| Περιγραφή Τόπου |
Mount Kerkis (1434 m) is located in Western Samos and compines a summit area with oreo-mediterranean vegetation, moist valleys and forests to the north, limestone cliffs and unusually extensive areas of scree to its west side. The mountainous block of Kerkis consists mainly of schists and marbles. The site is a well forested area, characterised mainly by temperate coniferous forests (mainly Pinus brutia and Cupressus sempervirens) and sclerophyllous scrub. The zonal vegetation of the area is divided into the following four zones. 1. Oleo-Ceratonion occupies the coastal warmer areas and reaches the 250-300 m. The formations of the evergreen, sclerophyllous shrubs, occur as unmixed or underwood vegetation of the Pinus brutia forests. 2. Quercion ilicis begins at the upper limits of Oleo-Ceratonion and reaches up to 600-700 m. It is characterised by the dominance of Quercus ilex, Fraxinus ornus and Arbutus unedo. Pinus brutia is best developed in this zone. 3. Quercetalia pubescentis extends from the 600-700 m to the 900-1000 m, where the appearance of forest vegetation stops. It is characterised by the dominance of different species of deciduous shrubs Crateogus spp., Prunus spp., Rosa spp., Quercus pubescens et al. as well as isolated individuals of Pinus pallasiana ssp. nigra. 4. Daphno-Festucetalia appears on the highest tops of Kerkis above the forest limits. The dominance of spiny shrubs with a characteristic cushion form (Astragalus spp., Genista parnassica, Acantholimon androsaceum et. al. is impressive. Except Juniperus foenicea and Juniperus oxycedrus, which also appear in lower zones, Juniperus foetidisima is found with a characteristic creeping form. In that zone we found the most endemics, such as Alyssum samium, Erodium sibthorpianum subsp vetteri, Anthemis rosea and Centaurea xylobasis. |
