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Kati V, Kassara C, Panagos P, Tampouratzi L, Gotsis D, Tzortzakaki O, Petridou M, Psaralexi M, Sidiropoulos L, Vasilakis D, Zakkak S, Galani A, Mpoukas N. The overlooked threat of land take from wind energy infrastructures: Quantification, drivers and policy gaps. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 348:119340. [PMID: 37875053 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Wind harnessing is a fast-developing and cost-effective Renewable Energy Source, but the land impacts of wind power stations are often overlooked or underestimated. We digitized land take, i.e., the generation of artificial land, derived from 90 wind power stations in Greece constructed between 2002 and 2020 (1.2 GW). We found substantial land take impacts of 7729 m2/MW (3.5 m2/MWh) of new artificial land, 148 m/MW of new roads and 174 m/MW of widened roads on average. Models showed that the number and size of wind turbines, the absence of other existing infrastructures and the elevational difference across new access roads increased artificial land generation. The elevational difference across new and widened access roads also increased their length. New wind power stations in Greece are planned to be installed at higher elevations and in terrains facing higher risks for soil erosion and soil biodiversity. The general tendency in the European Union is to sit fewer wind power stations in mountainous and forested land. Still, this pattern is inversed in several countries, particularly in Southern Europe. After screening 29 policy and legal documents, we found that land take is indirectly inferred in the global policy but more directly in the European policy through five non-legally binding documents and three Directives. However, the current European energy policies seem to conflict with nature conservation policies, risking land take acceleration. The study provides insights for reducing land take when planning and constructing wind power stations. We underline the need for better quantification of land take and its integration in the complex process of sustainable spatial planning of investments.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Kati
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
| | - C Kassara
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
| | - P Panagos
- European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Ispra, (VA), Italy
| | - L Tampouratzi
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - D Gotsis
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - O Tzortzakaki
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - M Petridou
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - M Psaralexi
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - L Sidiropoulos
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - D Vasilakis
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - S Zakkak
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece; Natural Environment & Climate Change Agency, Athens, Greece
| | - A Galani
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
| | - N Mpoukas
- University of Ioannina, Department of Biological Applications and Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Laboratory, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece
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Tsioutsiou EE, Cheilari A, Aligiannis N. Ethnopharmacological study of medicinal plants used against skin ailments on Mount Pelion, central Greece. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1225580. [PMID: 37583900 PMCID: PMC10424924 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1225580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout centuries, traditional herbal medicine and the employment of medicinal plants have constituted an important tool for the treatment and prevention of numerous diseases. The present study focuses on the collection of ethnopharmacological data regarding the uses of medicinal plants for the treatment of dermatological ailments in various villages of Mount Pelion, Greece. More specifically, the study area is represented by the city of Volos and villages located in Central West Pelion and has not been investigated up to now. The information on the medicinal uses of the various species was obtained through extensive semi-structured interviews or the completion of specific questionnaires by the informants. Although the Covid-19 pandemic caused difficulties and obstacles in carrying out this research procedure, 60 informants were recruited and interviewed (36 women and 24 men). Their age range was between 31 and 97 years and their educational level was characterized by great diversity (primary, secondary, and higher education). The elaboration of the gathered information included the calculation of some quantitative indices, such as Fidelity Level (FL), and Informant Consensus Factor (FIC). Moreover, the relative importance of each reported species was identified by calculating the Use Value (UV). The interviews revealed 38 plant taxa belonging to 27 plant families reported to be used in the study area exclusively against skin diseases. The plant family mostly mentioned by the informants was Hypericaceae, followed by Plantaginaceae and Amaryllidaceae, while among the most popular methods of application are cataplasms, compresses, and topical application of decoction or raw plant material. Some of the most cited species are Hypericum perforatum L., Quercus coccifera L., and Plantago sp., traditionally used to treat skin problems such as eczema, wounds, and insect stings. The present ethnopharmacological study is the first documentation of ethnobotanical knowledge of this area that points out the traditional uses of medicinal plants against skin ailments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Efthymia Eleni Tsioutsiou
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Greece
| | - Antigoni Cheilari
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Greece
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Guardiola M, Sáez L. Are Mediterranean Island Mountains Hotspots of Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Biodiversity? The Case of the Endemic Flora of the Balearic Islands. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:2640. [PMID: 37514254 PMCID: PMC10386412 DOI: 10.3390/plants12142640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2023] [Revised: 07/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean islands are exceptionally rich in endemism, most of which is narrowly distributed. Conservation measures, such as protected areas, have been prioritised, mainly on the basis of species richness and endemism, but phylogenetic information should also be taken into account. In this study, we calculated several taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics at a high resolution for the endemic flora of the Balearic Islands (154 taxa), in order to identify (i) the spatial patterns and environmental factors that explain this endemism, (ii) hotspots of species and phylogenetic endemism, and (iii) gaps in the protected areas. The taxonomic and phylogenetic metrics showed different distribution patterns, but the mountainous areas of Mallorca, and some coastal areas of the Balearic Islands, have the highest values. These values were positively related to elevation, precipitation, temperature, and slope, and negatively related to the distance from the coast, aspect, and the temperature of the wettest quarter. We identified top grid hotspots where all the metrics had the highest values, and we also identified nano-hotspots within these hotspots, in some of the highest peaks of Mallorca, where most of these metrics' maximum values coincided. This approach allowed us to identify some gaps in the conservation priority areas, and to highlight the need to review their boundaries and definition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisès Guardiola
