Gyali
| Gyali (Γυαλί) | ||
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| Waters | Mediterranean Sea | |
| Archipelago | Dodecanese | |
| Geographical location | 36 ° 40 ′ 0 ″ N , 27 ° 7 ′ 0 ″ E | |
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| length | 5.1 km | |
| width | 250 m | |
| surface | 4.558 km² | |
| Highest elevation | 182 m | |
| Residents | 21st (2011) 4.6 inhabitants / km² |
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The Greek island of Gyali ( Greek Γυαλί ( n. Sg. ) [ Ʝaˈli ], glass') is administered by the municipality of Nisyros within the South Aegean region (Περιφέρεια Νότιου Αιγαίου).
The Dodecanese island Gyali is of volcanic origin and was inhabited as early as the end of the Neolithic . Today the image of the island is shaped by the exploitation of the pumice deposits in open-cast mining. The isolated natural Pinus brutia forest is one of the deepest occurrences of the species.
geography
Geographical location
Gyali is located in the southeastern Aegean Sea about 20 km west of the Datça Peninsula in Asia Minor and about 10 km south of Kos . The distance to the southern island of Nisyros is 3.5 km.
The island is formed by two hills 182 m high in the northeast and 179 m high in the southwest, connected by a land bridge that is only 250 m narrow . The largest extension is 5.1 km from northeast to southwest. About 3.3 km to the east is the uninhabited island of Strongyli and 400 m south of Agios Andonios. The island area is 4,558 km².
geology
Like Nisyros and western Kos, Gyali lies together with Pergousa with Pachia on the eastern arc of the Cyclades and is of volcanic origin.
The north-eastern part consists largely of a lava dome made of rhyolite obsidian , the south-western part of pumice stone , which was formed from ejected volcanic ash .
The last volcanic activity of Gyali took place around 1460 BC according to thermoluminescent dating . Instead of and thus relatively close to the Minoan eruption of the volcanic island of Santorini .
nature
The vegetation is characterized by warmth and drought, but considerably more diverse than other small islands. A forest of Calabrian pine ( Pinus brutia ) has developed in several places . Dilapidated terraces indicate earlier agricultural use, grazing by goats until 1998 can be recognized by browsing traces. The continued exploitation of the pumice deposits in open-cast mining has a significant impact on the environment. As an ecological compensation measure for the considerable interference in nature and the landscape, new plantings are being created.
flora
241 species of fern and seed plants have been found on Gyali. The original hard foliage vegetation of the thermo-Mediterranean altitude level with wild olive tree ( Olea europaea var. Sylvestris ) and carob tree ( Ceratonia siliqua ) has been replaced in many places by a forest of Calabrian pine ( Pinus brutia ). The only known Pinus brutia occurrence on perlite and pumice substrates is accompanied by the typical representatives of the maquis and phrygana , depending on the soil conditions and plant density .
The emergence of the Pinus brutia forest is probably linked to the lack of permanent human settlement and the formation of topsoil due to the slight weathering of the substrate. All ages are represented, the oldest specimens around 100 years. The trees reach a height of about 6–7 m, in sheltered places up to 12 m. In locations exposed to wind, bushy forms reach a height of less than 3 m. At low degraded areas of the southwest-hill accompany predominantly mastic ( Pistacia lentiscus ) with single wild olive trees ( Olea europaea var. Sylvestris ), carob ( Ceratonia siliqua ), Kermes oaks ( Quercus Coccifera ), Western strawberry trees ( Arbutus unedo ), Common myrtle ( Myrtus communis ) and whorleaved heather ( Erica manipuliflora ). The dominant companion plant on shallow soils is Erica manipuliflora . Open tree stocks of the North Hill are from cistus Cistus salviifolius , Cistus parviflorus and Cistus creticus and Phrygana small shrubs Krähenbeerenblättriges St. John's Wort ( Hypericum empetrifolium ) and Schopf-lavender ( Lavandula stoechas ) passes through, sometimes with Erica manipuliflora and Olea europaea var. Sylvestris , Ceratonia siliqua , Quercus coccifera , Thymbra mountain mint ( Satureja thymbra ), thorny anthyllis ( Anthyllis hermanniae ) and silver-white sparrow's tongue ( Thymelaea tartonraira ).
More degraded sites are from plant communities of the maquis with Erica manipuliflora , Ceratonia siliqua , Olea europaea subsp. sylvestris , Myrtus communis , Quercus coccifera and Arbutus unedo , with Pistacia lentiscus predominating . Large-fruited juniper ( Juniperus macrocarpa ) has established itself in some coastal locations . Daphne gnidioides and tree spurge ( Euphorbia dendroides ) as well as scattered sea pigeon ( Ephedra foeminea ) and the caper bush ( Capparis orientalis ) can also be found on the northeast hill .
