Inland Waters Issue in Mediterranean Marine Science: Call for papers!

Inland Waters Issue 2015

I am very pleased to assist in announcing the following:

Mediterranean Marine Science will begin publishing an Inland Waters issue and is seeking outstanding original research and reviews dealing with inland waters ecosystems (fresh, brackish waters, wetlands and riparian zones). Preferred articles would be high standing scientific research beyond the local scale; these would also include aquatic biota, resource management and conservation issues.

Some of the important distinctions of this open-access scientific journal:

• The journal Mediterranean Marine Science is published semi-annually by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, HCMR, Greece's largest public research institution for marine and aquatic sciences.
• First published in 2000, replacing "Thalassographica", the journal published between 1976 and 1992 by HCMR's predecessor, the Institute of Oceanographic and Fisheries Research. 
• It has been published online since 2000 by HCMR and from 2013 its electronic edition.
• The journal is abstracted and indexed in WoS (Web of Science, ISI Thomson), SCOPUS and in Aquatic Science and Fisheries Abstract (ASFA). The content of MMS is indexed by ELSEVIER and archived in CITEFACTOR. 

Some advantages in publishing at HCMR's prestigious journal:

• The Journal is one of Greece's very few scientific journals that has an international standing and its IMPACT FACTOR is at 1,7 for 2013. 
• There is no cost in publishing (no publishing fee).
• The journal Mediterranean Marine Science is published semi-annually by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR). 
• Depending on the quality and completeness of the submitted manuscript, a paper can be accepted within 4 weeks of submission and published online in the journal as soon as the review process is completed. 

Specifically for HCMR's first Inland Waters Issue

• Manuscripts must follow all specifications for submission and processing as in Mediterranean Marine Science and be e-mailed to the Journal. All manuscripts must be in English, preferably proofed by a native English-speaking colleague, before submission. English language must be perfected for publication.
• Four handling editors will contribute to the processing of submission; each issue is expected to have between 10 and 15 contributions.
• Manuscripts must be original work and can only be submitted by registering to the journal’s online system. Any communication about this must be directed to the online processing centre of the journal (see below).
• Manuscripts for the 2015 Inland Waters Issue should be submitted to the journal office before June 1st 2015.

Please visit the Journal's website: 

MEDITERRANEAN MARINE SCIENCE - INLAND WATERS ISSUE

Most readers of this blog may not be aware that the scientific publishing world is a complicated and competitive enterprise. It is also usually a very expensive undertaking. Mediterranean Marine Science is free open access journal with a very high Impact Factor for its short life span and very specialized research themes. However, due to the high demand for publishing there is a very high rejection rate; but please do not be put off by this. The development of the open-access online edition of Mediterranean Marine Science is possible through projects co-funded by the European Union and the Greek State. Since HCMR is a major public research centre it is a privilege to see this continue. Since we believe that publishing of high-quality science should be free-access and accessible to all, we should support this initiative. 

Eucalyptus in the Eastern Med: Evidence for wildlife values

One of the few times I have had the fortune of observing a Eurasian Scops Owl in Athens was on a Eucalypt in Attikon Alssos, Tourkovounia. 

For many years I have hated eucalyptus trees. I was a nativist, i.e. someone who despised non-indigenous species. Well that was many years ago, when I was a teen and a purist. As I have grown older I try to look at things more holistically.

The question is what to do with eucalyptus?

It is after all an alien genus from Australia that creates totally alien conditions with the eucalypt resin said to having a "repellent effect" to many terrestrial invertebrates. How do we deal with eucalypts in a wildlife resources and biodiversity conservation sense?

These are some notes on my observations in Greece, Cyprus, and Turkey.

Current state:

1. Its not everywhere. In the NE Med (outside Israel) eucalyptus is not as widespread or as abundant as it is in Iberia; there are few extensive plantations in fact. Frost does a lot of harm to it and many small plantations have failed (in mountain areas and in northern Greece, for example).

2. Does not spread. It is rarely in self perpetuation. I have seen some growth from seeds in Cyprus (Nicosia etc) and in vacant lots in Athens - but always singular trees (Nothing like the Acacia infestations in Cyprus or the 'tree-of-heavean' problem in Greece's  urban areas). So its not invading if not planted.

3. Does not seem to drain wetlands. It does probably cause wetland draining effects due to the amazing evapotraspiration ability. It is frequently planted in wetlands. In some areas there are groves of old outlandishly huge trees. However, the deep-shade cast over wetlands and riparian zones by these huge trees does combat evaporation of surface waters.