- Unit of Botany, Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Llorenç Sáez
- Systematics and Evolution of Vascular Plants (UAB)-Associated Unit to CSIC by IBB, Unit of Botany, Department of Animal and Plant Biology and Ecology, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, ES-08193 Bellaterra, Spain
- Societat d'Història Natural de les Balears (SHNB), Margarida Xirgu 16, ES-07003 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Patouna A, Sevdalis P, Papanikolaou K, Kourti M, Skaperda Z, Jamurtas AZ, Kouretas D. Evaluation of the effects of a honey‑based gel on blood redox biomarkers and the physiological profile of healthy adults: A pilot study. Biomed Rep 2023; 18:32. [PMID: 37034574 PMCID: PMC10074021 DOI: 10.3892/br.2023.1614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Honey is a natural product derived from the insect Apis mellifera. Approximately 200 different compounds are included, making it a complex mixture with antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activity. Flavonoids and phenolic acids contained in honey are associated with its antioxidant capacity via mechanisms such as hydrogen donation and metallic ion chelation, although the exact antioxidant mechanism remains unknown. The aim of the present study was to: i) Estimate the antioxidant activity of a natural honey-based gel, commercially available under the trade name of 'Bear Strength honey gel' and to ii) assess the physiological and redox adjustments obtained after its consumption in healthy adult participants. For this purpose, 20 healthy participants (10 men and 10 women) included in their habitual diet 70 g of the honey-based gel for 14 days in a row. Pre- and post-consumption, physiological [weight, height, body mass index, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, resting heart rate and blood pressure (BP)] and hematological (complete blood count) data were evaluated, along with the levels of five redox biomarkers: Glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), protein carbonyls (PCARBS) and thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS). The results revealed that the honey-based gel decreased the diastolic and mean arterial BP, especially in women, without affecting the rest of the physiological and hematological variables. Regarding the changes observed in antioxidant status variables, GSH was increased both in the total and women's group, while TAC was increased in all groups post-consumption. No changes were detected in the levels of CAT. Regarding oxidative stress, a decrease in the levels of TBARS in the total and women's group, was observed. PCARBS levels were decreased post-consumption only in the women's group. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated the potential positive effects of a honey-based gel on BP and redox status of healthy adults in a sex-specific manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anastasia Patouna
- Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Sevdalis
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, Greece
| | | | - Maria Kourti
- Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Zoi Skaperda
- Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
| | - Athanasios Z. Jamurtas
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, University of Thessaly, 42100 Trikala, Greece
| | - Demetrios Kouretas
- Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, 41500 Larissa, Greece
- Correspondence to: Professor Demetrios Kouretas, Department of Biochemistry-Biotechnology, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Viopolis, Mezourlo, 41500 Larissa, Greece
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Projected Shifts in Bird Distribution in India under Climate Change. DIVERSITY 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/d15030404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Global climate change is causing unprecedented impacts on biodiversity. In India, there is little information available regarding how climate change affects biodiversity at the taxon/group level, and large-scale ecological analyses have been lacking. In this study, we demonstrated the applicability of eBird and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility), and produced national-scale forecasts to examine the possible impacts of climate change on terrestrial avifauna in India. Using data collected by citizen scientists, we developed fine-tuned Species Distribution Models (SDMs) and predicted 1091 terrestrial bird species that would be distributed in India by 2070 on two climatic surfaces (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), using Maximum Entropy-based species distribution algorithms. Of the 1091 species modelled, our findings indicate that 66–73% of bird species in India will shift to higher elevations or shift northward, and 58–59% of bird species (RCP 4.5 and 8.5) would lose a portion of their distribution ranges. Furthermore, distribution ranges of 41–40% of bird species would increase. Under both RCP scenarios (RCP 4.5 and 8.5), bird species diversity will significantly increase in regions above 2500 m in elevation. Both RCP scenarios predict extensive changes in the species richness of the western Himalayas, Sikkim, northeast India, and the western Ghats regions by 2070. This study has resulted in novel, high-resolution maps of terrestrial bird species richness across India, and we predict predominantly northward shifts in species ranges, similar to predictions made for avifauna in other regions, such as Europe and the USA.
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Barda C, Tzoumaka A, Grafakou ME, Kalpoutzakis E, Heilmann J, Skaltsa H. Phytochemical Characterization of Phitosia crocifolia, a Monotypic Representative of Greek Flora. PLANTA MEDICA 2023; 89:324-332. [PMID: 36626922 DOI: 10.1055/a-1939-7473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Within the large Compositae family, Phitosia is considered a monotypic genus of the Greek flora, with its only species P. crocifolia (Boiss. & Heldr.) Kamari & Greuter growing wild with limited distribution, exclusively on the mountains Taigetos and Parnonas in Peloponnese. P. crocifolia's chemical profile was obtained, herein, for the first time and led to the isolation of 20 compounds, thirteen of which were characterized as sesquiterpene lactones and the rest mainly as phenolic derivatives. The isolates 1: -3, 5: - 7: and 11: - 13: represent new chemical structures. Compounds 2: and 3: especially are substituted with a pentose moiety, a rare phenomenon in sesquiterpene lactone backbones. A series of spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques were used to elucidate their structures. The relative configurations of the unreported compounds were established via extensive analysis of NMR spectroscopic and HRESIMS data, assisted by CD spectroscopic measurements. Throughout the entire isolation procedure, selected fractions rich in sesquiterpene lactones were tested against HeLa cancerous cell line for their cytotoxic effects with the lowest IC50 values being 18.84 µg/mL. Accordingly, among the tested isolates, compounds 5: and 9: exerted IC50 values of 13.5 µM and 11.4 µM, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Barda
- Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Athens, Greece
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Alexia Tzoumaka
- Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria-Eleni Grafakou
- Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleutherios Kalpoutzakis
- Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Athens, Greece
| | - Joerg Heilmann
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Chemistry, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Helen Skaltsa
- Department of Pharmacognosy & Chemistry of Natural Products, Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou, Athens, Greece
