DIVERSITY OF CRYPTOGAMIC PLANTS AND FUNGI IN “EVOLUTION CANYON”, NAHAL OREN, MOUNT CARMEL NATURAL PRESERVE, ISRAEL

ABSTRACT

The diversity of cryptogamic plants and fungi has been studied, in the context of a research program of biodiversity across phylogeny, at the “Evolution Canyon” microsite. Lower Nahal Oren, Mount Carmel Natural Preserve, Israel. The opposite slopes of Evolution Canyon display dramatic biotic contrasts due to higher (up to 300%) solar radiation on the south-facing slope (S-slope) which is warmer, drier, and climatically more fluctuating than the north-facing slope (N-slope). Diversity of cryptogamic plants and fungi (198 species and intraspecific taxa) at Evolution Canyon is considerable. The list includes 46 taxa of Cyanophyta, 10 of Chlorophyta, 3 of Euglenophyta, 1 of Bacillariophyta, 29 of lichens, 2 of lichenicolous fungi, 59 of soil micromycetes, 39 of Agaricales s.l., and 9 of mosses. Fifty species and infraspecific taxa are new for the biota of Israel, among them 22 taxa of algae, 9 of micromycetes, 8 of Agaricales s.l., 9 of lichens, and 2 of lichenicolous fungi. Some of them are new for the biota of Asia. While fungi (especially Agaricales s.l.) and mosses primarily range on the more wet and humid “temperate European” N-facing slope, or in the valley bottom (mosses), algae, primarily due to the number of cyanobacteria, predominate on the warm and dry “tropical African” S-facing slope.