# data[].attributes.body
Your BioArea is looking excellent!

# data[].attributes.body
Comparing Bioareas I was really enthusiastic about finding out so much information about different places around the world as well as having further insight about my area as well. Other learners have also mentioned the protected natural areas of Greece and even if they posted for different bioareas the threats that each faces are very similar. Also everyone did their best in providing multiple media sources to support their findings. However one difference is that not all of them have completed their Bioarea yet and they do not always cite their findings.

# data[].attributes.body
As a Reptilian fan I find the case of P. sicula fascinating as this species seems to be able to expand its range to the whole Mediterranean basin posing a big threat to the local Herpetofauna and it's not yet known how is it able to adapt so well. The case of Faliro is another example of its rapid expansion and thank you for informing me on that.
I like how you've done an extensive research on everything you are presenting, almost all of your data are backed up by published scientific papers. Well done on that!
As a personal whim I'd like to see more data on unique cases of rare or endemic reptile species, as Greece has quite a lot of them. I'm sure though that this was not the primary focus of your work
All in all I think
Your BioArea is looking excellent!

# data[].attributes.body
Deterministic climate model simulations (Christensen et al., 2007; De'que et al., 2007) project warming for the eastern Mediterranean, that is largest in the summer, and decrease in the total precipitation and the number of rainy days. In terms of extremes, an increased number of heatwaves is very likely (Diffenbaugh et al., 2007; Tolika et al., 2009), whereas extreme precipitation does not show any coherent sign among models. Further, interannual temperature variability is likely to increase in summer (Vidale et al., 2007). Although generally climate models have been more successful in simulating temperature extremes than precipitation extremes (eg., Kiktev et al., 2003) due to the better representation of the physical processes involved, it appears that projected extremes are mainly a further amplification of the historical extremes analyzed in this work. Such conditions are associated with increased drought and fire risk in the summer with severe consequences for the economy of the region.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
If you are a RMetS member click here for instructions on how to access all RMetS journal content

# data[].attributes.headline
Alien species invasion in Attica, Podarcis siculus

# data[].attributes.subject
Alien species invasion in Attica, Podarcis siculus

# data[].attributes.body
As P. siculus settles new populations, there is strong evidence that it competes with native lacertids.
http://fupress.net/index.php/ah/article/viewFile/18075/18596

# data[].attributes.body
Greek Red Damsel <CR>
Pyrrhosoma elisabethae
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/60274/12319009

# data[].attributes.body
Parnassos Greek Bush-cricket <CR>

Parnassiana parnassica

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/68450303/70624784

# data[].attributes.body
Endangered animals such as chameleons and other reptiles, but also songbirds (goldfinches, blackcaps and siskins) often fall victims to poachers. The birds are often used for  entertainment or even for consumption.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Wildlife poaching on the Aegean Islands and in other areas of Greece is a very serious environmental crime which Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation wants to put an end to. Endangered animals such as chameleons and other reptiles, but also songbirds (goldfinches, blackcaps and siskins) often fall victims to poachers. The birds are often used for entertainment or even for consumption.

The cruel practice of removing wild animals from their natural environment, containing them in tiny enclosures, selling them on the black market or keeping them for entertainment is an ongoing problem. However, local communities have begun to cooperate with Archipelagos to catch the perpetrators of these illegal activities.

Through the efforts of Archipelagos and with invaluable help from the local communities, we have been able to investigate incidents of wildlife poaching and cooperate with the local authorities in order to prosecute the perpetrators.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Wildlife poaching on the Aegean Islands and in other areas of Greece is a very serious environmental crime which Archipelagos Institute of Marine Conservation wants to put an end to. Endangered animals such as chameleons and other reptiles, but also songbirds (goldfinches, blackcaps and siskins) often fall victims to poachers.

