Transcript Biodiversity of Invertebrates in Cyprus

Biodiversity of Invertebrates in
Cyprus
Dr. Ozge Ozden
European University of Lefke
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
Senior Lecturer
Biodiversity
•
•
•
•
•
•
Biodiversity in the World
Biodiversity within the Mediterranean Basin
Biodiversity in Cyprus
Threats to Biodiversity
Invertebrate Biodiversity Research in Cyprus
Discussion
Biodiversity in the World
• Biologists have identified 25 areas, called
biodiversity hotspots, which are especially rich
in endemic species and are particularly
threatened by human activities (Mittermeier
et al., 1998; Myers et al., 2000).
• Biodiversity hotspots identify areas that are
“biologically spectacular” by virtue of their
species richness, diversity and endemism
(Jepson and Canney, 2001).
Biodiversity Hotspots
Biodiversity in the World
• Almost half of the world’s vascular plant
species and one-third of terrestrial vertebrates
are endemic to the 25 “hotspots” of
biodiversity, each of which has at least 1500
endemic plant species (Brooks et al., 2002).
Biodiversity within the
Mediterranean Basin
• The Mediterranean region is recognised as one
of the global “hotspots”, comprising some of
the world’s most unique biogeographical areas
and harbouring high levels of biological diversity
(Myers, 1990).
• Furthermore, the Caribbean and the
Mediterranean Basin contain some of the most
threatened plant species (about 2000 plants) of
the world’s hotspots (Brooks et al. 2002).
Biodiversity within the
Mediterranean Basin
• The Mediterranean
Basin comprises
beautiful mountain
landscapes covered by
scrub and woodlands,
unique wetland areas,
dune ecosystems and
various agroecosystems
(Blondel and Aronson,
2004).
Biodiversity within the
Mediterranean Basin
• The mountainous
landscapes, coastal hills
and other ecosystems
are home to
approximately 25,000
species of flowering
plants of which 1,300
are endemic (IUCN,
2003).
Biodiversity in Cyprus
• Cyprus is one of the “biodiversity islands”
inside the one of the World`s hotspot areas
(Myers et al., 2000 and Nadin, 2008).
Biodiversity in Cyprus
• Medail and Quezel (1999) performed a global
survey of plant richness and endemism in
order to assess better plant conservation
priorities in Mediterranean Basin.
• They defined 10 more hotspots within the
Basin. One of the hotspots they identified
included `South Anatolia` and `Cyprus`.
Biodiversity in Cyprus
• The higher elevations of the Kyrenia mountain
range support many endemic plants. Some of
these endemics are red listed by the IUCN, such
as Delphinium caseyi and Brassica hillarionis
(Tsintides et al., 2007).
• Also the endemic orchid Ophrys kotschyi is
commonly distributed along the Kyrenia Range
Mountains and valleys especially in grassy places
under Pines or Cypress (Viney, 1994).
Biodiversity in Cyprus
• These important
endemic plants
(Delphinium caseyi,
Brassica hillarionis and
Ophrys kotschyi )
which are occurring
along the Kyrenia
Range mountains are
also listed under EU
Habitats Directive
(Annex II) (EC, 2004).
Biodiversity in Cyprus
• Cyprus is not only diverse in plants; it is also
diverse in animal species. There are two
endemic bird species that occur in Cyprus:
Cyprus warbler (Sylvia melanothorax) and
Cyprus pied wheatear (Oenanthe cypriaca).
Biodiversity in Cyprus
• There are two endangered marine turtle
species (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta)
which are common breeders on the sandy
beaches of Cyprus (Broderick and Godley,
1996).
Threats to Biodiversity
• There are numerous mechanisms of
biodiversity loss and extinctions throughout
the world, including: habitat loss or
fragmentation, deforestation, agricultural
practices, pollution, over exploitation,
introduction of alien and invasive species, and
climate change (Cincotta et al., 2000; Sala et
al., 2000; Hodgson et al., 2005; Lewis, 2006).
Invertebrate Biodiversity Research in
Cyprus
• Ladybird beetles
• Thrips (Thysanoptera) and their ecology
• Butterflies and their ecology
• Invertebrates and olive groves
Ladybird beetles in Cypus
• Coccinellidae
(Coleoptera)
• Between 2000 – 2001
• 21 species / 12 Genera
• 6 new records for the
island
ÖZDEN, Ö., UYGUN, N. and KERSTING, U., 2006. Ladybird Beetles
(Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) species of North Cyprus, including six new
records. Zoology in the Middle East, Heidelberg, Germany, Volume 39.
Thrips (Thysanoptera)
• Between 2003-2004
• Two years surveys
• 2029 specimens
collected and identified
• Senckenberg Museum
The thrips are minute, slenderbodied insects.