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Minachilis K, Kantsa A, Devalez J, Vujic A, Pauly A, Petanidou T. High species turnover and unique plant-pollinator interactions make a hyperdiverse mountain. J Anim Ecol 2023; 92:1001-1015. [PMID: 36754546 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023]
Abstract
We studied α- and β-diversity of pollinators, flowering plants and plant-pollinator interactions along the altitudinal gradient of Mt. Olympus, a legendary mountain and biodiversity hotspot in Central Greece. We explored 10 study sites located on the north-eastern slope of the mountain, from 327 to 2596 m a.s.l. Insect surveys were conducted once a month using hand netting (years 2013, 2014 and 2016), and they were combined with recordings of flowering plant diversity (species richness and flower cover). We then calculated α- and β-diversity of pollinators, plants in flower and plant-pollinator interactions, and explored their demographic response along the altitudinal gradient. Alpha diversity of pollinators, plants and plant-pollinator interactions were altitude dependent; α-diversity of all pollinators, bees, non-bumblebee bees, bee flies and butterflies showed linear declines with altitude, whereas those of hoverflies and bumblebees showed unimodal patterns. Beta diversity and its turnover component of all pollinators, hoverflies, bees, bumblebees, non-bumblebee bees, butterflies and plants showed linear increases, whereas those of bee flies and of plant-pollinator interactions varied independently from the pairwise altitudinal difference. The high dissimilarity and uniqueness of pollination networks, which is probably a result of the high biodiversity and endemism of Mt. Olympus, is driven by species turnover and the formation of new interactions between new species. Contrasting to the monotonic decline of the remaining groups, the unimodal patterns of hoverfly and bumblebee α-diversity are probably the effect of a higher tolerance of these groups to high-altitude environmental conditions. Our findings highlight that the high turnover of species and of pollination interactions along the altitudinal gradient are the mainstay of hyperdiverse mountains, a fact that conveys important historical, ecological and conservational implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Minachilis
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Ecology, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Aphrodite Kantsa
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Ecology, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece.,Department of Environmental Systems Science, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jelle Devalez
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Ecology, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Ante Vujic
- Department of Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Alain Pauly
- Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, O.D. Taxonomy and Phylogeny, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Theodora Petanidou
- Laboratory of Biogeography and Ecology, Department of Geography, University of the Aegean, Mytilene, Greece
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Garcia-Jacas N, López-Pujol J, Nualart N, Herrando-Moraira S, Romaschenko K, Ren MX, Susanna A. Centaurea Subsect. Phalolepis (Compositae, Cardueae): A Case Study of Mountain-Driven Allopatric Speciation in the Mediterranean Peninsulas. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 12:11. [PMID: 36616140 PMCID: PMC9823864 DOI: 10.3390/plants12010011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Centaurea subsection Phalolepis has been thoroughly analyzed in previous studies using microsatellites in four centers of speciation: Anatolia, Greece, the Italian Peninsula and the Iberian Peninsula. Evidence suggests a correlation between taxon diversity and mountains. This group constituted a good case study for examining the mountain-geobiodiversity hypothesis (MGH), which explains the possible reasons for the many radiations occurring in mountains across the world. We combined all the datasets and carried out analyses of their genetic structure to confirm the species of subsect. Phalolepis are grouped according to a geographic pattern. We then checked whether climatic fluctuations favored the "species pump" hypothesis in the mountains by using the Climatic Stability Index (CSI). Finally, the relief of the terrain was tested against the rate of allopatric speciation by region by means of Terrain Ruggedness Index and environmental gradients through our new Climate Niche Breadth Index. Our results supported the MGH hypothesis and confirmed that the main triggers, namely altitudinal zonation, climatic oscillations and rugged terrain, must be present for the development of a radiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Núria Garcia-Jacas
- Botanic Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Pg. Migdia, s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi López-Pujol
- Botanic Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Pg. Migdia, s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
- Escuela de Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), Samborondón 091650, Ecuador
| | - Neus Nualart
- Botanic Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Pg. Migdia, s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sonia Herrando-Moraira
- Botanic Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Pg. Migdia, s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Konstantin Romaschenko
- Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
- M.G. Kholodny Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 01601 Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Ming-Xun Ren
- Key Laboratory of Genetics and Germplasm Innovation of Tropical Special Forest Trees and Ornamental Plants (Hainan University), Ministry of Education, Haikou 570228, China
- Center for Terrestrial Biodiversity of the South China Sea, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
| | - Alfonso Susanna
- Botanic Institute of Barcelona (IBB, CSIC-Ajuntament de Barcelona), Pg. Migdia, s/n, 08038 Barcelona, Spain
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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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Assessment of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Selected Greek Propolis Samples (North East Aegean Region Islands). MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27238198. [PMID: 36500292 PMCID: PMC9735805 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Propolis is a bee-produced substance rich in bioactive compounds, which has been utilized widely in folk medicine, in food supplement and cosmetology areas because of its biological properties, (antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, etc.). The subject of this study is associated with the chemical analysis and the biological evaluation of 16 propolis samples from the northeast Aegean region Greek islands, a well-recognized geographic area and the homeland of rich flora as a crossroads between Europe and Asia. Our study resulted in the detection of a significant percentage of diterpenes by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), while flavonoids were identified in low percentages among studied samples. Furthermore, the DPPH assay highlighted that eight of the samples (Lesvos and Lemnos origin) demonstrated a promising antioxidant profile, further verified by their total phenolic content (TPC). Additionally, the propolis samples most rich in diterpenes showed significant antibacterial and fungicidal properties against human pathogenic microorganisms, proving them to be a very interesting and promising crude material for further applications, concluding that floral diversity is the most responsible for the bioactivity of the propolis samples.
