Relationship Between Environmental Factors and Plant Distribution and Diversity in the North African Sahara Region: The Case of Tunisian Senghar‐Jabess National Park

The environmental factors influencing plant community composition in North African deserts are still not well described. This study evaluates the impact of environmental variables on vegetation structure in Senghar‐Jabess National Park (2804 km 2 ), a protected area situated in the hyper‐arid Sahara of southern Tunisia. Data collection was carried out from March 2023 to February 2024 in Senghar‐Jabess National Park using quantitative quadrat sampling. The study recorded 17 plant species belonging to 12 families. Ward's hierarchical clustering identified three distinct groups: erg and sandy soils (Group 1), sandy regs (Group 2), and skeletal soils (Group 3). Across 20 abiotic variables, elevation, annual mean temperature, and distance to water sources accounted for 39%, 33%, and 24% of the variation among groups, respectively. Canonical correspondence analysis indicated that pH, electrical conductivity, distance to water sources, and UTM Northing significantly affected species composition ( p < 0.01). Fine sand and silt contents were diagnostic as important secondary gradients. The results demonstrate that geomorphological and edaphic factors influence species assembly in this extreme desert environment. The ordination also supports the hypothesis that erosion‐induced texture changes act as powerful abiotic filters shaping community composition. The CCA results demonstrate that erosion‐induced shifts in soil texture are fundamental drivers of vegetation differentiation and land degradation dynamics in desert ecosystems. These findings offer an ecological foundation for biodiversity conservation and sustainable land degradation management in the Saharan ecosystem.