Flora and vegetation in a special protected area of Mount Taygetos, Southern Greece

摘要

Greece is characterized by special rich flora and fauna. Flora and vegetation between Natural and Forest ecosystems (burned and unburned areas) in the Special Protected Area, of Mount Taygetos, Southern Greece were investigated. The most frequently occurring plants were Helictochloa agropyroides and Galium peloponnesiacum in the herbaceous plants of Natural ecosystem-Burned areas and Natural ecosystem-Unburned areas. The most frequently occurring woody species was Cistus creticus in Natural ecosystem-Burned areas and Natural ecosystem-Unburned areas. Also, the most frequently occurring herbaceous and woody plants Bromus sp. and Cistus creticus, respectively, in Forest-Burned areas. Moreover, the herbaceous plant and woody plant species that occurred most frequently were Daucus carota and Sesleria taygetea and Cistus creticus in Forest-Unburned areas. Moreover, the data revealed significantly higher alpha herbaceous plant diversity in Forests-Unburned areas, Natural Ecosystems-Unburned areas, Forests-Burned areas than in Natural Ecosystems-Burned areas. Furthermore, Natural Ecosystems-Unburned areas and Forests-Unburned areas exhibited the highest values of alpha woody plant diversity followed by Forests-Burned areas, whereas the Natural Ecosystems-Burned areas had the lowest values. Conclusively, Mount Taygetos is a purely Mediterranean mountain, in view of its general physiognomy, climate, soil and mainly the biogeographical significance of its rich flora.