THE ABANDONMENT OF OLIVE GROVES IN THE AEGEAN ISLANDS,

GREECE: CAN A SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEM BECOME AN

ECOLOGICAL ASSET?

By N.S. MARGARIS1 and M. THEODORAKAKIS2

Abstract: Olive plantations have been cultivated in the Aegean Islands of Greece for many
centuries. However, intensive cultivation of seed oils has nowadays dominated and new products
such as soya oil, maize oil and sunflower oil have become available on the market as substitutes for
olive oil. For this and other social and customary reasons, cultivation of olive groves was, therefore,
abandoned in many of the Aegean Islands. In the present paper the environmental importance of
abandoned olive groves as typical Mediterranean ecosystems was studied and the importance of
biological diversity in these olive groves was confirmed. It is therefore suggested that olive groves
must be protected even if the product is no longer collected.

Key words: Olive, Olea europaea, Greek islands, Mediterranean cultivation, Olive
groves, abandonment

Introduction

The isolation of the Aegean Islands and the scarcity of resources forced their
people to develop three special systems of agriculture: wet season cereals, vineyards
and olive groves. These systems were in place almost throughout the Mediterranean
basin and were interlocked between each other during many centuries of human
activity. Wet season cereals (wheat and barley) planted after autumn rains demand a
great deal of effort from the farmers to collect, threshing and processing from June
through July until the middle of August. After this period, the collection of grapes
starts. The collection ends in October, followed by the collection of olives.
Great changes have occurred during the last few decades within the primary sector
affecting almost all parameters related to the cultivation of traditional Mediterranean
products. These changes are connected with advances in:
• mechanization, such as the introduction of tractors and harvesting machines
• genetics, such as new varieties and hybrids
• chemistry use of fertilizers and pesticides
• the high cost of transporting agricultural products
• food technology, such as refrigerators, pasteurized juices, frozen products and
• improvement in irrigation technology (Margaris, 1992).
However, it has been impossible to apply mechanization to the olive groves, up to
the stage of collection, since no new method has been developed. In addition
extensive agriculture has nowadays come to be dominated by intensive methods of
cultivation.
Since it has been impossible to mechanize olive cultivation, specially in the islands
where the flat land was kept for the annual crops and the most olive groves were
small family ownerships growing on marginal places, or steep slopes with difficulty
in approach, (Anthopoulou, 1993), substitutes for the basic product, olive oil, have
recently appeared on the Mediterranean market. During the last twenty years in
Greece, the oil coming from annual intensive agriculture either directly (sunflower,
maize oil) or indirectly (cotton oil) has taken a real share of the market, and year by
year consumers are turning to these new products.
As a consequence, the share of seed oil in the Greek oil market has increased
within six years from 20% in 1983 to 36% in 1989. A similar trend was observed in
1
Division of Terrestrial Ecosystems, Dpt of Environmental Studies, University of the Aegean
2
Annex of Forestry, Technological Educational Institute (T.E.I.) of Lamia

1
Italy, where the seed oil share in the market increased from 41% to 49% within ten
years (1979-1989), decreasing that of olive oil from 44% to 33% during the same
period. Oil prices have played an important role in the substitution of olive oil by
seed oils. The ratio of the prices of sunflower oil over olive oil 1:1.37 in 1985 was
increased to 1:1.73 in 1985 and finally climbed up to 1:4.0 in 1991.
The result of the decline in demand for olive oil is that olive plantations have been
abandoned. But this was not the only reason.

