Phenological patterns and life history tactics of Helicoidea (Gastropoda, Pulmonata) snails from northern Greece

Volume: 15Start Page: 25End Page: 3

THE EFFECTS OF A WILD - FIRE ON CERTAIN GROUPS OF CONSUMERS OF A PHRYGANIC ECOSYSTEM

THE EFFECTS OF A WILD - FIRE, ON BIRDS, RODENTS AND SOIL FAUNA OF A PHRYGANIC ECOSYSTEM, ARE DESCRIBED. THE STUDY AREA IS LOCATED IN ATTICA, BETWEEN KERATEAAND LAVRION VILLAGES AND WAS BURNED IN AUGUST 1980. THE EFFECTS OF FIRE WERE MONITORED IN MONTHLY INTERVALS, FROM OCTOBER 1980 TO MAY 1982. THE EFFECTS OF FIRE ON THE SPECIES NUMBER AND SPECIES COMPOSITION OF AVIFAUNA AND RODENTS WERE RELATED WITH THE CHANGES OF VEGETATION STRUCTURE. ESTIMATION WERE MADE, ON THE RANGE BY WHICH FIRE AFFECTS THE DENSITY AND COMPOSITION OF SOIL FAUNA IN TWO MICROBIOTOPES: THE SITES WHERE THE LITTER DEPOSITS AND THE SPACE UNDER THE SURFACE BOULDERS.ΣΤΗΝ ΕΡΓΑΣΙΑ ΑΥΤΗ ΠΕΡΙΓΡΑΦΟΝΤΑΙ ΟΙ ΣΥΝΕΠΕΙΕΣ ΜΙΑΣ ΠΥΡΚΑΓΙΑΣ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΟΡΝΙΘΟΠΑΝΙΔΑΣ, ΤΩΝ ΤΡΩΚΤΙΚΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΕΔΑΦΙΚΩΝ ΑΣΠΟΝΔΥΛΩΝ ΕΝΟΣ ΦΡΥΓΑΝΙΚΟΥ ΟΙΚΟΣΥΣΤΗΜΑΤΟΣ. Η ΦΩΤΙΑ ΕΚΔΗΛΩΘΗΚΕ ΤΟΝ ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟ ΤΟΥ 1980, ΣΤΟΥΣ ΛΟΦΟΥΣ ΜΕΤΑΞΥ ΚΕΡΑΤΕΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΥΡΙΟΥ ΑΤΤΙΚΗΣ. ΟΙ ΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΠΑΡΑΚΟΛΟΥΘΗΘΗΚΑΝ ΣΕ ΜΗΝΙΑΙΑ ΒΑΣΗ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΝ ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟ ΤΟΥ 1980 ΕΩΣ ΤΟΝ ΜΑΙΟ ΤΟΥ 1982. ΕΓΙΝΑΝ ΣΥΣΧΕΤΙΣΕΙΣ ΤΩΝ ΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΕΩΝ ΤΗΣ ΦΩΤΙΑΣ ΕΠΙ ΤΟΥ ΑΡΙΘΜΟΥ ΕΙΔΩΝ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΣΥΝΘΕΣΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΡΝΙΘΟΠΑΝΙΔΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΩΝ ΤΡΩΚΤΙΚΩΝ ΜΕ ΤΙΣ ΕΠΙΔΡΑΣΕΙΣ ΤΗΣ ΦΩΤΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΣ ΔΟΜΗΣ ΤΗΣ ΒΛΑΣΤΗΣΗΣ. ΕΚΤΙΜΗΘΗΚΕ ΤΟ ΕΥΡΟΣ ΤΩΝ ΜΕΤΑΒΟΛΩΝ ΠΟΥ ΠΡΟΚΑΛΕΣΕ Η ΦΩΤΙΑ ΣΤΗΝ ΠΥΚΝΟΤΗΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΤΗΝ ΣΥΝΘΕΣΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΔΑΦΙΚΗΣ ΠΑΝΙΔΑΣ, ΣΕ ΔΥΟ ΜΙΚΡΟΒΙΟΤΟΠΟΥΣ: ΤΟ ΧΩΡΟ ΟΠΟΥ ΣΥΓΚΕΝΤΡΩΝΕΤΑΙ Η ΣΤΡΩΜΝΗ ΚΑΙ ΤΟΝ ΧΩΡΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΑΠΟ ΤΙΣ ΕΠΙΦΑΝΕΙΑΚΕΣ ΠΕΤΡΕΣ

