Monitoring of vegetation changes in the Special Protection Area of Mounts Tzena and Pinovo, Prefecture of Pella, northern Greece
Remote Sensing Technology was used to determine changes in natural vegetation in the Special Protection Area of Mounts Tzena and Pinovo, in the north-eastern part of the Prefecture of Pella. The study was conducted in the framework of a research programme for the area titled «The Protection of the Environment and Sustainable Development», with the aim to monitor the changes during the decade 1989-1999. Analogical and digital thematic maps of the area, as well as management plans and satellite digital images of LANDSAT TM -5 and -7, were used as data sources. The procedure of detecting the changes during the above period showed different results for the various vegetation types of the area. Beech forests appear to have undergone a small change, whereas the other vegetation types show an apparent reduction in ground cover. Specifically in the case of the various types of rangelands, grasslands show a reduction of 11.2% of the total area they cover, followed by sparsely bushlands with a reduction in ground cover of 6.6%. The appearance of clouds in the satellite pictures was a drawback in their processing. The results of the study show that monitoring changes in vegetation by use of satellite images gives valuable information that could lead to better management measures for the area.
Monitoring of vegetation types changes in the area of Lake Agra
The area of “Lake Agra” includes an artificial lake and important agricultural and forest biotopes peripherally. Rare species of fauna (Aytha nyroca), as well as of flora, have been recorded in the area. In this study, the satellite remote sensing and technology and Geographical Information Systems (GIS) were used for monitoring and mapping of changes in the area during the last decade. The remote sensing technology helped in the analysis of the satellite images that cover the area and in the detection of changes in natural ecosystems and vegetation types. The environmental variables, which are essentials for the creation of a data bank on the rational management of the area of “Lake Agra” were determined by the use of GIS. The results have shown that the combination of remote sensing and GIS can constitute a basis for rational management of natural ecosystems. Changes in the water level of the wetland observed over the years have induced negative consequences on the fauna of the area.
Εffect of clipping on total available carbohydrates of Amorpha fruticosa L.
Defoliation had a direct impact on energy reserveς which mainly consist of total available carbohydrates of the plant species. The effect of a 60% clipping of the current growth (leaves and twigs) of Amorpha fruticosa to the total available carbohydrates compared to the control (0%) was investigated. Clipping was initiated the last part of May, and then was repeated every six weeks until September at which time the control was clipped. Total available carbohydrates were determined in leaves and twigs of the samples from the first clipping in May, and the last clipping in September. For comparative purposes samples clipped from the control were analyzed. Total available carbohydrates of twigs were significantly higher than that of leaves, from clipped or unclipped plants Total available carbohydrates of leaves and stems of clipped plants were lower compared to the control.
Effects of grazing and shading on the nutritive value of herbaceous vegetation in agroforestry systems
The effects of grazing and shading of various spacing treatments (10mx10m, 7mx7m, 4mx4m, 2mx2.5m), on the nutritive value of herbaceous vegetation, in a wild cherry (Prunus avium L.) agroforestry system, was studied. The experiment was conducted in Laggadia, Pella close to the borders of the FYROM. The experimental area was grazed in early summer by a flock of 200 native-race goats, from 1993 to 1997. Grazing prolonged the green period of the plants, preserved the lignin content percentages in low values but it didn’t affect the CP, NDF and ADF content. Shading, especially in the narrow tree spacing 2mx2.5m, increased CP content and decreased NDF content. The CP content of the herbaceous vegetation was significantly higher next to tree trunks compared to the mean distance between the tree plots. The NDF, ADF and ADL content wasn’t affected.
Estimate of grazing capacity in the coppiced oak forest «Laimos» in Bourazani area of Konitsa
The main purpose of this study was to estimate the grazing capacity of the oak forest «Laimos», covered area 82,5 ha and estimate the animals’ number that they can be fed for a 7-month period, each year (April-October), without damaging the ecosystem. In the late July 2003, 29 vegetation transects 20m each were taken, in which were taken regularly 5 plots 0,5 x 0,5m each. In every plot and for 2 m height were cut all the available grazing biomass, herbs, shrubs and trees. In the laboratory it was separated the annual production from the old production. Then the samples were oven-dried at 60 oC, weighted and referred in kg/1000m2. The forest is separated in three areas in which are going to be foraged wild goats in the first, wild sheeps and deers in the second and wild boar in the third. The samples’ analysis revealed that the grazing capacity in the wild goats’ area is 290 Monthly Animal Units (MAU) or 25 wild goats annually and in the deers’ area is 1455 MAU or 120 deers and wild sheeps. In the wild boars’ area it couldn’t been estimated the grazing capacity, because this animal is being fed with underground vegetation too.
