Abstract
From 1950s till now only seven species of Rhodophyta were recorded from continental waters of Israel. Among them, the most abundant are the species of Audouinella that inhabit fresh or brackish waters of lakes, pools and rivers. Our findings of two species of this genus inhabiting the fresh clear water Oren River, the middle reaches of the polluted Qishon River (A. pygmaea (Kutz.) Weber-van Bosse)), as well as the middle reaches of the strongly impacted Lower Jordan River (A. hermannii (Roth) Duby in De Candolle). These findings led us to conclude the latter species preferred low to moderate salinity and a high calcium concentration and is relatively resistant to organic pollution. Bangia atropurpurea (Mertens ex Roth) C. Agardh and Hildenbrandia rivularis (Liebmann) J. Agardh are the sensitive species sporadically observed in a few habitats only and preferring the slightly mineralized slow streaming carbonate waters with insignificant organic pollution. Batrachospermum gelatinosum (Linnaeus) De Candolle is only one new for Israel species that has been found in the Meshushim stream. The likewise sensitive Phragmonema sordidum Zopf is consider as a lost species because of the loss of habitat. We do not confirm finding of red algae Paralemanea catenata (Kutzing) Vis et Sheath in the Banias stream.
Highlights
Present Red algae were first found in Israel in the 1950s [8,9], and till our investigation only six species were reported from continental waters, most of which belong to Audouinella [10,11,12]
A rare, freshwater red algae, and Israel newcomer, Batrachospermum gelatinosum, was found once during 2009 field trips (Figure 6) in the Meshushim pool placed in upper reaches of the Meshushim stream, the small stream of the mountainous area of the Upper Jordan Basin at 32o58′19.20′′ N and 35o39′19.0′′ E and 390 m above sea level which followed from the Golan Heights to the Lake Kinneret
The analysis of the literature reviewed on freshwater red algae in Israel revealed five species for one which only generic assignment was available: Bangia atropurpurea, Hildenbrandia rivularis, Paralemanea catenata, Phragmonema sordidum, Audouinella sp
Summary
Agardh The species has been first found in the Dan Stream at 33o14′04′′ N and 35o38′12′′ E and about 120 m above sea level (a.s.l.), the Upper Jordan River Basin in the piedmonts of Mount Hermon, Northern Israel [10]. Having a rather broad range of ecological tolerance, it can be expected in other places under conditions similar to those of the Banias and Dan. Audouinella hermannii (Roth) Duby in De Candolle This species was found twice at the Gesher in the Lower Jordan during 2005 and 2007 field trips (Figure 4).
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