Diversity of chasmophytes in the vascular flora of Greece: floristic analysis and phytogeographical patterns

• Main Authors: Panitsa Maria, Kontopanou Anna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: University of Belgrade 2017-10-01
• Series: Botanica Serbica
• Subjects: cliff flora; chasmophytes; endemic taxa; range-restricted taxa; vascular plants
• Online Access: http://botanicaserbica.bio.bg.ac.rs/arhiva/pdf/2017_41_2_695_full.pdf

Cliffs are among the environments with the most adverse conditions for living organisms because of the limited availability of soil, moisture, and nutrients, and owing to the harsh conditions of exposure. They constitute shelters for rare, endemic, and range-restricted plant taxa. A main database has been prepared which includes vascular plant taxa that are obligate or facultative chasmophytes and also contains information about their life form, chorology, protection status, occurrence in more than 135 places such as cliffs, gorges, or open rocky habitats, and their geographical distribution in the 13 phytogeographical regions of Greece based on available floristic, vegetation, and phytosociological literature and on the authors' own collections and observations. The paper presents an analysis of the total diversity of cliff plant species, as well as the diversity of obligate chasmophytic plant species, endemics, and range-restricted taxa, in addition to the results of studying the distribution patterns of different subsets of plant taxa in the different phytogeographical regions of Greece. Hemicryptophytes and chamaephytes are the dominant life forms of the chasmophytic taxa. Among 935 species and subspecies registered, 476 are obligate chasmophytes, of which the majority are Greek endemics. Hierarchical cluster analysis of different subsets of plant taxa revealed affinities of the cliff flora of different phytogeographical regions. Additionally, 15 chasmophytic taxa mentioned in Annexes II, IV, and V of EEC Directive 92/43 belong to the cliff flora, of which 10 are obligate chasmophytes and nine have a priority for protection. Eighteen taxa are included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, of which four are critically endangered (CR), seven are vulnerable (VU), and three are endangered (EN). The distinct correlation between endemism and chasmophytic ecology is emphasized, since a detailed understanding of the local distribution and specific habitats of rare plants provides an opportunity for local conservation efforts that can influence biodiversity conservation on a larger scale.