Island wetlands of Tunisia

Zribet El Werda is located at the south-south-east part of Chargui island in Kerkennah Archipelago, just outside the village of El Ataya. The whole area was included in the national wetlands' inventory under the code 169 (Hughes et Al, 1997). It is coastal saltmarsh with an elevation that ranges from 0 to 2.5m above sea level (Topography Map). It gets covered in sea water whenever the tide is advanced or the wind is strong. Freshwater comes entirely from precipitations during autumn and winter and it stagnates in the area for weeks at a time. The wetland is limited on the north-east by the main road that takes directly to the fishing port which is located at the south-eastern edge of the saltmarsh. Next to the port and inside the wetland, a new guard station has been built last summer according to the locals. 50 to 75% of the system is covered in vegetation and the dominant flora specie is Sarcocornia fruticosa (L.) A. J. Scott. At the southern part of the wetland, near the port, 2 other genera are present: Scirpus and Phragmites. [Field visit: Th. Giannakakis, K. Charfi, I. Rais & M. Ouali 05/2018]