ניר בתי גידול של צומח ומערכות אקולוגיות ויערניות

Direct sowing of acorns was carried out in Ramat Menashe (Israel) over an extensive area between the years 2001-2007, totaling approximately a million acorns in an area of about 3000 dunams. The acorns were sown in open areas without additional treatment and the results were checked by survey sampling. During the period between 2005 and 2007, a quantitative and qualitative study was carried out in research plots in the sown area . The study examined the percentage of acorn seedling germination and survival in three adjacent habitats: an herbaceous area, a Sarcopoterium spinosum "batha" and a thinned pine forest. The surviving seedlings were counted and their height was measured at the end of each summer. The germination percentage in the batha and herbaceous area were about 12%, whereas in the forest the germination percentage was significantly lower. After 3 years seedling survival leveled off in the batha and in the forest, whereas in the herbal area the number of surviving seedlings continued to fall. There was no significant difference in seedling height between the treatments.