Biodiversité de l'avifaune aquatique des zones humides sahariennes : cas de la dépression d'Oued Righ (Algérie)

The wetlands complex of Oued Righ (Algerian NorthernSahara) includes a series of sites of undeniable importance. This eco-complex contains three very large salt pans (Chott Melghir, Chott Merouane and Chott Sidi Slimane), classified as wetlands of international importance according to the Ramsar convention and other small temporary wetlands such as: Chott Hamraïa, ChottTighdidine and Chott Tindle, and two permanent sites: Ayata and Oued Khrouf lakes. These aquatic ecosystems divided between wilayas of El-Oued, Biskra and Ouargla, have a great biological diversity due to their size, salinity and substrate. With a total area of 900000 ha, these wetlands remain very poorly studied in Algeria and their biological and ecological roles remain unknown.The bird fauna of wetlands complex of Oued Righ is very rich, where 53 species representing 15 families were assessed. They are dominated by the Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus, the Shoveler Anas clypeata, the Ruddy Shelduck Tadorna ferriginea, and the Teal Anas crecca crecca. Some species were observed with relativelylarge numbers (the Greater Flamingo, 42700) and other species are listed as endangered and vulnerable following the IUCN Red List such as: Marbled Teal Marmaronetta angustirostris, Ferruginous duck Aythya nyroca. Regular monitoring of this bird fauna allowed as defining the status and phenology of these species.Overall, the wetlands of Oued Righ depression are exploited as wintering grounds, stopover during migration journeys and breeding sites for several waterbirds species