Forests of Greece, Their Multiple Functions and Uses, Sustainable Management and Biodiversity Conservation in the Face of Climate Change

This is a review paper based on national and international literature, national inventories and empirical approach. A general overview of the forests, forest management and forest biodiversity of Greece are briefly summarized. The distribution of the main forest species and their ecosystems in the Geographic regions of Greece is presented in a tabular form. Their multiple functions and uses, their management type/regime, their risks and threats, protection and conservation measures are also synoptically described. Furthermore, adaptive forest management and silviculture as well as management of genetic diversity in order to face climate change are also analysed. Research priority areas on biodiversity and challenges for biodiversity research and related policy in Greece have been summarized. The new Rural Development Program (2014-2020), which is currently in the final phase of implementation, will take into consideration the forest itself and forest-related European and National legal obligations. Finally, major conclusions and research priority areas on future management and conservation of forests are highlighted.

Distribution and quantification of Pb in an evergreen broadleaved forest in three hydrological years

The distribution,quantification and fluxes of Pb were examined in an evergreen broadleaved forest in western Greece for three hydrological years.More specifically,concentrations and annual fluxes of Pb were determined in bulk and throughfall deposition as well as litterfall.The Pb concentrations were also measured in forest floor and mineral soil up to 80 cm and the isotopic ratios of 206Pb/207Pb were determined in soil layers and the parent rock material.High variability in the fluxes of the metal among the three hydrological years were found,evidence of the variability of Pb deposition in time.Litterfall fractions with a large surface area,like holm oak flowers,had high Pb concentrations.Applying a steady state model and considering the Pb amounts in throughfall and litterfall as inputs on the forest floor,the mean residence time of Pb in the forest floor was 94 years with a coefficient of variation equal to 41%.More observations are needed to lower the variability of the mean residence time.The isotopic ratio in the rock material was defined as the lithogenic ratio.The statistical tests showed that the petrol derived Pb migrated to the depth of 20 cm and its percentages in the soil pedon was in the range of 62%in the L horizon to 11%in the 10–20cm layer.In higher depths(>40 cm)preindustrial anthropogenic Pb affected the isotopic ratio.As the forest under consideration is remote from industrial activities,the results can serve as a baseline for future studies on Pb distribution and quantification.

Nutrients in litterfall,forest floor and mineral soils in two adjacent forest ecosystems in Greece

The fluxes of masses and the nutrients Ca,Mg,K,N,P and S were determined in the litterfall of two adjacent forest ecosystems of Hungarian oak(Quercus frainetto L.)and European beech(Fagus sylvatica L.)in a mountainous area of northeastern Greece in 2010–2015.The foliar litterfall for both species reached about 70%of the total litterfall,and was significantly higher from the other two fractions(woody and rest litterfall).The fluxes of masses and nutrients were compared between ecosystems for each fraction separately.Only one significant statistical difference was found,that of K in the woody litterfall.In addition,the stocks of masses and nutrients were calculated in the forest floors and mineral soils of the two ecosystems.Likewise,the stocks of nutrients in the forest floors and mineral soils were compared between ecosystems.In the L horizon of the forest floors,statistical differences,as a result of species effect,were found for the stocks of Ca and N.In the FH horizons,the masses and all the nutrient stocks differed significantly,as the beech plot had much higher quantities of organic matter and nutrients.These higher quantities were probably due to low soil temperatures(microclimate)and high acidity in the beech plot(species effect)that slowed down decomposition.In the mineral soils,the propagation of random error derived from random errors of the individual soil layers was an important factor in the statistical comparisons.Because of the soil acidity in the beech plot,the stocks of exchangeable base cations were significantly higher in the oak plot,whereas the other nutrient stocks did not differ.

Fluxes,stocks and availability of nitrogen in evergreen broadleaf and fir forests:similarities and differences

In this study,nitrogen fluxes or flows in litterfall,nitrogen stocks and available nitrogen in soils of two plots representing evergreen broadleaf and Bulgarian fir forests were assessed.Both plots are in good quality sites and for this reason,the litterfall quantities and nitrogen fluxes were relatively high.The woody litterfall flux of nitrogen was significantly higher in the fir forest than in the evergreen broadleaf one.The total nitrogen stock was higher in the soil under the fir forest.However,the percentage of the available nitrogen(ammonium+nitrates)was significantly higher in the upper 20 cm soil layer of the evergreen broadleaf forest in spite of the higher average C/N ratios in the foliar litterfall of the broadleaf forest and insignificant difference of the C/N ratios in all soil layers of the two ecosystems.The microclimatic conditions(higher soil temperatures in the evergreen broadleaf forest)is probable possible cause for this difference.The available nitrogen in the soils and its retranslocation from senescing leaves cover the nitrogen requirements of trees.It is hypothesized that trees may also take up nitrogen from deeper soil layers.