With the aim of contributing to the solutions linked to the problems of the preventive preservation and the restoration of the Kasbah of Mehdia or the Kasbah of Moulay El Hassan, a study of the flora populating the facades of these historical monuments was realized and showed the presence of a varied and diverse vegetation populating these buildings left to the ravages of time. The inventory of this flora showed the existence of 70 species among which 48 were exclusively detected at the Kasbah of Mehdia, 11 other species were only discovered at the Kasbah of Kenitra and 11 vegetal species were inventoried at both Kasbahs. These plant species are divided into 28 families. Four families clearly dominate the flora inventoried at both Kasbahs of the Gharb region. These are the Asteraceae (15.7%), Poaceae (10%), Apiaceae (8.6%) and Scrophulariaceae (5.7%). These families alone account for 41.4% of the specific size of the flora of the studied sites. The most dominant vegetal type is the therophytes with 61.4% of the total specific size, followed by hemicryptophytes with 17.1%. Located at the top or the base of walls, these plants, fitting into joints or cracks, have a chemical action on the stones by acids which they release and also have a mechanical action on the stones by the growth of roots inside cracks. This vegetation remains one of the most important biological factors of the degradation of historical monuments.
The stone of the buildings is constantly exposed to several deteriorating factors (wind, rain, sun, humidity, etc.). In addition, the effect of biodegradation allows organisms and different microorganisms to grow on any surface in the form of bio-films.
A careful examination at the Kasbah of Moulay El Hassan and the Kasbah of Mehdia shows that all the forms of the vegetal life can colonize the stones. We find indeed not only seaweeds, mushrooms, lichens, but also froths (mosses), ferns and vascular plants there. Because these buildings are poorly maintained, it is not rare to find trees of which roots are obviously devastating.
The Kasbah of Kenitra was built by Sultan Moulay El Hassan and was completed by his successor Moulay Abdelaziz in 1895 [
Mehdia’s Kasbah was built in the sixth century before J.C. by the Suffete Hannon, the first magistrate of Carthage, and was restored for the first time in 1185 by Sultan Yacoub El Mansour [
The city of Kenitra is located in the north-west of Morocco, near the Atlantic Ocean between Rabat and Tangier. It is built on the bank of the Oued Sebou and located 40 km in the north of the capital Rabat with latitude: 34˚08'00" North and longitude: 6˚34'00" West.
The city of Mehdia is located in the west of the city of Kenitra at a distance of about
10 km. It is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Sebou River and Lake Sidi Boughaba to the north and the rural commune of Sidi Taibi to the south.
The cities of Kenitra and Mehdia are situated in the center of a rich agricultural region, Gharb. Besides the sea of Mehdia beach, we find near these cities, the biological reserve of the lake Sidi Boughaba, classified site RAMSAR, and its numerous species of migratory birds, as well as the forest of the cork oak of Maamoura.
The climate at the level of the cities of Kenitra and Mehdia is hot and moderate. The winter characterized by precipitation is more important than in summer. The annual average temperature is of 18.4˚C there. The average of the annual precipitation reaches 570 mm.
The objective of this study is to inventory and characterize the flora inhabiting the construction of two Kasbah of the Gharb region. This inventory will doubtless help other specialists to make concrete proposals of conservation and the restoration and the rehabilitation of these monuments.
The floristic surveys were realized according to a systematic sampling in the facades of the most important walls of the Kasbah of Kenitra and the Kasbah of Mehdia. Facades chosen in this study are the most affected by macro and microorganisms (
The study of the flora populating building materials in the Kasbah of Kenitra and that of Mehdia revealed diversified vegetation. Left with the ravage of time without any restoration and rehabilitation, both studied Kasbahs contain several facades invaded by various types of vegetation.
The floristic surveys at both Kasbahs were realized during the period between the months of March and April 2014.
The determination of the plant species, taken at the Kasbah of Moulay El Hassan and Mehdia one, was made in the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, of Vegetable Ecology, at the Agronomic and Veterinary Institute Hassan II in Rabat thanks to the following florae: the flora illustrated with adventitious of the cultures of Gharb [
・ Systematic appearance
According to their relative contributions, four families dominate clearly the flora populating the historical buildings of the Kasbah of Mehdia, namely:
ü Astereaceae (15.2%) with 09 species;
ü Poaceae (10.1%) with 06 species;
ü Apiaceae (8.5%) with 05 species;
ü Scrophulariaceae (6.7%) with 04 species.
