The role of the jessour system for agrobiodiversity preservation in Southern Tunisia

Abstract Mediterranean countries are still characterized by a great variety of historical cultural landscapes, as result the millenary human presence that has shaped territory through agro-silvo-pastoral practices. In arid regions south eastern Tunisia, land use is predominantly olive trees cropping and, because difficulties related to water scarcity, local population have developed peculiar harvesting technique ensuring cultivation activities and minimising risk from droughts. Jessour consist small dams built across gullies wadi thalwegs, creating succession terraces partially retain surface sediments required for crop growth. These structures commonly inside watercourses intercept runoff or at foot slopes. Considering biodiversity associated traditional agricultural practices important, especially in difficult environments, food nutrition communities, it results fundamental preserve these Moreover, taking into account techniques allows existence wide flora fauna species be even more important identify maintain them an ecological point view. The research focused on jessour identification mapping order define their distribution nearby Douiret, describe cultivated thanks this solution. using QGis software was possible analyse both structure peculiarities well according morphological structure.