Rangelands and regional development of Thessalia
The total area of Thessalia is 14,036,600 stremmata or 10,63% of the total area of Greece. This paper examines the importance of the rangelands in the regional development of Thessaly. The approach used is as follows. In the beginning the distribution and the changes of rangelands during the period 1991-1999 is examined. In the second part, the evolution of the agricultural population, the cattle breading, the livestock production and the social-economic conditions during the period 1961-2001 is examined. The results indicate that the agricultural population decreased, while the unemployment was increased. The cattle breading was sector contributes a lot to the total regional product.
Habitat types diversity of the site ΄΄Stena Kalamakiou΄΄ of the ΄΄Natura 2000΄΄ network
The site ΄΄STENA KALAMAKIOU΄΄ (GR 1440004) in the thessalian plain was proposed to be included in the “Natura 2000” network. It is flowed by the river Pinios and characterized by overgrazing, whose impact is obvious on the vegetation. The following 6 habitat types were recorded and their structure as well as their floristic composition were studied by means of 25 sample plots (relevés): Constantly flowing Mediterranean rivers: Paspalo-Agrostidion and hanging curtains of Salix and Populus alba (3280), Sarcopoterium spinosum phrygana (5420), Pseudomaquis (5350), Chasmophytic vegetation of calcareous rocky slopes of Greece – Eumediterranean rocks (8216), Oriental plane woods (Platanion orientalis) (92CO) and Salix alba and Populus alba galleries (92AO). A significant number of species was recorded in all 6 habitat types as well as a number of endemic and protected species. Finally, the 6 habitat types were compared to their floristic similarity by the Soerensen’s index.
Comparative study of bird diversity and abundance in rangelands and agroecosystems of Elassona area, Greece
The landscape of the plain area of Dolihi, Elassona, includes rangelands and cultivations, with cereals being the predominant crop. In spring of 2003, we investigated the diversity and abundance of avifauna in relation to habitat type. More specifically, we recorded the number of breeding bird species in each habitat type, as well as the density of breeding pairs per hectare. These two parameters were compared among the habitat types that were available to birds in the area, i.e. rangelands, cereal fields, tobacco fields, ecotone (rangeland – cereal field), hedgerows, Robinia plantations. The results of the study indicate that rangeland hosts one of the highest numbers of breeding bird species (17), ecotone habitats host the highest number of breeding pairs (19), and the lowest number of species are found in cereal fields (3), tobacco fields (3), and Robinia pseudoacacia plantations (1). However, breeding pair density was highest in ecotone habitat (72.6 breeding pairs per hectare), in the tobacco fields (8.3 b.p./ha), and in rangelands 4.6 b.p./ha. From the results obtained we may conclude that the presence of rangeland habitats, whether pure or in conjunction with cereal fields in ecotones, exhibit a strong positive influence on bird diversity in the agricultural landscape of the area which is dominated by cereal fields, for which the parameters of biodiversity are low.
Seasonal changes in the forage quality and quantity of the low elevation grassland in the Thessaly region
Grasslands of Greece constitute vital forage resources with multiple uses. More specifically, grasslands of the low and middle elevation zones ensure forage production for domestic and wild animals by grazing in different seasons of year. In this paper, the results of research relative to the seasonal and yearly changes of quantity and quality in forage production of grasslands of the low elevation zone are presented. Results show that May was the month for peak production of the low grassland, that depends mainly no the amount and the distribution of rainfall and temperature. Forage had highest content in crude protein during March, whereas, species diversity was not affected by grazing.
