As a contribution to the International Year of Biodiversity 2010, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature presents the book “Greece. The Land of Diversity”, the definitive publication on Greek biodiversity by wildlife photographer and author Nikos Petrou.
The 372 pages (29X29 cm) are illustrated with 610 pictures of species and habitats. The texts are based on the latest available scientific information.
The first part defines biodiversity and addresses the threats at the world and European levels. It then explores the conditions supporting the amazing diversity of Greek nature and describes the flora and fauna in detail, with emphasis on endemic species. Finally it presents the European framework for biodiversity protection, the present day situation and problems in Greece, as well as future prospectives.
In the second part, 19 independent chapters focus on species and habitats of special interest, such as the birds of the small, uninhabited Aegean islands, the flora and fauna ‘specials’ of Lesvos, wolves, bears and carnivorous plants, wetlands, sand dunes and loggerhead turtles, and many more.
Contents
Message by the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew 7
Foreword by Mr. Stavros Dimas 9
Foreword by Mr. Dimitris Vlastos 11
Introduction 13
Acknowledgements 15
Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature 16
Greece. The land of diversity 18
Frequent flyers 156
Perpetual fraud 178
Riding the horses of stone... 188
Lesvos Specials 200
Colourful communications 212
Survival strategies 222
The story of a drinking trough 234
Big, bad wolf 244
Picking the bones clean 252
Travels through space and time 264
Use the crossings, please! 272
Knock on wood 280
A painkiller for the gods 290
What’s afoot on the roof? 298
Rebirth 306
I’d rather have meat 318
By the sandy shore 326
Like a pelican… 338
Fish, salt and mosquitoes 348
List of all species illustrated 368
Selected references 371
