Get reliable rangeland science

Biodiversity conservation, through the creation of national parks, is generally helping to maintain a greater level of resilience within ecosystems and to protect the natural plant cover and threatened plant species. This research was conducted in Bou Hedm a national park, a UNESCO-MAB biosphere reserve containing the unique Vachellia tortilis (Forssk.) Gallaso & Banfi steppe with trees in Tunisia. The focus is to explore how the distribution of suitable habitat for V. tortilis, might shift under climate cha nge scenarios using Maxent modeling algorithm. The Canadian Earth System Model version 5 (CanESM5) was used for projecting the future distribution. The model was run under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP245, SSP585) during four time periods (2021-2040, 2041-2060, 2061-2080 and 2081-2100). The tested climate change scenarios seem affecting the specie's suitable habitat in the park. Three soil variables (Clay, Coarse, WRB Classes) are significant factors in determining V. tortilis 's suitable habitat. Distribution modeling provides valuable information for managers to implement suitable strategies to conserve this endemic, rare and threatened plant tree and the overall ecosystem.