These families totaled 24 species alone, or 40.6% of the specific size of the flora of the site.
The importance of these families can be explained by their preponderances nationally, their Mediterranean biogeographical distribution and their ability to adapt to unstable and highly diverse habitats [
・ Biological aspect
To decide the form ethology, the classification adopted as ethology notation reference observed and dominant in the field is that of Raunkiaer [
The spectrum established for the entire weed flora, detected in the walls of the Kasbah of Mehdia, reveals five biological types (
・ Systematic Appearance
According to their relative contributions, two (02) families dominate sharply flora inhabiting the historic walls of the Kasbah of Moulay El Hassan in genera and species, namely:
ü Astereaceae (18.18%) with 04 species;
ü Poaceae (18.18%) with 04 species.
These two families totaling 08 species alone, or 36.36% of the specific size of the flora of the site.
Families | Species | Number of species | Biological type |
---|---|---|---|
Apiaceae | Ammimajus Ammivisnaga Smyrniumolusatrum Torilisarvensis Torilisnodosa | 5 | Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte Therophyte Therophyte |
Araceae | Arisarum vulgare | 1 | Geophyte |
Asteraceae | Carduusmyriacanthus Chrysanthemum coronarium Hypochoerisradicata Phagnalon saxatile Scolymus maculatus Sonchus oleraceus Taraxacumofficinale Urospermumpicroides Reichardia tingitana | 9 | Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte Phanerophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte |
Brassicaceae | Diplotaxis catholica Lobularia lybica | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
Caryophyllaceae | Cerastium glomeratum | 1 | Therophyte |
Chenopodiaceae | Beta maritima Chenopodium murale | 2 | Hemicryptophyte Therophyte |
Convolvulaceae | Convolvulus althaeoides | 1 | Geophyte |
Crassulaceae | Cotyledon umbilicus-veneris | 1 | Therophyte |
Euphorbiaceae | Euphorbia helioscopia Mercurialis annua Ricinus communis | 3 | Therophyte Therophyte Phanerophyte |
Fabaceae | Lotus arenarius Retama monosperma | 2 | Therophyte Phanerophyte |
Geraniaceae | Geranium molle Geranium sp. | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
Lamiaceae | Ajuga iva Marrubium vulgare Stachys ocymastrum | 3 | Hemicryptophyte Chamaeophyte Therophyte |
Malvaceae | Malva hispanica Malva parviflora | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
Moraceae | Ficus carica | 1 | Phanerophyte |
Myoporaceae | Myoporum sp. | 1 | Phanerophyte |
Papaveraceae | Papaver rhoeas | 1 | Therophyte |
Plantaginaceae | Plantago lanceolata | 1 | Hemicryptophyte |
Plumbaginaceae | Plumbago europaea | 1 | Hemicryptophyte |
Poaceae | Brachypodium distachyum Bromus rigidus Cynodon dactylon Hordeummurinum Lagurusovatus Loliumrigidum | 6 | Therophyte Therophyte Geophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte |
Polygonaceae | Emex spinosa | 1 | Therophyte |
Biological type | Number of species | Contributions (%) |
---|---|---|
Therophyte | 38 | 66.1 |
Hemicryptophytes | 8 | 11.9 |
Phanerophytes | 6 | 10.2 |
Geophytes | 4 | 6.8 |
Chamaeophytes | 3 | 5 |
Total | 59 | 100 |
・ Biological Appearance
According to the classification of Raunkiaer [
From
The abundance of plant flora at the Kasbah of Mehdia, compared to that of Kenitra, is due to the large area of the monument (40 hectares) on the one hand, and the lack of recovery operations and systematic rehabilitation at the second Kasbah. Thus, the walls of several monumental buildings of this building are colonized by a variety of vegetation that certainly have a detrimental effect on the stones used in the construction of this historic site (
Families | Species | Number of species | Biological type |
---|---|---|---|
Amaranthaceae | Amaranthusviridis | 1 | Therophyte |
Apiaceae | Conium maculatum | 1 | Hemicryptophyte |
Asteraceae | Scolymusmaculatus | 4 | Therophyte |
Sonchusoleraceus | Therophyte | ||
Andryalaintegrifolia | Therophyte | ||
Erigeron canadensis | Geophyte | ||
Boraginaceae | Heliotropiumeuropaeum | 1 | Therophyte |
Caryophyllaceae | Silene vulgaris | 2 | Geophyte |
Polycarpontetraphyllum | Therophyte | ||