Olive groves in the islands

From the 1,722,500 acres of olive groves in Greece, 660,000 (38.3%) are located
in the islands.
One problem of olive cultivation, which becomes even more intense in the islands,
is fragmentation. Mainly for reasons of inheritance, but also of dowry, the large olive
groves are fragmented again and again as they go down from father to son. The result
of this practice is the current situation. Throughout Greece, 61.22% of olive groves
are no bigger than 7.5 acres (Therios, 1985). This percentage grows even more if
calculated only for the island olive groves, because it is precisely in the islands that
properties are mainly owned by families, which means that they can be divided by the
owner, not being owned by any cooperation. The properties are divided even more as
the family expands. The sons and daughters that grow up and create new families take
their own shares of the family olive grove. Of course, if later on the new family is
swept by the tide of urbanization and moves to the city, the small and unprofitable –as
far as the cultivation is concerned– olive grove is usually abandoned.
In the islands, where lowlands are scarce and, if present, are used for annual
cultivations (mainly grain), olive groves have inevitably found refuge on hillsides or
difficult to access, semi-mountainous plateaus. Olive cultivation in the islands and the
mainland is significantly different. For example, in Lesbos there is a wide range of
olive groves of every type and in various degrees of abandonment. The remote
sensing methods that we used in Lesbos recorded 18,572 acres (19%) of good
productivity olive groves, 39,322 acres (40.3%) of medium productivity, 19,682 acres
(20.2%) ruined due to frost or other factors, 2,285 acres (2.3%) of long-term
abandonment and 17,618 acres (18%) of recent abandonment. The total comes up to
97,479 acres of olive groves, 20.000 acres of which have been abandoned (satellite
image, 1990). It is a percentage of 20% on an island where olive cultivation is
supposed to be flourishing. What kind of percentages would we find in other islands?
In the present work a comparative study was carried out on the diversity of the flora
and fauna of cultivated and abandoned olive groves.

Environmental importance of olive groves

Olive tree and the community it forms, the olive grove, is a unique and inseparable
element of landscape in the Mediterranean basin. However, its ecological significance
and value has been, if not completely, partially, overlooked. Many ecologists consider
the olive grove as a type of cultivation that is interesting only from the agricultural
point of view for its economic significance. However, the cultivated olive grove is a
special kind of agro-ecosystem with certain characteristic features. It certainly differs
from other relevant agro-ecosystems that are from other trees’ cultivations, with
regard to the following:
• The olive grove continues to be productive to a certain extent with the
minimum of cultivation and care.

2
 • It can survive under very adverse conditions such as lack of water and
nutrients, on poor and shallow soils, etc.
• After its abandonment it has the potential to evolve to a Mediterranean type
ecosystem, even in marginal conditions such as steep slopes.
• After years of total abandonment it can recover and revert to its initial state
under appropriate cultivation techniques; although this is very difficult or even
impossible for other types of tree cultivation.
The floristic components of olive groves classified by biotic type revealed high
similarity between olive groves and Greek Mediterranean-type ecosystems (table .1.).

Table .1. Percentage composition of biotic types in olive groves and in natural
ecosystems.[1. Authors mentioned by Vokou (1988), 2. This research, 3. Low altitude (0-600 m.)
natural ecosystem, Mount Kyllini, (Dimopoulos, 1993), 4. Mediterranean type Greek ecosystems
(Vokou, 1988)]

BIOTIC TYPE 1 2 3 4
(%) (%) (%) (%)
Therophyta 52 52 39 45
Geophyta 16 4 12 12
Hemi-cryptophyta 23 24 31 25
Chamephyta 3 8 5 7
Phanerophyta 6 13 13 8

It is evident that the artificial "olive grove" ecosystem, in contrast to what is

happening in other agro-ecosystems, is much closer to the natural Mediterranean
ecosystem (Margaris, 1981), even in its functional-productive phase (i.e. when not
abandoned).
This contrast may be attributed to the following factors:
• The cultivated olive tree (Olea europaea var.europaea L.) and the wild olive
tree (O. europaea var. sylvestris Brot.) are the same species.
• The type of traditional olive grove management in Greece.
• The fact that the wild olive is a characteristic species of the Oleo-Ceratonion
vegetation zone.

Biological diversity of olive groves

Olive groves seem to be positively related to other environmental resources, which

are the quality of soil and the existence of plant and animal species. Data showing
plant species in olive groves are given in table 2.
Data concerning the presence of birds in olive groves of the Aegean Islands of
Lesvos, Chios and Skyros are presented in table 3.
These ornithological data are of special interest according to Bird Life
International, who has supported the view that the results of phase (I) of the project
(Conservation of Dispersed Species in Europe) have shown that second to wetland
birds, birds of agricultural habitats are generally the most threatened in Europe. (G.M.
Tucker, personal communication).
Another group in the fauna of olive groves of high interest is the insects. Since the
insect-plant interaction is well established, it is also expected that the presence of
insects in the olive grove is dependent on the vegetation. Species number, size of
individual populations and their distribution inside a specific olive grove, are
dependent on many factors, the most important of which are:
• Plant diversity and the level of vegetation development.