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11
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Exploring Biodiversity and Disturbances in the of Peri-Urban Forests of Thessaloniki, Greece. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14148497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Forests host important plant biodiversity. Nevertheless, due to climate change and human disturbances, the floristic quality of forest ecosystems is degraded. Greek peri-urban forests biodiversity is threatened by anthropogenic activities such as forest fragmentation, pollution, garbage, etc. Measurement of biodiversity status and the floristic quality assessment can be used to estimate the degree of forest degradation caused by anthropogenic disturbances. In this study, we compared and evaluated six forest ecosystem types in the peri-urban forests of Thessaloniki, northern Greece, by using Shannon’s biodiversity index as well as and α and β diversity Sørensen indices. Furthermore, we recorded the prevailing anthropogenic disturbances and compared the plant families and the ruderal species appearing in each forest ecosystem. Finally, the average conservatism value (C value) of the plant species found in each ecosystem was determined in order to calculate the ecosystem floristic quality index. Analysis of the results showed that the floristic and ecological parameters tested greatly vary among ecosystems. Broadleaf forests of higher altitude hosted the greatest biodiversity, and the higher floristic quality index and plant conservation value. On the contrary, most disturbances and most ruderal species were recorded in ecosystems of lower altitude, adjacent to the city (Pinus brutia forest and Maqui vegetation), the least disturbed ecosystems were found in the steep slopes (Castanea sativa forest). Most ruderal species found belonged to the Asteraceae and Rosaceae families. Accessibility and attractiveness of stands were positively correlated with disturbances. Insufficient management, lack of protection measures, and littering removal contribute to the increase in the level of disturbance.
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The Market Evolution of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants: A Global Supply Chain Analysis and an Application of the Delphi Method in the Mediterranean Area. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13050808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
There is an increasing evidence for the significant value and potential of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (MAPs) worldwide. Among other non-wood forest products, MAPs are considered a key element of sustainable forest management and economic development. As part of Mediterranean cultural heritage, these plants are a major driver of rural tourism, in many areas representing an important raw material for various bio-based industrial sectors. Besides their economic value, MAPs enhance social integration and maintain gender balance as harvesting and processing MAPs is clearly a female dominated task. Despite the prominent contribution of MAPs to local development, conservation of biodiversity and the development of the traditional Mediterranean food system, many challenges and knowledge gaps could potentially place the sector’s development at risk. The aim of this work is to examine the present situation of the MAPs sector in the most productive countries around the Mediterranean and to identify future challenges and priority actions to develop the MAPs sector in the region. To do so, a supply chain analysis was performed to identify the main stakeholders involved. Various experts from Croatia, France, Greece, Spain, and Tunisia participated in the SWOT analysis and the Delphi approach employed in this study. The results highlight the main challenges facing the sector in Mediterranean countries. Five groups of challenges are identified, related mainly to certification and labelling, life quality and wellbeing, market development, research development, and transforming and processing. To overcome these challenges, a set of actions is validated by the interviewed experts with the aim of improving marketing strategies and including various innovations related to political, legal, organisational, and institutional frameworks.
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Lazarević M, Siljak-Yakovlev S, Sanino A, Niketić M, Lamy F, Hinsinger DD, Tomović G, Stevanović B, Stevanović V, Robert T. Genetic Variability in Balkan Paleoendemic Resurrection Plants Ramonda serbica and R. nathaliae Across Their Range and in the Zone of Sympatry. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2022; 13:873471. [PMID: 35574119 PMCID: PMC9096497 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2022.873471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The genus Ramonda includes three Paleoendemic and Tertiary relict species that survived in refugial habitats of the Balkan Peninsula (R. nathaliae and R. serbica) and the Iberian Peninsula (R. myconi). They are all "resurrection plants," a rare phenomenon among flowering plants in Europe. Ramonda myconi and R. nathaliae are diploids (2n = 2x = 48), while R. serbica is a hexaploid (2n = 6x = 144). The two Balkan species occur in sympatry in only two localities in eastern Serbia, where tetraploid potential hybrids (2n = 4x = 96) were found. This observation raised questions about the existence of gene flow between the two species and, more generally, about the evolutionary processes shaping their genetic diversity. To address this question, genetic markers (AFLP) and an estimate of genome size variation were used in a much larger sample and at a larger geographic scale than previously. The combination of AFLP markers and genome size results suggested ongoing processes of interspecific and interploidy hybridization in the two sites of sympatry. The data also showed that interspecific gene flow was strictly confined to sympatry. Elsewhere, both Ramonda species were characterized by low genetic diversity within populations and high population differentiation. This is consistent with the fact that the two species are highly fragmented into small and isolated populations, likely a consequence of their postglacial history. Within sympatry, enormous variability in cytotypes was observed, exceeding most reported cases of mixed ploidy in complex plant species (from 2x to >8x). The AFLP profiles of non-canonical ploidy levels indicated a diversity of origin pathways and that backcrosses probably occur between tetraploid interspecific hybrids and parental species. The question arises whether this diversity of cytotypes corresponds to a transient situation. If not, the question arises as to the genetic and ecological mechanisms that allow this diversity to be maintained over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Lazarević
- Department of Plant Ecology and Phytogeography, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sonja Siljak-Yakovlev
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Agathe Sanino
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Marjan Niketić
- Natural History Museum, Belgrade, Serbia
- Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Françoise Lamy
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Department of Biology, University of Versailles-Saint-Quentin, Versailles, France
| | - Damien D. Hinsinger
- Département Biologie et Amélioration des Plantes, Polymorphisme des Génomes Végétaux, INRAE, Evry, France
| | - Gordana Tomović
- Department of Plant Ecology and Phytogeography, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Branka Stevanović
- Department of Plant Ecology and Phytogeography, Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | | | - Thierry Robert
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Univ. Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- Biology Department, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
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Climate Change Impacts and Extinction Risk Assessment of Nepeta Representatives (Lamiaceae) in Greece. SUSTAINABILITY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/su14074269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/10/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing climate change has already left its imprint on species distributions, with rare, endemic species being more threatened. These changes are more prominent in regional biodiversity hotspots, such as Greece, which is already facing the short term impacts of human induced climate change. Greek flora hosts numerous endemic medicinal and aromatic plant taxa (MAPs), which are economically important and provide integral ecosystem services. The genus Nepeta is one of the largest Lamiaceae genera, containing several MAPs, yet, despite its taxonomical and economical significance, it remains vastly understudied in Greece. We explore the effects of climate change on the range of the Greek endemic Nepeta MAPs, via a species distribution models (SDMs) approach in an ensemble modeling framework, using soil, topographical and bioclimatic variables as predictors in three different time steps. By doing so, we attempt to estimate the current and future extinction risk of these taxa and to locate their current and future species richness hotspots in Greece. The taxa analyzed are expected to experience severe range retractions, with minor intraspecific variation across all time steps (p > 0.05), driven mainly by soil- and aridity-related variables. The extinction risk status of only one taxon is predicted to worsen in the future, while all other taxa will remain threatened. Current species richness hotspots are mainly located in southern Greece and are projected to shift both altitudinally and latitudinally over time (p < 0.01).
