Crete Mediterranean forests

Last updated
Crete Mediterranean forests
Forest in the Zakros Canyon 2 - panoramio.jpg
Streamside forest in Zakros Gorge, Crete
Crete topographic map-fr.jpg
Topographic map of Crete
Ecology
Realm Palearctic
Biome Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub
Geography
Area8,450 km2 (3,260 sq mi)
Country Greece
Elevationsea level to 2,456 m
Conservation
Conservation status critical/endangered
Protected35.26% [1]

The Crete Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the Greek island of Crete.

Contents

The island has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome found in the lands in and around the Mediterranean Sea. Crete's diverse habitats, from shrublands to forests, sustain 1600 species of plants, including dozens of endemic species. [2] The island was once characterized by forests, but centuries of human habitation have transformed the landscape, converting much of the original forest into shrublands, woodlands, fields, orchards, and pastures.

Geography

Crete lies in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. The Aegean Sea is to the north, and the Libyan Sea is to the south. It is about 160 km south of the Greek mainland. Crete is the largest island in Greece and the fifth-largest island in the Mediterranean, with an area of 8,336 km².

Crete extends 260 km from east to west, and its north–south width varies from 60 to 12 miles. A mountainous spine extends the length of the island, with three principal ranges: the White Mountains or Lefka Ori in the west (2,454 m), Psiloritis in the center (which includes Mount Ida, Crete's highest point at 2,456 m), and the Dikti Mountains in the east (2,148 m).

Geologically Crete is part of the Hellenic arc, created by the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates starting 11 to 15 million years ago. Seas have divided Crete from the Greek and Anatolian mainlands for at least five million years. Crete's high mountains were uplifted 1.5 million years ago. [3]

Flora

Phlomis fruticosa on Crete. Phlomis fruticosa RF.jpg
Phlomis fruticosa on Crete.

The island's range of topography and soils support diverse plant communities. At lower elevations, low shrubland (phrygana) is common. Phrygana includes many aromatic plants, and typical species include Sarcopoterium spinosum, Thymus capitatus, Phlomis fruticosa, Phlomis cretica, Phlomis lanata, Cistus spp., Genista acanthoclada, Calicotome villosa , and spurge (Euphorbia spp.). There are also high shrublands (maquis) dominated by carob ( Ceratonia siliqua ), juniper ( Juniperus phoenicea ), and tree-spurge ( Euphorbia dendroides ), and woodlands and forests of evergreen and semi-evergreen oaks ( Quercus coccifera and Quercus brachyphylla ). [3] [2] Groves of Cretan date palm (Phoenix theophrasti) are found in a few stream gorges around the island.

Woodlands of Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) and Kermes oak ( Quercus coccifera ) are found at mid-elevations, along with Maquis shrublands, and phrygana of Berberis cretica, Rhamnus saxatilis, Prunus prostrata , and Satureja spinosa .

Woodlands of Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) and Cretan maple (Acer sempervirens) are found at high elevations. Above the tree line (1600-1800 meters), thorny cushion scrublands grow on the highest peaks. [2] [3]

There are 1,600 plant species on Crete, of which about 10% are endemic. [2]

Fauna

Crete is home to two endemic mammals, the Cretan shrew (Crocidura zimmermanni) and Crete spiny mouse (Acomys minous). [2]

The Kri-kri (Capra aegagrus cretica) is subspecies of feral goat found only in Crete's mountains and on nearby islands.

66 species of terrestrial birds breed on Crete and adjacent islands, belonging to 41 genera. [4] Year-round resident birds include the bearded vulture (Gypaetus barbatus), griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus), golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus), red-billed chough (Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax), and chukar partridge (Alectoris chukar), Eurasian scops owl (Otus scops), northern long-eared owl (Asio otus), short-eared owl (Asio flammeus), and tawny owl (Strix aluco). Rüppell's warbler (Curruca ruppeli) breeds on the island in the summer, and winters across the Mediterranean in northeastern Africa. [5] [6]

Extinct fauna

Crete's long isolation from the mainland made its fauna distinct. Dwarf elephants (Palaeoloxodon chaniensis and P. creutzburgi), the Cretan dwarf hippopotamus (Hippopotamus creutzburgi), Cretan dwarf mammoth (Mammuthus creticus), and Cretan dwarf megacerine (Candiacervus cretensis), a tiny deer, lived on Crete until the end of the Pleistocene epoch. These species are examples of insular dwarfism.