3
 • The age of the olive grove.
• The length of the period since abandonment.
• The presence or absence of grazing animals.
• The vegetation parameters of the surrounding area.
• The recent climatic conditions (e.g. a very dry summer period).
• The extent of the impact of the human activities on the area (e.g. spraying
with pesticides).
Data concerning the presence of insects in olive groves of the Aegean Islands of
Skyros and Lesvos are presented in table 4 and 5.

Table 2: Flora of olive groves and number of plant species in each family. Column
numbers are referring to authors: 1. Pavlidis (1976), 2. Christodoulakis (1986), 3.
Economidou (1969), 4. Turrill (1929), 5. Rauh (1949), 6. Charistos (1968), 7:This
research (1993)

No Families 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Pteridophyta - - - 5 - - -
1 Amaranthaceae - - - - - - 1
2 Anacardiaceae - - 1 - - - 2
3 Araceae - - 1 3 2 - -
4 Boraginaceae - - 3 - - - 3
5 Campanulaceae - 1 - - - - -
6 Capparidaceae - - - - - - 1
7 Caryophyllaceae - 2 1 1 1 - 3
8 Caprifoliaceae - - - - - - 1
9 Chenopodiaceae - - - - - - 2
10 Cistaceae 1 - 3 - - - 3
11 Compositae 8 8 22 4 7 1 31
12 Convolvulaceae - 1 - - - - 2
13 Cruciferae - - 4 - 5 - 7
14 Cynocrambaceae - - - - -1 -
15 Dioscoraceae - - 1 - - - 1
16 Dipsacaceae - - - - 2 - 1
17 Ericaceae - - 1 - - - -
18 Ephedraceae - - - - - - 1
19 Euphorbiaceae - 1 2 - 3 - 6
20 Fagaceae - - 1 - - - 1
21 Gentianaceae 2 - 2 - - - 3
22 Geraniaceae 1 - 1 - - - 5
23 Graminae - 2 14 8 2 - 23
24 Guttiferae 3 2 2 - 1 - 1
25 Iridaceae 1 - 2 1 - - -
26 Labiatae 1 - 8 4 3 - 18
27 Leguminosae 15 1 28 2 7 - 33
28 Liliaceae 1 - 5 1 6 - 4
29 Linaceae 2 1 3 - 1 - 3
30 Malvaceae - 1 - - 1 - 2
31 Oleaceae 1* 1* 1* 1* 1* 1* 3
32 Orchidaceae 10 - 4 1 1 - 1
33 Orobanchaceae - - 2 - - - 2
34 Oxalidaceae - - - - 1 - -
35 Papaveraceae - 1 3 - 3 - 3
36 Plantaginaceae 1 - 3 - - - 4
37 Polygonaceae - - 1 - - - 2
38 Primulaceae - - - - - - 2
39 Rafflesiaceae - - - - - - 1
40 Ranunculaceae 1 2 3 2 1 1 2
41 Resedaceae - - 1 - - - -

4
42 Rhamnaceae - 1 - - - - -
43 Rosaceae - 1 4 - - - 4
44 Rubiaceae 2 - 3 - 1 - 5
45 Santalaceae - - - - - - 1
46 Scrophulariaceae 1 2 5 5 1 - 5
47 Simaroubaceae - - - - - - 1
48 Solanaceae - - - - - - 1
49 Umbelliferae 3 2 6 3 9 - 9
50 Urticaceae - - - - - - 4
51 Valerianaceae - - 2 - - - -
TOTAL 54 30 143 41 60 3 207
* Olea europaea is being added to all authors.

