was enormous in the rural centers and in the northern outlying districts of Taza. This contribution aims to present and analyze the combined impacts of the extreme rains and the actions of the human societies on the dynamics of the prerifain environment and its adjoining spaces.

Teuchophorus rifensis sp.n,. is a newly described species, collected at the border of the Talassemtane National Park in northern Morocco. This species can be distinguished from T. bipilosus and T. samraouii by the hind tibia with a slightly thickened apical half; hind tibia with a single fine bristle at 2/3, 3–3.5 times as long as diameter of tibia, and a row of 6–7 bristly hairs; hind tibia with a strong subapical ventral bristle and without ventral bristles in basal half. A key to determining the 14 Mediterranean species of Teuchophorus (males) is compiled.

This study aimed to assess landslide susceptibility in the Sahla watershed in northern Morocco. Landslides hazard is the most frequent phenomenon in this part of the state due to its mountainous precarious environment. The abundance of rainfall makes this area suffer mass movements led to a notable adverse impact on the nearby settlements and infrastructures. There were 93 identified landslide scars. Landslide inventories were collected from Google Earth image interpretations. They were prepared out of landslide events in the past, and future landslide occurrence was predicted by correlating landslide predisposing factors. In this paper, landslide inventories are divided into two groups, one for landslide training and the other for validation. The Landslide Susceptibility Map (LSM) is prepared by Logistic Regression (LR) Statistical Method. Lithology, stream density, land use, slope curvature, elevation, topographic wetness index, slope aspect, and slope angle were used as conditioning factors. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was employed to examine the performance of the model. In the analysis, the LR model results in 96% accuracy in the AUC. The LSM consists of the predicted landslide area. Hence it can be used to reduce the potential hazard linked with the landslides in the Sahla watershed area in Rif Mountains in northern Morocco.

Located at the southern boundary of the Alpine chain in Morocco, the deformation front of the Southern Rif Mountains is a region of moderate tectonic activity, which makes it a good natural laboratory to understand whether, and how, low compressional strains are located on specific structures. Along the ≈80 km‐long left‐lateral, transpressive and reverse fault zone that runs at the toe of the Pre‐Rif Ridges, an analysis of high‐resolution digital topography provides new geomorphic lines of evidence supporting Quaternary activity along, 20 km‐long fault segments. The fault zone can be divided into the Meknès and the Fès segments, which are constrained at depth by reactivated, NE‐trending basement faults, delimitating paleo‐grabens associated with the Late Triassic‐Jurassic opening of the Atlantic Ocean. For selected sites, we used in situ‐produced 36Cl, 10Be, and 26Al and high‐resolution topography to infer the timing of abandonment of fluvial markers, which suggest incision rates on the order of 0.6–2 mm/yr. Given their lengths, scaling laws suggest that the identified fault segments should root at about 7–12 km‐depth, possibly reactivating former basement normal faults and making them potential seismogenic sources capable of generating Mw6+ earthquakes, with return times of the order of several hundreds of years. Our new morphochronological data set confirms that the Southern Rif deformation front is a key structure that may have accommodated most of the lateral extrusion of the Rif between the Nubia and Iberia tectonic plates. Plain Language Summary: In Morocco, the population may suffer from the dramatic consequences of earthquakes. Far from a tectonic plate boundary, it is not so easy to localize in the landscape the faults that might be responsible for a strong earthquake. In this article, we used high‐resolution satellite imagery to study the active faults along the Pre‐Rif Ridges, in Northern Morocco. We also applied a dating technique that uses the accumulation of some rare isotopes in the rock exposed to cosmic particles at the surface of the Earth. The combination of the two methods permits to estimate rates of river incisions and to convert them into rates of shortening and fault slip. This study contributes to the seismic hazard assessment of the faults close to Meknès and Fès cities. Key Points: High resolution digital topography helps locate morphological indexes of active tectonics in MoroccoCosmogenic nuclides allow placing time constraints for landscape development in the Southern Rif FrontThe Southern Rif Front is an important geodynamic boundary with a non‐negligible seismogenic potential [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to assess landslide susceptibility in the Sahla watershed in northern Morocco. Landslides hazard is the most frequent phenomenon in this part of the state due to its mountainous precarious environment. The abundance of rainfall makes this area suffer mass movements led to a notable adverse impact on the nearby settlements and infrastructures. There were 93 identified landslide scars. Landslide inventories were collected from Google Earth image interpretations. They were prepared out of landslide events in the past, and future landslide occurrence was predicted by correlating landslide predisposing factors. In this paper, landslide inventories are divided into two groups, one for landslide training and the other for validation. The Landslide Susceptibility Map (LSM) is prepared by Logistic Regression (LR) Statistical Method. Lithology, stream density, land use, slope curvature, elevation, topographic wetness index, slope aspect, and slope angle were used as conditioning factors. The Area Under the Curve (AUC) of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) was employed to examine the performance of the model. In the analysis, the LR model results in 96% accuracy in the AUC. The LSM consists of the predicted landslide area. Hence it can be used to reduce the potential hazard linked with the landslides in the Sahla watershed area in Rif Mountains in northern Morocco. