SUITABILITY OF THE KOZANI 'S AREA (NW MACEDONIA, GREECE) CARBONATE ROCKS FOR THE CEMENT INDUSTRY AND AS AGGREGATES IN CONSTRUCTIONS

The suitability of Kozani's broader area carbonate rocks for use in cement production and as aggregates, is studied in terms of their mineralogical, chemical and mechanical characteristics. The studied carbonate rocks belong to the Pelagonian zone and are represented mainly by pure limestones with subordinate dolomites and dolomitic limestones. Examination concerning their insoluble residue, organic matter and milling behavior, together with their mineralogical and chemical composition showed that all carbonate formations of Kozani's broader area, except the dolomitic ones, fulfill the requirements for use as raw material in the cement industry and all the carbonate formations meet the specifications for their use as aggregates in various constructions

A common approach to the conservation of threatened island vascular plants: First results in the mediterranean basin

The Mediterranean islands represent a center of vascular plant diversity featuring a high rate of endemic richness. Such richness is highly threatened, however, with many plants facing the risk of extinction and in need of urgent protection measures. The CARE-MEDIFLORA project promoted the use of ex situ collections to experiment with in situ active actions for threatened plants. Based on common criteria, a priority list of target plant species was elaborated, and germplasm conservation, curation and storage in seed banks was carried out. Accessions were duplicated in the seed banks of the partners or other institutions. Germination experiments were carried out on a selected group of threatened species. A total of 740 accessions from 429 vascular plants were stored in seed banks, and 410 seed germination experiments for 283 plants species were completed; a total of 63 in situ conservation actions were implemented, adopting different methodological protocols. For each conservation program, a specific monitoring protocol was implemented in collaboration with local and regional authorities. This project represents the first attempt to develop common strategies and an opportunity to join methods and methodologies focused on the conservation of threatened plants in unique natural laboratories such as the Mediterranean islands

An early evaluation of translocation actions for endangered plant species on Mediterranean islands

In situ conservation is widely considered a primary conservation strategy. Plant translocation, specifically, represents an important tool for reducing the extinction risk of threatened species. However, thus far, few documented translocations have been carried out in the Mediterranean islands. The Care-Mediflora project, carried out on six Mediterranean islands, tackles both short- and long-term needs for the insular endangered plants through in situ and ex situ conservation actions. The project approach is based on using ex situ activities as a tool to improve in situ conservation of threatened plant species. Fifty island plants (representing 45 taxa)were selected for translocations using common criteria. During the translocations, several approaches were used, which differed in site selection method, origin of genetic material, type of propagative material, planting method, and more. Although only preliminary data are available, some general lessons can be learned from the experience of the Care-Mediflora project. Among the factors restricting the implementation of translocations, limited financial resources appear to be the most important. Specific preliminary management actions, sometimes to be reiterated after translocation, increase the overall cost, but often are necessary for translocation success. Translocation using juvenile/reproductive plants produces better results over the short term, although seeds may provide good results over the long run (to be assessed in the future). Regardless, plant translocation success can only be detected over long periods; therefore, proper evaluation of plant translocations requires a long-term monitoring protocol. Care-Mediflora project represents the first attempt to combine the existing approaches in a common plant conservation strategy specifically focusing on the Mediterranean islands

Comparison of essential oils and genetic relationship of Origanum x intercedens to its parental taxa in the island of Crete

Plants of the taxa Origanum onites and Origanum vulgare were allowed to cross-pollinate under natural open field conditions and to produce a mixed population of putative hybrid Origanum x intercedens and parent genotypes. Randomly collected plants were classified as putative hybrids or parent genotypes by inspection of their inflorescence. They were then subjected to analysis of their essential oil composition and were fingerprinted by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) fragments. DNA primers identifying the genotype as well as showing the distance of a particular putative hybrid plant from the parent genotypes were found. Alone or in combination with the essential oil composition they can be used as reliable tools for the genetic identification of the two parental taxa and the putative hybrid plants in natural populations. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Microclimates and animal performances in five pig fattening houses

International audienc

Geochemical and isotopic evidence for the origin of rhyolites from Petrota (Northern Thrace, Greece) and geodynamic significance

Major- and trace-element contents, Sr- and Nd-isotope ratios and K/Ar radiometric ages of rhyolite samples from Petrota, eastern Rhodope, Greece, have been determined. These rocks were emplaced during an extensional regime after the collision between Eurasia and Africa, that occurred in the Palaeocene. The rocks are peraluminous rhyolites characterized by K2O/Na2O > 1.3, and can be distinguished into two groups on the basis of the different contents of elements especially of mafic affiliation. The measured Sr- and Nd-isotope ratios range from 0.708540 to 0.735720 and 0.512419 to 0.512487, respectively. A half of the samples has high Sr-isotope ratios (0.714358-0.735720), that result by hydrothermal alteration operated by supergenic fluids circulating through the metamorphic basement. These fluids were neutral or mildly alkaline, as the rocks retained their bulk contents in alkaline elements. Moreover, the fluids were nor enriched in complexing agents, as Nd was not mobilized. The narrow range of the Nd-isotope ratios indicates that the parental magmas of the two groups of rocks derived from a common source. Therefore, the different chemical compositions of the two groups likely reflect distinct degrees of partial melting. The magma source was represented by lower to middle crust, as indicated by the chemical features and the relatively low Nd-isotope ratios of the rocks. The Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios of the least altered rocks are consistent with this suggestion. The comparison of the studied rhyolites with granites of similar geodynamic significance from the Pieria complex in northern Thessaly provides support to the genetic hypothesis. The K/Ar radiometric ages of the rocks range from 20.7 +/- 1.6 to 24.5 +/- 2.5 Ma. There is a correlation between the K/Ar radiometric ages and the Sr-isotope ratios of the rocks, indicating that the least altered rocks with respect to Sr-isotope ratios are those showing older radiometric ages. Lastly, the least altered rhyolites show chemical and Sr-isotopic characteristics similar to those of other Oligocene rhyolites from the central and eastern Rhodope. Therefore, all these volcanics represent the product of meltings of similar levels of continental crust after the Eurasia-Africa collision