Chenopodiaceae | Chenopodiumambrosoides | 1 | Hemicryptophyte |
Euphorbiaceae | Mercurialisannua | 2 | Therophyte |
Ricinus communis | Phanerophyte | ||
Plantaginaceae | Plantagolanceolata | 2 | Hemicryptophyte |
Plantagomajor | Hemicryptophyte | ||
Poaceae | Oryzopsismiliacea | 4 | Hemicryptophyte |
Cynodondactylon | Geophyte | ||
Lagurusovatus | Therophyte | ||
Bromusrigidus | Therophyte | ||
Primulaceae | Anagallisarvensis | 1 | Therophyte |
Rubiaceae | Galiumaparine | 1 | Therophyte |
Scrophulariaceae | Verbascumsinuatum | 1 | Hemicryptophyte |
Urticaceae | Parietarialusitanica | 1 | Therophyte |
Ethological type | Number of species | Contributions (%) |
---|---|---|
Therophytes | 12 | 54.6 |
Hemicryptophytes | 6 | 27.3 |
Geophytes | 3 | 13.6 |
Phanerophytes | 1 | 4.5 |
Total | 22 | 100 |
This is due to maintenance has suffered this monument over time, although they are inadequate and are, themselves, a factor of degrading this Kasbah. However, the review of internal facades of the walls, left without maintenance, surrounding the Kasbah, also showed a marked diversification of vegetation inhabiting this building (
The total number of these plant species is divided into 28 botanical families. According to their relative contributions, four (4) families clearly dominate the flora inventoried at both Kasbahs of the region of Gharb. There are:
Families | Species | Location | Number of species | Biological type |
---|---|---|---|---|
Amaranthaceae | Amaranthusviridis | K.Kenitra | 1 | Therophyte |
Apiaceae | Ammimajus Ammivisnaga Smyrniumolusatrum Torilisarvensis Torilisnodosa Conium maculatum | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Kenitra | 6 | Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte |
Araceae | Arisarum vulgare | K. Mehdia | 1 | Geophyte |
Asteraceae | Carduusmyriacanthus Chrysanthemum coronarium Hypochoerisradicata Phagnalon saxatile Scolymus maculatus Sonchus oleraceus Taraxacumofficinale Urospermumpicroides Reichardia tingitana Andryalaintegrifolia Erigeron canadensis | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Kenitra K. Kenitra | 11 | Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte Phanerophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Geophyte |
Boraginaceae | Heliotropiumeuropaeum | K. Kenitra | 1 | Therophyte |
Brassicaceae | Diplotaxis catholica Lobularia lybica | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
Caryophyllaceae | Cerastium glomeratum Silene vulgaris Polycarpontetraphyllum | K. Mehdia K. Kenitra K. Kenitra | 3 | Therophyte Geophyte Therophyte |
Chenopodiaceae | Beta maritima Chenopodium murale Chenopodiumambrosoides | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Kenitra | 3 | Hemicryptophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte |
Convolvulaceae | Convolvulus althaeoides | K. Mehdia | 1 | Geophyte |
Crassulaceae | Cotyledon umbilicus-veneris | K.Mehdia | 1 | Therophyte |
Euphorbiaceae | Euphorbia heliscopia Mercurialis annua Ricinus communis | K.Mehdia K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra | 3 | Therophyte Therophyte Phanerophyte |
Fabaceae | Lotus arenarius Retama monosperma | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia | 2 | Therophyte Phanerophyte |
Geraniaceae | Geranium molle Geranium sp. | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
Lamiaceae | Ajuga iva Marrubium vulgare Stachys ocymastrum | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia | 3 | Hemicryptophyte Chamaeophyte Therophyte |
Malvaceae | Malva hispanica Malva parviflora | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
Moraceae | Ficus carica | K. Mehdia | 1 | Phanerophyte |
Myoporaceae | Myoporum sp. | K. Mehdia | 1 | Phanerophyte |
Papaveraceae | Papaver rhoeas | K. Mehdia | 1 | Therophyte |
Plantaginaceae | Plantago lanceolata Plantago major | K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Kenitra | 2 | Hemicryptophyte Hemicryptophyte |
Plumbaginaceae | Plumbago europaea | K. Mehdia | 1 | Hemicryptophyte |
---|---|---|---|---|