# data[].attributes.headline
The effects of fire and mechanical habitat destruction on survival of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in northern Greece

# data[].attributes.subject
The effects of fire and mechanical habitat destruction on survival of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in northern Greece

# data[].attributes.body
The impact of fire and mechanical habitat destruction on a population of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in northern Greece varied with vegetation type and season. A major fire in summer 1980 caused low (<5%) mortality of sexable tortoises (>10 cm) in coastal heath, highest (about 50%) mortality in grassland, and intermediate levels in dry heath. Mechanical habitat destruction caused about 50% mortality in affected areas. Mortality of juveniles was greater than that of sexable animals. Overall, the 1980 catastrophe was more damaging than previously thought, causing a 64% decrease in the total size of the Alyki main heath population. A localized summer fire in 1986 caused a similar level and pattern of mortality to that of 1980, but a spring fire in 1988 had little effect on the tortoise population. A fire and mechanical habitat destruction in winter 1989/90 caused only a 14% decrease in population size; mortality was again concentrated in grassland areas, but affected juveniles and sexable animals equally. Variation of mortality with season suggests that any burning needed for habitat management at tortoise sites should occur in winter or early spring. Juveniles were undersampled by 3–4 times compared to sexable animals; their number increased greatly by 1990, reaching the same proportion as in the original population. There was, however, no recovery in the number of sexable tortoises in the decade after the 1980 catastrophe.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
JavaScript is disabled on your browser. Please enable JavaScript to use all the features on this page.

Abstract

The impact of fire and mechanical habitat destruction on a population of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in northern Greece varied with vegetation type and season. A major fire in summer 1980 caused low (<5%) mortality of sexable tortoises (>10 cm) in coastal heath, highest (about 50%) mortality in grassland, and intermediate levels in dry heath. Mechanical habitat destruction caused about 50% mortality in affected areas. Mortality of juveniles was greater than that of sexable animals. Overall, the 1980 catastrophe was more damaging than previously thought, causing a 64% decrease in the total size of the Alyki main heath population. A localized summer fire in 1986 caused a similar level and pattern of mortality to that of 1980, but a spring fire in 1988 had little effect on the tortoise population. A fire and mechanical habitat destruction in winter 1989/90 caused only a 14% decrease in population size; mortality was again concentrated in grassland areas, but affected juveniles and sexable animals equally. Variation of mortality with season suggests that any burning needed for habitat management at tortoise sites should occur in winter or early spring. Juveniles were undersampled by 3-4 times compared to sexable animals; their number increased greatly by 1990, reaching the same proportion as in the original population. There was, however, no recovery in the number of sexable tortoises in the decade after the 1980 catastrophe.

View full text

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The effects of fire and mechanical habitat destruction on survival of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in northern Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
JavaScript is disabled on your browser. Please enable JavaScript to use all the features on this page. The impact of fire and mechanical habitat destruction on a population of the tortoise Testudo hermanni in northern Greece varied with vegetation type and season.

# data[].attributes.body
For the first time Ceratothoa parallela (Otto, 1828), a cymothoid isopod, is reported parasitizing cage-cultured gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata, in Greece. The specimens observed are larvae (Pullus secundus). They were found in the branchial and buccal cavity of young gilthead sea bream of 2 g mean body weight, upon introduction in the cages in an intensive cage farm facility. The species was previously known from several species of wild fish, particularly Sparidae (chiefly Boops boops) in the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea and Atlantic Ocean.
https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/dao/v45/n3/p237-239/

# data[].attributes.body
Risso's dolphin had the shallowest and the more spatially restricted principal habitat, mainly located on the upper part of the continental slope (640 m mean depth). With a wider principal habitat, at 1750 m depth in average, the sperm whale used a deeper part of the slope as well as the closest offshore waters. Finally, the pilot whale has the most oceanic habitat (2500 m mean depth) mainly located in the central Ligurian Sea and Provencal basin.

