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Article

Drought and Anthropogenic Effects on Acacia Populations: A Case Study from the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel

1
Dead Sea and Arava Science Center, Yotvata 88820, Israel
2
Eilat Campus, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Eilat 88100, Israel
3
Institute of Archaeology, and The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem 9190501, Israel
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Soil Syst. 2021, 5(2), 23; https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems5020023
Submission received: 29 December 2020 / Revised: 2 March 2021 / Accepted: 16 March 2021 / Published: 1 April 2021

Abstract

Acacia encompasses a keystone genus across the Middle Eastern and African drylands. This study assesses the dynamics of Acacia populations in two ephemeral stream channels (Nahal Naomi and Nahal Yael) in the hyper-arid Arava region following the establishment of a dam in the upstream channel of Nahal Yael and a long-term regional drought episode. The assessments were conducted at the individual and population levels, for a period of 45 years (during 1972, 1994 and 2017). In Nahal Naomi, the population increased by 35% during 1972–1994 (a relatively rainy period) and experienced low mortality (net change of +1.6% year−1). However, following a regional drought episode between 1995 and 2009, this population decreased by 57% (net change of −2.5% year−1). In Nahal Yael, the acacia population declined by 66% during 1972–1994 (net change of −1.6% year−1). Between 1994–2017, this population was co-affected by dam and drought, with no recruitment, and declined by 70% (net change of −2.0% year−1). By examining the tree’s specific location, species, age and state of preservation of dead individuals, we identified factors that influence tree mortality, and highlighted the adverse impacts of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on Acacia populations in hyper-arid environments.
Keywords: alluvial fan; annual rainfall; Arava Valley; long-term population dynamics; hyper-arid regions; acacia populations alluvial fan; annual rainfall; Arava Valley; long-term population dynamics; hyper-arid regions; acacia populations

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MDPI and ACS Style

Armoza-Zvuloni, R.; Shlomi, Y.; Shem-Tov, R.; Stavi, I.; Abadi, I. Drought and Anthropogenic Effects on Acacia Populations: A Case Study from the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel. Soil Syst. 2021, 5, 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems5020023

AMA Style

Armoza-Zvuloni R, Shlomi Y, Shem-Tov R, Stavi I, Abadi I. Drought and Anthropogenic Effects on Acacia Populations: A Case Study from the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel. Soil Systems. 2021; 5(2):23. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems5020023

Chicago/Turabian Style

Armoza-Zvuloni, Rachel, Yanai Shlomi, Rachamim Shem-Tov, Ilan Stavi, and Itay Abadi. 2021. "Drought and Anthropogenic Effects on Acacia Populations: A Case Study from the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel" Soil Systems 5, no. 2: 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems5020023

APA Style

Armoza-Zvuloni, R., Shlomi, Y., Shem-Tov, R., Stavi, I., & Abadi, I. (2021). Drought and Anthropogenic Effects on Acacia Populations: A Case Study from the Hyper-Arid Southern Israel. Soil Systems, 5(2), 23. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems5020023

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