The Cretan owl (Athene cretensis), a giant flightless owl, and the Cretan otter (Lutrogale cretensis) also went extinct at the end of the Pleistocene.

Protected areas

35.26% of the ecoregion is in protected areas. These include the Lefka Ori, Psiloritis, and Dikti Mountains and Samaria Gorge National Park. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crete</span> Largest Greek island

Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the 88th largest island in the world and the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. Crete rests about 160 km (99 mi) south of the Greek mainland, and about 100 km (62 mi) southwest of Anatolia. Crete has an area of 8,450 km2 (3,260 sq mi) and a coastline of 1,046 km (650 mi). It bounds the southern border of the Aegean Sea, with the Sea of Crete to the north and the Libyan Sea to the south. Crete covers 260 km from west to east but is narrow from north to south, spanning three longitudes but only half a latitude.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Ida (Crete)</span> Central mountain massif in Crete also called Psiloritis.

Mount Ida, known variously as Idha, Ídhi, Idi, and Ita, is the highest mountain on the island of Crete, with an elevation of 2,456 metres (8,058 ft). It has the highest topographic prominence of any mountain in Greece. A natural park which includes Mount Ida is a member of UNESCO's Global Geoparks Network.

<i>Quercus coccifera</i> Species of tree

Quercus coccifera, the kermes oak, is an oak bush in the Ilex section of the genus. It has many synonyms, including Quercus calliprinos. It is native to the Mediterranean region and Northern African Maghreb, south to north from Morocco to France and west to east from Portugal to Cyprus and Turkey, crossing Spain, Italy, Libya, Balkans, and Greece, including Crete. The Kermes Oak was historically important as the food plant of Kermes scale insects, from which a red dye called crimson was obtained. The etymology of the specific name coccifera is related to the production of red cochineal (crimson) dye and derived from Latin coccum which was from Greek κόκκος, the kermes insect. The Latin -fera means 'bearer'.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dikti</span> Mountain range of east Crete, Greece.

Dikti or Dicte is a mountain range on the east of the island of Crete in the regional unit of Lasithi. On the west it extends to the regional unit of Heraklion. According to some versions of Greek mythology, Zeus was reared on this mountain in a cave called Dictaeon Antron. On the north of the main massif, the Lasithi Plateau is located. The topology of the mountain range is rich with plateaus, valleys and secondary peaks. Some important peaks are Spathi 2148m, Afentis Christos/Psari Madara 2141m, Lazaros 2085m, Madara 1783m, Skafidaras 1673m, Katharo Tsivi 1665m, Sarakino 1588m, Afentis 1571m, Selena 1559m, Varsami 1545m, Toumpa Moutsounas 1538m, Platia Korfi 1489m, Mahairas 1487m, Virgiomeno Oros 1414m. The main massif forms a horseshoe around the valley of Selakano. Large parts of the mountain area, including the Selakano valley, are forested with pines, Kermes oaks, cypresses, Holm Oaks and Cretan Maples. The fertile valleys and plateaus of Dikti/Dicte are of significant importance in the local economy.

<i>Athene</i> (bird) Genus of birds

Athene is a genus of owls, containing nine living species, depending on classification. These birds are small, with brown and white speckles, yellow eyes, and white eyebrows. This genus is found on all continents except for Australia, Antarctica, and Sub-Saharan Africa. An evolutionary radiation of 4 species is also present in the Solomon Islands.

Selakano is a forested valley and a hamlet in the municipality of Ierapetra on the island of Crete. Selakano forms one of the most important ecosystems on Crete. The forest core of wild pine is also important on the Mediterranean level. It is located in the northwestern territories of Ierapetra in the southeastern part of the Dikti massif, surrounded by the four highest peaks. In the east, there is a panoramic view of the Libyan Sea, at a distance of 15 km.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean woodlands and forests</span> Ecoregion in Northern Africa

The Mediterranean woodlands and forests is an ecoregion in the coastal plains, hills, and mountains bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean in North Africa. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Illyrian deciduous forests</span> Terrestrial ecoregion of Europe

The Illyrian deciduous forests is a terrestrial ecoregion in southern Europe, which extends along the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It belongs to the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome, and is in the Palearctic realm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geography of Greece</span>

Greece is a country in Southeastern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. It is bordered to the north by Albania, North Macedonia and Bulgaria; to the east by Turkey, and is surrounded to the east by the Aegean Sea, to the south by the Cretan and the Libyan seas, and to the west by the Ionian Sea which separates Greece from Italy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tyrrhenian–Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Southern Europe

The Tyrrhenian-Adriatic sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in southern Italy, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, the Dalmatian Islands of Croatia, and Malta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub</span> Habitat defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature

Mediterranean scrub is a biome defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The biome is generally characterized by dry summers and rainy winters, although in some areas rainfall may be uniform. Summers are typically hot in low-lying inland locations but can be cool near colder seas. Winters are typically mild to cool in low-lying locations but can be cold in inland and higher locations. All these ecoregions are highly distinctive, collectively harboring 10% of the Earth's plant species.

