"Brutia pine (Pinus brutia) distribution region is in the north east of the Mediterranean basin and its south most distribution is south Lebanon. It is one of the main species in the planted forests of Israel. Its invasiveness and its use in plantation is disputed. Our questions were: (1) whether Brutia pine is an alien species, (2) has it a colonization potential? If the two questions will be positive, than the species can be invasive The first question examined by comparing vegetation maps to geological maps, meteorological data, review of habitat researches, and the outcome of the distance between native and planted population. The second question examined by article review, foresters and forest engineers interviews, and field surveys. The results show that Brutia pine is native in the region of Lebanon and Israel in the eastern Mediterranean basin. The Galilee region is partly in Israel and partly in Lebanon, and natural population of the species grow adjacent to this region. Lebanese natural Brutia pine population exist only 45 km from the Israeli border, and 55 km from natural population of Pinus halepensis in Israel. Both pines grow on similar habitats. I argue that South Lebanon and the Mediterranean zone in Israel are actually one region with the same climate, similar geological formations, similar distance to the shore, and mountain ridges with North-South direction proximity. In the Mediterranean basin scale, this region (200 km in its length) is more likely determined as local. International boundaries do not play a role in this case. In addition, Brutia pine is not a colonizer tree in Israel. Germination and recruitment happens in the forests, but hardly outside of its borders. The seeds are relatively heavy and usually fall near the mother tree. In conclusion, Brutia pine is a native tree, not a colonizing one, and therefore is not an invasive tree. "

1. Is Israel's Brutia pine an invasive species
or a native in the Eastern Mediterranean region?
Nir Herr – Forest department, Northern region, KKL-JNF
Brutia pine (Pinus brutia) distribution region is in the north east of the Mediterranean basin and its south most distribution is south
Lebanon. It is one of the main species in the planted forests of Israel. Its invasiveness and its use in plantation is disputed.
Our questions were: (1) whether Brutia pine is an alien species, (2) has it a colonization
potential? If the answers are positive, than the species can be invasive.
In conclusion, Brutia pine is a native tree, not a colonizing one, and therefore is not an invasive tree.
Vegetation and geology
Lebanon forests map
after Varese et al., 2013
Judea group limestone, dolomite and chalk
Mount scopus chalk and marl
Avdat group limestone and chalk
(‫לפי‬Speleo club du Liban)
‫דמור‬
‫הרי‬‫השוף‬
‫בירות‬
‫צידון‬
‫צור‬
Climate
‫בירות‬
‫צור‬
‫צידון‬
‫דמור‬
50
100
150
200
220
‫בירות‬
‫צור‬
‫צידון‬
‫הליטני‬
‫דמור‬
‫חיפה‬
‫ראש‬‫הניקרה‬
350
340
340
330
330
‫איור‬11:
50‫ק‬"‫מ‬
50‫ק‬"‫מ‬ 100 200
Beirut
Tyre
Sidon
Sidon
Israel
Galilee
Israel Galilee
Brutia
populatins
Lebanon Geology
after Speleo club du Liban
Lebanon
Israel
Syria
Brutia pine distribution by Vidkovic (1991)
There is an opinion that Brutia is invasive species in Israel. If so, it will have a significant influence on the forestry activity in Israel
Let examine this claim by geographic, and habitat conditions.
The southern Brutia pine populations are in south Lebanon between
100-1,100m above sea level, mostly on chalk with limestone and dolomite of
Judea group (Deir Hanna formation) The same geological formation continue
Into the Galilee region in Israel.
Beirut
Sidon
Tyre
Israel
Galilee
Lebanon precipitation map
after TotoGeo rural resources, 2017
Brutia pine grow in Lebanon mostly between 750-900 mm precipitation, the
same conditions like the central Upper Galilee in Israel. The climate regime in
this area are quite similar in most of the parameters. The dry season is little
shorter in Lebanon, but they both in the east Mediterranean, the same
direction of the mountain ridges and the same distance from sea
Meteorological parameters along the year in Beirut and Haifa stations
http://www.haifa.climatemps.com/
nirh@kkl.org.il nirforestecosoil.com
Habitats
Humidity
(2000)
‫ימי‬
‫א‬.‫גיר‬
‫דולומיט‬
‫חולי‬
‫וולקני‬
‫א‬.‫חול‬
Rock
Humid
Arid
‫גבוה‬
‫ביניים‬
‫נמוך‬
Mediterranean stage
‫גבוה‬
‫ביניים‬
‫נמוך‬
Semi
humid
Semi
arid
Temperate
Cool
Mountainous
High
Hot
Pine species
Marine
Limestone
Dolomite
Sandstone
Sandy
Brutia and Halepensis pine grows almost in the same
habitats. The brutia grow in relative cooler conditions, but
the conditions have wide overlap. The halepensis pine is
native in Israel, and native Brutia pine population are
growing near by.
Recruitment and colonizatian surveys in Israel forests show that, Brutia pine is not a colonizer tree in Israel.
Germination and recruitment happens in the forests, but hardly outside of its
borders. The seeds are relatively heavy and usually fall near the mother tree.
Scale proportion
200
200
200
200
Vulcan
Brutia pine native population are 45 km far from the Israeli border. The farthest
Brutia pine plantation in Israel in which recruitment occurs is only 200 km south
of the Lebanese Brutia populations. Those distances in any scale of the
Mediterranean basin is local scale.
Conslusion
South Lebanon and the Mediterranean zone in Israel are actually one region with the same climate, similar
geological formations, similar distance to the shore, and mountain ridges with North-South direction proximity. It
grows almost the in same conditions like the native Halepensis pine.
Brutia pine is a native tree, not a colonizing one, and therefore is not an invasive tree.
Lebanon
50km