5
 Table .3. Observed bird species in the olive groves

Column 1 :Lesvos Isl., Column 2 : Chios Isl., Column 3 : Skyros Isl. Column 4 : Abandonment
status of the olive grove in which the species observed MA= Abandoned for many years (>10), A=
Abandoned, C= Cultivated. -= Not observed inside the olive grove or the species is not showing any
particular preference to the previous categories. Column 5 : Month of appearance (e.g. 3-5 observed
from March to May, 3/5 observed March and May). Column 6 : Frequency of presence inside the
olive grove (Scale 0-4). 0= extremely rare, 1= Rare, 2 Relatively rare,3= Common, 4= Very
common. Column 7 : Plant cover percentage of the olive grove in which the species is most
commonly observed. (- =No correlation between the plant cover and the presence of the observed
species)

No Species 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1. Acanthis cannabina + + MA 5 2 60
2. Accipiter gentilis + - 3/9 2 -
3. Accipiter nisus + + - 9-10 2 -
4. Alauda arvensis + + + A 5 1 <40
5. Alectoris chucar + + MA 4/10 2 40
6. Anthus trivialis + + + A/C 5/9-10 3 <40
7. Anthus campestris + A/C 6 1 50
8. Anthus pratensis + + + A/C 11-1 3 <40
9. Apus apus + + + - 5-9 3 -
10. Apus melba + + + - 5-9 2 -
11. Apus pallidus + + - 5-9 2 -
12. Asio otus + + A 11 1 50
13. Athene noctua + + + C/A - 3 40-50
14. Bubo bubo + + MA 10 1 50
15. Buteo rufinus + - 9 1 -
16. Buteo buteo + + + - 9-11 2 -
17. Calandrella brachydactyla + + A/C 4-5 3 <30
18. Caprimulgus europaeus + + C/A 6/9 2 -
19. Carduelis cannabina + + MA/A - 3 -
20. Carduelis carduelis + + + A - 3 -
21. Carduelis chloris + + + C/A 4-5/10 3 -
22. Certhia brachydactyla + C/A 5 2 -
23. Cercotrichas galactotes + + MA 6 2 >60
24. Circaetus gallicus + - 9 1 -
25. Coccothraustes coccothraustes + + MA/A 10-2 2 60
26. Columba palumbus + + A 1-2 4 50
27. Corvus corone corone + + MA/A 5/9 2 -
28. Corvus corone cornix + + + - - 4 -
29. Crex crex + + MA 10 1 >60
30. Cuculus canorus + + + C 4-5 3 50-60
31. Delichon urbica + + + - 5-9 4 -
32. Dendrocopos medius + A 9-10 2 50-60
33. Emberiza cirlus + + + A/C 9-12 2 -
34. Emberiza caesia + + + A/ÌÁ 5/7-8 2 -
35. Emberiza melanocephala + + A/C 5-7 3 -
36. Erithacus rubecula + + + - 10-3 4 -
37. Falco vespertinus + + - 5 2 -
38. Falco tinunculus + + + MA - 3 50
39. Falco eleonorae + - 5-9 2 -
40. Ficedula albicollis + + + C/A 3-4 2 -
41. Ficedula semitorquata + C 3 1 -
42. Ficedula hypoleuca + + A/C 3-4 2 -
43. Fringilla montifringilla + + A/C 11 2 -
44. Fringilla coelebs + + + A/C 10-2 4 -
45. Galerida cristata + + + A - 4 >70
46. Garrulus glandarius + + MA - 3 60
47. Hippolais olivetorum + + + A/C 5-8 2 -

