Rethinking Oasis Research in North Africa and Sahel: A Systematic Review of Scientific Gaps, Methodological Biases, and Conservation Priorities for Agrobiodiversity

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

North African oases constitute critical socio-ecosystems characterised by complex agro-biodiversity and millennia of traditional ecological knowledge (TEK). Nevertheless, such fragile landscapes are confronted with mounting pressures from climate change and an-thropogenic activities driven by agri-industrial modernisation. This systematic review, executed in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, appraises the contemporary state of scientific literature concerning agrobiodiversity and local knowledge in North African oases, with the objective of identifying evolutionary trends and crucial research gaps. A comprehensive search of the Web of Science database yielded a substantial corpus of 270 studies, which were subsequently subjected to a rigorous, standardised analysis to ascertain the reliability and validity of the results. The results obtained demonstrate a significant structural imbalance in the distribution of research efforts. Geographically, there is a notable concentration of studies in the Maghreb region (Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco), which collectively account for over 80% of the extant literature. In contrast, the Sahelo-Saharan arc remains significantly under-researched. The thematic orientation of re-search remains predominantly reductionist and species-centric, with a preponderance of studies focused on date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and conventional agronomy. This narrow focus obscures the functional intricacies of the three-tiered stratified system and its agropastoral interconnections. Moreover, although the need to assess landscape degradation and knowledge erosion is urgent, the integration of geospatial technologies (GIS), accounting for a mere 1.5% of studies, with ethnobotanical approaches remains marginal. The necessity for a paradigm shift is emphasised by these findings. It is essential that future research adopts transdisciplinary frameworks, which should integrate advanced geospatial monitoring with the socio-economic revitalisation of TEK. This transition is required to occur from a utilitarian perspective to holistic, locally grounded conservation strategies. The latter should ensure the long-term resilience of such agroecosystems.