For Special Protection Areas (SPA), Proposed Sites for Community Importance (pSCI),
Sites of Community Importance (SCI) and for Special Areas of Conservation (SAC)
PF: for the habitat types that can have a non-priority as well as a priority form (6210, 7130, 9430) enter "X" in the column PF to indicate the priority form.
NP: in case that a habitat type no longer exists in the site enter: x (optional)
Cover: decimal values can be entered
Caves: for habitat types 8310, 8330 (caves) enter the number of caves if estimated surface is not available.
Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation)
3.2 Species referred to in Article 4 of Directive 2009/147/EC and listed in Annex II of Directive 92/43/EEC and site evaluation for them
Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, I = Invertebrates, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
Type: p = permanent, r = reproducing, c = concentration, w = wintering (for plant and non-migratory species use permanent)
Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the Standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting (see reference portal)
Abundance categories (Cat.): C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present - to fill if data are deficient (DD) or in addition to population size information
Data quality: G = 'Good' (e.g. based on surveys); M = 'Moderate' (e.g. based on partial data with some extrapolation); P = 'Poor' (e.g. rough estimation); VP = 'Very poor' (use this category only, if not even a rough estimation of the population size can be made, in this case the fields for population size can remain empty, but the field "Abundance categories" has to be filled in)
3.3 Other important species of flora and fauna (optional)
Group: A = Amphibians, B = Birds, F = Fish, Fu = Fungi, I = Invertebrates, L = Lichens, M = Mammals, P = Plants, R = Reptiles
CODE: for Birds, Annex IV and V species the code as provided in the reference portal should be used in addition to the scientific name
S: in case that the data on species are sensitive and therefore have to be blocked for any public access enter: yes
NP: in case that a species is no longer present in the site enter: x (optional)
Unit: i = individuals, p = pairs or other units according to the standard list of population units and codes in accordance with Article 12 and 17 reporting, (see reference portal)
Cat.: Abundance categories: C = common, R = rare, V = very rare, P = present
Motivation categories: IV, V: Annex Species (Habitats Directive), A: National Red List data; B: Endemics; C: International Conventions; D: other reasons
The area is located at the central-east part of Crete and is characterized by a belt of mountains, Dikti (altitude 2148 m, one of the three principal mountains of Crete), Selekano, Katharo, and Selena, which surround the biggest plateau of Crete, Lasithi (at 800 m altitude). The biggest part of the site is covered by large rugged mountains and gorges. The dolines are of special interest; the wet dolines are characterized by scanty vegetation of annuals common in other places but rare in Crete while the dry dolines are characterized by dense vegetation and, in Dikti, by the occurence of Polygonum idaeum, specialized in this type of habitat and confined to Psiloritis and Dikti. The characteristic types of vegetation is phrygana.The plateau is cultivated. A small part of the site is covered by vineyards. Finally, there is riparian vegetation with common perrenials or annuals (the vegetation of a constantly flowing mediterranean river with gravel bed, usually pebbles, a habitat type not included in Annex I).
4.2 Quality and importance
The following elements comprise the ecological quality and importance of the site: 1) Its flora is extremely rich in common species and in rare and vulnerable endemic species, mostly cretan; moreover, some of them are stenoendemics, exclusively found in the site or in the mountains of Crete. 2) its fauna, although it needs further investigation, is expected to be rich in endemic and rare species, such as species of gastropods. The gastropods listed in 3.3. (Other important species, Greek) are endemic to Crete or to Crete and to the little islands around. Besides, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum ssp. creticum, included in section 3.2.c. as Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, is a subspecies endemic to Crete. There are also colonies of vultures at most of the mountains and gorges with the population at the gorge of Gonion being the most typical. 3) The plateau of Lassithi produces the majority of Crete's potato crops. It also has a unique in Crete old Venetian drainage system and there are hundreds of windmills used as water pumps and composing a rare aesthetic landscape. 4) There are still vineyards with old varieties of vines at the slopes of Selekanos. 5) There are many caves with endemic fauna. 6) There are many and scientifically important fossils at Katharo mountains. OTHER IMPORTANT SPECIES WITH MOTIVATION D. Plants: The following species are protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81) and are included in the IUCN Red Data List (1993) in the category of threatened plants: Cotoneaster nummularia (vulnerable). The species Arenaria saponarioides, which are endemic to the mountains of Crete, are protected by the Greek Law (Presidential Decree 67/81). Allium callimischon ssp. haemostictum is a plant with distribution in Greece and SW Turkey.
4.3 Threats, pressures and activities with impacts on the site
The most important impacts and activities with high effect on the site
Negative Impacts
Rank
Threats and pressures [code]
Pollution (optional) [code]
inside/outside [i|o|b]
M
K01.01
i
M
J01
o
L
B02.03
i
H
C03.03
i
L
G01.02
i
H
A04
i
M
A01
i
M
F03.01
o
L
E01.02
i
L
G01.03
i
L
B01.02
i
L
J01
i
M
A08
i
L
G01.04
i
M
K03.01
b
M
F04
i
L
B02.02
i
M
E01.03
i
L
L08
i
M
L09
i
L
E03.01
i
H
I03.01
b
M
A07
i
L
J02
i
M
A04
o
H
L09
i
M
F03.02
i
L
A09
i
M
L09
o
Positive Impacts
Rank
Activities, management [code]
Pollution (optional) [code]
inside/outside [i|o|b]
L
B02.03
i
L
B01.02
i
L
U
b
L
G01.04
i
M
A08
i
L
L08
i
M
J02
i
L
E01.02
i
L
A04.03
i
L
A09
i
Rank: H = high, M = medium, L = low
Pollution: N = Nitrogen input, P = Phosphor/Phosphate input, A = Acid input/acidification,
T = toxic inorganic chemicals, O = toxic organic chemicals, X = Mixed pollutions
i = inside, o = outside, b = both