Physico-chemical and biological characterization of the edaphic substrate of Arbutus unedo L. Case of the Tamalous forest (Skikda, Algeria)

Abstract The understanding of the ecological behavior of Arbutus unedo L. in the context of its valuation is the objective assigned to this work. Two different observation sites were selected in Tamalous forest (Skikda) presenting different habitat contexts along a north-south transect. The methodological approach adopted is that of the comparative analysis of the physico-chemical and biological characteristics between a soil under cover of Arbutus unedo L. and bare control soil. The results obtained highlighted quite significant differences between the soils covered with strawberry tree, show that they are acidic in nature, an increase in the rate of organic matter, of the CEC which increases significantly as well as the concentration of exchangeable cations. As for the soil fauna, we observe a clear increase in biomass than in density at the level of all families of individuals, in particular the stations under the strawberry tree cover.