This year, the forests of Greece already have an autumn appearance from mid-summer. The satellite images were taken in late July-early August 2024 to cause concern: The forests, especially in the areas of Northern Greece, had taken on the characteristic brown color of autumn since the summer, and in some cases the leaves of the trees had fallen or were already ready to fall…
The average maximum temperature in Central Macedonia in June was 4.3°C higher than the 2010-2019 average.
The alarming images released by the scientific group Climatebook, “point to a prolonged period of very high temperatures and minimal rainfall in the summer of 2024. affected the natural environment and forest health. This characteristic appearance of forests is present in a large part of the country”, while this phenomenon is more intense in the areas of Central and Northern Greece.
Indicative data
At the end of August 2024, the picture presented by the forest at the borders of the prefectures of Thessaloniki and Serres in the Nigrita region is indicative compared to the corresponding period last year: Brown color dominates the entire area. , where there is also a Wildlife Sanctuary, the green image of last year has disappeared.
According to the latest analysis of meteo.gr/EAA, the temperature in the summer of 2024 exceeded 37°C in the territories of Central Macedonia, as Kostas Laguvardos, Research Director of the National Observatory of Athens, mentioned in “NEWS”. When it was more than 35-40 days, the rain was insufficient. “In summer, the air temperature has reached a very high level in the country but especially in Central Macedonia in the last 12-13 months – with the exception of last May – we have constantly observed above-normal temperatures, and on some days the largest positive deviations recorded in the country were observed.”
The data collected by METEO’s scientific team on climate deviations in Greece is indicative: in June 2024, our average maximum temperature in Central Macedonia was 4.3 degrees Celsius higher than the average value of 2010-2019, and the deviation was also in February It reached +4 degrees. In the remaining months, the average maximum temperature was 1.5-3.4 degrees higher than the norm for the season. “And keep in mind that we’re comparing to the average of 2010-2019, the period in the middle of climate change. If we compare with the 70s or the 2000s, the discrepancies would be even greater,” says Kostas Laguvardos.
Scientists are concerned about the impact of climate change on Greece’s forest ecosystems. As noted in a report compiled last year by the competent Committee of the Atmospheric Physics and Climatology Research Center of the Academy of Athens on the resilience of Greek forest ecosystems to climate change, “the growth of most forest species depends mainly on forests. Rainfall during spring, summer and even the growing season as a whole, reduced water availability expected to significantly affect tree growth patterns and rates.
Higher temperature, prolonged drought and other biotic factors such as insects, pathogens, pests etc. an increase in the occurrence of mass drying and necrosis of trees is expected, this phenomenon is already observed in both Mediterranean pine forests and Capelli’s fir forests. Given the different sensitivities of trees to high temperature and drought depending on their size and age, there is a high probability of changes in the age structure and composition of forests in the future, with consequent impacts on forest biodiversity. Extensive tree dieback and drying, combined with an increased risk of infestation by insects and pathogens, in turn increases the risk of wildfires.