Ecosystem investigation Group 1 General description.

1. Ecosystem investigationGroup1General description.

2. Platanakia creek Platanakia (start) General description Our ecosystem includes a mountain creek, the surrounding area as well as the an artificial lake created by a dam. The creek creates a valley with hydrophilous vegetation where plane trees dominate. The name Platanakia derives from the Greek word Πλάτανος (Platanos) which means plane tree (Platanusorientalis). Our area of investigation ends to a dam that creates an artificial lake which attracts a lot of bird fauna. City of Panorama Platanakia creek Thermi dam (end) City of Thermi

3. Platanakia creek Location – area Our creek lies between Platanakia location near the city of Panorama down to the Thermi dam near the city of Thermi. Along the creek lies a trail of about 6 km under plane trees among the maquis vegetation of the surrounding hills. The dam creates an artificial lake with the following coordinates: 40o33’Ν and 23o02’E. Our ecosystem covers an area of about 5km2. The creek collects it’s water from Mt.Hortiatis run off area Koronia lake Platanakia Mt. Hortiatis (alt. 1201m) City of Panorama Platanakia creek Thermi artificial lake

4. Platanakia creek Grazed land Vegetation - Habitats In our ecosystem we find 3 basic habitats: 1.Vegetation of intermittently flowing mediterranean creeks 2.Mediterranean maquis 3.Vegetation around artificial lakes Cultivated land We also find cultivated and grazing land

5. 1.Vegetation of intermittently flowing mediterranean creeks Hydrophilous trees, bushes and herbs are found in this type of vegetation. Plane trees (Platanusorientalis) and willow (salix alba) dominate along the creek and give the light green strip in the photo in the right. Common bushes are oleanders (Nerium oleander) and chastes (Vitexagnus-castus) Common aquatic herbs are Lemna minor Water mint (Menthaaquatica) Nerium oleander Platanusorientalis

6. 2.Mediterranean maquis The term maquis is generally taken to be derived from the Corsican name for the low shrub habitat that prevails in the mediterranean region. This widespread and species-rich vegetation type is characterised by its composition of evergreen sclerophyllous shrubs that range in height between 1m and 5m. Maquis form the most extensive habitats in Greece. They stretch from sea level up to 700m of altitude. They have deep roots in order to reach water during the summer dry months. Their leathery leaves lower transpiration rates during the hot weather. In our ecosystem hills around the creek are covered with maquis. Among others dominant species are : wild olivetree (Oleaoleaster), Kermes oak (Quercuscoccifera), wild pear (Pyrusamygdaliformis),Juniper (Juniperusoxycedrus), heath (Erica arborea), Cistus (Cistusincanus), Broom (Spartiumjunceum) etc.

7. Maquis October 2011 December 2011 Plane trees Heath Kermes oak

8. Artificial Lake Our artificial lake does not exhibit the typical lake zonation. We can see shore vegetation with • Lithrumsalicaria • Salix alba • Vitexagnus-castus but we don’t see any reed or waterlilies Lithrumsalicaria

9. Group 1 • Damianidou Eleftheria • Liaka Alexandra • PanouDamaskini • PoiraziStefania • Siopidis Archelaos