Key Biodiversity Areas

Lakes Chortarolimni and Alyki, Moudros gulf, Diapori fen and Fakos peninsula, Limnos (1085)
Greece, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2000
National site name: Limnes Chortarolimni kai Alyki, kolpos Moudrou, elos Diapori, chersonisos Fakos Limnou
Central coordinates: Latitude: 39.8833, Longitude: 25.2833
System: freshwater, marine, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 0 to 319
Area of KBA (km2): 132.39451
Protected area coverage (%): 96.51
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: A wetland complex including coastal lagoons, a seasonal brackish marsh, extensive saltmarshes and sandflats and a freshwater marsh with reedbeds (Phragmites). Both lakes dry out in late summer. Human activities include arable cultivation, fishing, hunting, and aquaculture.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: The site is important for migratory waders and raptors and wintering wildfowl. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Aythya nyroca (passage).

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (50%) | fisheries/aquaculture (15%) | military (8%) | not utilised (10%) | urban/industrial/transport (5%) | water management (15%)
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Grassland9
Marine Neritic18
Wetlands(Inland)36
Artificial - Terrestrial27
Marine Intertidal5
Marine Coastal/Supratidal5

Threats


Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Lake Aliki is threatened by plans to convert it to an industrialized saltpan. Other threats include the filling-in of wetland, rubbish dumping (`Other' threats, above) and hunting. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.