ISSR genotyping of Phoenix theophrasti natural populations in Turkey and Crete (Greece) and P. dactylifera

Intraspecific and interspecific diversity between Phoenix theophrasti individuals (92 from Turkey and 70 from Crete, Greece) and P. dactylifera specimens (28 from Turkey) were investigated by inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analysis. A total of 45 polymorphic fragments, 360–3454 bps long, were produced. Intraspecific diversity for P. dactylifera was 26.63% and similarities ranged between 0.5 and 1. In the constructed dendrogram, P. dactylifera specimens clustered together in the first main group, outside branches consisting of P. theophrasti samples that generated the second main group. The intraspecific diversity for Turkish P. theophrasti populations was found to be 18.60% and for Cretan populations 13.45%. Antalya–Kumluca–Karaöz samples were grouped outside the branches of the remaining P. theophrasti samples. All three Cretan populations formed their own, separate branch. Datça–Eksera Stream samples together with two Datça–Hurmalıbük specimens constituted a group excluding Datça–Hurmalıbük and Bodrum–Gölköy specimens. Five Bodrum–Gölköy genotypes were clustered separately. Gene flow (Nm) values among populations were estimated from 0.157 to 59.615. AMOVA analysis revealed the percentages of variance among and within Phoenix populations: 73% and 27%, respectively. The first three principal coordinate components accounted for 37.60, 29.32 and 20.04%, respectively, thus the total variance obtained from the first three principal coordinate components was 86.96%. A positive correlation between geographic and genetic distances of populations was detected by Mantel tests (Rx,y = 0.44, p = 0.04). The populations were classified into four clusters by STRUCTURE analysis, supported the PCoA data. To conclude, ISSR results support that P. dactylifera and P. theophrasti are different species. Moreover, the findings not only revealed relationships between natural Phoenix theophrasti populations but also supported the identification of the P. theophrasti individuals that are phenotypically differentiated in the divided Bodrum–Gölköy population (P. theophrasti subsp. golkoyana). © 2021 Nordic Society Oikos. Published by John Wiley & Sons Lt

Plant micro-reserves (a pilot project implemented in western crete) and Samaria biosphere reserve

Summarization: Six threatened to extinction species of European Community priority and one priority habitat (Palm groves of Phoenix), were selected. Plant species included perennials (Androcymbium rechingeri (a lily), Bupleurum kakiskalae (a carrot family member), Cephalanthera cucullata (an orchid), Hypericum aciferum (a St John's wort relative), Nepeta sphaciotica (a labiate) and the annual Anthemis glaberrima (a chamomilesmall daisy). Four of them (Bupleurum kakiskalae, Cephalanthera cucullata, Hypericum aciferum, Nepeta spaciotica) growsurvive in White Mountains. The project includes the following measures: mapping of the areas, installation of permanent, monitoring plots for the studying of various biotic and abiotic factors that affect their conservation, certain managerial measures (fencing, wardening, informative signs, etc.), ex situ conservation in three botanical gardens (A xerothermic plant garden at MAICh and two alpine gardens at the facilities offered in Omalos & Poria by Samaria National Park − Biosphere Reserve) and in the Seed Bank of MAICh. Finally, environmental Hariklia Kargiolaki1, Costas A. Thanos2, Christini Fournaraki3, Efpraxia A. Maria4, Helen Karpathaki1 1 Region of Crete, Forest Directorate of Chania, Biosphere Reserve of Samaria, Chrysopigi, GR−73100, Crete, GREECE, [email protected] 2 National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Dept of Botany, Panepistimioupolis, GR− 15784, GREECE , [email protected] 3 Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Chania (MAICh), Alsyllion Agrokepion, GR−73100, GREECE, [email protected] 4 Dept. of Sciences Technical University of Crete, University campus, GR−73100, Chania, GREECE [email protected] Priorities for Conservation of Biodiversity in Biosphere Reserves in Changing Conditions priorities2.qxd 2.11.2007 21:10 Page 17 awareness of the public (students, locals, etc.) is targeted by running information campaigns at the Visitor Centre of the Botanical Garden at MAICh and in the Alpine Botanical Garden at Omalos (Samaria National Park − Biosphere Reserve). The legal aspects of micro−reserve implementa− tion are also discussed within the project, since micro− reserves will act as a pilot tool for other areas that host threatened biodiversity. The project is used to draw ideas on the bridging of protected areas, such as National Parks, and Biosphere Reserves with the rest of the world.Παρουσιάστηκε στο: Priorities for Conservation of Biodiversity in Biosphere Reserves in Changing Condition