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Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Island Bees: The Aegean Archipelago. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11040552. [PMID: 35453751 PMCID: PMC9030098 DOI: 10.3390/biology11040552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pollinators’ climate change impact assessments focus mainly on mainland regions. Thus, we are unaware how island species might fare in a rapidly changing world. This is even more pressing in the Mediterranean Basin, a global biodiversity hotspot. In Greece, a regional pollinator hotspot, climate change research is in its infancy and the insect Wallacean shortfall still remains unaddressed. In a species distribution modelling framework, we used the most comprehensive occurrence database for bees in Greece to locate the bee species richness hotspots in the Aegean, and investigated whether these might shift in the future due to climate change and assessed the Natura 2000 protected areas network effectiveness. Range contractions are anticipated for most taxa, becoming more prominent over time. Species richness hotspots are currently located in the NE Aegean and in highly disturbed sites. They will shift both altitudinally and latitudinally in the future. A small proportion of these hotspots are currently included in the Natura 2000 protected areas network and this proportion is projected to decrease in the coming decades. There is likely an extinction debt present in the Aegean bee communities that could result to pollination network collapse. There is a substantial conservation gap in Greece regarding bees and a critical re-assessment of the established Greek protected areas network is needed, focusing on areas identified as bee diversity hotspots over time.
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National Park and UNESCO Global Geopark of Chelmos-Vouraikos (Greece): Floristic Diversity, Ecosystem Services and Management Implications. LAND 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/land11010033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study highlights the importance of including detailed (local-scale) biodiversity and ecosystem services data for land-use management and promotion of protected areas using the National Park and UNESCO Global Geopark of Chelmos-Vouraikos (Greece) as a case study. Along with the conducted field surveys and literature review for the National Park’s flora documentation, ecosystem type mapping and assessment of ecosystem services have been performed, following National and European Union (EU) guidelines for the Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) implementation across EU Member States. Main results include floristic diversity indicators, ecosystem type mapping and assessment, and ecosystem services identification and assessment of their actual and potential supply. By this, a scientifically informed baseline dataset was developed to support management and policy needs towards a holistic National Park management and a sustainable spatial planning for protected areas. Additionally, local scale ecosystem type and ecosystem services data have been produced as input for the MAES implementation in Greece and the EU.
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Climate-Change Impacts on the Southernmost Mediterranean Arctic-Alpine Plant Populations. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su132413778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Human-induced climate- and land-use change have been affecting biogeographical and biodiversity patterns for the past two centuries all over the globe, resulting in increased extinction and biotic homogenization rates. High mountain ecosystems are more sensitive to these changes, which have led to physiological and phenological shifts, as well as to ecosystem processes’ deformation. Glacial relicts, such as arctic-alpine taxa, are sensitive indicators of the effects of global warming and their rear-edge populations could include warm-adapted genotypes that might prove—conservation-wise—useful in an era of unprecedented climate regimes. Despite the ongoing thermophilization in European and Mediterranean summits, it still remains unknown how past and future climate-change might affect the distributional patterns of the glacial relict, arctic-alpine taxa occurring in Greece, their European southernmost distributional limit. Using species distribution models, we investigated the impacts of past and future climate changes on the arctic-alpine taxa occurring in Greece and identified the areas comprising arctic-alpine biodiversity hotspots in Greece. Most of these species will be faced with severe range reductions in the near future, despite their innate resilience to a multitude of threats, while the species richness hotspots will experience both altitudinal and latitudinal shifts. Being long-lived perennials means that there might be an extinction-debt present in these taxa, and a prolonged stability phase could be masking the deleterious effects of climate change on them. Several ex situ conservation measures (e.g., seed collection, population augmentation) should be taken to preserve the southernmost populations of these rare arctic-alpine taxa and a better understanding of their population genetics is urgently needed.