Temperature and Prey Species Richness Drive the Broad-Scale Distribution of a Generalist Predator

The ongoing climate change and the unprecedented rate of biodiversity loss render the need to accurately project future species distributional patterns more critical than ever. Mounting evidence suggests that not only abiotic factors, but also biotic interactions drive broad-scale distributional patterns. Here, we explored the effect of predator-prey interaction on the predator distribution, using as target species the widespread and generalist grass snake (Natrix natrix). We used ensemble Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) to build a model only with abiotic variables (abiotic model) and a biotic one including prey species richness. Then we projected the future grass snake distribution using a modest emission scenario assuming an unhindered and no dispersal scenario. The two models performed equally well, with temperature and prey species richness emerging as the top drivers of species distribution in the abiotic and biotic models, respectively. In the future, a severe range contraction is anticipated in the case of no dispersal, a likely possibility as reptiles are poor dispersers. If the species can disperse freely, an improbable scenario due to habitat loss and fragmentation, it will lose part of its contemporary distribution, but it will expand northwards

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The local-regional diversity relationship of woody plant species along an altitudinal gradient of Mt. Holomontas, Greece was studied. It was found that this relationship depends on scale, and more precisely on the difference in scale between what is considered local and what is considered regional scale of observation. When the local scale covers a large part of the region, then local diversity depends on regional diversity. When the difference in scale is large, then local diversity is independent of regional diversity. These findings highlight the limitations of the localregional diversity relationship for inferring community saturation due to species interaction

Figure 4. Seasonal range generated from a in Demographic characteristics, seasonal range and habitat topography of Balkan chamois population in its southernmost limit of its distribution (Giona mountain, Greece)

Figure 4. Seasonal range generated from a Fixed Kernel Density Estimator (FKDE) (95% probability) and respective core areas of Balkan chamois in Giona Mt for (A) winter, (B) spring, (C) summer and (D) autumn. In the upper right corner the diagram presents the delineation of the probability of species occurrence within the core area.Published as part of Papaioannou, Haritakis, Sgardelis, Stefanos, Chondropoulos, Basilios, Vassilakis, Dimitrios, Kati, Vassiliki & Dimopoulos, Panayotis, 2014, Demographic characteristics, seasonal range and habitat topography of Balkan chamois population in its southernmost limit of its distribution (Giona mountain, Greece), pp. 327-345 in Journal of Natural History 49 (5) on page 336, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.869365, http://zenodo.org/record/400407

Figure 5 in Demographic characteristics, seasonal range and habitat topography of Balkan chamois population in its southernmost limit of its distribution (Giona mountain, Greece)

Figure 5. Used elevation, inclination (violin plots) and aspect (histogram) of the Balkan chamois in Giona Mt. Black lines in the violin plots indicate 95% probability of occurrence in terms of Fixed Kernel Density Estimator and white dots indicate median values.Published as part of Papaioannou, Haritakis, Sgardelis, Stefanos, Chondropoulos, Basilios, Vassilakis, Dimitrios, Kati, Vassiliki & Dimopoulos, Panayotis, 2014, Demographic characteristics, seasonal range and habitat topography of Balkan chamois population in its southernmost limit of its distribution (Giona mountain, Greece), pp. 327-345 in Journal of Natural History 49 (5) on page 337, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.869365, http://zenodo.org/record/400407

Figure 2. Summer core area delineation. The straight line with a in Demographic characteristics, seasonal range and habitat topography of Balkan chamois population in its southernmost limit of its distribution (Giona mountain, Greece)