# data[].attributes.headline
Athene noctua & Tyto alba sharing food niche

# data[].attributes.subject
Athene noctua & Tyto alba sharing food niche

# data[].attributes.body
In the area investigated there was a high food niche-overlap level calculated (91 %) between the two synanthropic owl species. One way to coexist is the following: The diet of Athene  noctua in the region during winter period was about two times more various than this one of Tyto alba

# data[].attributes.body
ticks on mammals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Ticks represent a major threat to domestic and wild animals worldwide due to blood depletion, inoculation of toxins and allergens and, importantly, pathogen transmission []. A range of viruses, bacteria and protozoa causing tick-borne diseases (TBDs) induces economic losses in livestock production [] and puts at risk the health of companion animals [, ]. In addition, several tick-borne pathogens are of zoonotic concern and their transmission to humans is related to a number of driving factors, including the presence of proper vectors and hosts [-]. The distribution of ticks and their vectored pathogens is affected by a plethora of biological and environmental determinants, including climate changes, deforestation, and urbanisation, which may together favour the spreading and establishment of selected vectors into previously free areas [-]. The scientific knowledge on the ecology of different tick species becomes, therefore, pivotal to assess the risk factors for pathogen transmission.

The Mediterranean basin provides an optimal environment for the development of a number of tick species [-]. In Greece, for instance, a range of ixodid species has been reported in domestic animals and humans, including Rhipicephalus sanguineus ( sensu lato), Rhipicephalus turanicus, Rhipicephalus bursa, Hyalomma marginatum, Hyalomma rufipes, Hyalomma turanicum, Hyalomma excavatum, Hyalomma scupense, Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes gibbosus, Ixodes hexagonus, Haemaphysalis inermis, Haemaphysalis punctata, Haemaphysalis sulcata, Haemaphysalis parva, Dermacentor marginatus and Amblyomma variegatum [-].

While most of the studies carried out have focused their attention on the ixodid fauna of livestock, only a few have been performed on dogs, mainly in the northern part of the Greek peninsula [, ]. Accordingly, selected canine tick-borne pathogens (e.g. Hepatozoon canis, Anaplasma spp., Rickettsia spp. and Cercopithifilaria spp.) have also been detected [-], although there is no clear association between tick species and their pathogens.

In order to fill this gap in knowledge, this study aimed to investigate the distribution of hard ticks and carried pathogens in dogs living under different conditions across Greece.

Tick collection and identification

All ticks were preserved in 70% ethanol and categorised according to their gender and developing stages. Specimens were morphologically identified at species level using morphological keys [, , ].

Pathogen molecular diagnosis

Genomic DNA was extracted from a representative number of tick specimens, according to their species, engorgement status and sampling area. Ticks were cut into small pieces using sterile scalpels, homogenized in 300 μl of DNA extraction buffer (20 mM Tris-HCl pH 8; 100 mM EDTA and 1% SDS, 400 μg proteinase K), and incubated overnight at 37 °C. Protein was precipitated using 50 μl of 5 M potassium acetate, before samples were stored on ice for 10 min and centrifuged at 13,000× g for 5 min. The DNA pellet was precipitated using 300 μl of 100% isopropanol followed by centrifugation at 13,000× g for 5 min and a final wash with 300 μl of 70% ethanol and centrifugation at 13,000× g for 5 min. Pellets were air dried and resuspended in 50 μl TE (10 mM Tris-HCl, 1 mM EDTA pH 8).

Target sequences of Anaplasma/ Ehrlichia spp., Babesia/ Theileria spp. and Rickettsia spp. were detected by quantitative real-time PCR assays (qPCR), as described previously [-]. In addition, DNA of canine filarioids and Hepatozoon spp. was detected by conventional PCR amplification of partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 ( cox 1, 690 bp) and 18S rRNA (~670 bp) genes, respectively, using primers and cycling protocols described previously [, ].

PCR products were examined on 2% agarose gels stained with GelRed (VWR International PBI, Milano, Italy) and visualised on a GelLogic 100 gel documentation system (Kodak, New York, USA). The amplicons were purified and sequenced in both directions using the same primers used for PCR and qPCR, employing the Big Dye Terminator v.3.1 chemistry in a 3130 genetic analyser (Applied Biosystems, California, USA). Sequences were aligned using the ClustalW program [] and compared with those available in GenBank by Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST - http://blast.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Blast.cgi ).