4. Native plants do grow beneath it. Very few species on native plants seem to grow under a dense eucalypt groves in my experience. This is a general observation and it needs empirical evidence. This I have observed in Portugal, but also recently in the Germasogeia riparian area on Cyprus. Alien acacias did grow vigorously under eucalypts on Cyprus. I am curious to see if other species grow well - for example Pistacia lentiscus was growing well under these trees.  In California it has been shown that many native plants do grow underneath but invertebrate numbers are depressed there.

5. Little evidence for all negative impacts to biodiversity. The wildlife uses of eucalypts has been poorly studied as a wildlife issue or alien invasive problem in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus. Generally most people think they are poor wildlife trees. Few bird species seem to nest in eucalypts.

Positive wildlife/biodiversity observations:

1. Important cover, shelter, roosts for birds. I have evidence that many large birds roost in the monumental eucalyptus trees. Big raptors commonly choose Eucalypts over native trees: Greater-spotted eagles in Amvrakikos chose a Eucalypt grove for several winters as a regular roosting site (Zogaris et al. 2003 - Threatened Birds of Amvrakikos). Many owls do too. Owls such as the Scops Owl pictured above and many other species frequent eucalypt trees. During migration, herons and egrets roost here also (I recall a grove at Koutavos in Argostoli Kefalonia that was full of heronids in spring migration).

2. Some birds feed on it. Although the leaves and resins are said to have an "insect-repellent affect", the flowers do attract diptera, butterflies and there are many little insectivore migrant birds that I have seen feeding in Eucalypts here in Athens.

3. Robust tree where all trees have been felled by humans. Many native large trees have been felled, do the non-indigenous Eucalypts fill vacant niche? In Greece & Turkey large Quercus ithaburensis, Quercus rubor, and othe tall Quercus, Populus, Fraxinus used be common riverside trees and these are now scarcer due to anthropogenic felling. So do eucalypts fill a vacant niche and supplement a key habitat in the landscape? Perhaps yes, in a wildlife habitat sense; they provide habitat that is scarce in the landsape. Eucalypts are also incredibly hardy, they can grow well in very windy locations (much of coastal Greece is very windy!); so these robust trees and tree groves, last long even after many many wind storms. They also can survive some low fires and they also live a very long time 400 -600 years.

4. A tree of monumental proportions; enriches landsapes. Eucalypts grow really fast and become "monumental trees". Trees like this exist in Schinias National Park in Attika - they are gigantic! In wetlands of the south of Greece, the islands - these trees survive well, some are over a 150 years old already. In open landscapes in the south they resemble savanna-like elements in the open landscape. They are used by many birds there where no other trees exist. For example in the dry steppe-like areas of central Cyprus (Kotziatis river near Nicosia); it would be a crime to remove these wildlife trees.

Conclusions

I do not mean to promote the planting of eucalyptus! I am against that. And fortunately many foresters in Greece no longer plant these trees in re-forestation practice. It is wrong to use eucalyptus in riparian zones. Unfortunately, because they are hardy and strong they will survive if panted in the "wrong place" although the native pines, carobs etc may not survive - for example on a windswept salt-sprayed promontory in Southern Attika I have seen eucalypts survive yet other plantings perished (the Municipality of Saronikos planted them).

So in this sense eucalyptuses are a threat. People should NOT plant them. However, old monumental eucalypts should not cut down just because they are non-native. Young trees should be cut down in an effort towards ecological restoration in riparian zones (this has alreadey been proposed in the Nicosia Pediaios stream for example). However, please keep in mind that big old eucalypts often do have wildife values and many amenity values. This is a great research topic. Many aspects of eucalypt's impacts are poorly understood.


See this from California: http://sutroforest.com/2013/04/22/the-importance-of-eucalyptus/

Also from California: Dov Sax. 2002. Equal diversity in disparate species assemblages: a comparison of native and exotic woodlands in California,” Global Ecology and Biogeography, 11:49-52.

Reference conditions of the river: Sperchios Study

February 2015 

One of the most important themes in our study of rivers is the historical dimension.