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The land in the Aoulai watershed in the Rif mountain area of northern Morocco has been deteriorating continually due to several different forms of erosion. The Aoulai watershed is essentially characterized by the domination of weak resistance of the rocky formations and its sensitiveness to other major internal factors that result in a conspicuous impetus for both mass movements and water erosion. Water erosion is seen as the most damaging phenomenon for nature in northern Morocco because it acts as an obstacle to the natural balances and seems to have greater effect on the slopes, through the influence of both human and natural factors. To assess and examine the erosion phenomenon, we have chosen to conduct a qualitative assessment of water erosion in the Aoulai watershed using the PAP-RAC (Priority Actions Programme/Regional Activity Centre) Guidelines. This is the methodology that is most widely applied and implemented both for determining and identifying the areas at risk of erosion and for supporting projects to reduce the degradation that has become a major threat to hydraulic structures including dams, irrigation pipes and other infrastructure elements, which are damaged by the erosion phenomenon in the Central Rif mountains of northern Morocco.

Karstic aquifers play an important role for drinking and irrigation supply in Morocco. However, in some areas, a deeper understanding is needed in order to improve their sustainable management under global changes. Our study, based on chemical and isotopic investigation of 67 groundwater samples from the karst aquifer in the Rif Mountains, provides crucial information about the principal factors and processes influencing groundwater recharge and residence time. The δ18O and δ2H isotopic values indicate that the recharge is derived from meteoric water at high, intermediate, and low elevations for Lakraa Mountain, North of Lao River, and Haouz and Dersa Mountain aquifers, respectively. All samples show an isotopic signature from Atlantic Ocean except for those from the Lakraa Mountain aquifer, which shows Mediterranean Sea influence. Groundwater age determined by radiocarbon dating using the IAEA model indicates that the ages range from modern to 1460 years. This short residence time is consistent with the detectable tritium values (>2.7 TU) measured in groundwater. These values are similar to those of precipitation at the nearest GNIP stations of Gibraltar and Fez-Saiss, situated around 100 km north and 250 km south of the study area, respectively. This evidence indicates that groundwater in the Rif Mountains contains modern recharge (

The Eastern Rif Mountains are frequently subject to exceptional rainfall events, whose consequences are sometimes disastrous. The impact of these phenomena on environments is more important as the majorities of slopes are bare and subject to strong human influence. The protective natural forests of the slopes are almost destroyed; they currently cover only a few peaks of mountains in the region. They represent 1.84% of the total area of wadi Tleta sub-basin and only 1.32% of the Tarmast wadi sub-basin. However, croplands, occupying respectively 60% and 34% in the two sub-basins, extend even on the steepest slopes. Similarly, the accelerated and uncontrolled human occupation of the urban peripheries, located downstream of the basins, amplifies the vulnerability of these environments to the hydrological hazards, that threaten several sites surrounding the agglomeration of Taza. Thus, the whole region is subject to different degradation processes. Hydric erosion affects the majority of the slopes; it causes excessive sediment production that may exceed 60 t ha-1 year-1 in some sub-basins. Similarly, flood disasters are quite common in the region. The flood of 20/9/2000 is a reference, with a volume estimated at 4 million m3(DRH-Sebou 2000). Human and material damage was enormous in the rural centers and in the northern outlying districts of Taza. This contribution aims to present and analyze the combined impacts of the extreme rains and the actions of the human societies on the dynamics of the prerifain environment and its adjoining spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species belonging to the genus Habrophlebia Eaton, 1881 is described at the nymphal stage from the Rif Mountains of Morocco. This species presents unique features, such as the chorionic arrangement of the egg and the ornamentation of the posterior margin of abdominal tergites. It is compared to all west European Habrophlebia species and a table with discriminating characters is given. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on COI sequences fully supports the hypothesis of a new species in the Rif Mountains, with possible further distribution in southern Spain., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Majida El Alami, Laurent Vuataz, Sara El Yaagoubi, Michel Sartori.)

