Konstantina's BioArea GR by

Patterns and traits of the endemic plants of Greece

konstantina_len — 2019-01-16 21:53:58 UTC

Greece is characterized by high plant diversity (5800 species) and endemism (15.6%). This study attempts a first overall assessment of the taxonomy, distribution, traits and conservation status of the Greek endemic plants.

Pelophylax cretensis (Cretan Frog)

konstantina_len — 2019-01-16 22:04:09 UTC

Pelophylax cretensis is endemic to Greece. It occurs in the island of Crete, where it exhibits a highly fragmented distribution. Climate alterations and human activities are amongst the major threats to local populations.

"LIFE Natura2000Value Crete" Documentary

konstantina_len — 2019-01-16 22:19:20 UTC

This documentary was carried out by the University of Crete - Natural History Museum of Crete (MIC) under the LIFE Natura 2000 Value Crete project: "Ecological services, social benefits and economic value of ecosystem services in Natura 2000 sites in Crete" LIFE13 INF / GR / 000188).

Protected areas natura 2000 in Western Greece

konstantina_len — 2019-01-16 22:20:17 UTC

The region of Western Greece, a place of unrivalled beauty, includes three National Parks.

STEP 1. ACTIVATE YOUR PRIOR KNOWLEDGE - assess the problem

konstantina_len — 2019-01-19 17:22:58 UTC

Answering which I find the most possible reason for the decision to reintroduce grey wolves into the National Park.

Second parasitic organism: Seiridium cardinale

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 20:38:22 UTC

Seiridium cardinale is a micro-fungus that causes a lethal canker disease on cypress and other related conifers.

First parasitic organism: Candidatus Phytoplasma solani (Stolbur phytoplasma)

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 20:49:16 UTC

Phytoplasmas are cell-wall-less plant pathogenic bacteria of the class Mollicutes, which inhabit the phloem sieve tubes of plants and have been associated with several hundred diseases affecting economically important crops. Over the past few decades ‘CandidatusPhytoplasma solani’, belonging to the 16SrXII-A ribosomal subgroup, has been found to cause a range of plant diseases in different agro-ecosystems in many countries in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean area and a number of others all over the world. It is thought likely that it has always been present, at least in its European range, but has only been noticed in recent years. Diseases caused include bois noir in grapevines, stolbur in tomatoes, potatoes and other wild and cultivated plants, maize redness, lavender decline, and yellowing, reddening, decline, dwarfism, leaf malformation and degeneration diseases of other plants. 'Ca. P. solani’ is usually transmitted from plant to plant by the polyphagous insect vector Hyalesthes obsoletus (Cixiidae) which, although it can complete its life cycle on only a small number of plant species, feeds on a much wider range. Recent studies have demonstrated the presence of additional insect vectors of this phytoplasma in Europe, such as Reptalus panzeri in Serbia, possibly R. quinquecostatus in Serbia and France, and Anaceratagallia ribauti in Austria. This scenario highlights the extreme complexity of the ecology of both ‘Ca. Phytoplasma solani’ and its insect vectors, underlying the difficulty in studying the epidemiology of diseases associated with this pathogen and in developing efficient control strategies. ‘Ca. Phytoplasma solani’ is also transmitted by parasitic plants and by grafting and vegetative propagation of infected host plants; it can be spread when host plants are transported by people. In the European Union it is listed as a harmful organism necessitating restrictions on the import of plants in the family Solanaceae.

