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Kougioumoutzis K, Trigas P, Tsakiri M, Kokkoris IP, Koumoutsou E, Dimopoulos P, Tzanoudakis D, Iatrou G, Panitsa M. Climate and Land-Cover Change Impacts and Extinction Risk Assessment of Rare and Threatened Endemic Taxa of Chelmos-Vouraikos National Park (Peloponnese, Greece). PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:3548. [PMID: 36559660 PMCID: PMC9784511 DOI: 10.3390/plants11243548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Chelmos-Vouraikos National Park is a floristic diversity and endemism hotspot in Greece and one of the main areas where Greek endemic taxa, preliminary assessed as critically endangered and threatened under the IUCN Criteria A and B, are mainly concentrated. The climate and land-cover change impacts on rare and endemic species distributions is more prominent in regional biodiversity hotspots. The main aims of the current study were: (a) to investigate how climate and land-cover change may alter the distribution of four single mountain endemics and three very rare Peloponnesian endemic taxa of the National Park via a species distribution modelling approach, and (b) to estimate the current and future extinction risk of the aforementioned taxa based on the IUCN Criteria A and B, in order to investigate the need for designing an effective plant micro-reserve network and to support decision making on spatial planning efforts and conservation research for a sustainable, integrated management. Most of the taxa analyzed are expected to continue to be considered as critically endangered based on both Criteria A and B under all land-cover/land-use scenarios, GCM/RCP and time-period combinations, while two, namely Alchemilla aroanica and Silene conglomeratica, are projected to become extinct in most future climate change scenarios. When land-cover/land-use data were included in the analyses, these negative effects were less pronounced. However, Silene conglomeratica, the rarest mountain endemic found in the study area, is still expected to face substantial range decline. Our results highlight the urgent need for the establishment of micro-reserves for these taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Panayiotis Trigas
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 11855 Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Tsakiri
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Ioannis P. Kokkoris
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Eleni Koumoutsou
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Panayotis Dimopoulos
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Dimitris Tzanoudakis
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Gregoris Iatrou
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
| | - Maria Panitsa
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece
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Valli AT, Chondrogiannis C, Grammatikopoulos G, Iatrou G, Trigas P. Conservation of Micromeria browiczii (Lamiaceae), Endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece). PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10040778. [PMID: 33921110 PMCID: PMC8071367 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The massive decline in biodiversity due to anthropogenic threats has led to the emergence of conservation as one of the central goals in modern biology. Conservation strategies are urgently needed for addressing the ongoing loss of plant diversity. The Mediterranean basin, and especially the Mediterranean islands, host numerous rare and threatened plants in need of urgent conservation actions. In this study, we assess the current conservation status of Micromeria browiczii, a local endemic to Zakynthos Island (Ionian Islands, Greece), and estimate its future risk of extinction by compiling and assessing scientific information on geographical distribution, population dynamics and reproductive biology. The population size and the geographical distribution of the species were monitored for five years. The current population of the species consists of 15 subpopulations. Considerable annual fluctuation of population size was detected. The species is assessed as Endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature threat categories. According to population viability analysis results, its extinction risk was estimated to be 5.6% over the next 50 years, when six of the fifteen subpopulations (40%) might become extinct. The investigation of certain aspects of the species’ biology yielded important data necessary to identify critical aspects for its survival and to propose conservation measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Thalassini Valli
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +306986850009
| | - Christos Chondrogiannis
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, 26504 Patras, Greece; (C.C.); (G.G.)
| | - George Grammatikopoulos
- Laboratory of Plant Physiology, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, 26504 Patras, Greece; (C.C.); (G.G.)
| | - Gregoris Iatrou
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, University of Patras, Rio, 26504 Patras, Greece;
| | - Panayiotis Trigas
- Laboratory of Systematic Botany, Department of Crop Science, School of Plant Sciences, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 11855 Athens, Greece;
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