TO DEVELOP METHODS FOR APPROPRIATE ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF GREEK ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS.

THE PROJECT IS SUBDIVIDED INTO FOUR PARTS:

1. STUDY OF GENERAL CLASSES OF GREEK ISLAND ECOSYSTEM BY

- PHYTOSOCIOLOGICAL AND PHYTOECOLOGICAL METHODS

- CLIMATOLOGICAL, GEOLOGICAL AND HYDROLOGICAL METHODS.

2. PREPARATION OF AN INVENTORY OF IMPORTANT ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS. THE CRITERIA FOR THIS WORK ARE:

THE BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES SUCH AS COMMERCIAL FISHES AND MOLLUSCS, AROMATIC PLANTS, FOREST PRODUCTS,...

- PLANT OR ANIMAL SPECIES, WICH ARE MENACED, DISAPPEARED OR VERY LIMITED.

3. SELECTION OF 3 OR 4 ISLANDS FOR ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT, UNDER CONSIDERATION OF ECOLOGICAL, SOCIOLOGICAL AND ECONOMICAL CRITERIA:

- NATURALITY, REPRESENTATIVITY, SINGULARITY OR RARITY, VARIABILITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE ECOSYSTEMS.

- STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCIAL TRENDS, CULTIVATION RYTHM, NUMBER OF WORKERS IN THE ECOSYSTEM, DEMOGRAPHIC PRESSURE AND INTENSITY OF TOURISTIC ACTIVITY.

THE SELECTION WILL BE BASED ON A "SEVERITY INDEX" WHICH RESULTS OF THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF EACH OF THE CRITERIA.

4. STUDY AND APPLICATION OF METHODS FOR THE PRESERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF ISLAND ECOSYSTEMS WITH THE FOLLOWING STAGES:

- MAPPING OF INTERESTING ECOSYSTEMS AND ECOLOGICAL FACTORS

- ESTIMATION OF CARRYING CAPACITY

- STUDY OF THE IMPACT OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS

- STUDY AND COMPARISON OF VARIOUS METHODS OF PRESERVATION.