# data[].attributes.headline
Business plan of a local voluntary organisation which aims to protect the local herpetofauna

# data[].attributes.subject
Business plan of a local voluntary organisation which aims to protect the local herpetofauna

# data[].attributes.body
In Greece like in all other European Union member-states, the complete amount of reptiles and amphibians has been put under arrangement of protection, since they play a vital part in obtaining and maintaining the balance of ecosystem.
Public attitudes about wildlife protection are changing and herpetofauna are a barometer of this change. More and more people accept native reptiles and amphibians as a valuable part of our natural heritage deserving full protection. Educated people appreciate the key environmental role herpetofauna play as critical links in the food chain of which all humans are part.
An organisation which aims to protect the herpetofauna should  strongly believe in education for children and therefore should develope special, educational programs for kids, schools and adults. Interactive programs lets children and adults come to understand the various threats herpetofauna has to face and what they themselves can do about it.

Topics like recycling, conservation, pollution and durability can be taught through different games and quizzes. School that joins that programs could get all the material used free of charge.

http://herpetofauna.gr/index.php?module=nomothesia&sid=86
https://books.google.gr/books?id=_44wDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA187&lpg=PA187&dq=herpetofauna+children&source=bl&ots=g8U-iQVAKy&sig=ACfU3U0pCms2hdPnhXWmNCTsWrm8cswbAg&hl=el&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiKiNSV2InhAhUPPFAKHccABrIQ6AEwCnoECAgQAQ#v=onepage&q=herpetofauna%20children&f=false

# data[].attributes.body
Madagascar is home to more than 300 species of reptiles of which more than 90 percent are endemic (36 of the 64 genera found on the island are also found nowhere else). Madagascar's reptile fauna includes lizards, snakes, turtles and tortoises, and crocodiles. Madagascar's reptiles are as unusual as they are unique. The island lacks pythons, which are found in nearby Africa and throughout Asia, along with front-fanged venomous snakes. Equally strange, Madagascar's iguanid lizards and boas have their closest relatives in South America. The uniqueness of the island's reptiles has resulted in widespread collecting for the exotic-pet trade. Some species of chameleons, geckos, and tortoises are threatened due to unsustainable collection.
An understanding of the conservation status of Madagascar’s endemic reptile species is needed to underpin
conservation planning and priority setting in this global biodiversity hotspot, and to complement existing information on
the island’s mammals, birds and amphibians.
Three scientific research priorities related to the conservation of Malagasy reptiles have been identified:
(1) Continued exploration of taxonomy and diversity of reptile
species. A large number of candidate species of reptiles have
already been identified, and many other nominal species are deeply subdivided genetically or
otherwise require taxonomic revision. It is important to
continue this work to gain a realistic view of Madagascar’s
reptile diversity and, consequently, its threat status;
(2) Assess the vulnerability of Malagasy reptiles to climate
change. It is important to determine whether the reported
upward elevational shift of Madagascar’s montane reptiles,
associated with regional climate warming, is a general
pattern in Madagascar’s massifs, and at what time scale such
climate change-driven factors might constitute an extinction
threat;
(3) Remedy the surprising lack of studies on the effects of logging
and forest degradation on reptiles, and on their diversity in
degraded and secondary habitats of Madagascar.
https://www.wildmadagascar.org/wildlife/reptiles.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264897010_Extinction_Risks_and_the_Conservation_of_Madagascar%27s_Reptiles

