Dissertation committee:
Ομότιμος Καθηγητής Αρτέμιος Γιαννίτσαρος (Επιβλέπων) , Καθηγητής Θεόδωρος Γεωργιάδης, Επίκουρος Καθηγητής Θεοφάνης Κωνσταντινίδης
Summary:
The main goal of the thesis is a detailed floristic and phytosociological
investigation of Kalimnos.
Τhe flora of Kalimnos consists of 831 taxa, 242 of which are reported for the
first time. The adventive Linum grandiflorum Desf. is reported for the first
time from Greece. The richest family, regarding the number of taxa is that of
the Leguminosae. The study of the life form spectrum showed an absolute
dominance of Therophytes, while analysis of the chorological data showed that
the Mediterranean chorological elements clearly dominate. Significant is the
presence of East Mediterranean chorological elements. The study of the
chorological spectrum of the adventive flora shows a dominance of the American
chorological elements. The flora of Kalimnos, compared to the flora of other
South-East Aegean islands, using the Sorensen coefficient, is mostly similar to
the flora of Kos and Rodos. It comprises 17 Greek endemic taxa, 5 of which are
local endemics of the East Aegean. A total of 54 taxa are included in national
and international lists of rare and threatened plants. According to our
results, three ammophilous taxa, among which Pancratium maritimum L., are in
danger of extinction from the island.
The vegetation was studied in detail, according to the Braun-Blanquet method. A
total of 152 vegetation releves were studied. The results of the
phytosociological investigation show the presence of 10 classes (Quercetea
ilicis, Cisto-Micromerietea julianae, Crithmo-Staticetea, Saginetea maritimae,
Cakiletea maritimae, Asplenietea trichomanis, Nerio-Tamaricetea,
Thero-Brachypodietea ramosi, Stellarietea mediae and Isoeto-Nano-Juncetea), 7
of which comprise a total of 9 orders, 10 alliances, 7 associations and 1
subassociation, as well as 16 communities. Some of the above vegetation types
are rare on the island, whereas others are very degraded, mostly as a result of
human activity.
Keywords:
Kalimnos, Indigenous/adventive flora, Biodiversity, Phytosociology, Rare/threatened taxa/vegetation units
