17 Greece
S. HARITONIDIS
17.1 Introduction
Attention has been paid to the marine vegetation of the Greek coasts
only in the last 30 years (Haritonidis 1978; Nikolaidis 1985). Recently, we
have come to witness the great qualitative and quantitative changes in
these communities which probably are the outcome of eutrophication.
During the past decades, conditions in the eutrophicated and polluted
areas along the Greek coasts, particularly in enclosed gulfs and estuaries
have changed, and degradation of the macrobenthos together with increasing phytoplankton blooms occurred. There was an analogous
decrease in the marine phanerogam meadows in the gulfs.
A reduction of the number or absence of some genera or species (e.g.
Cystoseira) was the first sign of eutrophication, whereas the biomass of the
eutrophilic species increased (by> 20%). Macroalgae, such as Uiva rigida,
Enteromorpha compressa or Gracilaria verrucosa, which were recognized
as biological indicators for eutrophicaton, proved to be very tolerant of
other types of pollution, for example heavy metal bioaccumulation.
17.2 Marine Vegetation and Eutrophication in Greece
During the past three decades, the taxonomy and chorology of marine
macroalgae and phanerogams as well as of unicellular algae were mainly
studied. About 550 different species of macrophytes are encountered
along the Greek coasts nowadays. The greatest variation and diversity are
observed in the Aegean Sea (Fig. 17.1; Haritonidis et al. 1994).
Botanical Institute, Aristotle University, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ecological Studies, Vol. 123
Schramm/Nienhuis (eds) Marine Benthic Vegetation
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996
S. HARITONIDIS
17.1 Introduction
Attention has been paid to the marine vegetation of the Greek coasts
only in the last 30 years (Haritonidis 1978; Nikolaidis 1985). Recently, we
have come to witness the great qualitative and quantitative changes in
these communities which probably are the outcome of eutrophication.
During the past decades, conditions in the eutrophicated and polluted
areas along the Greek coasts, particularly in enclosed gulfs and estuaries
have changed, and degradation of the macrobenthos together with increasing phytoplankton blooms occurred. There was an analogous
decrease in the marine phanerogam meadows in the gulfs.
A reduction of the number or absence of some genera or species (e.g.
Cystoseira) was the first sign of eutrophication, whereas the biomass of the
eutrophilic species increased (by> 20%). Macroalgae, such as Uiva rigida,
Enteromorpha compressa or Gracilaria verrucosa, which were recognized
as biological indicators for eutrophicaton, proved to be very tolerant of
other types of pollution, for example heavy metal bioaccumulation.
17.2 Marine Vegetation and Eutrophication in Greece
During the past three decades, the taxonomy and chorology of marine
macroalgae and phanerogams as well as of unicellular algae were mainly
studied. About 550 different species of macrophytes are encountered
along the Greek coasts nowadays. The greatest variation and diversity are
observed in the Aegean Sea (Fig. 17.1; Haritonidis et al. 1994).
Botanical Institute, Aristotle University, 54006 Thessaloniki, Greece
Ecological Studies, Vol. 123
Schramm/Nienhuis (eds) Marine Benthic Vegetation
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1996