# data[].attributes.headline
Physiology and adaptation of Pelophylax ch. bedriagae

# data[].attributes.subject
Physiology and adaptation of Pelophylax ch. bedriagae

# data[].attributes.body
The Levant water frog (Pelophylax bedriagae), formerly belonging to the genus Rana, is a southern European species of frog. They are green to brown in color with dark blotches on their dorsal side. They are cousins of the aquatic frogs and live most of the time in the water. They are not poisonous and are quite large, especially the females.
Distribution in Greece: east Aegean islands close to Turkish coast, Lesvos, Samos, Ikaria, Kos, possibly on Lemnos and extreme eastern parts of Thrace.
Physiology : total length up to 15cm, usually less. Shows a wide variety of colors and patterns. A diurnal, shy frog that usually basks out of water. It will jump into the water when it feels threatened. It feeds mainly on invertebrates. It mates in spring and females lav in the water more than 10.000 eggs in total in clusters of a few hundred.
In the last three to four decades, Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae) have been introduced into several western European countries mainly for culinary purposes but also as ornamental animals for garden ponds. P. cf. bedriagae comprises several distinct evolutionary lineages that exhibit a high genotypic and phenotypic variability. A clear differentiation of P. cf. bedriagae from closely related water frog species, for example P. ridibundus and P. bedriagae, requires molecular tools. P. cf. bedriagae may influence native water frog populations ecologically as predators and disease vectors, or genetically by transmitting allochthonous genes into the endemic gene pool. Rapid dispersion of P. cf. bedriagae is documented for Belgium, France, Switzerland, and south-western Germany. As a consequence fundamental genetic changes of the native gene pools and a decrease of autochthonous water frogs can be expected.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Levant_water_frog
http://www.herpetofauna.gr/index.php?module=cats&page=read&id=223
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/109855

# data[].attributes.body
Climate is the fundamental factor that determines different stages of the organism life-cycle. It can severely alter habitats and food sources for animals, and ultimately, could have significant impacts on biodiversity of species and ecosystems around the world. Global climate change is often considered as one of the major factors causing biodiversity loss. Over the past 100 years, the global average temperature has increased by approximately 0.6°C and is projected to continue to rise at a rapid rate.
Observations of range boundary shifts are consistent with the hypothesis that climate contributes to, but is not the sole determinant of, the position of the range boundaries of the majority of terrestrial animal species.
After the last glacial cycle, temperate European trees migrated northward, experiencing genetic bottlenecks and founder effects, which left high haplotype endemism in southern populations and clines in genetic diversity northward. These patterns are thought to be ubiquitous across temperate forests, and are therefore used to anticipate the potential genetic consequences of future warming.
So, according to the above I do believe that the effect of climate change on organisms in Europe is a combination of several options.
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/impact-of-climate-change-on-biodiversity-loss-and-extinction-of-endemic-plants-of-arid-land-mountains-2332-2543.1000120.php?aid=23166
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ele.12853

# data[].attributes.headline
1st Habitat : Kalloni Bay Wetlands, Lesvos Island, Greece

# data[].attributes.subject
1st Habitat : Kalloni Bay Wetlands, Lesvos Island, Greece

# data[].attributes.body
The coastal Wetlands of Kalloni Bay are one of the most important ecologic assets of Lesvos. The coastal areas around the Bay constitute a unified ecosystem, as this area is a mosaic of salt marshes, estuaries of small rivers and streams, reeds, pine forests and olive groves. So these wetlands give natural shelter and a breeding place for many rare and endangered bird species.
Bay of Kalloni (Natura 2000) is very important for the bird migration. Many rare species of birds stop here during their migration (those who follow the eastern runway of Greece). Many species that belong to Annex 1 to Council Directive 409/79/EEC live here.
http://www.lesvosgeopark.gr/en/small-wetlands/

# data[].attributes.body
Coluber najadum dahlii
Natrix natrix persa
www.herpetofauna.gr

# data[].attributes.body
The coast of Kalloni bay constitutes an ecological network of wetlands. It has been incorporated into the European Network of protected areas Natura 2000 the list of CORINE biotopes, the list of important areas of avian fauna of Greece (SPPE), and the 20 national Ecological Hot Regions (Hotspots) for avian fauna. Anthropogenic pressures in the coastal area of Kalloni bay include: partial drainage of wetlands, fragmentation of biotopes, illegal construction in swamps, sand extraction, sewage and olive presses’ discharge in torrents, unauthorized disposal of solid waste, grazing, and illegal hunting.
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Location-of-the-five-studied-coastal-wetland-systems-of-Kalloni-bay-Lesvos-Island_fig1_237437123