Cedrus atlantica (Atlas cedar) is a relict and endemic endangered species from northwestern African mountains, whose distribution range has undergone a dramatic reduction over recent decades. Long-term studies are needed for a better understanding of the development of its range as well as for assisting in the implementation of sustainable conservation measures. The multi-proxy analysis of a high-resolution fossil record of 180 cm depth allowed us to depict the final demise of an Atlas cedar population from the western Rif Mountains (Jbel Khesana), despite its high resilience during the last ~4000 years. Currently, Atlas cedar trees are not observed in Jbel Khesana but they still occur in the nearby area as scattered populations on a few mountain tops at altitudes higher than 1400 m a.s.l. Our data show an initial relatively stable period (~4000-2400 cal. yr BP) followed by a phase where both climatic and human-induced disturbances cause an alternate dominance of oaks and Atlas cedars (2400~1550 cal. yr BP). Then, the increasing aridity and human activities favoured the depletion of Atlas cedar forests (~1550-800 cal. yr BP). Our record shows that Atlas cedar forests have recovered after each deforestation event, which reveals a high resilience of the species until the mid-20th century, when they became extinct in the study area. The main driver of their local extinction may be attributed to the strong human pressure. Management measures of Atlas cedar in the Rif Mountains should aim at limiting intensive loggings and protecting the existing populations for their local regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim North-west Africa, because of its position at the crossroads between Macaronesia and the Iberian Peninsula, has played an important role on the emergence and maintenance of Mediterranean plant diversity. In this study, we reconstruct the phylogeographical history of a lineage of bellflowers comprising the north African-south Iberian species Campanula kremeri and the Canarian Campanula occidentalis ( Azorina-group), to investigate the genetic imprints left by past climatic and palaeogeographical events on the northern African flora. Location North-west Africa, Iberian Peninsula, and the Canary Islands. Methods We reconstructed the biogeographical history of the Azorina-group to provide a phylogenetic background. We then investigated the phylogeographical patterns within C. kremeri and C. occidentalis using the AFLP and sequence data. We integrated these results with the past species-distribution modelling to understand the current biodiversity patterns within this lineage. Results The ancestor of C. kremeri- C. occidentalis diverged in the Late Miocene/Early Pliocene. Nuclear data supported species monophyly, whereas plastid data suggested that C. kremeri is paraphyletic. Maghrebian populations of C. kremeri showed high genetic diversity, whilst Iberian ones and those of C. occidentalis exhibited lower values. Main conclusions Repeated expansion-retraction events associated with Pleistocene climatic changes in North Africa facilitated gene flow across Maghrebian ranges in C. kremeri. Mountain massifs in north-west Africa likely acted as refugia for Mediterranean plants during interglacial periods, whereas range expansion in cooler periods triggered dispersal to neighbouring regions. The range of C. kremeri expanded to the Iberian Peninsula by long-distance dispersal across the Strait of Gibraltar during the Pleistocene. The relatively old age inferred for C. occidentalis together with its low genetic diversity point to a recent colonization of the Canary Islands from north-west Africa followed by extinction in the mainland or an old lineage that underwent a recent genetic bottleneck. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We applied an integrative approach to re-evaluate the taxonomy of the conchologically highly diverse land snail genusRossmaessleriafrom the Rif Mountains in Morocco and from Gibraltar, which has been classified into 12 nominal species so far. An analysis ofcox1and 16S rDNA sequences using the General Mixed Yule-coalescent approach with a single or multiple thresholds, its Bayesian implementation as well as the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery method indicated that allRossmaessleriapopulations can be classified into a single species,R. scherzeri(Zelebor, 1867). This result is confirmed by the lack of diagnostic differences in the genitalia as shown in a principal component analysis of the genital measurements. The variation of shell characters also does not allow an unambiguous subdivision of the complex. However, the populations of a mountain or a mountain ridge share characteristic combinations of shell characters so that they can be classified as geographic subspecies. The delimitation of the subspecies and their distribution is discussed and three subspecies are described as new to science:R.scherzeri periclitatassp. nov.R.scherzeri ingaessp. nov., andR.scherzeri eleanoraessp. nov. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:187FE235-A257-423F-8FC3-957117546400 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The watershed of Wadi Larbaa, in the Prerif area at the north of Taza, is a fragile and vulnerable milieu, where water erosion is causing annually important loss of land (soils) and excessive production of sediments. The structural setting is characterized by the predominance of soft materials, mainly marl, in a turbulent structure. The fragility of materials and their susceptibility to erosion are all the more important as most land is bare and exposed to direct morphogenic effects of rainfall events. The human pressure is spectacular in the area. The ancient settlement and early development of the land, based mainly on cereals and livestock have destroyed natural vegetation. This inherent vulnerability of the environment is exacerbated by a marked concentration of extreme weather events causing in time various erosion processes. Gully erosion is very active and it is responsible for most of the sediment transfer in the region. Landslides are very diverse. Their later evolution by gulling processes, evacuates large quantities of sediments from moving masses. Soil loss is consequently important; quantification tests show that the average loss in soil clearly exceeds the tolerance thresholds known in the Rif Mountains. In the case of the Oued Tleta sub-basin (situated in the upper part of Wadi Larbâa), the weighted average loss of the surface is of 61.42 t / ha / year. Maximum losses according to the land use are estimated at 129.12 t / ha / year as recorded level on wastelands and grazing lands. This study presents the main results obtained by means of field measurements and the quantification of erosion in this catchment area. It includes the factors involved in hydrous erosion in the studied area, in order to identify the main processes acting on slopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Premise of the study : Cryptic species are superficially morphologically indistinguishable and therefore erroneously classified under one single name. The identification and delimitation of these species is usually a difficult task. The main aim of this study is to provide an inclusive methodology that combines standard and new tools to allow accurate identification of cryptic species. We used Erysimum nervosum s.l. as a model system. • Methods : Four populations belonging to E. nervosum s.l. were sampled at their two distribution ranges in Morocco (the Atlas Mountains and the Rif Mountains). Fifteen individuals per population were collected to assess standard taxonomic traits. Additionally, corolla color and shape were quantified in 30 individuals per population using spectrophotometry and geometric morphometrics, respectively. Finally, we collected tissue samples from each population per species to study the phylogenetic relationships among them. • Key results : Using the standard taxonomic traits, we could not distinguish the four populations. Nonetheless, there were differences in corolla color and shape between plants from the two mountain ranges. The population differentiation based on quantitative morphological differences were confirmed and supported by the phylogenetic relationships obtained for these populations and the rest of the Moroccan Erysimum species. • Conclusions : The joint use of the results obtained from standard taxonomic traits, quantitative analyses of plant phenotype, and molecular data suggests the occurrence of two species within E. nervosum s.l. in Morocco, one located in the Atlas Mountains (E. nervosum s.s.) and the other in the Rif Mountains (E. riphaeanum sp. nov.). Consequently, we suggest that combining quantitative and molecular approaches with standard taxonomy greatly benefits the identification of cryptic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To analyse phylogeographic patterns in the four species of