Figure 2. Summer core area delineation. The straight line with a slope of –1 represents the random use of space within the population seasonal range. The curve that sags below the line of random use represents the clumped use of space. The summer core area can be defined at the point whose tangent has slope –1, e.g. 85%, that is, whose tangent is parallel to the line of random use. This is also the point of the curve that is furthest from the line of random use.Published as part of Papaioannou, Haritakis, Sgardelis, Stefanos, Chondropoulos, Basilios, Vassilakis, Dimitrios, Kati, Vassiliki & Dimopoulos, Panayotis, 2014, Demographic characteristics, seasonal range and habitat topography of Balkan chamois population in its southernmost limit of its distribution (Giona mountain, Greece), pp. 327-345 in Journal of Natural History 49 (5) on page 332, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2013.869365, http://zenodo.org/record/400407

Microbial co-occurrence network demonstrates spatial and climatic trends for global soil diversity

Abstract Despite recent research efforts to explore the co-occurrence patterns of diverse microbes within soil microbial communities, a substantial knowledge-gap persists regarding global climate influences on soil microbiota behaviour. Comprehending co-occurrence patterns within distinct geoclimatic groups is pivotal for unravelling the ecological structure of microbial communities, that are crucial for preserving ecosystem functions and services. Our study addresses this gap by examining global climatic patterns of microbial diversity. Using data from the Earth Microbiome Project, we analyse a meta-community co-occurrence network for bacterial communities. This method unveils substantial shifts in topological features, highlighting regional and climatic trends. Arid, Polar, and Tropical zones show lower diversity but maintain denser networks, whereas Temperate and Cold zones display higher diversity alongside more modular networks. Furthermore, it identifies significant co-occurrence patterns across diverse climatic regions. Central taxa associated with different climates are pinpointed, highlighting climate’s pivotal role in community structure. In conclusion, our study identifies significant correlations between microbial interactions in diverse climatic regions, contributing valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of soil microbiota

Sea surface temperature variations in core foraging grounds drive nesting trends and phenology of loggerhead turtles in the Mediterranean Sea

The sea surface temperature (SST) in loggerhead turtle breeding areas affects the species reproductive biology. Less is known about the effects of changes in SST in the species foraging grounds. We used nesting data for the Mediterranean loggerhead turtle population breeding on the Greek island of Zakynthos to study the effect of SST in the population foraging grounds upon the initiation of nesting and the number of clutches laid. We found that the climatic conditions (SST) in the foraging grounds affected the population nesting phenology in the short term (i.e. within the same year); warmer years triggered an earlier onset of nesting. However, the effect of foraging grounds SST upon nesting is comparatively less important than the local conditions at the nesting ground. Although nesting phenology seems to depend on current's year foraging grounds SST the number of nests in our study rookery were negatively correlated with SSTs recorded 2 years prior nesting, with higher SST leading to fewer nests. From this point of view, climate change at the foraging grounds may influence the reproductive phenology of loggerheads. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserve

Agricultural decline and sustainable development on mountain areas in Greece: Sustainability assessment of future scenarios

Agricultural decline may pose an important threat to mountain biodiversity but it also constitutes a driving force of socio-economic transformation. The aim of this study is to investigate the implications of alternative agricultural policy scenarios on the sustainable development of Greek mountain areas using a case study approach (Zagori region, Greece). Two agricultural policy scenarios were explored and assessed against a list of sustainability objectives. Causal relationships among drivers of changes and sustainability objectives were explored using Network Analysis. Our analysis has shown that agricultural liberalisation is expected to have devastating effects on the development of the area and it was strongly opposed as an alternative future by the local stakeholders. The analysis of the driver's causal relationship has also revealed that in order to ensure the sustainable development of the area it is necessary to sustain low input extensive farming, to promote mild tourism development and to enhance the operational efficiency of the National Park. Moreover, in order to reconcile agricultural decline, biodiversity and sustainable development, policy-management recommendations must be drawn at multiple administrative levels and complementary policy interventions within and between levels are required. It is thus, important that EU agricultural policies are complemented by national-regional interventions in order to regulate the fragile balance between agriculture and tourism. Finally, this study has shown that the combination of scenario analysis and sustainability assessment can provide an efficient tool to inform management strategies for sustainable development