# data[].attributes.headline
2nd Habitat : Geras bay and Dipi swamp, Lesvos Island, Greece

# data[].attributes.subject
2nd Habitat : Geras bay and Dipi swamp, Lesvos Island, Greece

# data[].attributes.body
The area is located in the SE part of the island. Geologically it consists of alluvial deposits (around Geras bay), marbles, schists, pyroxeno-peridotites and olivinites. The marine area covers 49% of the site. Mount Olympos (968 m) is covered by Castanea sativa and Pinus brutia forests whilst its summit is naked and rocky. On mount Olympos there are also arborescent forms of Quercus coccifera mixed with deciduous species such as Ρrunus sp., Acer cempervirum, Crataegus sp., etc. Between Agiasos and Megalochori there is comparatively small area covered by Pinus pallasiana ssp. nigra. Kolpos Geras is an inland bay communicating with the Aegean sea through a narrow channel. Its surface is 42 km2 and its maximum depth 20 m. Saltmarshes are formed alongside the coasts of the bay and especially at Ntipi, Larsos, Evreiaki, Charamida, etc.
https://filotis.itia.ntua.gr/biotopes/c/GR4110005/
http://www.lesvosgeopark.gr/en/natura-areas/

# data[].attributes.body
Testudo graeca ibera
Hyla arborea arborea
Natrix tessellata tessellata
www.herpetofauna.gr

# data[].attributes.body
The operation of olive-presses and of a tannery around Geras bay cause water-pollution. The marine habitats show a clear recovery after the reduction of chemical pollution .Illegal building, landfills, embankments and hunting are the major threats for Geras saltmarshes and its important avifauna. Mount Olympos fauna, flora and vegetation are threatened by man-induced fires and grazing.
https://filotis.itia.ntua.gr/biotopes/c/GR4110005/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the last three to four decades, Anatolian water frogs (Pelophylax cf. bedriagae) have been introduced into several western European countries...

# data[].attributes.headline
3rd Habitat : Dytiki Chersonisos-Petrified Forest, Lesvos Island, Greece

# data[].attributes.subject
3rd Habitat : Dytiki Chersonisos-Petrified Forest, Lesvos Island, Greece

# data[].attributes.body
The area is located in the western part of the island. The most proximate towns and villages are Sigri, Eresos, Antissa, Vatoussa, Pterounta, Chidira and Agra. Volcanic rocks are the main geological components, whilst marls, sandy or clayey tuffites as well as schists, conglomerates, slates and limestones also exist N of Sigri and NNW of Antissa (Hecht 1975). The vegetation of the area consists of phrygana (dominant species are Sarcopoterium spinosum, Centaurea spinosa, and Ballota acetabulosa) and of forests of Pinus brutia, Pinus pallasiana ssp. nigra and Quercus macrolepis. At the west part of Lesvos, among Chidira, Parakoilia and Agra there are riparian plant communities, along the banks of intermittently flowing streams, with Rhododendron luteum accompanied by Osmunda regalis, Nerium oleander, Pteridium aquilinum, Juncus sp., Platanus orientalis.
The Petrified Forest of Lesvos is one of the finest and rarest monuments of geological heritage worldwide. Created 20 million years ago, when volcanic materials covered and petrified the forest that was covering the area at that time. The Greek state recognizing the great environmental, geological and paleontological value of the Petrified Forest of Lesvos , declared  the area “a Protected  Natural Monument.
https://filotis.itia.ntua.gr/biotopes/c/GR4110003/
http://www.petrifiedforest.gr/the-petrified-forest/?lang=en

# data[].attributes.body
Climate, geological history, geographic position and the long human presence in the area are responsible for shaping the
particular features of Greek herpetofauna. Around 15% of the Greek herpetofauna comprises endemic species while 16%
represent the only European populations in their range.
Habitat degradation, environmental pollution, introduced
species and the non-stop, greedy development of tourism
(principal source of money for Greek economy) stress the
imperious need for conservation studies in the immediate
future. Though knowledge of species distribution is in satisfactory
level, the evaluation of populations’ status is still
very poor. Amphibian and fresh water turtle populations
are known to decrease as a consequence of water pollution
and the desiccation of water bodies. The problem is
much more intense in the islands because of tourism-related
activities (excessive withdrawal of groundwater and
construction projects on wetlands areas). Reptile populations
are threatened by wildfires that the last 10 years destroyed
a significant part of Greek forests and also, in the
case of small islets, by overgrazing. Greece hosts some
very important nesting beaches for Caretta caretta, endangered
as well by tourism and fishing. In order to protect
and maintain one of the richest European herpetofaunas
special conservation projects should be undertaken shortly
with the contribution of herpetologists from all fields.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260434338_A_brief_history_of_Greek_herpetology
https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/greece_s_biodiversity_at_risk_fact_sheet_may_2013.pdf