Hypochaeris sect. Hypochaeris, evaluating possible areas of origin and the microevolutionary processes that have shaped their morphology, genetics and distribution. Location Western Mediterranean area. Methods We applied amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers to a total of 494 individuals belonging to 82 populations of Hypochaeris arachnoidea, H. glabra, H. radicata and H. salzmanniana to determine population structure. Results Populations with the largest proportion of private and rare AFLP fragments were found in Morocco. This region was consequently inferred to be the ancestral area for H. arachnoidea, H. glabra, H. radicata and H. salzmanniana. The Guadalquivir River (southern Spain) was inferred to be an effective dispersal barrier for H. glabra and H. radicata. The Strait of Gibraltar was inferred to be a somewhat weaker barrier than the Guadalquivir River for H. radicata and a much weaker barrier for H. glabra. The main barrier for H. salzmanniana coincides with the extension of the Rif Mountains to the Atlantic coast in Morocco, and the Strait of Gibraltar is a much weaker barrier for this species. Hypochaeris arachnoidea appears to have originated in the Atlas Mountains. Main conclusions The highest levels of genetic variation in La Mamora forest ( H. glabra and H. salzmanniana) or the adjacent central Middle Atlas ( H. arachnoidea and H. radicata) in Morocco suggest that these areas were a centre of origin of Hypochaeris sect. Hypochaeris. All three potential barriers – the Guadalquivir River, the Strait of Gibraltar, and the Rif Mountains – have been important in shaping genetic diversity in species of section Hypochaeris. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karstic aquifers play an important role for drinking and irrigation supply in Morocco. However, in some areas, a deeper understanding is needed in order to improve their sustainable management under global changes. Our study, based on chemical and isotopic investigation of 67 groundwater samples from the karst aquifer in the Rif Mountains, provides crucial information about the principal factors and processes influencing groundwater recharge and residence time. The δ18O and δ2H isotopic values indicate that the recharge is derived from meteoric water at high, intermediate, and low elevations for Lakraa Mountain, North of Lao River, and Haouz and Dersa Mountain aquifers, respectively. All samples show an isotopic signature from Atlantic Ocean except for those from the Lakraa Mountain aquifer, which shows Mediterranean Sea influence. Groundwater age determined by radiocarbon dating using the IAEA model indicates that the ages range from modern to 1460 years. This short residence time is consistent with the detectable tritium values (>2.7 TU) measured in groundwater. These values are similar to those of precipitation at the nearest GNIP stations of Gibraltar and Fez-Saiss, situated around 100 km north and 250 km south of the study area, respectively. This evidence indicates that groundwater in the Rif Mountains contains modern recharge (<60 years), testifying to significant renewability and the vulnerability of the hydrological system to climate variability and human activities. The results also indicate the efficiency of isotopic tracing in mountainous springs and would be helpful to decision makers for water in this karstic zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Landslides in the central Rif mountains (Morocco) were analyzed by multifractal analysis. Our results suggest that spatial distribution of landslides in the region is not a homogeneous fractal structure but a heterogeneous one with generalized dimensions D(1)=1.713>D(2)>…>D(12)=1.325. The value of D(12)=D(∞) is the fractal dimension of the most intensive clustering in the heterogeneous fractal set. It is worthwhile to note that we found D(0)a)∝a−1.57. This confirms the scale invariance of sliding and suggests that real landslides may exhibit a Self-Organized Criticality (SOC) behaviour. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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 [. International Cannabinoid Research Society (ICRS) meeting, in preparation]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An analysis of the French war in the Rif Mountains in Morroco in 1925-26 is presented. The bimonthly pacificist review, Clarte, became a vehicle through which surrealists and French communists aired their opposition to the war and anticolonial views.