Here I founda map  on the net of the valley of Spercheios, in Das hellenische Thessalien by Friedrich Stählin (1924). I know nothing of Friedrich Stählin (1874-1936) but I thank him for his contribution (also thanks to: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_valley_of_spercheios.jpg). Many interesting hydromorphological aspects are evident and "measurable" in this map (marshland extent, meander form, distributaries in the delta, transitional water bodies in delta, delta coastline form, key tributaries etc). The main distributary has changed, this older river mouth is very near Thermophyles (today there is a different "old river channel" and a new spillway channel - totally different situation).

Below is a gravure from 1877 (from delcampe.net) showing the the "Defile of Thermopyles" with the extensive delta marshes of the Sperchios (there are none there today!!!). This is an important image for vegetation ecologists since the vast flooded reed beds are shown clearly (the reed bed swamps are tree-less and lentic areas of open water are evident).

The view above is from the wider landscape near Thermopyle. Recorded by Edward Dodwell. The Irish painter travelled from 1801 to 1806 in Greece and produced such wonderful art. This view is upland bug shows remarkable landscape heterogeneity. 

Evros/Meric River: How many river-islands?

The Ardas river near its confluence with the Evros: The largest remnant riparian forest in the river valley was found here.

Published: Paper on the Evros-Meric Greenbelt

One of the most intriguing and frustrating places to study is a river-border in an area of intense political friction. My colleagues and I have worked on the Evros river (Meric in Turkish, Maritsa in Bulgarian). The lower part of this large river creates an uneasy border between Greece and Turkey.

What we set to do is to count the so-called stable river islands in this large river and to assess the conditions of the riparian zone. In fact in 218 kms of river we counted 219 islands, 145 of these are larger than 1000 m2. Of these we looked into their condition by assessing the amount of woodland on them - a simple and truthful metric of ecological integrity. We also mapped the 12 largest forested hot spots along both the Turkish and Greek banks of the river.

This kind of work was fairly easy and productive and gave us a good insight into green-belt conservation of a large trans-boundary river. We hope this kind of work can assist conservation initiatives, especially since the river has severe problems with flooding and water mismanagement.

To download our paper see: EVROS/MERIC RIVER (Greece/Turkey)

(Photos are from an HCMR sampling trip in summer 2009)

Ardas at Kastanies (on the Greek side) near Edirne.

Meric on the Edirne Bridge (Turkey) looking downstream after the Tundza confluence.

Meric at Edirne with river-side fish restaurants

Sperchios River Riparian Habitats: Winter survey

Early February in the Sperchios Valley (Mount Iti framing the landscape). I fear without real enforcement, most remaining riparian woods will be lost.

Sperchios River in Winter

Just 200 Kms north of Athens is the Sperchios Valley. The Sperchios river runs for about 80 kms long through the valley. There are many tributaries, now most are swelling with snow-melt and rainwater run-off. The river is called Sperchios from the ancient Greek verb "spercho" meaning "to rush". It is a flashy flooding rush, forcing tons of sediment towards the sea.  I am fascinated by its riparian zones. The river has some of the most extensive and most interesting riparian woodlands along its main stem. Here, on a two day winter survey, I provide some snap shots. 

Study site at Hani Panetsou in full winter flow (Kapsiotiko Stream at 450 m a.s.l).

Study site at Hani Panetsou in full winter flow. Note Greek Firs in very narrow riparian edge. 

Study site at Hani Panetsou: Landscape - Oak woods dominate in these headwater stream tributary valleys.

Study site at Hani Panetsou: Oriental Planes Platanus orientalis. Sacred trees.

On of the over 60 tributary streams of the Sperchios: This one near the village of Platistomo (Fysinas Stream). 

Oriental Plane forest near Paliouri Village - the width of the forest here is about 280 meters on the Left bank a this mid section region of the river.

Full flow near Rodonia. One of the largest Platanus woods in the valley; many alders Alnus glutinosa here also.

The old river tributary meandering into the Delta (at the Highway Bridge) upstream of ELKE factory.

Flooded fields in Delta (City of Lamia in background).

White poplars Populus alba downstream of ELKE factory. We heard a Syrian Woodpecker here. 

White poplars Populus alba downstream of ELKE factory.

White poplars Populus alba and willows downstream of ELKE factory.

White poplars Populus alba.

White poplars Populus alba  with Phragmites reeds, downstream of ELKE factory.

Waters after flood; downstream of ELKE factory. Waters smelly from factory discharges. 

White poplars Populus alba .

Intermittent vs Perennial streams in the Mediterranean

A very rare near-pristine perennial stream in mid June in Western Turkey (Alabayir Village, near Cine on the Cine river catchment); A single species of fish is present. Note that few deciduous trees and shrubs are in the riparian zone. 

