Lake Kerkini National Park, History, part 5
FISH
In the lake and the Strymon River upstream of the lake, 33 species of fish have been recorded. The most important are the carp (Cyprinus carpio), the crucian carp (Carassius gibelio), the roach (Alburnus alburnus), the roach (Squalius orpheus), the rudd (Rutilus rutilus), the bream (Vimba melanops) and the bream (Barbus strumicae), while the eel (Anguilla anguilla) has disappeared from the lake after the operation of the new dam. Among the species are some alien species that apparently reached the lake from Bulgaria via the Strymon.
Of these, the populations of the Sunfish (Lepomis gibosus) were in high demand in the 1990s but then declined and are now in balance, while the Gymnocephalus cernuus, whose natural distribution is central and northern Europe, appeared in fishermen’s nets in 2009-2010 with an increased presence since then.
REPTILES-AMPHIBIANS
Reptiles are represented by at least 27 species in the area, with characteristic species being the Marsh Turtle (Mauremys rivulata), the Fidosaurus or Tyflitis (Pseudopus apodus), the Desert Snake (Eryx jaculus), the Grass Snake (Natrix natrix). Amphibians are represented by at least 11 species including the Pelobates (Pelobates syriacus) and the Salamander (Salamandra salamandra).
INVERTEBRATES
Invertebrates are represented by at least 4,700 species of which 1,396 are new species for Greece and at least 46 are new species for science.
VEGETATION-FLORA
So far, at least 1,300 plant species have been recorded, some of which are rare or endemic. In the marshy areas, the dominant plants are Water Lilies (Nymphaeaceae) (Nympoides peltata and Nymphaea alba), Iris (Iris pseudacorus), Mint (Mentha aquatica), Myriophyllum spicatum, Cattail (Typha latifolia), etc., while the woody vegetation consists mainly of Willows (Salix spp), Populus (Populus spp), Plane (Platanus orientalis), Ash (Fraxinus angystifolia), etc. In the area of evergreen and deciduous broadleaf trees, characteristic species are found such as Sessile Oak (Quercus sessiliflora), Hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis), Dog Rose (Rosa canina), Hazel (Corylus avellana), Pine (Prunus spinosa), Ash (Fraxinus ornus), Lime (Tilia cordata), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Ivy (Hedera helix), Maples (Acer spp) etc. In the higher and colder areas, the dominant species is Beech (Fagus sylvatica).
In these areas we also find Fir (Abies borisii-regis), Alder (Alnus glutinosa), Hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia), Chestnut (Castanea sativa), Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), Ash (Fraxinus ornus), Maples (Acer spp), Rowan (Sorbus torminalis), Ivy (Hedera helix), Clematis (Clematis vitalba) as well as a multitude of Crocuses (Crocus spp) etc.
In the wider area of Kerkini there are many species of plants that are endemic or rare in Greece and the Balkan Peninsula. We also find five terrestrial species of which Northern Greece is the most extreme limit of their distribution. Four species that are included in the red list of plants of Greece and four species that are included in the red list of plants of Europe.
