作者: Fernando Rocha

Professor Haroun Chenchouni is Senior Lecturer and Research Ecologist in The Department of Natural and Life Sciences at The University of Tebessa (Algeria). He teaches Forest Ecology, Soil Ecology, Biostatistics, and Ecological modelling. He graduated as an Engineer in Plant Ecology and Forest Ecosystems from the Department of Biological Sciences (University of Batna, Algeria). He holds a M.Sc. in Dryland Ecology from the University of Ouargla (Algeria) and a Doctoral Degree in Ecology from the University of Batna. Dr. Chenchouni’s research interests are fairly broad, but revolve around biological interactions and community ecology of arid and semiarid lands of North African ecosystems. He is using statistical modelling approaches to understand how natural environments and anthropogenic perturbations affect biological interactions, shape trends in population dynamics and influence community diversity. He has published more than 50 papers in international journals, six proceedings in international conferences, and two books. He is editor and/or editorial board member of many international journals. In 2017 Dr. Chenchouni joined the AJGS as an Associate Editor responsible for evaluating submissions in the fields of Biogeosciences, Geoecology, Climate Change, Plant and Soil Science, Agricultural and Forest Environment, and Environmental Science.  Professor Errami Ezzoura is a lecturer and researcher at Chouaïb Doukkali University (El Jadida, Morocco) with a strong academic grounding in Earth Sciences and over 14 years of experience in international geoscientific professional organizations (AAWG, IUGS, IAPG, Arab GU, IGEO, GSAf, AGN…). Her current major research interest is petrology and structural geology, geoheritage, geotourism, geoeducation, sustainable development and gender related studies in geosciences. She is author/coauthor of numerous refereed scientific papers, reports, guidebooks and other articles and co-editor of numerous books.    Professor FERNANDO JOAQUIM FERNANDES TAVARES ROCHA  Born in Lisbon on 7 January 1956. Degree in Geology from the University of Lisbon, in 1984; Ph D in Geosciences (Geology) from the University of Aveiro, in 1994; DSc (Habilitation) in Geosciences (Clay Science) from the University of Aveiro, in 2000. Full professor (Mineral Resources, Geosciences Department) since 1st August 2002 and Director of GEOBIOTEC Research Centre since 2007. Has played several positions at the University of Aveiro, including: Head of the Department of Geosciences (1998 to 2002, 2011 to 2015), Pro-Rector (infrastructures and Campii management, 2003 to 2007) and Vice-Rector (research, innovation and technology transfer, 2008 to 2010).  After a brief passage (1984/85) by the private sector of public works as Engineering Geologist, developed academic career at the University of Aveiro since 1986, with scientific and pedagogical activity in the fields of mineral resources, marine and coastal geology, and medical and environmental geology. Professor Luisa Sabato is an Associate Professor of stratigraphy and sedimentology at the University of Bari, her main interests concern facies analysis of continental and shallow-marine successions, and the study of geological heritage.