Flora and factors affecting species diversity in the islet groups of the protected “Natura 2000” sites of the Amvrakikos Gulf and Mesolongi Lagoon (Ionian area, Greece)

Iliadou, Eleni; Panitsa, Maria; Raus, Thomas; Dimopoulos, Panayotis

doi:10.3372/wi.44.44315

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…In Sardinia, this group is encompassed by four geographically, morphologically and ethologically well-defined microspecies. An interesting evolutionary question would be to analyze more precisely molecular patterns in co-occurring taxa at insular level [89,90]. Indeed, unfortunately, no molecular investigation involving these microspecies on a single island has yet been conducted, contributing to a lack of taxonomic clarity and therefore a proliferation of names not yet tested with scientific rigor.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Synopsis of Sardinian Studies: Why Is it Important to Work on Island Orchids?

Lussu

Marignani

Lai

et al. 2020

Plants

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Biological and ecological investigations of islands are crucial to explain ecosystem functioning. Many studies on island biodiversity are carried out on oceanic islands. In contrast, information on continental islands, such as those in the Mediterranean Sea, is very often fragmented in space and time. Here, a synopsis of the Orchidaceae of Sardinia is presented based on literature surveys and recent botanical field studies. Our final list comprises of 64 species and 14 genera: thirteen species and subspecies were recognized as endemic and four new species were recorded for the flora of the island: Anacamptis palustris (Jacq.) R.M. Bateman, Pridgeon & M.W. Chase; Himantoglossum hircinum (L.) Spreng; Orchis italica Poir.; and Platanthera kuenkelei subsp. kuenkelei var. sardoa R.Lorenz, Akhalk., H.Baumann, Cortis, Cogoni & Scrugli. This orchid richness reflects the geological history of the island that was linked to the mainland several times, facing long periods of isolation. We also discuss a critical point-of-view of the biodiversity shortfalls still problematic for insular orchids. Indeed, within the Mediterranean Basin, the greatest amount of endemism occurs mainly on large islands, and, despite a long history of botanical exploration in European countries, many of them are scarcely investigated. This annotated synopsis shows the potential of continental islands to understand trends in ecology and evolution. Further studies are required to complete our knowledge of the orchid diversity on continental islands in order to propose scientific-based conservation programs to preserve these unique taxa.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Synopsis of Sardinian Studies: Why Is it Important to Work on Island Orchids?

Lussu

Marignani

Lai

et al. 2020

Plants

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“…All over the Mediterranean Basin the flora of small and very small islands has long been a subject of interest not only for the sake of pure floristic knowledge but also for the understanding of the mechanisms of the colonization of these isolated micro-territories in relation to the flora of the mainland (see e. g. Arrigoni & Bocchieri, 1996;Pandža, 2002;Bogdanović & Mitić, 2003;Panitsa et al, 2006;Lo Cascio & Pasta, 2012;Iliadou et al, 2014;Pasta et al 2014;Pandža & Milović, 2015;Jasprica et al, 2015;Fois et al, 2016;Sciandrello et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flora and habitats of Vendicari Islet (Isola di Vendicari) in South East Sicily

Minissale

Sciandrello

2017

Nat Croat

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The vascular flora of 'Isola di Vendicari', a small islet (surface 4.45 hectares) located along the Ionian coast of south east Sicily, has been investigated. The surveyed taxa at specific and infraspecific level amount to 80, of which 21 are new records from this islet. The life form spectrum of the current flora brings out the dominance of therophytes as well as a significant occurrence of hemicryptophytes. The plant communities colonizing the surface of the islet have been investigated from floristic, phytosociological and ecological points of view. The vegetation is represented mainly by psammophilous and halophilous aspects. As regards the conservation area policy, the islet falls within the Nature Reserve of Vendicari, which is also a SCI of the Natura 2000 network, showing its remarkable importance for the biodiversity conservation. Istraživana je vaskularna flora malog otočića 'Isola di Vendicari' (površina 4,45 ha) koji se nalazi uz jonske obale jugoistočne Sicilije. Utvrđeno je 80 vrsta i nižih svojti, od toga je 21 nova za otočić. U spektru životnih oblika prevladavaju terofiti, uz značajan udio hemikriptofita. Biljne zajednice na otočiću analizirane su s florističkog, fitocenološkog i ekološkog gledišta. Vegetacija je uglavnom psamofitska halofitska. S aspekta zaštite, otočić je dio Rezervata prirode Vendicari, nalazi se unutar područja Natura 2000 ekološke mreže, što ukazuje na važnost potrebe očuvanja bioraznolikosti.

