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Ramat Hanadiv is a place of change, striving for change for the good. On the current agenda – rehabilitation of the old cattle pen, which has been taken over by overabundant plant species due to high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus. After treating the soil and eradicating these plants, we will plant local species that once made this area their home.
From the 1990s to the 2000s cows huddled in an active pen adjacent to the area we call ‘the big field’ and the red trail that crosses it. Naturally, just like every rangeland in Israel that was fenced (for cattle, sheep and goats) and held animals, the cows defecated in this area, thus raising the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil. Minerals are essential for the soil, but in this case, we are talking about extreme enrichment that changes its ecosystem. The result is that plant species more suited to nitrogen-enriched soil flourish there with great success. Too great. These species, such as Syrian thistle (Notobasis syriaca), milk thistle (Silybum marianum), goosefoots (Chenopodium) and mallow (Malva), spread and take over the native vegetation that grew in the area in the past. As such they are called ‘locally overabundant species’ (or nitrophilous = nitrogen-loving), in contrast to invasive species, which reach distant habitats and establish in new sites while displacing local species.
every rangeland in Israel that was fenced and held animals, the cows defecated in this area, thus raising the concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus in the soil
At the end of the season, when walking along the red trail at the point where it passes through the heart of the old cattle pen, which covered an area of 4000 square metres, it’s difficult not to notice the overabundant species. On both sides of the trail, plants such as mallow rise up to great height, often even up to 2 metres.
Soil rehabilitation in pen sites is a national issue; therefore, at Ramat Hanadiv we hired the services of researchers from the Volcani Center. Currently, mowing the area has left nothing but islands of mallow, Syrian thistle and milk thistle, but these are expected to spread out by the end of the winter. These plants have a seedbank in the soil that also dictates how the vegetation will look. The seedbank of milk thistle and Syrian thistle is maintained in the soil for three years, while that of mallow can remain for in the soil for decades.
Minerals are essential for the soil, but in this case, we are talking about extreme enrichment that changes its ecosystem
How do we rehabilitate soil that is too rich in nitrogen and phosphorus?
Dr. Tzach Glasser, director of the Nature Park at Ramat Hanadiv, explains that rehabilitation includes two stages: first, reducing the seed bank of the overabundant species, and second, planting other species in the area to help treat the soil. To prevent dispersal of the overabundant species’ seeds, we cultivate and mow the area, removing the plants before they have time to flower and disperse their seeds.
During the planting stage we select species that can absorb nutrients from the soil (thus increasing competition over these resources and balancing its composition) and create a microclimate (a unit of land characterised by light, temperature, humidity and wind conditions that differ from the surroundings, producing different living conditions), mainly through shade. We know that it’s more difficult for overabundant species to establish under shrubs and shady trees, since they require direct sunlight.
Our aspiration is that in another decade hikers will walk along the trail with heritage landscapes on either side: native trees, such as plum, carob, olive and hawthorn, which give shade and fruit
Futures
The assumption is that during the next five to ten years the overabundant species will be suppressed, and species of legumes and grains will be able to establish in this area. This process at Ramat Hanadiv is being accompanied by testing of the soil, allowing us to monitor the changes in its mineral concentrations. ‘Our aspiration is that in another decade hikers will walk along the trail with heritage landscapes on either side: native trees, such as plum, carob, olive and hawthorn, which give shade and fruit,’ says Dr. Glasser, summarising the vison for rehabilitating the cattle pen. He believes that at the end of the process it will be possible to write a protocol that can be sent to agencies interested in rehabilitating livestock pens, such as Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and Israel Nature and Parks Authority.
The cattle pen rehabilitation project, monitoring and accompanying research are being conducted in collaboration with Dr. Liat Hadar, Director of Research at Ramat Hanadiv. The fieldwork is being performed by the forest staff of Ramat Hanadiv.
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