Statistical analysis

Prevalence (proportion of hosts infested by ticks and of tick species positive for a given pathogen) and tick infestation burden (arithmetic mean count of ticks on each infested hosts) were assessed. For prevalence rates > 5%, Fisher's exact test was used to compare the prevalence of infection among sampling areas, and among dog keeping conditions. Differences were considered significant when P <0.05. Statistical analyses were performed using BioEstat 5.0.

Of the 310 dogs examined, 150 (48.4%) harboured ticks, with the infestation prevalence varying according to sampling sites and dog keeping conditions (Table ). Out of 757 ticks collected, 374 (49.4%) were adults (i.e. 230 females and 144 males), 355 (46.9%) nymphs and 28 (3.7%) larvae.

Though not statistically significant ( P > 0.05), the tick burden varied according to dog type (i.e. dogs sheltered in temporary kennels or living in rural areas were more often infested than those referred to private veterinary clinics or housed indoor) and the sampling sites. Dogs from site D (northern Greece) harboured more ticks than those from sites B and C (southern and central Greece) (Table ). While R. sanguineus ( s. l.) was found in all the sampling areas, R. turanicus and H. parva were not detected in site C and sites A, B or D, respectively (Table ). Specimens of I. ricinus, H. scupense and R. bursa were found only in northern regions (Fig. , Table ). Rhipicephalus sanguineus ( s. l.), R. turanicus, R. bursa and H. scupense were thoroughly collected from dogs living in rural areas, municipal shelter, and referred to private clinics, whereas Haemaphysalis spp. were mainly found on animals from temporary kennels (Table ).

Out of 344 specimens analysed, 41 (11.1%) were positive for at least one microorganism based on PCR (Table ), with the largest number of positives being detected in the northern regions (Fig. ). Nineteen ticks (5.5%; nine females, two larvae, and eight nymphs) were positive for Cercopithifilaria bainae, 10 (2.9%; two males, four females, one larva, and three nymphs) for H. canis and six (1.7%; one male and five females) for Rickettsia hoogstraalii. Other microorganisms were detected less frequently, such as Hepatozoon felis (1.2%; one male, one female, and two nymphs), Rickettsia massiliae (0.6%; one larva and one nymph), Theileria ovis (0.6%; two males), A. platys (0.3%; one nymph) and for a Coxiella-like-endosymbiont (0.3%; one female) (Table , Fig. ). Co-infections with multiple microorganisms were detected in six specimens. In particular, C. bainae was detected in combination with H. felis or H. canis or R. massiliae in R. sanguineus ( s. l.), and with H. canis in R. turanicus. Rickettsia hoogstraalii was simultaneously diagnosed with H. felis or H. canis and C. bainae in H. parva. Associations between tick developmental stages, dog lifestyles, collection site and microorganisms are reported in Table , and none of the parameters evaluated was statistically significant ( P > 0.05).

BLAST analysis confirmed the identification of the detected microorganisms with the highest nucleotide identity of 98-100% with the sequences available in the GenBank database (Accession numbers: KF270686, AJ537512, KC138534, KJ605146, KJ605147, EF201806, KX273858, KJ663754, EF629536).

Data from this study indicate that dogs from Greece are exposed to different tick species and, potentially, to several tick-borne pathogens, whose occurrence is not strictly influenced by the conditions in which dogs live. Nonetheless, the finding of a higher tick burden in animals from kennels, rural areas or municipal shelters compared to those kept indoor is presumably related to the frequency of treatment against ectoparasites, which is performed more frequently in pet than in shepherd or kennelled dogs [].

Overall, the collection of different tick species in each of the geographical areas confirms the existence of a marked ixodid diversity in the Greek peninsula [, , ] with a higher number of ticks sampled in northern areas bordering continental Europe (i.e. Macedonia, Turkey and Albania) [, , ] than southern regions [, ].

