Northern Negev Platform - Israel Grazing Exclosure Experiment - Annual Plant Dataset 1997-2016 Source: B. Boeken, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Species name: Adonis dentata Aegilops kotschyi Aegilops longissima Allium roseum Allium stamineum Ammochloa palaestina Anagallis arvensis Anchusa milleri Anemone coronaria Anthemis pseudocotula Argyrolobium uniflorum Arnebia decumbens Asphodelus racemosus Asphodelus tenuifolius Astragalus asterias Astragalus callichrous Astragalus dactylocarpus Astragalus epiglossus Astragalus peregrinus Astragalus hamosus Astragalus tribuloides Atractylis serratuloides Avena barbata Brachypodium dystachion Bromus alopecuroides Bromus fasciculatus Bromus rubens Bupleurum nodosum Bupleurum semicompositum Calendula arvensis Carthamus tenuis Centaurea hyalolepis Centaurea procurrens Crassula alata Crepis aspera Crucianella herbacea Cutandia memphitica Dactylon glomerata Dianthus judaicus Echium angustifolium Echinops polyceras Emex spinosa Erodium cicutarium Erodium crassifolium Erynchium creticum Euphorbia falcata Filago contracta Filago desertorum Fumaria Gagea reticulata Galium spec Glaucium corniculatum Gynandriris sisyrhinchium Gypsophila arabica Hedypnois cretica Helianthemum lediflorum Herniaria hirsuta Hippocrepis areolatus Hippocrepis unisiliquosa Hordeum glaucum Hormuzakia aggregata Hymenocarpus circinatus Ifloga spicata Ixiolirion tataricum Koelpinia liniaris Lactuca serriola Lamarckia aurea Lappula spinosa Launaea fragilis Leontodon lanicera Linaria albifons Linaria haelava Malva aegyptica Malva sylvestris Matthiola livida Neoturularia torulosa Nigella arvensis Noea mucronata Onobrychis crista-galli Ononis reclinata Ononis sicula Onopordum alexandrinum Ornithogalum trichophyllum Pallenis spinosa Parapholis incurva Paronychia arabica Phagnalon rupestre Phalaris minor Pituranthos tortuosus Plantago albicans Plantago coronopus Pterocephalus brevis Ranunculus asiaticus Reboudia pinnata Reichardia tingitana Reseda decursiva Rostraria cristata Salvia lanigera Salvia viridis Scabiosa porphyroneura Schismus arabicus Senecio glaucus Silene colorata Sonchus oleracea Spergularia diandra Stipa capensis Thymilea hirsuta Torilis arvensis Trifolium campestre Trifolium tomentosum Trigonella arabica Trigonella stellata Urginea undulata Vulpia ciliaris Location Park Shaked LTER, Northern Negev Coordinates 31°17' N, 34°37' E Elevation 200 m Area ca 300 ha Climate Rainfall between November and March Long-term mean annual rainfall ca. 200 mm/yr Mean min. winter temp. 6°C Mean max. summer temp. 34°C

The aim of the dataset is to monitor the changes of the vegetation of a selected dry grassland area. There are no grassland management, neither grasig nor mowing. We follow the changes of plant species composition in 200 4m x 4m large semi-permanent plots from 2000. There were survey in the years 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2015 and 2021.

The area was used as small-scale ploughland and vineyards between app. 1900 and 1960. From 1960 it was gradually abandoned and became a part of the Kiskunsag National Park. We distinguished 4 age-groups of old-fields according to the time of the abandonment: 1–6, 7–11, 12–25 és 26–35 years old abandoned fields in year 2000. In every age-group 10–10 (total 40) 4 m × 4 m large permanent vegetation survey plot were established. We made vegetation survey (presence and cover of every vascular plant species) in the year 2000, 2008, 2010, 2015, 2017 and 2020.

The aim of the dataset is studying the effect of land-use on the plant species richness of different dry habitats. The field site network consists of 16 sites, of 5 km 5 km each, representing all major land-use/land cover types characteristic to the region (agricultural land, abandoned agricultural land, tree plantation, semi-natural grassland, and forest) in varying proportions. The first survey was made between 2006-2008, the second between 2019- 2021.