Faunal and Floral Assemblages of the Zavitan (Zvitan) Stream near Katzrin (Central Golan Heights, Israel) and Their Influence on Amphibians

Abstract

The Zvitan (Zavitan) Stream is one of the major basaltic drainage systems of the Levant Region in Israel. The present short communication focuses specifically on the sector adjacent to Katzrin, integrating geomorphological, hydrological, ecological, and amphibian distribution data within the broader watershed context. The stream originates in the central Golan plateau and flows westward into the Yehudiya Reserve before joining the Meshushim Stream and ultimately draining into Lake Kinneret. In the Katzrin sector, the stream is characterized by deeply incised basalt canyons, winter spring discharge and semi-permanent pools sustained by springs and seepage. Seasonal hydrological fluctuations strongly influence aquatic habitats and amphibian breeding success. Amphibian species documented in the Golan Heights include Salamandra salamandra infraimmaculata, Triturus vittatus (currently Ommatotriton vittatus), Hyla savignyi, Bufotes viridis, Pelophylax bedriagae (formerly Rana ridibunda), and Pelobates syriacus. Their distribution is closely associated with water availability, elevation, temperature, and hydroperiod, as demonstrated in northern Israel habitats. The Katzrin sector of Zvitan represents an intermediate ecological zone where Mediterranean and steppe elements converge, creating heterogeneous amphibian assemblages. This observation, carried out at a specific site in the Zavitan Stream, aimed to examine the ecological conditions and identify which amphibian species inhabit this pool, where environmental conditions may differ from those in the main stream channel.