TITLE:
Floral Species as Environmental Quality Indicators in Jordan: High Salinity and Alkalinity Environments
AUTHORS:
Ikhlas Alhejoj, Klaus Bandel, Elias Salameh
KEYWORDS:
Bioindicators, Alkalinity Tolerant Plants, Halophyts, Environmental Quality, Karama, Azraq
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Environmental Protection,
Vol.6 No.5,
May
22,
2015
ABSTRACT: In this study the occurrence and ecology of plant assemblages are
investigated, mainly for use as indicator plants of saline grounds in several
locations in Jordan. High alkalinity and H2S-rich water tolerant
species of plants are also discussed. Plants growing on salty grounds have
distinct composition regarding their place in the taxonomic system. Plant
assemblages and their degree of tolerance to salinity as in Karama area in the
Jordan Valley are found to be distinct from that of Azraq Sabkha (Cental
Jordan) with salt-tolerant flora. Karama area provides the living space for
Mesembryanthemum on the saltiest ground, Suaeda further up on wetter
surrounding and Salicornia succeeding on moist and less salty grounds. Drier
places with rather salty grounds have bushes of Arthrocnemum, while slightly
less salty places are preferred by Tamarix tetragyna. When Prosopis bushes
appear, salt is only present periodically in the ground, as is also the case
with Atriplex halimus and Capparis. In Azraq the former beach of a temporal lake is characterized by
two species of Spergularia in its saltier parts and by Tamarix passerinoides. It was
recognized that Tamarix, Phragmites, Chenopodium, and Inula represented
alkaline water tolerant plants. The study concludes that the salt concentration
in the ground is reflected in the composition of the flora growing on it. On
the other hand, plants are also found vulnerable to fluctuation in the salt
concentration of their environments with different resistance degrees. This
makes them excellent bioindicators of salty environments.