Poaceae | Brachypodium distachyum Bromus rigidus Cynodon dactylon Hordeummurinum Lagurusovatus Loliumrigidum Oryzopsismiliacea | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia K. Kenitra | 7 | Therophyte Therophyte Geophyte Therophyte Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte |
Polygonaceae | Emex spinosa | K. Mehdia | 1 | Therophyte |
Primulaceae | Anagallis arvensis | K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra | 1 | Therophyte |
Rubiaceae | Rubiaperigrina Sherardiaarvensis Galiumaparine | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Kenitra | 3 | Geophyte Therophyte Therophyte |
Scrophulariaceae | Misopates orontium Veronica polita Veronica hederifolia Verbascum sinuatum | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra | 4 | Chamaeophyte Therophyte Therophyte Hemicryptophyte |
Solanaceae | Hyoscyamusalbus Nicocianaglauca Solanumsodomaeum | K. Mehdia K. Mehdia K. Mehdia | 3 | Hemicryptophyte Phanerophyte Chamaeophyte |
Valerianaceae | Fedia cornucopiae | K. Mehdia | 1 | Therophyte |
Urticaceae | Parietaria lusitanica Urtica membranacea | K. Mehdia + K. Kenitra K. Mehdia | 2 | Therophyte Therophyte |
ü Astereaceae (15.7%) with 11 species;
ü Poaceae (10%) with 07 species;
ü Apiaceae (8.6%) with 06 species;
ü Scrophulariaceae (5.7%) with 04 species.
These families alone totaled 41.4% of the specific size of the flora of the sites.
The spectrum established for the entire weed flora, detected in the walls of the Kasbah and the Kenitra Mehdia, reveals five biological types. This flora is dominated by therophytes, which consist of 43 species or 61.4% of the specific effective, followed by hemicryptophytes with 12 species or 17.1% of the specific strength (
Many living organisms can easily colonize stonework and be responsible, in addition to their unattractive character, more or less significant damage [
Plants growing on buildings generally indicate the presence of moisture in the attached materials. After sowing (presence of seeds), the environmental parameters which promote the growth of these plants are light, oxygen and carbon dioxide. Inorganic salts derived from stone materials [
These herbs, vines and shrubs that thrive are destructive buildings because their root systems seep into cracks and joints between stone exerting enough pressure to significant fragmentation of the stone (
Ethological type | Number of species | Contributions in % |
---|---|---|
Therophytes | 43 | 61.4 |
Hmicryptophytes | 12 | 17.1 |
Phanerophytes | 6 | 8.6 |
Geophytes | 6 | 8.6 |
Chamaeophytes | 3 | 4.3 |
Total | 70 | 100 |
On the other hand, the presence of mosses and plants at the historical monuments, including the facades of the walls of the Kasbah of Kenitra (
The development of fungi and lichens can be destructive [
The study of the flora of the Kasbah of Kenitra and Mehdia was especially centered on the superior vegetables populating the facades of the studied walls. The inventory of this flora showed the existence of much-diversified vegetation. By its chemical action and its mechanical effect on stones of the buildings, this flora deeply contributes to the degradation of the studied historical monuments.
At both Kasbah of the Gharb region, the studied buildings also suffer the action of algae and lichens. Algae sometimes cover the facings locally and organisms related the- reto; this finding is still linked to the presence of moisture. The existence of this vegetation is mainly visible in the basements of the facades or in the zones in contact with the ground, because of the upwelling of water by capillarity. The presence of algae on a facing is important to quickly locate moisture on an element.
This work coupled with an another study about the other important degradations of the construction materials used in the edification of the kasbahs studied in Kenitra and Mehdia, will serve, certainly, as an important document, for the specialists, to propose tangible solutions for a better preservation and a rehabilitation of these monuments.
Zaidi, M., Baghdad, B., Chakiri, S. and Taleb, A. (2016) Characterization of the Biodegradation of Kasbahs of the Gharb Region (Mehdia and Kenitra Kasbahs, Morocco). Open Journal of Ecology, 6, 753-766. http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oje.2016.613067