In the northern Tunisia, four Quercus species; Q. suber, Q. ilex, Q. coccifera, and Q. faginea, are distributed different environmental condition each other. Each species consists of the typical vegetation type of Mediterranean region, such as garrigue and maquis, which are consisted of broad-leaved evergreen shrubs or small trees. Most of lowland areas have been used for agricultural or grazing activities and then forest fragmentation has been undergone. In this study, we surveyed 20 stands in total, 5 stands for each species, to compare their genetic diversity and species diversity between species. We conducted the vegetation survey by using the method of Braun-Blanquet in each studied stand and collected leaf samples for genetic analysis using chloroplast sequence variation and nuclear microsatellites.

The species diversity and genetic diversity were clearly differentiated between species, because of difference of species characteristics. Among populations within species, species diversity was somewhat different depending on the glazing level. Genetic diversity was similar among populations within species except for one population in Q. ilex, which has higher genetic variation presumably because of hybrid population with Q. coccifera.