GHALLIS

Ghaliis is an area on the northeastern coast of Malta, in the Maghtab-Ghallis area. The site outcrops on the Xlendi member of the Lower Coralline Limestone Bed which is of Oligocene age.

The site flanked on one side by the main coastal road and on the other side by the sea. The site is a mix of maritme steppe and maritime garigue. Plants in this area are subject to considerable abiotic stresses necessitating a variety of adaptations.

In order to better understand these adaptations the following field work can be carried out. For a fuller discussion of the underlying concepts see the section on Concepts and Methodology.

Fieldwork


This invovlves firstly the determination of the niche breadth of the most characteristic species at Ghallis, allowing the identification of species that are likely to behave as generalists and as specialists.

Site Map



Ghallis site

Ghallis

Secondly the calculation of the niche overlap between pairs of species, in order to indicate possible intensity of interspecdic competition. It should be emphasised that niche overlap is not a measure of competitive effects, but is nevertheless an important determinant of species diversity and community structure

The same procedure should be repeated at Ghadira s-Safra, a few hundred metres down the road in order to test the variability of niche overlap in habitats subject to different stresses.>>next