Stream flow intermittency: an elusive concept

Most people don't consider the one-and-most important attribute defining stream ecosystems: the states of intermittent versus perennial flow regime. I think the Australians call this issue "ephemerality of flow". Its a big topic in Med and semi-arid climates. Low or no flow periods during summer are typical in the Mediterranean climate regions; they are a key ecological limiting factor in these ecosystems. There seems to be a threshold and break point. After regular dessication for a few months these river systems are different: intermittent. They are therefore considered temporary rivers - a wide variety of temporary rivers exist.

Prior modification by humans, many intermittent or ephemerally flowing streams where in fact perennial! Very few people know about this (or seem to care). So what we see a lot of today are "artificially intermittent streams" due to anthropogenic pressures (i.e. over-pumping of aquifers, tapped springs, over-abstraction of surface waters, dams etc).

Streams are varied, many types exist in the Med.
Many small catchments are really desiccated naturally by local climatic conditions: Lengthy drying periods that occur naturally and make rivers bone-dry for a long time (over 4 months, for example). These are naturally intermittent. When there is no groundwater feeding, no wet refugia for wholly aquatic life we have very few wholly aquatic biota that can adapt. These naturally intermittent streams are interesting, full of wonder and semi-aquatic life but they are different from perennial systems: fewer hygrophilous deciduous trees, fewer and hardier fishes, different plant communities, different species of water bugs; many terrestrial species living withing the river-bed.

An artificially intermittent stream in Western Turkey, near Karpuzlu; here most of the water is pumped away for agriculture and large sections are dry for a for a few months. Summer 2014.

A small intermittent stream in Eastern Central Greece, near Lamia in early June. One species of fish, Sperchios Barbel present in tiny pools. The fish migrate up and down when the stream floods in winter-spring. Summer 2014.

The above stream 4 km downstream of the above site; near Lamia, Greece. Bone-dry by early June; no fish. Is it naturally or artificially intermittent? The big trees are Oriental Planes good indicators that there is ground water. There may be a wet hyprhoeic zone beneath the stream bed. Summer 2014.

The Xeropotamos river on Samothraki Island - it is a naturally intermittent stream (now totally intermittent due to increased water diversions for agriculture). The river bed is wide and a fascinating rocky habitat for local terrestrial biota. This photo is from late July. Note the near-lack of deciduous trees on the riparian. Summer 2014.

The Erassinos stream of Attika Greece (near Vravrona outside of Athens) in February 2014. This stretch is an artificially intermittent part with no fishes and reduced riparian vegetation. Upstream - about 3 km - are the rivers springs which maintain water and fishes year-round.

Fishing in a small intermittent stream in Southeast Cyprus, the Oroklini stream just south of the National Highway between Larnaka and Pyla. The stream is now artificially perennial due to the increased waters from sprawl in its small catchment! Mosquitofish and eels exist at this section (just before Oroklini Lake).Winter 2012.

Definitions for education's sake:

Perennial Stream – A well-defined channel that contains water year-round during a year of normal rainfall. Aquatic environment of river bed located below the water table for most of the year. Groundwater is the primary source of water for a perennial stream, but it also carries storm-water runoff. The flow may be heavily supplemented by storm-water runoff. Hydrological and physical characteristics commonly associated with the continuous conveyance of water.

Intermittent Stream – A well-defined channel that contains water for only part of the year, typically during winter and spring when the aquatic bed is below the water table. Water is absent - in a "bone-dry" conditions for at least three months for a considerable stretch of the stream (in a normal year). Entire river sections (tens of kilometers normally are dry in summer). Usually the riparian vegetation and aquatic vegetation are different in a similar stream with Perennial character. An intermittent stream often lacks the biological and hydrological characteristics commonly associated with the perennial conveyance of water. 

Ephemeral Stream – Ephemeral stream means a feature that carries only storm-water in direct response to precipitation with water flowing only during and shortly after major precipitation events. An ephemeral stream may or may not have a well-defined channel, the aquatic bed is always above the water table, and storm-water runoff is the primary source of water. An ephemeral stream  lacks the biological, hydrological, and physical characteristics commonly associated with the perennial or intermittent conveyance of water. In the Mediterranean deciduous trees are usually absent on ephemeral stream riparian zones.

I'll keep you posted about this topic in the near future.