6
48. Hippolais pallida + + MA 5-8 3 -
49. Hirundo rustica + + + - 5-9 4 -
50. Hirundo daurica + + - 5 3 -
51. Ixobrychus minutus* + MA 5 1 >80
52. Jynx torquilla + + A 9 1 <50
53. Lanius nubicus + + A/ΜΑ 5-9 2 -
54. Lanius senator + + + A/ΜΑ 9/5 2 -
55. Lanius collurio + + + A/ΜΑ 8-10 3 -
56. Loxia curvirostra + ΜΑ 9 0 80
57. Lullula arborea + + + A 10-11 1 -
58. Merops apiaster + + A/C 4-5/9 4 -
59. Millaria calandra + + A/C 10/4-5 2 60
60. Motacilla alba + + + A 4-5/9 1 <30
61. Motacilla flava + + + A/C 4-5/9 2 40-50
62. Motacilla cinerea + + + A 5-9 1 50
63. Muscicapa striata + + C 10-12 3 >10
64. Nycticorax nycticorax* + A 9 1 60
65. Oenanthe hispanica + + + A/ΜΑ 5-8 3 40
66. Oenanthe oenanthe + + + C 5-9 3 <30
67. Oriolus oriolus + + + - 8-10 3 -
68. Otus scops + + A/C 5 3 -
69. Parus caeruleus + + + C 5/9-11 2 -
70. Parus lugubris + A 3 2 >70
71. Parus major + + + - - 4 -
72. Passer montanus + + + A/C 5 2 >60
73. Passer domesticus + + + A/C - 4 -
74. Petronia petronia + A/C 7/9 1 >60
75. Phoenicurus ochruros + + + A/C 10-12 3 -
76. Phoenicurus phoenicurus + + ΜΑ 4-10 3 >60
77. Phylloscopus collybita + + + - 5/8-10 4 -
78. Phylloscopus trochilus + C 9 2 50
79. Pica pica + ΜΑ/A - 2 -
80. Prunella modularis + + MA 10-11 2 >70
81. Regulus ignicapillus + + MA 10-1 1 >60
82. Regulus regulus + MA 10-12 2 >60
83. Saxicola torquata + + + A 5/9 1 80
84. Saxicola rubetra + + + A/MA 5/9 3 >60
85. Scolopax rusticola + + + A/C 11-12 3 -
86. Serinus pusillus + MA 5 0 60
87. Serinus serinus + + + A 5-7/11 3 -
88. Sitta krûperi + MA 5 0 >70
89. Sitta newmayer + + MA 5-7 1 <30
90. Streptopelia turtur + + + - 5-8 3 -
91. Sturnus vulgaris + + + C 10-2 4 -
92. Sylvia atricapilla + + + A 9-4 3 >60
93. Sylvia curruca + + + MA 9-10 3 -
94. Sylvia hortensis + + + A/ MA 5-7 3 -
95. Sylvia communis + + + MA /A 9-10 3 -
96. Sylvia melanocephala + + + MA /A 10-11 2 50
97. Sylvia cantillans + - 5-7 2 70
98. Troglodytes troglodytes + + + A/MA 10-2 4 -
99. Turdus merula + + + MA 10-2 4 -
100 Turdus philomelos + + + - 10-3 4 -
101 Tyto alba + + MA 11 2 >60
102 Upopa epops + + + A 5/9 2 -
* = Observed in olive groves near wetlands (Kalloni bay, Lesvos)

Insect collection

7
 Three sampling expeditions were organized for specimen collection during the
spring period (April-May 1993). Specimen collection was carried out for the same
period of time (1.30' hours) using the same techniques (sweep and boxing) and at
exactly the same time (06:30-08.00). The results are shown in table .4. It was
observed that in the abandoned olive grove the number of species varied between 33
and 37 whereas in the olive groves abandoned and under grazing the number of
species ranged between 19 and 22. The lowest number of insect species was observed
in the cultivated olive grove (15-16 species). Insect species abundance in the
abandoned olive grove is almost twice as high as in the other two categories.

Table 4: Insect species inside different olive grove categories

Olive grove categories

Abandoned & Abandoned Cultivated
under grazing
Visit 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd 1st 2nd 3rd
Insect type
Flying insects 13 12 14 18 22 20 9 10 10
Ground insects 6 8 8 15 14 17 7 5 6
Total 19 20 22 33 36 37 16 15 16

Most of the specimens collected were living permanently inside the abandoned
olive grove habitat. Some specimens were regular visitors (for food or protection) and
few were just passing by.
The following trapping methods were used:
• Sweep net (vegetation beating technique and individual collection)
• Interception traps
• Pitfall traps
• Attraction traps
• Water traps
• Boxing
Four collections were made: The 1991, 1992 and 1993 Skyros island collections
and the 1993-94 Lesvos island collection. Species identification was carried out in
collaboration with the Universiteit van Amsterdam, Instituut voor Taxonomische
Zoologie, Afdeling Entomologie. The insect classes are given in table 5. A total of
358 insect specimens (and 30 other arthropods) were collected. These specimens were
classified into five classes and 125 families, indicating a diversified insect
community.

