Table 3 Environmental characteristics of the two Israeli Mediterranean climate regions examined in the current study: The Golan Heights (GH) and the Carmel mountain ridge (CMR)

Farms

3

2

Horses

49

65

Ticks

2417

782

Altitude (m)

420–980

119–320

Soil

Grumusol

Terra rosa

Basaltic protogrumusol

Rendzina

Climate

Mediterranean to Semi-arid

Mediterranean

Annual rainfall (mm)

625–850

987

Average NVDI

0.04

0.06

Average EVI

0.024

0.03

LSTD (°C)

2–51

9–45

LSTN (°C)

-3–28

1–26

Average humidity (%)

66

69

Rainfall July-August

0

0

Ambient temperature July-August (°C)

14–37 (avg. 25)

19–34 (avg. 26)

Average rainfall November-December (mm)

90

86

Rainy days November-December

17–24

20–22

Ambient temperature November-December (°C)

-2–28.5 (avg. 13)

8–29 (avg. 17)

Average rainfall February-March (mm)

97

115

Rainy days February-March

20–28

20–22

Ambient temperature February-March (°C)

-5–29 (avg. 12)

3–29 ( avg. 15)

Average rainfall May-June (mm)

1.3

2

Rainy days May-June

1

4

Ambient temperature May-June (°C)

6–40 (avg. 21)

11–39 (avg. 22)