Oases Are Essential Ecosystems for Biodiversity and Human Diversity, Study Shows

Oases are fertile areas in deserts where water and vegetation are available. They are often considered as isolated and marginal habitats, but a new study has revealed that they are actually hotspots of biological and cultural diversity.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum in Frankfurt and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, has investigated the relationship between cultural and biological diversity in oases in Algeria, and has found that they are closely interlinked.

The study suggested that oases should be protected and managed as biocultural systems, where both nature and culture are valued and respected.

The diversity of life and culture in oases

(Photo : KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)

The study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, has analyzed the diversity of plants, animals, ethnic groups, and languages in 77 oases and 18 oasis groups in Algeria.

The researchers have collected data from various sources, such as literature, databases, field surveys, interviews, and genetic analyses.

Results have shown that oases are rich in both biological and cultural diversity. The oases harbor 552 plant species, 14 amphibian species, 328 bird species, 98 mammal species, and 72 reptile species.

Among these, some are endemic or threatened species, such as the Algerian nuthatch (Sitta ledanti), the Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus), and the Saharan cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki).

The oases are also home to 12 ethnic populations, each speaking their own language. These include five endangered languages: Tamahaq (spoken by the Tuareg people), Ghadamès (spoken by the Berber people), Mozabite (spoken by the Ibadite people), Tumzabt (spoken by the Mzab people), and Taznatit (spoken by the Chaoui people).

The researchers have found that there is a positive correlation between biological and cultural diversity in oases.

This means that oases with higher plant and animal diversity also have higher ethnic and linguistic diversity.

Some factors, such as oasis size, altitude, distance to the coast, and human population density, can influence the level of biocultural diversity in oases, according to the research.

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The implications of biocultural diversity for conservation

The study's findings have important implications for the conservation and management of oases. The researchers argued that oases should be recognized as biocultural systems, where nature and culture are interdependent and mutually beneficial.

They suggested that conservation measures should take into account both biological and cultural aspects of oases, and involve local communities in decision-making processes.

The researchers also warn that oases are facing multiple threats from climate change, land use change, urbanization, globalization, and political instability.

These threats can reduce the biocultural diversity of oases and affect their ecological functions and social values. Therefore, the researchers call for urgent action to protect and sustain the biocultural heritage of oases.

Oases are not only sources of water and food in deserts but also centers of biocultural diversity. The study has added to our knowledge of the ecology and evolution of oases and their inhabitants.

Related article: Collapse of an Oasis: Century-Old Palm Trees in Morocco Now Barren of Climate Change-Induced Drought