# data[].attributes.headline
Herpetofauna of Lesvos  Island-Complete list of reptiles and amphibians

# data[].attributes.subject
Herpetofauna of Lesvos  Island-Complete list of reptiles and amphibians

# data[].attributes.body
Amphibians
- Pelobates syriacus
- Bufo viridis
-Hyla arborea
-Pelophylax bedriagae
Reptiles
List in the photo below
http://lesvosbirding.com/wildlife/reptiles/

# data[].attributes.headline
Species of herpetofauna in Dytiki Chersonisos

# data[].attributes.subject
Species of herpetofauna in Dytiki Chersonisos

# data[].attributes.body
Vipera xanthina
Pelobates syriacus balcanicus
Lacerta trilineata cariensis
Agama stellio daani
www.herpetofauna.gr/

# data[].attributes.body
www.herpetofauna.gr/

# data[].attributes.headline
Physiology and adaptation of Testudo graeca

# data[].attributes.subject
Physiology and adaptation of Testudo graeca

# data[].attributes.body
The Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca), also known commonly as the spur-thighed tortoise is a species of tortoise in the family Testudinidae. Testudo graeca is one of five species of Mediterranean tortoises. The Greek tortoise is a very long-lived animal, achieving a lifespan of upwards of 125 years, with some unverified reports of up to 200 years.  The Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca ibera) is often confused with Hermann's tortoise (Testudo hermanni ). However, notable differences enable them to be distinguished.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greek_tortoise

# data[].attributes.headline
Location and pressures in Dytiki Chersonisos

# data[].attributes.subject
Location and pressures in Dytiki Chersonisos

# data[].attributes.body
Although the petrified forest is protected by law and the violators are charged with penalties, damages are frequent as fossils are scattered in a considerably large area, and surveillance and protection are difficult. Pinus nigra, Quercus macrolepis and Pinus brutia forests are threatened by repeated man-induced fire and intense grazing (over-grazing).
https://filotis.itia.ntua.gr/biotopes/c/GR4110003/

# data[].attributes.body
The climate of Greece is Mediterranean with mild, rainy winters, relatively warm and dry summers and plenty of sunshine throughout most of the year. Various regions of Greece are characterized by a great variety of climate subtypes, always within the Mediterranean climate. This is mainly due to the topography of the
country which has great elevation differences as there are high mountains along the central country. This fact causes significant climatic differences. For example,
Eastern Greece has dry climate conditions whereas Northern and Western part of the country is quite humid. It is a fact that big climatic differences still occur in places that are a short distance apart. This creates a special and unique area of
interest appearing rarely even in a global scale. Climate change is recognized as an additional threat to biodiversity, both in terms of
the habitats and the ability of species to survive. It is obvious that due to the special landscape of Greece and because of its geographical location, ecosystems of the country would be substantially affected by the constant increase in the average
temperature, the more frequent occurrence of extreme weather events, by the changes in precipitation and by the potential reduction of the quantities of available water. Climate change will have significant negative impacts on several sectors in Greece, with agriculture, forestry, fisheries, tourism, transport, coastal activities and the urban built environmental expected to be affected by the rise in temperature,
drought, extreme weather events and sea level rise. These impacts will lead to reduced productivity, loss of capital and additional expenditure for damage repair.
Negative impacts will also affect biodiversity, ecosystems and health.
Also, climate change will disrupt ecosystems due to the invasion of new species. This problem has already been detected especially in marine and terrestrial
ecosystems. This paper deals with the climate change impacts on the biodiversity of ecosystems and it presents a spatio-temporal analysis and recording of the invasion of alien invasive species in the flora and fauna of the Greek territory.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321011261_The_Impact_of_Climate_Change_on_Biodiversity_The_Ecological_Consequences_of_Introduced_Species_in_Greece

