The vegetation of the Għadira Nature Reserve

Abstract

The Ghadira Nature reserve is one of the few salt-marshes still extant in the Maltese Islands. The indigenous vegetation is dominated by halophilic and salt-tolerant species such as Phragmites australis, Inula crithmoides, Juncus acutus, Juncus subulatus, Triglochin ballelieri, Melilotus messanensis, Salicomia ramosissima, Suaeda maritima, Salsola soda and Parapholis filifonnis. Management of the reserve has resulted in the introduction of three main categories of plants (a) species from the adjacent dune such as Elymus farctum, Sporobolus arenarius and Pancratium maritimum; (b) species, mainly trees and shrubs, introduced in order to attract birds and (c) halophytic species introduced from other salt-marsh areas in order to protect them from extinction such as Carex extensa, Halimione portulacoides and a possibly undescribed species as Limonium. Tamarix species, especially T. africana and Atriplcx halimus were introduced long before the establishment of the reserve but their numbers have been augmented as part of the reserve management policy. Another component of the vegetation is represented by weed species such as Oxalis pes-caprae and Sonchus cf. oleraceus, some of which have greatly increased in abundance.