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“…There are few published data on the phytochorology and endemism of coastal dune floras of other MCEs. In the Mediterranean Basin, Mediterranean endemics comprise about 70% of regional floras (Hadjichambis et al, 2004; Spanou et al, 2006; Muñoz Vallés, Gallego Fernández & Dellafiore, 2009; Ciccarelli, Di Bugno & Peruzzi, 2014; Iliadou et al, 2014), except for Israel where a value of 45% was recorded (Barbour et al, 1981). Israeli coastal dunes support 26% of the species endemic to that country (Kutiel, 2001) and 21 species (6%) of the dune flora of Cyprus are endemic to the island (Hadjichambis et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…dune and coastal wetland from southern Spain included 25 species endemic to the Iberian Peninsula coast (Muñoz Vallés, Gallego Fernández & Dellafiore, 2009). Unlike the Cape, species with largely tropical distribution comprise only 1–2% of Mediterranean dune floras (Barbour et al, 1981; Spanou et al, 2006; Muñoz Vallés, Gallego Fernández & Dellafiore, 2009; Iliadou et al, 2014). Forty percent of California dune floras are MCE endemics and none have a tropical distribution (Barbour et al, 1981).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Taxonomic, biological and geographical traits of species in a coastal dune flora in the southeastern Cape Floristic Region: regional and global comparisons

Cowling

Logie²,

Brady³

et al. 2019

PeerJ

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In Mediterranean-Climate Ecosystems (MCEs), Holocene coastal dunes comprise small, fragmented and dynamic features which have nutritionally imbalanced and excessively drained, droughty, sandy soils. These characteristics, along with summer drought and salt-laden winds, pose many challenges for plant colonization and persistence. Consequently, MCE dune floras are likely to be distinctive with a high proportion of habitat specialists and strong convergence in growth form mixes. Very little research has compared the species traits of dune floras within and across MCEs. This paper contributes to filling that gap. Here, we analyze the taxonomic, biological and geographical traits for all 402 species in a flora from a dune landscape (Cape St Francis) in the southeastern Cape Floristic Region (CFR) and compare patterns with the trait profiles of other dune floras at a regional (CFR) and global (MCE) scale. Within the CFR, the southeastern (all-year-rainfall) flora at Cape St Francis had a similar trait profile to western (winter-rainfall) dune floras, except for having a lower representation of species belonging to CFR-endemic clades, and higher number of species associated with tropical lineages. The St Francis flora, in common with other CFR and MCE floras, was dominated by members of the Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae. Some 40% of the St Francis flora was endemic to the CFR, typical of the high rate of MCE-level endemism elsewhere in the CFR, and in other MCEs. About 30% of the flora was confined to calcareous sand, a value typical for many other MCE sites. The St Francis flora, as well as other CFR dune floras, differs from those of other MCEs by having many species associated with shrubby lineages, and by the relatively high incidence of species associated with tropical lineages. The growth form profile of the St Francis and other CFR floras shows strongest similarity with that of Australian MCE dunes in that in both regions, evergreen hemicryptophytes and shrubs share dominance, and annuals are floristically and ecologically subordinate. The least similar of MCEs to the St Francis trait profile is the Mediterranean Basin where annuals are the most frequent growth form while shrubs are subordinate. California and Chile dune floras appear to occupy an intermediate position, in terms of growth form mix, between the Cape and Australia on the one hand, where dune floras have retained features typical of nutrient-poor soils, and the Mediterranean Basin, where dwarf, deciduous shrubs and annuals dominate the life form spectrum. All MCE dunes are threatened by alien plants, infrastructure development, tourism demands and rising sea levels. The high incidence of species of conservation concern in CFR dune floras underestimates the exponentially increasing threats to their habitats, which are already historically at a much-reduced extent. All remaining coastal dune habitat in the CFR, and probably in other MCEs, should be conserved in their entirety.

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Flora and factors affecting species diversity in the islet groups of the protected “Natura 2000” sites of the Amvrakikos Gulf and Mesolongi Lagoon (Ionian area, Greece)

Cited by 5 publications

References 17 publications

A Synopsis of Sardinian Studies: Why Is it Important to Work on Island Orchids?

A Synopsis of Sardinian Studies: Why Is it Important to Work on Island Orchids?

Flora and habitats of Vendicari Islet (Isola di Vendicari) in South East Sicily

Taxonomic, biological and geographical traits of species in a coastal dune flora in the southeastern Cape Floristic Region: regional and global comparisons

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