DOI: 10.13189/nrc.2013.010201 Diversity, Ecology and Survivor of Freshwater Red Algae in Israel

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 (Kütz.) 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 (Kützing) Vis et Sheath in the Banias stream