# data[].attributes.body
The giant tortoise Cheirogaster, one of the largest tortoises of the world and the last of its kind in Europe. Vatera is a Late Pliocene (~2Ma) locality in the southern part of Lesvos Island, Greece, in which a mainland fauna of large vertebrates has been found and systematically excavated. The fauna is composed of the typical European mammals of that time. In addition, the remains of a rare species of macaque and a species of a giant tortoise(Cheirogaster) were also discovered.
Selection for gigantism in tortoises is often attributed to “island-effects” including absence of predators/competing herbivores, simple eco-community structure, and seasonally intermittent food supplies. Contrastingly, however, the occurrence of collosal Cheirogaster remains in the Mytilinii and Vatera formations indicates that peak body sizes were historically more pronounced in mainland taxa. The simultaneous appearance of the most massive Greek Cheirogaster specimens (inferred carapace length of ∼2 m) with other equally gigantic tortoises in Africa and Asia could therefore have been prompted by other factors such as the onset of widespread climatic cooling/drying during the Late Miocene-Late Pliocene; the increased body-size conferring an advantage for maintaining higher metabolic activity (through inertial homeothermy) and/or reflecting a dietary shift towards greater consumption of C₄ vegetation (necessitating a voluminous fermentative gut), which dominated concomitantly spreading savannah grasslands throughout Mediterranean Europe
http://natuurtijdschriften.nl/download?type=document&docid=523539
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016699513000430
https://bmcevolbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2148-9-82

# data[].attributes.body
www.herpetofauna.gr/

# data[].attributes.headline
Natural History collection Vrisa, Lesvos Island

# data[].attributes.subject
Natural History collection Vrisa, Lesvos Island

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Natural History Collection of Vrisa - Wikimapia

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Natural History Collection of Vrisa Tel: 22520 61890

# data[].attributes.body
One of the most renowned geological monuments in the Aegean area, the Lesvos Petriﬁed Forest, which covers a large part of western Lesvos Island in Greece, has been providing information on the Early Miocene subtropical ﬂora of the Aegean–Anatolian area for many decades. In addition, a large number of microfossils, including gastropods and isolated elements of ﬁsh, amphibians, reptiles and micromammals, were located in a thin layer of blackish-brown marls exposed near the village of Lapsarna.
Mioproteus sp. is an extinct genus of prehistoric salamanders from Neogene Europe. Its living relatives are the olm and the mudpuppies.
The morphology of the elongated, robust andwell-ossiﬁed vertebrae from Lapsarna is reminiscent of the genus Mioproteus, originally described from the Miocene of the Caucasus region  and since then also found in the Miocene of the Czech Republic and Germany, as well as in the Pliocene of Poland and France. However, in the absence of complete diagnostic material (e.g. vertebrae with robust posterior basapophyses), we can only tentatively assign the Lesvos salamandrid to this genus.

http://www.academia.edu/35218115/Early_Miocene_gastropod_and_ectothermic_vertebrate_remains_from_the_Lesvos_Petrified_Forest_Greece
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0153834

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.lesvosmuseum.gr/site/home/ws.csp?loc=en_US

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Μουσείο Φυσικής Ιστορίας Απολιθωμένου Δάσους Λέσβου / Main page

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest

# data[].attributes.body
http://www.podarcis.nl/Podarcis/ArticlesFirstSeriesUK/PodarcisUK_141.pdf

# data[].attributes.body
Amphibians and reptiles are particularly sensitive to temperature and moisture conditions. Our world working group is working on what might be done at local scales to forestall effects of climate variation. As scenarios of variable climate conditions unfold, species at the limits of their environmental tolerances will be especially at risk. In addition to predicting effects of altered climates on herpetofauna, management alternatives need to be designed to ensure habitat quality and connectivity. Vulnerabilities will need to be assessed.
https://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/lwm/aem/news/climate_change_and_herpetofauna.html

# data[].attributes.headline
Reptiles and amphibians on the Greek Island of Lesbos

# data[].attributes.subject
Reptiles and amphibians on the Greek Island of Lesbos

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Reptiles and amphibians on the Greek Island of Lesbos