Effects of Urbanization on the Degradation of the Palm Grove Around the City of Marrakech

Effects of Urbanization on the Degradation of the Palm Grove Around the City of Marrakech

Mohamed Radi, Abdelilah Meddich, Elmehdi Ouatiki, Lahcen Ouahmane, Mohamed Hafidi, Abdelkrim Ben Salem
Copyright: © 2021 |Pages: 15
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-7512-3.ch016
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Abstract

The city of Marrakech is experiencing a very significant development in terms of urbanization which leads to a significant reduction of the agricultural activity and increase of the rate of metallic pollution in soils. The impact of this metallic pollution on the microbial activity in these soils can negatively affect the growth and the development of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L). In addition, the urbanization has direct effects on the degradation of palm groves in the Marrakech region, following a decrease in agricultural and forestry productivity after anthropogenic activities which are at the origin of high metallic trace element (MTE) contents in soils. In order to assess the impacts of this pollution, the authors carried out a study in the rhizospheric soils of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L) monitoring the levels of heavy metals (Pb, Zn). Eight sites were chosen: five urban sites (three gardens, two boulevards) and two peri-urban sites (palm groves).
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Material And Methods

1. Study Sites

We conducted our study in the palm grove of Marrakesh (Morocco). The choice of sites took into account the condition of the palm trees and human activity. We thus selected eight study sites, including six in urban areas (three gardens and three boulevards) and two in peri-urban areas (two palm groves) for the sampling of the rhizospheric soil from the feet of date palms (Table 1). For each site, 15 soil and rhizospheric roots samples from the date palm were collected. Indeed, for each tree and 1 m from the trunk, four samples of soil and roots (about 2 kg) were taken in the four cardinal directions to a depth of 10 to 40 cm and subsequently mixed to have homogeneous sample of the medium. The physicochemical composition of the soils at the eight sites studied was analyzed.

Table 1.
Presentation of the studied sites and their characteristics.
Study sitesLocationsCharacteristics
Peri-urban environmentPalm grovesP1: Palm groves Azzouzia• Presence of agricultural activity
• Presence of irrigation system (wastewater) of associated cultures
P2: Circuit Palm groves• Palm trees in their natural state
• No agricultural activity
• No irrigation or maintenance system;
urban environmentGardensJ1: Arset Moulay Abdesslam• Presence of agricultural activity
• Presence of irrigation system and maintenance works;
J2: Menara
J3: Rwidate
BoulevardsBV1: Abdelkrim Khattabi• Palm trees in their natural state
• No agricultural activity
• No irrigation or maintenance system
• A wide variety of anthropogenic actions (road traffic, waste disposal, etc.).
BV2: Prince Moulay Abdallah
BV3: Mouzdalifa

Key Terms in this Chapter

Pollution: The degradation of an ecosystem or the biosphere by the introduction, generally human, of entities (physical, chemical, or biological).

Phytotoxicity: A toxic effect of a compound on plant growth including trace metals, salinity, pesticides.

Anthropogenic Activities: All the phenomena which can be consequent of the presence or the action of the human being.

Urbanization: A process of development of cities and of concentration of human populations.

Heavy Metals: Toxic metallic chemical elements in low concentrations. Heavy metals include mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), thallium (Tl) and lead (Pb).

Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.): Monocotyledonous plant of the Arecaceae family, perennial of significant socio-economic importance. It is very suitable for arid and semi-arid regions and is a vital component of oasis ecosystems.

Palm Groves: Agricultural plot intended for the cultivation of palm trees.

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