Rhipicephalus sanguineus ( s. l.) was the most prevalent species throughout Greece, most likely due to its strict affiliation to canids [], and/or its ability to survive in a large array of environmental conditions [, , -]. Conversely, the finding of R. turanicus on dogs is probably related to its adaptability to several vertebrate animals, including goats and sheep [], which have a major role in the economy of this country. Along with R. bursa and H. scupense, R. turanicus can often be detected on livestock in the northern regions of Greece [], where they often parasitize dogs []. Haemaphysalis parva and H. concinna usually parasitize birds as larvae and nymphs, and herbivores as adults []. Finding these species on dogs was likely due to the location of animal shelters, close to forested, meadow and rural habitats [].

Amongst the microorganisms detected, the filarioid C. bainae was the most common, being found in R. sanguineus ( s. l.), as previously reported []. The detection of C. bainae in H. parva probably occurred during the ingestion of skin-dwelling microfilariae during the tick blood meal. Nonetheless, considering that the same tick species was found positive for H. canis and H. felis, its implication as a vector for these pathogens cannot be ruled out. Though H. felis has been detected in R. sanguineus ( s. l.) [, ], the vector of this protozoon remains unknown, whereas H. canis has been so far been detected in a number of other tick species, including Haemphysalis spp. and R. turanicus [, ]. In the current study, H. parva specimens were positive for R. hoogstraalii, adding new scientific information to knowledge on this Rickettsia species. Rickettsia hoogstraalii was originally isolated from H. sulcata from sheep and goats in Croatia [], H. punctata and H. sulcata from Spain [] and, in the same tick species from foxes in Cyprus []. Rickettsia massiliae was here found in R. sanguineus ( s. l.) and R. turanicus collected from dogs living in municipal shelters in northern Greece, close to the Turkish boundaries. This finding is not surprising when considering that the transstadial and transovarial transmission of R. massiliae has been described in both Rhipicephalus species []. Besides the current report, R. massiliae has been detected in R. sanguineus ( s. l.) and R. turanicus from Greece and other countries (e.g. Spain, Portugal, Switzerland, France, Algeria, Morocco, Israel and Italy) [, ], as well as in Rhipicephalus mushamae, Rhipicephalus lunulatus, Rhipicephalus sulcatus and Rhipicephalus guilhoni [, ].

Remarkably, R. massiliae has not yet been isolated from humans in Greece, but its detection in Rhipicephalus spp. ticks suggest that the risk for human infections is probably underestimated [, ]. The absence of E. canis and Babesia vogeli positive ticks in this study was surprising as both pathogens are transmitted by R. sanguineus ( s. l.) ticks [, ], and could be explained by their transitory parasitaemia and by the number of ticks examined.

The results of this study show that different tick species parasitize dogs in Greece, carrying a range of microorganisms potentially pathogenic for dogs and humans. As such, control strategies against ticks are of great importance to prevent the risk of TBDs.

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Funding

This study was conducted under the frame of the EurNegVec COST Action TD1303 and supported by Merial SAS (France).

Availability of data and materials

All data supporting the conclusions of this article are included within the article.

Authors' contributions

EP and DO conceived the study. AG and AA performed the morphological identification of ticks. MSL, AA, GA, SR and GC performed the molecular identification of pathogens. MSL, AG and DO wrote the first draft of the manuscript. FDT, LH, EP and FB reviewed the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interest.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Ethics approval

Informed consent and agreement were obtained from dog owners or veterinarians before sampling ticks. The examination of animals was conducted with regards to their welfare.

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Open AccessThis article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver ( http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/ ) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Ticks and associated pathogens in dogs from Greece

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
With the aim to assess the occurrence of hard ticks and the pathogens they may carry in dogs from Greece, ixodid specimens (n = 757) were collected from 310 animals living in six provinces across the Greek peninsula. All ticks were morphologically identified, and genomic DNA was extracted from 344 (45.5%) representative specimens, according to their species, engorgement status and sampling area.

# data[].attributes.body
Wolf predating deer in mount Parnitha

# data[].attributes.headline
Santorini, Greece. The eruption of Santorini in Greece in 1,650 B.C. was one of the largest (VEI=6) in the last 10,000 years.