Predator-prey: The diet of barn owl in the agricultural landscapes of central Greece

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 20:54:27 UTC

The diet of the barn owl from three localities in Thessaly, Central Greece, was studied in the breeding and non breeding seasons over one year. A total of 420 pellets with 1.013 prey items were analyzed. Twelve small mammalian species were taken (94.9% by number and 96.1% by biomass), although Mus domesticus (26.3%), Crocidura spp. (25.3%) and Apodemus spp. (18.4%) were the main species predated by number. Rats (Rattus spp.), showed the highest frequency (11%) and biomass percentages observed to date in Greece, and their presence in the barn owl diet is also among the highest in the Mediterranean Europe. Birds (Passer spp. and Carduelis spp.) and insects (Acrididae) were also present (3.9% and 1.2%, respectively). Ecological niche values, seasonal and geographical differences were tested, the results pointing to the opportunistic feeding behavior of the barn owl in the croplands of central Greece.

Predator-prey: Factors affecting the diet of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in a heterogeneous Mediterranean landscape

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 21:00:03 UTC

Mammals, arthropods and plants were the most important trophic groups in the diet, and particularly the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) which was consumed significantly more within hunting areas (Bontzorlos, Bakaloudis, Peris, Vlachos, 2015)

Strix aluco-Ecological niche

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 22:53:40 UTC

The primary habitat of this species is broad-leaved forest, however it adapts well to man-made and altered habitats. It is found in urban areas, clear-felled areas and intensive agricultures. In woodland habitats it inhabits mixed conifer and broad-leaved forests, sub-alpine conifer forest and conifer plantations (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997).

Neophron percnopterus-Ecological niche

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 22:59:52 UTC

HABITAT AND ECOLOGY

Rocky areas (eg. inland cliffs, mountain peaks), Wetlands (inland), Grassland, Shrubland, Savanna, Artificial/Terrestrial

Competitive relationships between bird species

konstantina_len — 2019-02-10 23:12:52 UTC

Parula Warblers and other species during breeding season

Simplified trophic pyramid

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:04:10 UTC

Step 3: Create

Invasive species-Step 3

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:29:23 UTC

The insect Rhynchophorus ferrugineus The destroyer of the palm tree. The females give birth to more than 200 eggs inside the palm, which are hatched in small caterpillars, begin to eat inside the palm, creating large tunnels, thus drying up the tree. Most have seen the dead palm trees standing with the leaves dyed. A problem that threatens particularly important palm groves in Crete.

Species of my BioArea that appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:38:12 UTC

Crocidura suaveolens
https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/29656/22296429

Species of my BioArea that appear on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:40:02 UTC

Golden Jackal-Canis aureus

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/118264161/133235906

Wildlife overexploitation in my BioArea

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:43:46 UTC

The Mediterranean and Black Sea Fisheries at Risk from Overexploitation

(Athanassios C. Tsikliras , Anny Dinouli, Vasileios-Zikos Tsiros, Eleni Tsalkou, 2015)

Possible signs of climate change in your BioArea

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:48:05 UTC

Climate change impacts in Greece in the near future

Comparisons of bioareas

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 00:56:14 UTC

Padlet 1: https://padlet.com/ismhnh_biology/yftzfc9u7qhk

The similarity of our pallets lies in the fact that we have the same bioArea, Greece, and we have not focused on a particular region. We chose some common species to study, like the barn owl, but we chose to deal with different ecological characteristics of the species. Excellent bibliographic research and documentation of the scientific data you found. Nice work!

Padlet 2:
https://el.padlet.com/antonis_35/vyw581c57qxq

This particular padlet was about the island of Greece, Crete. Apart from the endemic frog in Crete Pelophylax cretensis, I chose to find out about species and relationships of them that are not limited to this island. However, I enjoyed that this approach was focused on such a well known island of its importance in biodiversity and endemism. Nice work and I would like to see more scientific data from Grete in the future!

Pinna nobilis is in danger of extinction

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 13:20:56 UTC

"The parasite attacks the tissues, destroys the cells and generates an extensive inflammation, so the Pinna nobilis cannot feed and dies," explains Deputy Professor of Marine Ecology at the University of the Aegean, Stelios Katsanevakis.

Geographic range map of Pelophylax cretensis

konstantina_len — 2019-02-11 13:25:23 UTC

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/58581/11788512