Blogs posted from this ecoregion:
- Gods and Goddesses, September 2024
This ecoregion occupies the lands around the Aegean Sea. It covers most of mainland Greece, the Greek Aegean Islands (except for Crete), the western coast of Turkey, the southern Vardar river valley in North Macedonia, and the southern Struma river valley at the extreme south-western corner of Bulgaria. The ecoregion has a Mediterranean climate, and is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome.
Adjacent ecoregions include the following, from the north clockwise: i) adjoining most of the northern edge is the Balkan Mixed Forests (PA0404); the Rodope Montane Mixed Forests (PA0435) in a small area of North Macedonia; iii) the Euxine-Colchic Broadleaf Forests (PA0422) just to the west of the disjunct patch of this ecoregion near Istanbul; iv) the Anatolian Conifer and Deciduous Mixed Forests (PA1202) to the east in western Turkey; v) the Southern Anatolian Montane Conifer and Deciduous Forests (PA1220) in southwestern Turkey; and vi) the Pindus Mountains Mixed Forests (PA1217) to the west in the highlands of Greece.
Description of the Ecoregion
Adapted from the ecoregion’s Wikipedia page, the ecoregion’s predominant plant communities are maquis, low shrublands, and pine forests.
Maquis is woody shrubland characterized by low trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants. Maquis species include strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo), Arbutus andrachne, Sweet Bay (Laurus nobilis), Olive (Olea europaea), Carob (Ceratonia siliqua), Erica arborea, and Spartium junceum. Maquis includes many aromatic plants, particularly species in the mint family (Lamiaceae). Oak woodlands are also found in maquis, principally of Kermes Oak (Quercus coccifera) and Holm Oak (Quercus ilex).
Low shrublands, known in Greek as phrygana, are characterized by low aromatic shrubs and herbs. They are common on limestone (calcareous) soils, and in areas subject to frequent fires and heavy grazing.
Forests of Turkish Pine (Pinus brutia) occur in Anatolia, forests of Aleppo Pine (Pinus halepensis) are found in central Greece and the Peloponnese and Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) grows on stabilized coastal dunes on the Peloponnese.
Birds of the Ecoregion
Wikipedia notes that:
The ecoregion is important habitat for several limited-range bird species, including the Eastern Olivaceous Warbler (Hippolais pallida), Olive-tree Warbler (Hippolais olivetorum), Rüppell’s Warbler (Curruca rueppelli), Masked Shrike (Lanius nubicus), Cinereous Bunting (Emberiza cineracea), and Cretzschmar’s Bunting (Emberiza caesia).
Characteristic birds of the maquis include the Red-legged Partridge (Alectoris rufa), Rock Partridge (A. graeca), Chukar Partridge (A. chukar), Eastern Subalpine Warbler (Sylvia cantillans), Rüppell’s Warbler (Curruca ruppeli), Cirl Bunting (Emberiza cirlus), Rock Bunting (E. cia), and Black-headed Bunting (E. melanocephala).
Krüper’s Nuthatch (Sitta krueperi) is associated with Turkish Pine forests in the ecoregion and neighboring ones. Other birds of the pine forests include common European forest species like the Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes), Common Blackbird (Turdus merula), Common Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita), Coal Tit (Periparus ater), Eurasian Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus), Treat Tit (Parus major), Short-toed Treecreeper (Certhia brachydactyla), Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius), and Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs).
Birds associated with the liquidambar forests of western Anatolia include the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhyncos), Olivaceous Warbler, and Cetti’s Warbler (Cettia cetti).
Resources for the Ecoregion Birder
No particular resources have yet been identified.
DJG: 32 spp. (September 2024)