# data[].attributes.subject
Santorini, Greece. The eruption of Santorini in Greece in 1,650 B.C. was one of the largest (VEI=6) in the last 10,000 years.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Santorini: Volcano History | Σαντορίνη: Ιστορία του Ηφαιστείου

# data[].attributes.body
Protected areas are the jewels of Greek nature and are provided for in Greek, European and international legislation. They create a safety net for our country’s biodiversity and are, perhaps, its last refuge.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
περιβαλλοντική εκπαίδευση

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Designating an area as protected is only the first step to protecting these valuable cradles of biodiversity. An integrated and functional national protected areas system that ensures their protection, management and safeguarding is necessary, and such a system should be part of an overall nature conservation system.

# data[].attributes.body
Greece’s main environmental problems are industrial smog and automobile exhaust fumes in Athens; over half of all industry is located in the greater Athens area. Marine and freshwater pollution are a significant problem due to industrial pollutants and agricultural run-off such as fertilizers, pesticides and sewage. Overfishing and deforestation are other issues threatening Greece’s environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Much of Greece is mountainous and rocky terrain, with the occasional plain. The Pindus Mountains start in northern Greece and stretch south to the Gulf of Patra. In the southern part of Greece are the Peloponnesus Mountains. About 20% of Greece is made up of thousands of islands in the Ionian Sea to the west, the Aegean Sea to the east and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

Whales, dolphins, seals, sea turtles and numerous fish species are found within Greek waters. On land, small populations of bear wolf, wildcat, jackal and chamois are still found in sparsely populated areas.

Greece's main environmental problems are industrial smog and automobile exhaust fumes in Athens; over half of all industry is located in the greater Athens area. Marine and freshwater pollution are a significant problem due to industrial pollutants and agricultural run-off such as fertilizers, pesticides and sewage. Overfishing and deforestation are other issues threatening Greece's environment.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Much of Greece is mountainous and rocky terrain, with the occasional plain. The Pindus Mountains start in northern Greece and stretch south to the Gulf of Patra. In the southern part of Greece are the Peloponnesus Mountains.

# data[].attributes.body
The Mediterranean Basin (MB) is home to a tremendous diversity of habitats and species. IUCN has designated the region as a biodiversity hotspot, because of its rich biodiversity and its threatened status. The MB has high levels of plant diversity and endemism but relatively poor representation of mammals and birds compared to other similar biodiversity hotspots. The mammal and bird faunas are largely derived from extra-Mediterranean biogeographical zones, with Eurasian and African elements dominating the mammal fauna, whereas Eurasian and semi-arid southern elements dominate the avifauna. The reptile and amphibian faunas comprise mainly of Mediterranean species and have higher levels of endemism. There are now roughly 400 million people living in the Mediterranean Basin and their environmental impact on ecosystems and biodiversity species is very important. Water shortages and desertification are serious problems in most Mediterranean countries. Also, rapid population growth and the spread of mechanized agriculture have driven the replacement of biodiversity-friendly means of cultivation with more intensive land management systems. Many existing and proposed protected areas suffer from pollution and water shortages. The establishment of biosphere reserves, which allow for the sustainable use of land and resources, has proved successful in some areas where state authorities recognize their value. In the last decades, Mediterranean countries have recognized the imperative need for biodiversity preservation and ecosystems balance, in order to avoid the severe consequences of biodiversity loss. This is clearly reflected in the fact that most countries within the Mediterranean region are contracting parties to major international/regional conventions, agreements and legislative frameworks that deal with or are closely related to biodiversity issues.

# data[].attributes.headline
Search online for biotic and abiotic characteristics of your BioArea. Does your BioArea belong to a biodiversity hotspot area? Does it contain endemic species? Can you find evidence of damaging human activities? Are there areas currently under protection from human presence and/or activities? Does it contain volcanoes or mountains? If so, look for approx. age and formation processes.

# data[].attributes.subject
Search online for biotic and abiotic characteristics of your BioArea. Does your BioArea belong to a biodiversity hotspot area? Does it contain endemic species? Can you find evidence of damaging human activities? Are there areas currently under protection from human presence and/or activities? Does it contain volcanoes or mountains? If so, look for approx. age and formation processes.