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Willer J, Zidorn C, Juan-Vicedo J. Ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry, and bioactivities of Hieracium L. and Pilosella Hill (Cichorieae, Asteraceae) species. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 281:114465. [PMID: 34358652 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Species of the genera Hieracium and Pilosella have been used in folk medicine for centuries in many parts of the world. The most wiedly used species is P. officinarum Vaill., included in the British and French Pharmacopoeias and sold as part of different commercial products. AIM OF THE STUDY This review critically appraises the state-of-art of ethnopharmacology, specialised metabolites, bioactivities, and toxicity of members of Hieracium and Pilosella. Thus, gaps in scientific knowledge can be identified, also focusing on the development of products with pharmacological applications. MATERIALS AND METHODS Literature data of Hieracium and Pilosella species were mainly retrieved using different electronic databases such as Web of Science, Google Scholar, SciFinder, and PubMed. Other electronic resources included worldwide databases on ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, and phytochemistry as well as government reports. Additionally, ancient texts and local information such as PhD and MSc theses, and books were consulted. RESULTS A comprehensive analysis of the above mentioned sources revealed that only 34 out of the about 850 described species within the genera Hieracium and Pilosella have been reported in the context of traditional medicinal and ethnobotanical knowledge. The most often mentioned species is P. officinarum which has been widely used due to its diuretic effects. Other popular uses of Hieracium and Pilosella species include the treatment of skin, gastric, and intestinal diseases as well as respiratory and vascular ailments. Moreover, taxa of the two genera have been used as antiobiotics, antiseptics, antidiabetics, tonics, antiepileptics, antiphlogistics, emetics, wound healing drugs, astringents, haemostatics, and detoxificants. Finally, uses as a wild vegetable, fodder, plant for hunting and for charming rituals have also been mentioned. Phytochemical research revealed a richness in phenolic compounds and flavonoids. Moreover, coumarins, sesquiterpene lactones, terpenoids, and phytosterols were found in Hieracium and Pilosella. Experimental research conducted to support traditional uses mainly include in vitro tests, while assays based on in vivo models (including humans) are rather limited. Also, the vast majority of the studies did not identify the compounds responsible for the detected bioactivities. These established bioactivities include antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antimycotic, antiviral, cytotoxic and antiproliferative, diuretic, gastroprotective, antiepileptic, hypotensive, anti-obesity, arthropodicidal, and skin rejuvenating activities. Finally, limited toxicity studies have been conducted on members of Hieracium and Pilosella. CONCLUSION Taxa belonging to Hieracium and Pilosella have been confirmed to exert diuretic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial effects, which is in line with their long traditional use. Moreover, the above mentioned fields of application hint to the most promising routes for the development of new marketable products. Nonetheless, additional data from an in-depth research on bio-active specialised metabolites such as sesquiterpenoids, sesquiterpene lactones, and coumarines, their bioactivities and toxicity, and their biosynthesis are still warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Willer
- Pharmazeutisches Institut, Abteilung Pharmazeutische Biologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Gutenbergstraße 76, 24118, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Christian Zidorn
- Pharmazeutisches Institut, Abteilung Pharmazeutische Biologie, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Gutenbergstraße 76, 24118, Kiel, Germany.
| | - Jorge Juan-Vicedo
- Instituto de Investigación en Medio Ambiente y Ciencia Marina IMEDMAR, Universidad Católica de Valencia, Calle Guillem de Castro, 94, 'San Vicente Mártir', 46001, València, Spain.
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Panitsa M, Kokkoris IP, Kougioumoutzis K, Kontopanou A, Bazos I, Strid A, Dimopoulos P. Linking Taxonomic, Phylogenetic and Functional Plant Diversity with Ecosystem Services of Cliffs and Screes in Greece. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10050992. [PMID: 34067537 PMCID: PMC8156371 DOI: 10.3390/plants10050992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sparsely vegetated habitats of cliffs and screes act as refugia for many regional and local endemic specialized plant taxa most of which have evolved precisely for that type of habitat. The interplay between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional plant diversity on rock and scree habitats of extreme environmental conditions, enlightens the relations of plant communities and ecosystems and facilitates management planning for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The identification of biodiversity patterns and hotspots (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) contributes to the integration of the ecosystem services (ES) approach for the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (MAES) implementation in Greece and the creation of thematic maps based on the MAES reporting format. The overlap among the protected areas’ network revealed that almost all areas of cliffs and screes of medium, high, and very high taxonomic and phylogenetic plant endemism are included in the Natura 2000 area network. The results of this study provide the baseline information for ES assessments at sparsely vegetated land of cliffs and screes. Our results contribute to the implementation of certain indicators of the national set of MAES indicators in Greece such as (a) floristic diversity and (b) microrefugia of endemic diversity and support of decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Panitsa
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, Division of Plant Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (I.P.K.); (K.K.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (P.D.)
| | - Ioannis P. Kokkoris
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, Division of Plant Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (I.P.K.); (K.K.); (A.K.)
| | - Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, Division of Plant Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (I.P.K.); (K.K.); (A.K.)
- Section of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, Greece;
| | - Anna Kontopanou
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, Division of Plant Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (I.P.K.); (K.K.); (A.K.)
| | - Ioannis Bazos
- Section of Ecology and Systematics, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15784 Athens, Greece;
| | | | - Panayotis Dimopoulos
- Laboratory of Botany, Department of Biology, Division of Plant Biology, University of Patras, 26504 Patras, Greece; (I.P.K.); (K.K.); (A.K.)
- Correspondence: (M.P.); (P.D.)