Table 5: Arthropods inside the olive groves with emphasis on the Class Insecta.

Phylum Arthropoda

Classes/Orders No of Classes/Orders No of
species species

Class Crustacea Class Insecta or Hexapoda

Order Isopoda 2 Sub-Class Apterygota
Class Diplopoda 1 Order Thysanura 1
Class Chilopoda Order Collembola 1
Order Lithobiomorpha 1 Sub-Class Pterygota

8
 Order Scutigeromorpha 1 Order Ephemeroptera 2
Order Scolopendromorpha 1 Order Odonata 3
Class Arachnida Order Orthoptera 19
Order Opiliones 1 Order Dermaptera 2
Order Scorpionida 1 Order Dictyoptera 4
Order Chelonethida 1 Order Isoptera 1
Order Aranea 15 Order Hemiptera 48
Order Acarina 1 Order Neuroptera 15
Order Coleoptera 76
Order Trichoptera 2
Order Diptera 52
Order Lepidoptera 70
Order Hymenoptera 62

The Shannon index (H’)

The diversity of woody species in the abandoned olive groves and natural
ecosystems of the islands was counted. Below is a list of plants that were considered
“woody” by convention. According to the classification method of the researchers
Koutsidou (1994), Mardiris (1991), and Giourga (1991), many biannual or perennial
herbaceous plants, even if they have a woody part above ground, are not considered
woody.

Table .6. The “woody” species in olive groves

Quercus coccifera Asparagus acutifolius Cistaceae

Pistacia sp.
Spartium junceum
Phlomis fruticosa
Ceratonia siliqua
Euphorbia dendroides
Rosmarinus officinallis
Pyrus amygdaliformis
Osyris alba
Salvia sp.
Prasium majus
Philyrea angustifolia Olea sp.
Anthylis hermaniae Rubus sanctus
Sarcopoterium spinosum Origanum sp.
Capparis ovata Lonicera implexa
Ballota acetabulosa Thymus capitatus
Anagyris foedita Genista acanthoclada
Sanguisorba minor Rubia tenuifolia
Alianthus altissima Lotus sp.
Satureja thymbra Lavandula stoechas
Teucrium sp. Micromeria sp.

The general tendency is to consider as woody the perennial bushy or semi-bushy

biotic types and, of course, all Phanerophyta.
If woody species are to be sampled, first of all they have to be present. Therefore,
the cultivated olive groves, and the recently abandoned ones, which have only
herbaceous vegetation, were excluded from sampling.
The Shannon index for biodiversity was calculated for Skyros and Lesbos. In each
island there was a sampling from 10 olive groves –10 sampling areas in each of
them– for the calculation of the average biodiversity. The olive groves were chosen
according to the degree of abandonment. The biodiversity was counted in groves of
long-term abandonment, where the characteristics of cultivation were totally extinct
and the state of present vegetation was a result of natural establishment and
succession. The biodiversity in the wider area of these olive groves, the “natural”
ecosystem, was also counted. Therefore the two types of ecosystem can be compared.

Table .7. The Shannon biodiversity index in sampled areas of each island.

9
 SKYROS Isl. LESVOS Isl.
Natural Olive Area Natural Olive Area
ecosystem Groves ecosystem Groves
1,966548 2,000756 Gerouli 1 2,068742 1,960955 Pyrgi 1
2,428071 2,318988 Lakka 1 2,466892 2,012338 Lagada 1
2,001266 2,391804 Lakka 2 1,936422 2,042057 Lagada 2
1,888642 2,423561 Lakka 3 2,568924 2,160512 St. Ermogenis 1
1,73393 2,430964 Aspous 1 2,663426 2,265485 Taksiarxis 1
2,294244 2,434508 St. Antonios 1 2,903348 2,354392 Pyrgi 2
2,40795 2,551049 St. Antonios 2 2,269856 2,366392 Taksiarxis 2
1,817082 2,609854 Aspous 2 2,67654 2,380967 Pyrgi beach 1
2,065482 2,688163 Gerouli 2 3,006502 2,463552 Loutra
2,60583 2,688731 St. Antonios 3 2,789621 2,749091 Pyrgi beach 2

Two columns of indices have been added, one from the natural ecosystems of the
Greek mainland and one from reforested areas.