• Check this link for a general development from the states:

Intermittent vs Perrenial Stream Bioassessment Arizona USA

• For a recent European approach developed within the MIRAGE project which HCMR also took part in please see:

A novel approach to analysing the regimes of temporary streams in relation to their controls on the composition and structure of aquatic biota

• Another integrated presentation of classification approaches again from the MIRAGE project which HCMR also took part is:

THE_MIRAGE_TOOLBOX_AN_INTEGRATED_ASSESSMENT_TOOL_FOR_TEMPORARY_STREAMS

New Year's Eve Wish: Go IMBRIW!!!

New Year's Eve 2014

This New Year I feel I should wish the VERY BEST for our Inland Waters Department, within the Istitute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters (IMBRIW*) at the Hellenic Centre for Marine Resrearch HCMR (where I happen to work...).

We have done a hell of a lot of work in 2014....extensive fish surveying comes to mind: especially the monitoring work funded largely by generous EU funds for the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Habitats Directive.

This is a unique time for inland waters ichthyology and fish conservation in Greece.  I sincerely believe we will keep up our great relationships and continue our over-worked, peculiar and awesome ways. Despite the austere and economically depressed times, I hope we continue to have European Union and Greek government support. Aquatic life and all associated resources for humans deserve what we do in Greece.

What we do is: science-conservation-lobbying-regional development-nature conservation combined! Important resources -data banks- are being developed and optimized: organizing databases, survey and assessment protocols and procedures, directly assisting water management and nature conservation in this country (and beyond).

This department employs just about 15 people (researchers, scientists, students and contractors) working on inland water fishes at this point in time. My humorous post-card (above) features just a few of the field electrofishing team members, from left-to-right: Vardakas, Kommatas, Koutsikos, Tachos, Zogaris. The three machines are high-powered German electrofishing generators received this Autumn. Thanks to the projects mentioned above we now have the largest suite of electrofishing technology of any research organization in Greece (big boat-based generators, various back-pack electrofishers).

We are growing and evolving, despite such hard times in Greece.
And we are tackling many, many ambitious initiatives.

Some of the important initiatives the Department's ichthyologists are currently working on, include the following wonderful research and conservation pathways:

• Developing fish-based Indexes for WFD-compliant bioassessment in rivers (through collaborations with Austrian colleagues).
• Threatened species conservation status assessment (with three other major research and academic institutions in Greece); assessing over 70 species and their status in and out of protected areas in Greece (Natura 2000 Habitats Directive application).
• WFD and Habitats Directive fish research and applications in Cyprus (through work with institutions in Cyprus and Portugal).
• Using fishes in ecological flow ecohydrological modelling and assessment; including habitat-use work through snorkeling surveys for the first time in Greece (with collaborators from Spain).
• Studying fish communities in streams and rivers and applying a bottom-up approach to river & stream typology and water body delineation; including an application in a new 'study-basin', the Sperchios river.
• Long-term research of fishes in temporary rivers (continuing work through a new EU funded international project that includes our long-term study basin, the Evrotas).
• Exploring the taxonomy, phylogenetics, and biogeography of freshwaters fishes including an investigation into biotically-led freshwater ecosystem regionalization in the southern Balkans (with many international and national collaborations).
• Recording and studying alien fish species and their impacts/effects on native species and ecosystems (both in Greece and Cyprus).
• Investigating the restoration of rivers, wetlands and other inland waters, including species re-introduction and issues of restoring longitudinal connectivity (impacts of barriers in rivers and lagoons).
• Participating in environmental interpretation, education, awareness and sensitization of the public on issues that affect inland water fishes. 

...And other initiatives that combine fishes with integrated river basin management and coastal zone management.....

And finally, what I think really counts is the legacy we leave in the wake of our many research projects:

-How we influence local people, communities, governments, management bodies, institutions.
-How we develop higher standards of research that is directly relevant to nature conservation.
-How we promote synergy among researchers and other academic teams, and develop thriving links locally and internationally.
-How we help define and apply 'best practice' in developing and using efficient applied tools, methods and research approaches for science, optimal water management and nature conservation.
-How we self-develop; how we learn (and teach) about fishes, ecosystems, management, and conservation.
-How we help create a better world.

May 2015 bring even better days!

Water reflects not only clouds and trees and cliffs, but all the infinite variations of mind and spirit we bring to it. – Sigurd Olson

*please see URL at: Institute of Marine Biological Resources and Inland Waters