The Laboratory for the Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems University of Ghardaia
Location, Facilities, and Access
The Laboratory for the Valorization and Conservation of Arid Ecosystems / Laboratoire de Valorisation et Conservation des Ecosystèmes Arides (LVCEA) is located at the University of Ghardaïa, Ghardaïa (Algeria), specifically within the Faculty of Natural and Life Sciences, and Earth Sciences (SNVST). It covers a total area of 65 m², including 50 m² of workspaces and 15 m² of office space. The laboratory has premises on both the ground floor and the first floor.
Access to the LVCEA is granted through personalized access badges.
Creation of the LVCEA
The LVCEA was established on October 27, 2022 (Arrêté N° 85).
Laboratory Code
C0320900.
Director of the LVCEA
The Director of the LVCEA is Professor Youcef ALIOUA.
Total Staff of the LVCEA
The total staff of the LVCEA includes 32 researchers, distributed as follows:
– 04 Professors.
– 04 Senior Lecturers A (Maîtres de conférences A).
– 12 Senior Lecturers B (Maîtres de conférences B).
– 11 Assistant Lecturers A (Maîtres assistants A, all doctorate students)
– 01 Assistant Lecturer B (Maître assistant B, doctorate student)
Research Teams of the LVCEA
The LVCEA consists of four research teams:
1- Research Team on Agroecosystem Functioning / Fonctionnement des agrosystèmes (FonAgro).
Membres : 06.
Team Leader: Prof. Youcef ALIOUA
2- Research Team on Microbial Ecosystems / Ecosystèmes microbiens (EcoSyM).
Membres : 11.
Team Leader: Prof. Noureddine BOURAS
3- Research Team on on Floristic Biodiversity / Biodiversité Floristique (BioFlora).
Membres : 09.
Team Leader: Prof. Salah Eddine SADINE
4- Research Team on Faunistic Biodiversity / Biodiversité Faunistique (BioFauna).
Membres : 06.
Team Leader: Prof. El-Yamine GUERGUEB
Governance of the LVCEA
The LVCEA has been led by Professor Youcef ALIOUA since its establishment in October 2022 to the present day.
The LVCEA is governed by a laboratory council composed of the team leaders and project coordinators, namely: Youcef ALIOUA, Noureddine BOURAS, Salah Eddine SADINE, and El-Yamine GUERGUEB. The council meets to discuss the management of research activities, budget allocation, future perspectives, problem-solving, and other administrative matters.
Life at the LVCEA
The LVCEA consists of 37 researchers organized into four teams.
Research activities are conducted both within teams and between teams. In fact, researchers from the different teams work together harmoniously and frequently collaborate on inter-team projects. This collaborative spirit makes the LVCEA a closely united entity, which contributes to the smooth operation of the laboratory and promotes efficient research management.
Each quarter (i.e., four times a year), members of each research team present their work in the presence of all LVCEA members. These presentations cover the title, research question, objectives, materials and methods, results and discussion, and conclusion with future perspectives, followed by a discussion session. These debates and constructive critiques help researchers to make meaningful progress in their work.
Occasionally, small gatherings or refreshments are organized at the LVCEA to maintain a positive and collegial working atmosphere, which is essential for sustaining research productivity.
Life of doctorate Students at the LVCEA Laboratory
Life as a doctorate student in the laboratory is both demanding and rewarding. In addition to conducting in-depth research on specialized topics, doctorate students actively participate in the scientific life of the laboratory: team meetings, presenting results, writing articles, preparing for conferences, and sometimes supervising Master’s students. Despite the challenges related to pressure for results, deadlines, and funding, this period is also marked by significant skill development, a spirit of collaboration, and often a genuine passion for research. The LVCEA laboratory becomes a place of daily learning, as well as an environment for meaningful human and scientific interactions.
