Biodiversity in Israel, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip

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This article is about the fauna and flora in the geographical region of Israel and the Disputed Territories (the West Bank and Gaza Strip). This geographical area extends from the Jordan River and Wadi Araba in the east, to the Mediterranean Sea and the Sinai desert in the west, to Lebanon in the north, and to the gulf of Aqaba, or Eilat in the south.

The area is part of the Palearctic ecozone, located in the Mediterranean Basin, whose climate supports the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and shrub biome. This includes the ecoregions of the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests and the Southern Anatolian montane conifer and deciduous forests.

There are five different geographical zones and the climate varies from semi-arid to temperate to subtropical. The region is home to a variety of plants and animals; at least 47,000 living species have been identified, with another 4,000 assumed to exist. 116 species of mammals are native to Israel, as well as 511 bird species, 97 reptile species, and seven amphibian species. There are also an estimated 2,780 plant species.

Contents

[edit] Israel

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of Israel

Israel is located at the eastern end of the Mediterranean Sea. It is bounded on the north by Lebanon, on the northeast by Syria, on the east and southeast by Jordan, on the southwest by Egypt, and on the west by the Mediterranean Sea.

[edit] Climate

Israel divides into three major climate zones:

1- The Mediterranean climate zone, characterized by long, hot, rainless summers and relatively short, cool, rainy winters. The rainfall may go from as much as 400mm for a year (in the south), to 1,200mm for a year (in the northernmost end of Israel). The Mediterranean landscapes of Israel include several kinds of forest, garrigue, scrubland, marsh and savanna-like-grassland. The fauna and flora are mostly of European origin.

2- The Steppe climate zone. It is a narrow strip (no wider than 60km, and mostly, much narrower) between the Mediterranean zone and the Desert zone.The rainfall varies from 400mm for year to 200mm for year. This climate zone includes mostly low-grasslands and hardy forms of scrub. The fauna and flora are mostly of Asian and Saharan origin.

3-The Desert climate zone, which is the largest climate zone of Israel, covering the whole Southern half of the state and extending to the Dead Sea region (the Judean Desert) and southern Jordan Valley in the Northern half. The rainfall varies between 200mm for year in its Northern border and 32mm for year in the Southernmost tip. This dry climate zone grows scattered shrub vegetation or desert-grassland in its' wetter parts. In the more arid regions, the vegetation is confined to dry riverbeds and gullies and, in some places, it is almost absent. In some of the greater vallies, desert-scrub and acacia-woodland are to be found. The fauna and flora are mostly of Saharan origin. Sudanian flora is present as well.

As well as the major three, two mocroclimate zones are present in Israel:

1- The Mountain Microclimate on Mt. Hermon (North-end of Israel), which is the only place in Israel to get covered with snow every year. The flora and fauna are European, much of which are of Alpine-type. Broad-leaf forests, garrigue and Alpine scrub are the vegetation types.

2-The Tropical (Sudanian) Microclimate in the springs of the Judean Desert. Refers mostly to Ein-Gedi spring and Arugot creek. Due to the high aquifer in the region, and the steady, hot climate of the Judean desert, a tropical savanna-related flora (not rainforest, as many think) of East-African origin has established in the area of the springs. The fauna is that of the Desert zone.

The climate is determined by Israel's location between the subtropical aridity of the Sahara and the Arabian deserts, and the subtropical humidity of the Levant or eastern Mediterranean. The climate conditions are highly variable within the state and modified locally by altitude, latitude, and the proximity to the Mediterranean sea.

[edit] West Bank and Gaza Strip

[edit] Geography

Main article: Geography of the West Bank and Gaza Strip

The West Bank and Gaza Strip can be divided into five distinctive regions:

  1. Jordan Valley
  2. Eastern Slopes
  3. Central Highlands
  4. Semi-Coastal
  5. Coastal

[edit] Climate

The West Bank and Gaza Strip, like most of Israel-proper have a Mediterranean climate.

[edit] Selected images

Cyclamen persicum

Anemone coronaria

Tamarix aphylla

Lomelosia prolifera

[edit] Taxonomification

The following is a taxonomical classification up to Phylum level of all species found in the area.

  • Regnum Protista
  • Regnum Fungi
    • Plyla:Ascomycota - Basidiomycota - Glomeromycota - Myxomycota - Zygomycota - Chytridiomycota - Anamorphic fungi
  • Regnum Plantae
    • Phyla: Anthocerophyta - Bryophyta - Charophyta - Chlorophyta - Cycadophyta - Equisetophyta - Ginkgophyta - Gnetophyta - Hepatophyta - Lycopodiophyta - Magnoliophyta - Ophioglossophyta - Pinophyta - Psilotophyta - Pteridophyta
  • Regnum Animalia
    • Subregnum: Parazoa
      • Phylum: Porifera
    • Subregnum: Agnotozoa
      • Phyla: Orthonectida - Placozoa - Rhombozoa
    • Subregnum: Eumetazoa
      • Superphylum: Radiata
        • Phyla: Cnidaria - Ctenophora
      • Bilateria: Protostomia
        • Phyla: Acanthocephala - Annelida - Arthropoda - Brachiopoda - Bryozoa - Chaetognatha - Cycliophora - Echiura - Entoprocta - Gastrotricha - Gnathostomulida - Kinorhyncha - Loricifera - Micrognathozoa - Mollusca - Myzostomida - Nematoda - Nematomorpha - Nemertea - Onychophora - Phoronida - Platyhelminthes - Priapula - Rotifera - Sipuncula - Tardigrada
      • Bilateria: Deuterostomia
        • Phyla: Echinodermata - Hemichordata - Chordata - Xenoturbellida

[edit] Online databases

The following are online well prepared databases about the biodiversity in the Palestine Israel area.

  • Flora of Israel Online, The Hebrew University, Jerusalem[1]
  • BIOGIS: Israel Biodiversity Information System[2]
  • Botanical Garden University E Book[3]
  • Biodiversity of Jordan and Palestine[4]

[edit] External links

Books
Magazines and Bulletins
Articles
Societies
  • Palestine Wildlife Society [6]
  • Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority [7]
Nature Conservation Projects
Natural Reserves
Bird Watching
  • Birding Israel: the world of birds, birding tours and birdwatching in Israel [8]
  • International Center for the Study of Bird Migration [9]
  • The Israeli Center for Yardbirds [10]
  • The Jerusalem Bird Observatory [11]
Biologists
Photographers
  • Rittner Oz. Amazing collection of great images of small creatures in the area with fine scientific classification. [12]
  • Ilia Shalamaev: Excellent photographs of wildlife in the area. [13]
  • Vadim Onishchenko [14]
  • The Edge[15], A searchable collection of nature photos. Search for Palestine, Israel in the database. Site created by Niall Benvie
Neighbouring Countries
  • The Arabian Oryx Website [16]
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