Mediterranean -Type Ecosystem
11
KAR
C vilosa
P. [ruticosa
Axis I
P. amygdaJj[ormis
LOS
MON
II numula 'um
T. capitatus
Fig. I.? Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) ordination of nine phryganic sites, the dominant
plant species and environmental variables. Underlined capitals are abbreviations of sites. Environmental variables: LOS loss on ignition; SILT silt content; TOTN total nitrogen; P total phosphorus; CLAY clay content; WCAP water holding capacity; CIN carbon to nitrogen ratio. (Diamantopoulos et al. 1994)
removal of wood. The severity of the environment in Mediterranean-type formations results from the vast temporal fluctuations in climatic variables as well
as the fragmented structure of the habitat. The combined result of physical and
human impacts is the continuous degradation of Mediterranean landscapes.
Mediterranean vegetation is well adapted to face environmental severity
(e.g. Stamou and Pantis 1995) and Mediterranean-type ecosystems appear
highly resilient. Fox and Fox (1986) examined the resilience of Mediterranean-type ecosystems in relation to both natural and human-imposed constraints. They concluded that communities show high resilience, notably with
respect to succession in the fields discussed and after fires. The authors also
tested the convergence hypothesis. That hypothesis is that, due to common
climatic and anthropogenic effects, Mediterranean-type ecosystems,
although distantly developed, show remarkable similarities in their physiognomy, structure and function. Their overall conclusion is that attributes of
11
KAR
C vilosa
P. [ruticosa
Axis I
P. amygdaJj[ormis
LOS
MON
II numula 'um
T. capitatus
Fig. I.? Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) ordination of nine phryganic sites, the dominant
plant species and environmental variables. Underlined capitals are abbreviations of sites. Environmental variables: LOS loss on ignition; SILT silt content; TOTN total nitrogen; P total phosphorus; CLAY clay content; WCAP water holding capacity; CIN carbon to nitrogen ratio. (Diamantopoulos et al. 1994)
removal of wood. The severity of the environment in Mediterranean-type formations results from the vast temporal fluctuations in climatic variables as well
as the fragmented structure of the habitat. The combined result of physical and
human impacts is the continuous degradation of Mediterranean landscapes.
Mediterranean vegetation is well adapted to face environmental severity
(e.g. Stamou and Pantis 1995) and Mediterranean-type ecosystems appear
highly resilient. Fox and Fox (1986) examined the resilience of Mediterranean-type ecosystems in relation to both natural and human-imposed constraints. They concluded that communities show high resilience, notably with
respect to succession in the fields discussed and after fires. The authors also
tested the convergence hypothesis. That hypothesis is that, due to common
climatic and anthropogenic effects, Mediterranean-type ecosystems,
although distantly developed, show remarkable similarities in their physiognomy, structure and function. Their overall conclusion is that attributes of