<i>Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi</i> Extinct species of elephant found on Crete

Palaeoloxodon creutzburgi is an extinct species of elephant known from the Middle-Late Pleistocene of Crete. It is a descendant of the large mainland species Palaeoloxodon antiquus. It is known from localities across the island. P. chaniensis from Stylos and in Vamos cave, Chania, west Crete is considered to be a junior synonym of P. creutzburgi. It had undergone insular dwarfism, being approximately 40% of the size of its mainland ancestor, and was around the size of the living Asian elephant. It lived alongside the radiation of Candiacervus deer endemic to the island, the mouse Mus batae-minotaurus, the Cretan otter, and the Cretan shrew.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natural history of Rhodes</span>

The natural history of the island of Rhodes is determined by its geographic position, climate and geological diversity. Rhodes is in the Eastern Mediterranean Basin close to the coast of Turkey, and the flora and fauna are a mixture of Mediterranean and Asian elements. Rhodes is in the Eastern Mediterranean conifer-sclerophyllous-broadleaf forests ecoregion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eastern Anatolian deciduous forests</span> Ecoregion in Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

The Eastern Anatolian deciduous forests ecoregion is located in the mountains of eastern Turkey. It is a Palearctic ecoregion in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests biome.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests</span> Ecoregion in Greece, Turkey, and North Macedonia

The Aegean and Western Turkey sclerophyllous and mixed forests is an ecoregion in the lands around the Aegean Sea. The ecoregion covers most of mainland Greece, the Greek Aegean Islands, the western coast of Turkey, the southern Vardar river valley in North Macedonia, the southern Struma river valley at the extreme south-western corner of Bulgaria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Stroumboulas</span> Mountain in Greece

Mount Stroumboulas or Stroumpoulas, is a mountain in northern Crete, Greece.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wildlife of Greece</span>

The wildlife of Greece includes the diverse flora, fauna, and funga of Greece, a country in southern Europe. The country is mostly mountainous with a very long, convoluted coastline, consisting of peninsulas and many islands. The climate ranges from Mediterranean through temperate to alpine, and the habitats include mountains, hills, forests, rivers, lakes, coasts and cultivated land.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyprus Mediterranean forests</span>

The Cyprus Mediterranean forests is a terrestrial ecoregion that encompasses the island of Cyprus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northeastern Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests</span> Ecoregion in Southern Europe

The Northeastern Spain and Southern France Mediterranean forests is a Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub ecoregion in southwestern Europe. It occupies the Mediterranean coastal region of northeastern Spain, Southern France, the Balearic Islands and a small part of Italy.

Waynea cretica is a species of corticolous (bark-dwelling), squamulose lichen in the family Ramalinaceae. It occurs on the Greek island of Crete and in Portugal.

References

  1. 1 2 "Crete Mediterranean forests". DOPA Explorer. Accessed 27 March 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Crete Mediterranean forests". World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 23 April 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 Benda, Petr & Georgiakakis, Panagiotis & Dietz, Christian & Hanák, Vladimír & Galanaki, Kosmoula & Markantonatou, Vessa & Chudárková, Adéla & Hulva, Pavel & Horacek, Ivan. (2008). Bats(Mammalia: Chiroptera) of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. Part 7. The bat fauna of Crete, Greece. Acta Soc. Zool. Bohem. ZoologyNatural History). 7287. 105-190.
  4. Stylianos Michail Simaiakis, Michail Dretakis, Christos Barboutis, Thanos Katritis, Danae Portolou, and Stavros Xirouchakis (2012) "Breeding land birds across the Greek islands: a biogeographic study with emphasis on faunal similarity, species–area relationships and nestedness". Journal of Ornithology 153:849–860, January 2012. DOI 10.1007/s10336-011-0803-1
  5. BirdLife International (2022) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Mount Idi, Crete. Accessed 27 March 2022
  6. Crete bird checklist. Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World. Accessed 27 March 2022.