Wioldlife in Al Oja Spring site |
 Anonymous writes " Wildlife in Al Oja spring site
Five distinguished ecotones can be segmented from the site wetland ecosystem based on vegetation type and water availability.
Dense Reed beds:
This ecotone starts at the beginning of the Wadi system and close to water springs and stream mouth. It mainly consists of tall Phragmitys communis that covers the main Wadi mixed with Typha angusta and Tamarix in some areas. These dense reed beds are highly dependent on the flowing water from the mouth of the wadi down to the Jordan River. These bushes comprise also the perfect feeding and roosting areas for many wild animals as reptiles, birds and mammals. In this ecotone water moves in a laminar way, as one unit and slowly.
Birds that depend on such reed beds are Herons, Warblers, Kingfishers, Passerines and others. While amphibians observed in the area inhabiting such a site are both tree and marsh frogs.
In addition to that, several mammals use these beds for refuge and passage such as Wild Boar, Red Fox, Jackal, Wolfs, Caracal and Jungle cats as well as rodents. The reed beds are also ecologically important for crustaceans and dragonflies and other invertebrates of the site.
Tamaris and Acacia Woodland:
This ecotone is scattered along the wadi in the site and exactly located in dryer areas and around the foothills of the wadi. It is occupied mainly with Tamarix spp., Acacia spp. This ecotone is important for many mammals, reptiles and birds for feeding and roosting. Such animals are Turtle Dove, Palm Dove, Collard Dove, White breasted kingfisher, Dead Sea sparrow and Black Francolin.
Salty and Brackish water marshes:
In parts of the Wadi the water system floods on both sides of the permanent stream forming salty and brackish water marshes. These marshes are very important for migratory waterfowl and waders. This ecotone is ecologically important for fresh water and wetland animals and plants such as algae, weeds, Juncus spp, dragonflies, crustaceans, amphibians and others. Such halophytic conditions are the main reason for endemism and geographically isolated animals and plants. In this site water starts moving in a turbulent way depending on water volume and the slope.
Wadi Foothills:
These areas adjacent to the wadi on both sides, it is characterized as hilly sandy bank sides, filled with many small holes and caves. It is mainly very dry sandy hills with scarce vegetation, colonized primarily with Prosopis farcta. The type of slope, holes and caves are excellent conditions for many reptiles, birds and mammals to occupy and colonize. Such species are Red Fox, Jackal, Hares, Rodents, Barn and others.
Habitats are described here briefly and will be related mainly to bird species breeding in the study area (habitat types referred to in the list are in brackets).
The area can be divided into the following bird habitats (due to recent changes in land use, succession can lead to rapid changes in the vegetation):
· Reed beds (Reeds): The small stream in the bottom of the area supports large patches of dense reed beds (Phragmites and Typha), with scattered palm trees (Phoenix).
· Scrub (Scrub): Around reed beds, and in some areas, where reeds used to be grazed to the ground by cattle, a more diverse vegetation of halophytic, low and high shrubs and thorny bushes cover the ground. In water logged sites Tamarix, Suadea and Prosopis are most common, while drier areas are covered by Nitraria and Atriplex bushes and Alhagi dwarf shrubs.
· Tamarix thickets (Tamarix): Closer to the eastern side of the borders, i.e. after crossing the Al-Katar hills, the Wadi is covered by Tamarix shrubs forming closed and dense thickets in water-logged areas, and becoming more open where dry. This area is subject to occasional flooding.
· Plateau (Plateau): The flat plateau is covered by low dwarf shrubs, mainly halophytes and succulents. It appears that parts of this area where previously cultivated, representing abandoned fields or disturbed land covered now mainly by Alhagi dwarf shrubs. High shrubs or trees (Tamarix and Ziziphus) also occur singly.
· Arid slopes (slopes): This habitat type prevailed along the edges of the Wadi. Sedimentary hills run parallel to the spring. The hills themselves are almost devoid of vegetation and contain small ridges and caves.
The site with its dense vegetation is certainly very important as a staging and resting site for migratory birds.
FLORA
77 species belonging to 28 families and it is expected that 200 species can exist in the site if survey would have been repeated in the spring time
Plateaus:
These areas include the highland surrounding the Wadi. The most dominant plant species in the plateaus are Seidlitzia rosemarinus, followed by Alhaji maurorum, Nitraria retusa, and Sueda egyptiaca. Alhaji maurorum had the highest relative density followed by Seidlitzia rosemarinus, however, Seidlitzia rosemarinus had the highest relative frequency and relative cover followed by Alhaji maurorum, Nitraria retusa, and Sueda egyptiaca respectively.
Katarat:
The most dominance plant species are Seidlitzia rosemarinus, Zygophyllum dumosum, Alhaji maurorum, and Nitraria retusa, Atriplex halimus,and Sueda egyptiaca.
Other species might also join this association such as Nitraria retusa and Lycium europeaum and to a lesser degree Capparis ovata.
Hills tops are dominated by Zygophyllum domosum and Sedlitzia rosmarinus.
FAUNA
invertebrates
Five species of fresh water snails occures in the Oja area, of which the most dominate is Physella acuta.
In addition one species of scorpions occures in the areaOrthochirus scrobiculosus negebensis
Vertebrates
Fresh water fishes
Freshwater Fish of the Jordan River Drainage Basin.
Twenty-five of fishes inhabit the Jordan – Dead Sea drainage basin close to the area.
Reptiles
Reptiles are important elements in Biodiversity. These organisms are highly active and have wider home range in the ecosystem than amphibians. Also, reptiles attribute considerably to the functional roles in the ecosystem. Moreover, reptiles play vital role in the energetic pathways in ecosystems. Reptiles contain diversified, groups of organisms that have an impact on the intra and inter specific interactions among individuals and populations. This status given them a rank in the ecosystem participating in the equilibrium of the ecosystem at large.