They are 0.5-5.0 mm in length
• 43 Species recorded
belonging to 23 Genera
• 5 new genera and 14
new records for the
island
•
KERSTING, U. OZDEN, O., BLAESER, P., SENGONCA, C.,
2005. Contribution towards the knowledge of the
Thysanoptera fauna of North Cyprus. Journal of
Entomologische Zeitschrift, Stuttgart, 115 (6).
•
C.SENGONCA, P. BLAESER, Ö. ÖZDEN & U. KERSTING,
2006. Occurrence of thrips (Thysanoptera) infestation
on nectarine and its importance to fruit damage in
North Cyprus. Journal of Plant Diseases and
Protection, 113 (3) , s. 128-134, ISSN 1861-3829.
Butterflies
• Used butterflies as an
indicator group to identify the
importance of forest habitats
for biodiversity conservation
in the island of Cyprus.
Butterflies
• Kyrenia Range Mountains
(new forests/old forests)
• 1602 butterfly specimens
• 23 species
• by using six Pollard walk
transects along Kyrenia range
• We observed highly
significant effects of forest
type on the abundance and
species richness of
butterflies.
•
ÖZDEN,Ö., CIESLA, W.B., FULLER, W.J. and
HODGSON, D.J., 2008. Butterfly diversity
in Mediterranean islands and in
Pentadactylos Pinus brutia forests of
Cyprus. Journal of Biodiversity and
Conservation, 17: 2821-2832. (
Butterflies and Their Ecology
• We used butterflies as
indicators to evaluate
the conservation value
of habitat mosaics
within a garrigue
ecosystem in Cyprus.
• Ten different plots and
surveyed the butterflies
weekly for five months
to assess the
abundance, species
richness and diversity in
two different habitat
types; grassland and
shrubland patches.
Kayalar / Orga
10
8
6
4
2
• Habitat type showed a
highly significant effect
on butterfly abundance,
particularly when
considering endemic
species.
0
Endemic butterfly abundance
• Total of 810 butterflies,
totalling 16 species
during this research.
12
Butterflies and Their Ecology
5
10
15
Week
20
Invertebrate biodiversity of olive groves
• Total of 12,387 arthropods collected from
twelve olive groves in Cyprus.
• This research was carried out between
November 2005 and June 2006.
• Impacts of different management regimes on
invertebrate fauna and diversity, in Cypriot
olive groves was determined
Invertebrate biodiversity of olive groves
• Differences in invertebrate fauna in
high and low altitude olive groves with
no management, tillage only, or tillage,
pesticide and fertilizer application.
• We compared the abundance of the
arthropods in different olive groves,
the abundance of each taxa and the
number of arthropods collected by
using different methods.
Invertabrate biodiversity of olive groves
• The results indicate that management regime
had no impact on the number or the diversity
of invertebrates in understorey vegetation.
• In addition, our results confirm that the
spraying of pesticides significantly reduces the
number and diversity of invertebrates,
however surprisingly my results show that soil
tillage has little effect on edaphic fauna.
References
•
Brooks, T.M., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., Fonseca, G.A.B., Rylands, A.B.,
Konstant, W.R., Flick, P. Pilgrim, J., Oldfield, S., Magin, G. and Hilton-Taylor,C. (2002).
Habitat loss and Extinction in the hotspots of biodiversity. Conservation Biology, Vol.16,
No. 4, 909-923.
•
IUCN (2003). Management of Protected Areas in the Mediterranean. Assessment and
opportunities of networks and action plans. Published by IUCN Centre for
Mediterranean Cooperation of Nature and Natural Resources, 149 pp.
•
Jepson, P. and Canney, S. (2001). Biodiversity hotspots hot for what ? Global Ecology
and Biogeography 10, 225-227.
•
Mittermeier, R.A, Myers, N., Thomsen, J. B., da Fonesca, G.A.B. and Olivier, S. (1998).
Biodiversity hotspots and major tropical wilderness areas, approaches to setting
conservation priorities. Conservation Biology, 12, 516-520.
References
•
Myers, N. (1990). The biodiversity challenge: expanded hotspots analysis.
Environmentalists 10, 243-256.
•
Myers, N., Mittermeier, R.A., Mittermeier, C.G., da Fonseca, G.A.B., Kent, J. (2000).
Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature, 403, 853-858.
•
Nadin, P. (2008). The Mediterranean region: a showcase of biodiversity. Statistics in
Focus, Environment and Energy, Eurostat, ISSN 1977-0316.
THANKS !
• Dr. David Hodgson
• Prof. Dr. Richard zur
Strassen
• Prof. Dr. Helmut Fuersch
• Prof. Dr. Nedim Uygun
• Christodoulos Makris
• Dr. Ulrich Kersting
• Eckart Kuhlwein
• Dr. Wayne and Leyla Fuller
• DFG and BMZ –
Germany
• UNDP
• Exeter University – UK
• European University of
Lefke