Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Studies on the effects of altitude on butterflies in the Mediterranean have demon-
strated that butterfly richness peaks at intermediate levels and quickly decreases at
higher altitudes (e.g. Stefanescu
et al.,
2004). Low richness but high endemism is
reported for the ground spiders and other invertebrates in the mountains of Crete
(Sfenthourakis and Legakis, 2001; Chatzaki
et al.,
2005).
In addition, some mountains host a significant number of breeding bird species -
in the case of the Pyrenees 120 species - as well as a large number of migra-
tory species (Davis
et al.,
1994). The high mountain tops such as those of Crete
are among the last strongholds of many birds of prey such as the bearded vulture
(
Gypaetus barbatus
), the griffon vulture (
Gyps fulvus
), the golden eagle (
Aquila
chrysaetus
) and Bonelli's eagle (
Aquila fasciatus
). The forests of the Corsican
mountains also host a number of birds such as the endemic Corsican nuthatch (
Sitta
whiteheadi
), two species of endangered raptors and rare Palaearctic birds such as
the bearded vulture (Mouillot
et al.,
2008).
6.5 Conservation in Mediterranean mountains
Mountains are very special places [and] they are the last bastion of wild, untram-
melled nature and unfettered evolutionary processes.
Hamilton and McMillan (2004, pp. 1-3)
This statement summarizes and underpins the reasons behind the need for conserva-
tion and protected area designation in mountains. The threats to the ecological and
functional integrity of mountains that call for conservation action include forestry
practices, dams, ski facilities, winter resorts, associated road construction, grazing
and land abandonment, with varying degrees of intensity between mountains (see
Chapter 8). All these activities do not bode well for mountain biodiversity. Habitat
loss and fragmentation are having an impact on native flora and fauna, as in the case
of the bear populations in the Spanish Pyrenees or the Greek Pindos mountains.
However, the main challenge for future conservation efforts is climate change
and its possible impacts on mountain environments (see Chapter 9). Higher temper-
atures in mountain regions will lead to an upward shift of biotic zones with possible
decrease in the numbers and abundance of endemic species (Mooney
et al.,
2001;
Radford
et al.,
2011). It is expected that the highest zones (i.e. alti-Mediterranean)
will be most affected due to limited possibilities for species upward/altitudinal mi-
gration (Medail and Quezel, 2003). Other possible ecosystem responses to climate
change, as summarized by Medail and Quezel (2003), include extinction or regres-
sion of species populations, migration, northward extension of the thermophilous
vegetation, expansion of saharian or sahelian floristic elements in the southern part
of the Basin, and evolutionary responses of the vegetation. There is still little em-
pirical evidence of these effects on the Mediterranean mountain flora. For example,
recent studies for two Mediterranean mountains, Lefka Ori and the central Apen-
nines, concur on the effect of changes on rare species but indicate that colonization