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Hammoud C, Kougioumoutzis K, Rijsdijk KF, Simaiakis SM, Norder SJ, Foufopoulos J, Georgopoulou E, Van Loon EE. Past connections with the mainland structure patterns of insular species richness in a continental-shelf archipelago (Aegean Sea, Greece). Ecol Evol 2021; 11:5441-5458. [PMID: 34026019 PMCID: PMC8131802 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent research in island biogeography has highlighted the important role of late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations in shaping biogeographic patterns in insular systems but focused on oceanic systems. Through this study, we aim investigate how late Quaternary sea-level fluctuations shaped species richness patterns in continental-shelf island systems. Focusing on the Aegean archipelago, we first compiled maps of the area's geography using published data, under three sea-level stands: (a) current; (b) median sea-level over the last nine glacial-interglacial cycles (MSL); and (c) Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). We gathered taxon-island occurrences for multiple chorotypes of angiosperms, butterflies, centipedes, and reptiles. We investigated the impact of present-day and past geographic settings on chorological groups by analyzing island species-area relationships (ISARs) and using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) selection based on multiple metrics of goodness of fit. Our results confirm that the Aegean's geography has changed dramatically since the LGM, whereas the MSL only modestly differs from the present configuration. Apart for centipedes, paleogeographic changes affected both native and endemic species diversity through altering connections between land-bridge islands and the mainland. On land-bridge islands, we detected over-representation of native species and under-representation of endemics. Unlike oceanic islands, sea-level-driven increase of isolation and area contraction did not strongly shape patterns of species richness. Furthermore, the LGM configurations rather than the MSL configuration shaped patterns of endemic species richness. This suggests that even short episodes of increased connectivity with continental populations are sufficient to counteract the genetic differentiation of insular populations. On the other hand, the over-representation of native nonendemic species on land-bridge islands reflected MSL rather than LGM mainland connections. Our study shows that in terms of processes affecting species richness patterns, continental archipelagos differ fundamentally from oceanic systems because episodic connections with the mainland have profound effects on the biota of land-bridge islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril Hammoud
- Invertebrate UnitDepartment of BiologyRoyal Museum for Central AfricaTervurenBelgium
- Limnology UnitDepartment of BiologyGhent UniversityGhentBelgium
| | - Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis
- Department of BiologySection of Ecology and TaxonomyNational & Kapodistrian University of AthensAthensGreece
| | - Kenneth F. Rijsdijk
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Sietze J. Norder
- Leiden University Centre for LinguisticsLeiden UniversityLeidenThe Netherlands
| | | | | | - Emiel E. Van Loon
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem DynamicsUniversity of AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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Šlenker M, Kantor A, Marhold K, Schmickl R, Mandáková T, Lysak MA, Perný M, Caboňová M, Slovák M, Zozomová-Lihová J. Allele Sorting as a Novel Approach to Resolving the Origin of Allotetraploids Using Hyb-Seq Data: A Case Study of the Balkan Mountain Endemic Cardamine barbaraeoides. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:659275. [PMID: 33995457 PMCID: PMC8115912 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.659275] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Mountains of the Balkan Peninsula are significant biodiversity hotspots with great species richness and a large proportion of narrow endemics. Processes that have driven the evolution of the rich Balkan mountain flora, however, are still insufficiently explored and understood. Here we focus on a group of Cardamine (Brassicaceae) perennials growing in wet, mainly mountainous habitats. It comprises several Mediterranean endemics, including those restricted to the Balkan Peninsula. We used target enrichment with genome skimming (Hyb-Seq) to infer their phylogenetic relationships, and, along with genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), to resolve the origin of tetraploid Cardamine barbaraeoides endemic to the Southern Pindos Mts. (Greece). We also explored the challenges of phylogenomic analyses of polyploid species and developed a new approach of allele sorting into homeologs that allows identifying subgenomes inherited from different progenitors. We obtained a robust phylogenetic reconstruction for diploids based on 1,168 low-copy nuclear genes, which suggested both allopatric and ecological speciation events. In addition, cases of plastid-nuclear discordance, in agreement with divergent nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA) copy variants in some species, indicated traces of interspecific gene flow. Our results also support biogeographic links between the Balkan and Anatolian-Caucasus regions and illustrate the contribution of the latter region to high Balkan biodiversity. An allopolyploid origin was inferred for C. barbaraeoides, which highlights the role of mountains in the Balkan Peninsula both as refugia and melting pots favoring species contacts and polyploid evolution in response to Pleistocene climate-induced range dynamics. Overall, our study demonstrates the importance of a thorough phylogenomic approach when studying the evolution of recently diverged species complexes affected by reticulation events at both diploid and polyploid levels. We emphasize the significance of retrieving allelic and homeologous variation from nuclear genes, as well as multiple nrDNA copy variants from genome skim data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marek Šlenker
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Adam Kantor
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Karol Marhold
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Roswitha Schmickl
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
- Institute of Botany, The Czech Academy of Sciences, Průhonice, Czechia
| | - Terezie Mandáková
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | - Martin A. Lysak
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
- National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czechia
| | | | - Michaela Caboňová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Slovák
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czechia
| | - Judita Zozomová-Lihová
- Institute of Botany, Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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Taxonomic Revisiting and Phylogenetic Placement of Two Endangered Plant Species: Silene leucophylla Boiss. and Silene schimperiana Boiss. (Caryophyllaceae). PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10040740. [PMID: 33918962 PMCID: PMC8070032 DOI: 10.3390/plants10040740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The genus Silene L. is one of the largest genera in Caryophyllaceae, and is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere and South America. The endemic species Silene leucophylla and the near-endemic S. schimperiana are native to the Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. They have reduced population size and are endangered on national and international scales. These two species have typically been disregarded in most studies of the genus Silene. This research integrates the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), species micromorphology, and the phylogenetic analysis of four DNA markers: ITS, matK, rbcL and psb-A/trn-H. Trichomes were observed on the stem of Silene leucophylla, while the S. schimperiana has a glabrous stem. Irregular epicuticle platelets with sinuate margin were found in S. schimperiana. Oblong, bone-shaped, and irregularly arranged epidermal cells were present on the leaf of S. leucophylla, while Silene schimperiana leaf has "tetra-, penta-, hexa-, and polygonal" epidermal cells. Silene leucophylla and S. schimperiana have amphistomatic stomata. The Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of each marker individually or in combination represented the first phylogenetic study to reveal the generic and sectional classification of S. leucophylla and S. schimperiana. Two Silene complexes are proposed based on morphological and phylogenetic data. The Leucophylla complex was allied to section Siphonomorpha and the Schimperiana complex was related to section Sclerocalycinae. However, these two complexes need further investigation and more exhaustive sampling to infer their complex phylogenetic relationships.
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Conservation Genetics of Four Critically Endangered Greek Endemic Plants: A Preliminary Assessment. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13040152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The Mediterranean basin constitutes one of the largest global biodiversity hotspots, hosting more than 11,000 endemic plants, and it is recognised as an area with a high proportion of threatened taxa. Nevertheless, only a tiny fraction of the threatened Mediterranean endemics have their genetic diversity assessed, and we are unaware if and how climate change might impact their conservation status. This is even more pronounced in Eastern Mediterranean countries with a rich endemic flora, such as Greece, which hosts a large portion of the plant taxa assessed at the European level under the IUCN criteria. Using inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) markers and species distribution models, we analysed the genetic diversity and investigated the impacts of climate change on four critically endangered and extremely narrow and rare Greek island endemic plants, namely Aethionema retsina, Allium iatrouinum, Convolvulus argyrothamnos, and Saponaria jagelii. All four species are facing intense anthropogenic threats and display moderate genetic diversity (uHe: 0.254–0.322), while climate change is expected to have a profound impact on their range size during the coming decades. A combination of in- and ex-situ measures, such as population reinforcement and seed bank conservation, are urgently needed in order to preserve these highly threatened and rare Greek endemics.
