Greece
_
Seagrass meadows
417
Fig. 17.9. Marine phanerogam distribution (mainly Posidonia
oceanica meadows) and propagation in Greece. The arrows indicate the pathways of Halophila
stipulacea. (Haritonidis et aI.
1990)
reduction. Even the leaf parts cannot be traced in the coasts up to the
limit of Megalo Emvolo (Fig. 17.8; Haritonidis et al. 1990). The type of
bottom, which is muddy at places, has contributed to this loss. It is
estimated that the total coverage of Posidonia has been reduced by 30%.
It seems that Zostera noltii is the most tolerant species of all three
phanerogams, and it has managed not only to survive, but even to
expand remarkably.
17.5 Conclusions
The gulf estuaries or closed gulfs are very changeable ecosystems because
of the increasing human activities. Thermaikos Gulf is an example which
apart from the sewage effluents is the recipient of a great amount of
industrial and agricultural wastes. The ecology of the Gulf has thus
_
Seagrass meadows
417
Fig. 17.9. Marine phanerogam distribution (mainly Posidonia
oceanica meadows) and propagation in Greece. The arrows indicate the pathways of Halophila
stipulacea. (Haritonidis et aI.
1990)
reduction. Even the leaf parts cannot be traced in the coasts up to the
limit of Megalo Emvolo (Fig. 17.8; Haritonidis et al. 1990). The type of
bottom, which is muddy at places, has contributed to this loss. It is
estimated that the total coverage of Posidonia has been reduced by 30%.
It seems that Zostera noltii is the most tolerant species of all three
phanerogams, and it has managed not only to survive, but even to
expand remarkably.
17.5 Conclusions
The gulf estuaries or closed gulfs are very changeable ecosystems because
of the increasing human activities. Thermaikos Gulf is an example which
apart from the sewage effluents is the recipient of a great amount of
industrial and agricultural wastes. The ecology of the Gulf has thus