Table .8. Shannon biodiversity indices for ten areas of the Greek mainland,
altitude <500 m. (natural ecosystems and reforested areas) (Mardiris, 1991).

Natural Reforestation Area Altitude

ecosystem
(Η') (Η') (m)
2,136754 2,062308 Tristinika 50
2,434708 1,163377 Νew Marmaras 400-500
2,563319 0,322858 Rapsani 500
2,589742 0,959738 Vasilika 75
2,738144 1,711652 Stylida 100-150
2,928557 1,162053 Nafpaktos 75
2,935315 2,282507 Kavala 400
3,220291 1,02668 Atalanti 250
3,23762 1,95844 Pteleos 210
3,300309 2,504816 Ermioni 30-50

3,5

2,5
Shannon Index (H')

Series 1
2 Series 2
Series 3
Series 4
1,5 Series 5
Series 6

0,5

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

10
 Figure .1. Shannon biodiversity index (H’) for ten samples from olive groves and
natural ecosystems in the research areas and from natural ecosystems and reforested
areas throughout the mainland (see text). (Series 1: Skyros olive groves Series 2: Skyros
natural ecosystem Series 3: Lesbos olive groves Series 4: Lesbos natural ecosystem Series 5:
Natural ecosystems in Greece Series 6: Reforested areas in the mainland of Greece).

We can see a few of the index “tendencies” in the sampled areas. Some points
made from the Figure 1:
• The natural ecosystems of the Greek mainland present the highest figures for
the biodiversity index, a predictable fact mainly due to climatic factors and
bioclimatic growth zone.
• The reforested areas, as expected, present the lowest figures of H’, because
usually they are dominated by some pine species which creates thickets of the same
age and is strongly competitive, limiting all efforts of natural regeneration of
preexisting woody species.
• The natural ecosystem of Skyros presents relatively low figures of H’, which
are justified by the pastoral nature of the island and the inevitable overgrazing,
caused by 50.000 sheep and goats, in the 193 square kilometers of non agricultural
land (Ksanthoulis, 1992).
• The abandoned olive groves of Skyros present a slightly higher biodiversity
index compared to those of Lesbos. This can be justified by the fact that olive
cultivation in Skyros was never as intensive as it has been in Lesbos. Therefore, in
Skyros there is olive groves abandoned longer than those in Lesbos.
• The Shannon biodiversity index in the natural ecosystems and olive groves of
the islands seem to fluctuate within a particular figure area, while the same index
for the natural ecosystems and reforested areas in the Greek mainland seems to
fluctuate within another figure area.
• The figures for the natural ecosystems of Lesbos are considered normal for
Mediterranean island ecosystems.

Discussion

In the Greek islands the most common “natural” ecosystems are the degraded
“machi” and the areas of phryganic vegetation. In the best of cases maybe some
scattered areas of pine forest trying to recover from the last fire.
On the other hand, the most common tree cultivation in the islands is olive
cultivation. So, there are non productive olive groves of long-term abandonment that
offer what a forest would, but to a greater extent than other areas designated as
forests. Their contribution to the ecosystem consists of:
• Soil retaining due to ground coverage.
• Enrichment of the aquifer through the controlled penetration of precipitation
due to flow retaining by vegetation.
• Refuge and food for the local fauna.
• Conservation of biodiversity.
• Improvement of the aesthetics of the surroundings.
And all of the above are found in sites that are marginal, difficult to access,
mountainous, etc.
After the collection and the process of all the data above, we considered that it was
of high importance to pay more attention to the need for continuous presence of the
olive groves in the Aegean islands. It seems erroneous on the one hand to destroy the
olive groves by cutting, fire and overgrazing and on the other hand to emphasize

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continuously the need for reforestation. It is therefore suggested that olive groves be
maintained as ecosystems in the Aegean Islands even after their abandonment.

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