Articles

The Surif area, located in the northwestern part of the Hebron Governorate, is a significant component of the Mediterranean vegetation in southern Palestine, owing to its diverse topography, climatic conditions, and geological formations, as well as its long history of human land use. Furthermore, its location situated in a transitional zone between the Mediterranean, Irano-Turanian, and Saharo-Arabian biogeographic regions contributes to substantial plant diversity and the coexistence of species with distinct ecological and geographical affinities. Materials and Methods: A vegetation survey was conducted in seven representative areas of Surif, southern Palestine, using the Braun-Blanquet method. A total of 266 tree and shrub species were analyzed using cluster analysis, Euclidean distance, and Detrended Correspondence Analysis (DCA) to assess floristic relationships. Taxonomic classification was verified against international botanical databases. Results and Discussion: One major plant community was identified the Pinus halepensis–Cupressus sempervirens association characterized by Mediterranean pines and broad-leaved tree species. Phanerophytes were the dominant life form (36.09%), followed by chamaephytes (28.19%). Thirteen endemic or regionally restricted species (4.88%) highlighted the area's conservation significance. The vegetation composition reflected climatic, edaphic, topographic, and anthropogenic influences. Conclusion: Surif is characterized by rich Mediterranean forest vegetation. Habitat protection, maintaining connectivity, regulating grazing, and monitoring endemic species are essential for biodiversity conservation and sustainable ecosystem management.