Abstract:
The present study reports on the ecology of desert truffles and their host Helianthemum plants collected from the Mediterranean North Coastal area. It focused on identification of desert truffle species, determination of their geographical distribution, and description of vegetation, edaphic and geomorphological characteristics of their natural habitat. The present study evaluates the effect of environmental variables on the diversity of vegetation and ecological characteristics. Truffles and their host plants were collected from six different locations in North Coast area resulted in the identification of two species of the family Pezizaceae: Terfezia claveryi and Tirmania nivea. These hypogeous ascomycetes live in mycorrhizal association with Helianthemum aegyptiacum and Helianthemum lippii belongs to family Cistaceae. Desert truffles grow in heterogeneous soils of sandy texture, slightly alkaline (7.00 ± 8.01), slightly salinity (38.70 ± 75.70), conductivity (0.31 ± 0.47), moderately Bicarbonate contents (4.1 ± 5.3), moderately Sulphates contents (32.8 ± 59.80), moderately Chlorides contents (22.87 ± 33.00), moderately calcareous (25.30 ± 36.70%), with moderately percentage of organic matter (1.4 ± 10.3), and little contents of Magnesium, Sodium and Potassium. Desert truffle growth is strongly associated with high rainfall. The geomorphological zones which accumulate rainwater promote the growth of both truffles and its host plant.