Terpene markers reveal inter- and intra-population variation in southernmost Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica), northeast Algeria

Nabil Ghennai, Abdenour Adjaoud, Imene Benzina, Abdelkrim Si Bachir, DOI: 10.46793/BiolNyss.17.1.13G

Abstract


The needle essential oils of Cedrus atlantica (Pinaceae) from two distinct forests in northeastern Algeria were analyzed using terpene markers. Essential oils were extracted by steam distillation and analyzed by GC–MS. A total of 43 volatile compounds were identified, with 36 compounds in oils from Chélia (Aurès forest) and 14 compounds in oils from Tuggurt (Belezma National Park), representing 92.57% and 93.42% of the total oil composition, respectively. Marked variation in terpene composition was observed both between populations and among individuals within populations. Oils from Chélia were dominated by sesquiterpenes, particularly hydrocarbon sesquiterpenes (28.22%), and showed high intraspecific variability, defining three main chemotypes: linalool, aromadendrene-2, and trans-caryophyllene. In contrast, Tuggurt oils were dominated by monoterpenes (21.43%) and displayed a more homogeneous profile, largely characterized by β-myrcene. PCA and K-means clustering revealed clear chemical differentiation between populations, suggesting distinct chemotypes linked to ecological adaptation.


Keywords


Algeria; Cedrus atlantica; chemotypes; ecotypes; GC–MS; terpene markers

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References


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