· Hemidactylus turcicus Turkish gecko.
· Ptyodactylus guttatus Spotted fan footed gecko.
· Stenodactylus sthenodactylus Elegant thin-toed gecko
· Chamaeleo chameleon recticrista. European chameleon
· Acanthodactylus boskianus Bosk’s fringe-toed lizard, Daudin’s spiny-footed lizard.
· Mesalina guttulata guttulata Small spotted lizard.
· Laudakia stellio stellio Starred agama.
· Mabuya vittata Bridled skink.
· Coluber rhodorachis Jan’s Whip Snake
· Vipera palaestinae Palestine viper
It occupies a wide range of habitats but humidity is the limiting factor for its distribution. So it is abundant in plantations and cultivated areas where the ground is damp, especially along the banks of irrigated canals. They move with high agility under a thick cover of decayed plants.
BIRDS
More than 80-bird specie was recorded in the site, this accounts for 21% of the West Bank’s diversity in Avifauna. The composition of bird species of site is:
· Resident
· Migratory
· Wetland and waders
· Reed bed and thick vegetation
Resident Birds
Around 25 bird species reside the site and its vicinity, mainly inhabiting various ecotypes of the site at different period of the year. The most distinctive birds were warblers, larks, sparrows, egrets, herons and doves. These species highly depend on the water resources and the dense vegetation of site for nesting and roosting and feeding since they are highly adapted to the ecology of site in all seasons of year.
Migratory Birds
The site is situated on an important migratory route, many birds use the site on their migration for feeding, wintering and roosting. These species inhabit different ecotypes of the site from reedbeds to salty marches, foothills and the dense
Vegetation.
More tan 7% of migratory birds pass through the rift valley north to south and vice-versa twice a year. The majority of these species are wetland birds in which any running or even stagnant water body is crucial for their survival, some do stop to winter and/or spend summer in the Oja area.
Wetland Birds
Around 36 wetland birds occure at the site, these birds visit the site in different seasons of year, some just pass and stay for short time while others might visit and stay in summer and or winter.
Coot, Fulica atra, Chukar, Alectoris chuckar, Black Francoline, Francolinus francolinus, Dead Sea Sparrow, Passer Moabticus, Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea, Yellow Wagtail, Motacilla flava, White Breasted Kingfisher, Halcyon smyrnensis, Pied Kingfisher, Ceryle rudis
Red-rumped Swallow, Hirundo daurica,
Site Breeding Birds
Little Bittern, Ixobrychus minutes, Night Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax
Little Egret, Egretta garzetta, Grey Heron, Ardea cinerea
Kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, Black Francolin, Francolinus francolinus
Sand Partridge, Ammoperdix heyi, Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Rock Dove, (Feral Dove) Columba livia, Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
Turtle Dove, Streptopelia turtur, Namaqua Dove, Oena capesis, Swift , Apus sp.
Little Swift, Apus affinis,Smyrna Kingfisher, Halycon smyrensis, Pied Kinfisher, Ceryle rudis, Kingfisher, Alcedo atthis, Bee-eater, Merops apiaste
Blue-cheecked Bee-eater, Merops persicus, Roller, Coracias garrulous,
Hoopoe Upupa epops, Crested Lark, Galerida cristata
Desert Lark, Ammomanes deserti, Nightingale, Luscinia luscinia
Rufous Bush Robin, Cercotrichas galactotes, Blackbird, Turdus merula
Graceful Warbler, Prinia gracilis, Cetti’s Warbler, Cettia cetti
Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus scirpaceus, Clamorous Reed Warbler, Acrocephalus stentorus, Sardinian Warbler, Sylvia melanocephala, Olivacuos Warbler, Hippolais pallida, Yellow-Vented Bulbul, Pycnonotus xanthopygos
Arabian Babbler Turdoides squamiceps, Palestine Sunbird, Nectarina osea
Great Grey Shrike, Lanius excubitor, Indian Silverbil,l Euodice malabarica
House Sparrow, Passer domisticus, Spanish Sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis
Dead Sea Sparrow, Passer moabiticus
Mammals
A total of 18 species of mammals occure in the site, among them are:
Paraechinus aethiopicus Desert hedgehog
Crocidura suaveolens Lesser white toothed shrew
Rhinopoma hardwickei Lesser rat-tailed bat
Rhinopoma microphyllum Greater rat-tailed bat
Taphozous nudiventris Naked bellied tomb bat
Nycteris thebaica Egyptian slit-faced bat
Rhinolophus clivosus Arabian horseshoe bat
Tadarida teniotis European free-tailed bat
Pipistrellus kuhli kuhl’s pipistrelle
Canis aureus Jackal, gloden jackal
Vulpes vulpes Red fox
Vulpes cana Afghan fox, Blanford’s fox
Meles meles Badger
Vormela peregusna Marbled polecat
Lutra lutra Common otter
Hyaena hyaena Striped hyena
Felis silvestris Wild cat
Felis chaus Jungel cat
Felis caracal caracal
Herpestes ichneumon Egyptian mangos
Sus scrofa Wild boar
Hystrix indica Indian crested porcupine
Rattus rattus Black rat, House rat
Mus musculus House mice
Nesokia indica Short tailed bandicoot rat
Gerbillus dasyurus Wagner’s gerbil
Gerbillus nanus Baluchistan gerbil
Psammomys obesus Fat sand rat
Meriones crassus Sand jird
Jaculus jaculus Three toed jerboa
Lepus capensis Cape hare, Arabian hare "
Posted on Sunday, February 04 @ Eastern Standard Time by qlaith
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