Phytosociological research of Quercus coccifera L. pseudomaquis on Mount Chortiatis, northern Greece

Abstract

The phytosociology of Greek Quercus coccifera shrublands (pseudomaquis) has not been fully described yet and their syntaxonomy, syndynamics, and ecological interpretation still pose significant problems. Application of the Braun-Blanquet method on 93 relevés made on Mt. Chortiatis resulted in the recognition of seven syntaxa. The plant communities described are assigned to the Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis (Quercus coccifera-Juniperus oxycedrus community, Quercus coccifera-Carpinus orientalis community) and the Quercion confertae (Quercus coccifera-Quercus frainetto community, Quercus petraea ssp. medwediewii-Quercus coccifera community, Quercus frainetto-Carpinus orientalis community). Information on site characteristics, vegetation structure, syntaxonomy, and ecology is given and the present distribution pattern of the Mt. Chortiatis' pseudomaquis vegetation is mapped. Comparative data from other Greek pseudomaquis communities are given, and a general review of all Greek pseudomaquis is presented. Growth-form, lifeform, and chorological spectra are presented for each community. The secondary nature of all distinct units is revealed, as well as their transition during restoration or degradation. The growth-form and life-form spectra reveal the forest character, and the chorological spectra demonstrate the submediterranean character of all communities.

Inter-regional beta-diversity patterns of the woody flora of Greece

“…Greece contains more woody taxa (565 woody taxa) compared to Italy (509 woody taxa; Abbate et al 2015) and Bulgaria (370 woody taxa; Yurukov & Zhelev 2001). The chorological spectrum of woody species revealed clear similarities with other studies using complete floristic inventories at both national (Di-mopoulos et al 2013, Dimopoulos et al 2016 and local scales (Chasapis et al 2004, Spanou et al 2006, Gouvas & Theodoropoulos 2007, Sarika et al 2015. A clear dominance of Mediterranean species was observed in all phytogeographical regions of Greece.…”

Exploring Biodiversity and Disturbances in the of Peri-Urban Forests of Thessaloniki, Greece

“…Mountain Hortiatis is located approximately 30 km far from the city of Thessaloniki, in Central Macedonia, northern Greece, between 40 • 37 N to 40 • 35 N and 23 • 06 E to 23 • 08 E and has a total forest area of 1350 ha [49,50]. The altitude varies a lot, from 590 to 1300 m [49].…”

“…There are three vegetation zones, Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis (shrubs with Quercus coccifera) Quercion confertae (oak and chestnut forests), Fagion moesiacae (beech forests) belonging in the order Querco-Fagetea [51]. In the southern part of the mountain exist plantations of Pinus nigra [50]. Annual precipitation is 449 mm with a mean temperature of 15.6 • C. The dry season lasts 1-1.5 months, with August being the driest month [47,51].…”

Plant communities and habitat types in the protected area of Lake Pamvotis (Epirus, Northwestern Greece)

“…The Juniperus oxycedrus-Quercus coccifera stands were poor in species of the Quercetea pubescentis and are very weakly related to this class. However, it is widely accepted that the Juniperus oxycedrus-Quercus coccifera community, frequently reported from Greece (Raus, 1980;Karagiannakidou-Iatropoulou, 1983;Bergmeier, 1990;Chasapis et al, 2004;Fotiadis, 2004), belongs to the order Quercetalia pubescenti-petraeae, even though the presence of character species of the abovementioned syntaxa is often very limited. Figure 1).…”