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Kallimanis AS, Lazarina M, Tsianou MA, Andrikou-Charitidou A, Sgardelis S. Ability of Current Phylogenetic Clustering to Detect Speciation History. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.617356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Phylogenetic diversity aims to quantify the evolutionary relatedness among the species comprising a community, using the phylogenetic tree as the metric of the evolutionary relationships. Could these measures unveil the evolutionary history of an area? For example, in a speciation hotspot (biodiversity cradle), we intuitively expect that the species in the community will be more phylogenetically clustered than randomly expected. Here, using a theoretical simulation model, we estimate the ability of phylogenetic metrics of current diversity to detect speciation history. We found that, in the absence of dispersal, if the incipient species do not coexist in the region of speciation (as expected under allopatric speciation), there was no clear phylogenetic clustering and phylogenetic diversity failed to detect speciation history. But if the incipient species coexisted (sympatric speciation), metrics such as standardized effect size of Faith’s Phylogenetic Diversity (PD) and of Mean Nearest Taxon Distance (MNTD) were able to identify areas of high speciation, while Mean Pairwise Distance (MPD) was a poor indicator. PD systematically outperformed MNTD. Dispersal was a game-changer. It allowed species to expand their range, colonize areas, and led to the coexistence of the incipient species originating from a common ancestor. If speciation gradient was spatially contiguous, dispersal strengthened the associations between phylogenetic clustering and speciation history. In the case of spatially random speciation, dispersal blurred the signal with phylogenetic clustering occurring in areas of low or no speciation. Our results imply that phylogenetic clustering is an indicator of speciation history only under certain conditions.
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The Ecological Status of Juniperus foetidissima Forest Stands in the Mt. Oiti-Natura 2000 Site in Greece. SUSTAINABILITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/su13063544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Junipers face multiple threats induced both by climate and land use changes, impacting their expansion and reproductive dynamics. The aim of this work is to evaluate the ecological status of Juniperus foetidissima Willd. forest stands in the protected Natura 2000 site of Mt. Oiti in Greece. The study of the ecological status is important for designing and implementing active management and conservation actions for the species’ protection. Tree size characteristics (height, breast height diameter), age, reproductive dynamics, seed production and viability, tree density, sex, and habitat expansion were examined. The data analysis revealed a generally good ecological status of the habitat with high plant diversity. However, at the different juniper stands, subpopulations present high variability and face different problems, such as poor tree density, reduced numbers of juvenile trees or poor seed production, inadequate male:female ratios, a small number of female trees, reduced numbers of seeds with viable embryos, competition with other woody species, grazing, and illegal logging. From the results, the need for site-specific active management and interventions is demonstrated in order to preserve or achieve the good status of the habitat at all stands in the region.
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Extinction Risk Assessment of the Greek Endemic Flora. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10030195. [PMID: 33806693 PMCID: PMC7999807 DOI: 10.3390/biology10030195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary This study assesses for the first time all the vascular endemic plant taxa of Greece, according to their decline and rarity. Phylogenetic analysis and its spatial overview highlight areas for conservation prioritization. Several of the Greek endemics are threatened with extinction and fourteen of them need to be prioritized, due to their evolutionary distinctiveness. This assessment could act as the baseline and supporting tool for conservation actions, decision- and policy-making for biodiversity, while highlighting the need for a new Red Data Book for the Greek flora. Abstract Human-induced biodiversity decline has been on the rise for the past 250 years, due to various causes. What is equally troubling, is that we are unaware which plants are threatened and where they occur. Thus, we are far from reaching Aichi Biodiversity Target 2, i.e., assessing the extinction risk of most species. To that end, based on an extensive occurrence dataset, we performed an extinction risk assessment according to the IUCN Criteria A and B for all the endemic plant taxa occurring in Greece, one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe, in a phylogenetically-informed framework and identified the areas needing conservation prioritization. Several of the Greek endemics are threatened with extinction and fourteen endemics need to be prioritized, as they are evolutionary distinct and globally endangered. Mt. Gramos is identified as the most important conservation hotspot in Greece. However, a significant portion of the identified conservation hotspots is not included in any designated Greek protected area, meaning that the Greek protected areas network might need to be at least partially redesigned. In the Anthropocene era, where climate and land-use change are projected to alter biodiversity patterns and may force many species to extinction, our assessment provides the baseline for future conservation research, ecosystem services maintenance, and might prove crucial for the timely, systematic and effective aversion of plant extinctions in Greece.
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An Orchid in Retrograde: Climate-Driven Range Shift Patterns of Ophrys helenae in Greece. PLANTS 2021; 10:plants10030470. [PMID: 33801443 PMCID: PMC8000551 DOI: 10.3390/plants10030470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Climate change is regarded as one of the most important threats to plants. Already species around the globe are showing considerable latitudinal and altitudinal shifts. Helen's bee orchid (Ophrys helenae), a Balkan endemic with a distribution center in northwestern Greece, is reported to be expanding east and southwards. Since this southeastern movement goes against the usual expectations, we investigated via Species Distribution Modelling, whether this pattern is consistent with projections based on the species' response to climate change. We predicted the species' future distribution based on three different climate models in two climate scenarios. We also explored the species' potential distribution during the Last Interglacial and the Last Glacial Maximum. O. helenae is projected to shift mainly southeast and experience considerable area changes. The species is expected to become extinct in the core of its current distribution, but to establish a strong presence in the mid- and high-altitude areas of the Central Peloponnese, a region that could have provided shelter in previous climatic extremes.
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