On areas with more advanced degradation, the maquis is replaced by Phrygana . Depending on the location, different species dominate, such as Anthyllis hermanniae on the isthmus, Cistus creticus subsp. creticus and Cistus parviflorus on the north-western slopes of the north-eastern hill and crested lavender ( Lavandula stoechas subsp. stoechas ) on old terraces, Erica manipuliflora forms pure stands in places. The most common companions are Cistus salviifolius , Hypericum empetrifolium , Phagnalon graecum and Thymelaea tartonraira subsp. argentea and Teucrium capitatum .
The sandy locations of Spülsaums on the isthmus are from the European sea rocket ( Cakile maritima ), the Ruthenian saltwort ( Salsola tragus ) and maritimum Polygonum , the adjacent shifting sand area of the beach-Filzblume ( Otanthus maritimus ), the beach thistle ( Eryngium maritimum ), beach Spurge ( Euphorbia paralias ), the Levkoje ( Matthiola tricuspidata ) and the couch grass ( Elymus farctus subsp. Rechingeri ), the dune-funnel narcissus ( Pancratium maritimum ) and others.
Halophytes such as the sea lavender Limonium graecum subsp. Grow on a small, regularly flooded area . graecum and subsp. ammophilon , slightly apart from Frankenia hirsuta and thin-tailed ( Parapholis marginata ).
fauna
On Gyali there is a population of the snake- eye lizard Ophisops elegans .
history
The settlement of Gyali at the end of the Neolithic around 4500-3200 BC. As well as in the Hellenistic and Roman times, archaeological surface surveys were carried out.
On the south-western part of the island, a settlement, a cemetery with rectangular graves carved into the rock and remains of buildings were found. Neolithic pottery and obsidian flakes have been found in several locations across the island. Despite the occurrence of obsidian, the Neolithic community presumably made a living from rearing, farming, and fishing. Trading in local obsidian played due to the inferior quality compared to the obsidian from the Cycladic -Insel Milos rather subordinate role. Obsidian from Milos and Gyali was found on the island of Pergousa, about 8.5 km southwest.
On the north side of the south-western hill there are remains of the Hellenistic fortifications and a cistern. Numerous ceramic shards on the northeastern part have been dated to the Hellenistic period. A grave in the same area dates back to early Christian times.
There is no evidence of later settlements. Presumably the island was abandoned due to pirate raids . Some simple stone houses that were seasonally inhabited date from more recently. The residents grew grain, legumes and grapes. After the Italian occupation of the Dodecanese, pumice mining began and a loading facility for ships was built. The agricultural activity continued until the Second World War . Later some miners lived on the island with their families.
In the north-east of the island, perlite is mined by the company Aegean Perlites SA . In the southwest of the island, the company LAVA - Mining & Quarrying Co. mines pumice stone and is the largest pumice stone exporter worldwide. Gyali is the largest Greek pumice reservoir with over 120 million tons. If mining remains the same, the deposit will be available beyond the year 2100.
| year | 1947 | 1951 | 1961 | 1971 | 1981 | 1991 | 2001 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Residents | 7th | 32 | 66 | 16 | 10 | 21st |
literature
nature
- Georgios Brofas, Georgios Karetsos, Maria Panitsa, Michalis Theocharopoulos: The flora and vegetation of Gyali island, SE Aegean, Greece . In: Willdenowia . tape 31 , no. 1 , 2001, p. 51-70 , doi : 10.3372 / wi.31.31104 .
Web links
- Aegean portal, general information about Gyali , Greek
- Gyali in the Global Volcanism Program of the Smithsonian Institution (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ελληνική Στατιστική Αρχή [ΕΛΣΤΑΤ] (Ed.): Στατιστική Επετηρίδα της Ελλάδος (Statistical Yearbook of Greece) 2009 & 2010 . Piraeus 2011, p. 47 .
- ↑ I. Liritzis, C. Michael, RB Galloway: A significant aegean volcanic eruption during the second millennium BC revealed by thermoluminescence dating . In: Geoarchaeology . tape 11 , 1996, pp. 361-371 .
- ^ Sabrina Rilke: Revision of the section Salsola sl of the genus Salsola (Chenopodiaceae). In: Bibliotheca Botanica. Volume 149, 1999.
- ^ Augusto Cattaneo: Contributo alla conoscenza dell'erpetofauna dell'isola egea di Nisyros (Dodecaneso) (Reptilia) . In: Naturalista siciliano . tape 30 , no. 3-4 , 2006 ( sssn.it [PDF]).
- ↑ Aegean perlite SA: The Company. Retrieved April 15, 2018 .
- ↑ LAVA - MINING & QUARRYING CO. LAVA - Mining & Quarrying Co.
- ↑ Yalibims
- ^ Population development of Gyali 1947-2001, Greek Statistical Office ELSTAT, digital library (Greek)
- ↑ Results of the 2011 census, Greek Statistical Office (ΕΛ.ΣΤΑΤ) ( Memento from June 27, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) (Excel document, 2.6 MB)