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Transitional ecosystems along the Aegean coastline are formed at the interface between land and sea, connecting the terrestrial and marine environment. They are grouped in four major types: coastal marshes, coastal lagoons, river mouths/estuaries, and river deltas. Along the Aegean coastline, in continental Greece, we identified and mapped 254 large and small coastal wetlands; they cover approximately 60,000 ha. Around half of all coastal wetlands (138 out of 254) are smaller than 8 ha. In terms of surface area, river deltas and lagoons dominate. In terms of numbers, estuaries and coastal marshes prevail. Coastal wetlands are of high importance to biodiversity and offer a variety of ecosystem services. The most significant ones are designated as Ramsar sites, and their vast majority are included in the Natura 2000 network (90% of their surface area). In terms of numbers of sites, a high proportion is found outside the Natura 2000 network (68%, 173 out of 254). This study has offered increased knowledge on coastal wetlands in order to guide their conservation and to foster further research, information, and awareness. |
