Summary
Waters of the Azraq Oasis in Jordan are described against the background of the desert. Two powerful springs and a seasonal rainfall in winter contribute to the creation of a varied system of waters in the oasis. Distributed over an area of 26 sq km these waters, initially non saline, become highly mineralised, form swamps and — on the margins - extensive temporary inundations. Examined sites of this network of waters show a great variety of chemical constitution (Table). The aquatic fauna shows a transience from ubiquist freshwater forms to highly restricted species, adapted to saline and in some cases temporary conditions. The rediscovery of Daphnia triquetraa Sars, many years after its description in 1903 is so far the most remarkable event.
Résumé
L'oasis d'Azraq dans le désert de Jordanie possède un réseau d'eaux douces et saumâtres, provenant de deux puissantes sources et d'une saison pluviale limitée en général à Décembre et Janvier. Ces eaux se distribuent sur une surface d'oasis de 26 km carrés et sont sujets à une puissante évaporation. C'est pourquoi elles montrent une grande variété decomposition chimique, donc salinité. (table).
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Scates, M.D. Notes on the hydrobiology of Azraq Oasis Jordan. Hydrobiologia 31, 73–80 (1968). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170136
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00170136