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NATURAL MONUMENTS
(IN MACEDONIA) - PART I
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RELICTNESS AND ENDEMISM IN MACEDONIAN FLORA
The
recent composition of Macedonian flora is the product of all the changes
that have taken place since the Tertiary period. In this respect, the relict
species, which play a very important role in the recent flora of Macedonia,
are of special interest. These can be seen as indicators of past climatic
conditions. Two relict species are of especially significant: Ramonda nathaliae
and 
Ramonda
serbica of the tropical family Gesneriaceae point to a tropical climate
that in the
Tertiary period dominated in this part of the Balkan Peninsula. On the other
hand, the presence of another group of relict species, found in the area
between Veles, tip, and Negotino, that includes Onobrychis hypargyrea, Morina
persica, Astragalus parnassi, and Capparis sicula speaks in favour of the
existence of a climate that is characteristic of the steppes which dominated
toward the end of the Tertiary period, that is to say, the beginning 
of
the Pliocene. During this period, a steppe-semidesert vegetation of a Mediterranean
type was densely developed. Conclusions about the past state of the land
and the seas can also be reached on the basis of the areals of relict species.
In this respect, some species found only in certain parts of Macedonia are
especially interesting. These areas are in fact merely exclaves of their
areals which continue east to Asia Minor and the Near East. Such is the
case, for instance, with Phelipaea boissieri, Morina persica and Convolvulus
holosericeus (central and southwestern Macedonia), Acantholimon androsaceum
(Mr. Galichica, Mt. Bistra), lib
baldia parviflora (Mr. Galichica) and others. The presence of these plants
points to the land link that existed toward the end of the 
Tertiary
period (Miocene and Pliocene) between the Balkan Peninsula and Asia Minor
across the Aegean land.
The relicts of the Tertiary period have been preserved in almost every part
of Macedonia, particularly in the deep river gorges in its southern and
western parts, where the influence of the glacial phenomenon was much weaker.
The gorges on the River Vardar and the River Crn Drim and their tributaries
are such places. We find Ramonda nathaliae in all the gorges of the Vardar
river basin, while Ramonda serbica is found only in the gorges of the Adriatic
basin (i.e., the gorge of the River Crn Drim and its 
tributaries).
The previous two relict species can also be accompanied by Viola kosaninii
(the gorge on the River Treska - Kozjak; spring of the River Babuna), Thymus
oehmianus middle and lower basin of the River Treska), Aesculus hippocastanum
(gorge on the River Crn Drim, River Garska), Buxus sempervirens (gorge on
the River 
Treska and the River Vardar), and others.
The mountain massifs are particularly rich with Tertiary and Glacial relicts.
Of the Tertiary relicts, the pines Pinus peuce ("molika"; Mr.
Pelister) and Pinus heldrerichii subsp, leucodermis ("munika";
Mr. Galichica, Mr. Nide, Mr. gar) deserve special attention.
These are joined by the Glacial relicts, which include numerous representatives
of the Arctic-Alpine floral element: Dryas octopetla (Mr. gar, Mt. Jakupica,
Mt. Nide), Salixreticulata (Mt. 
gar,
Mr. Jakupica), Salix retusa (Mr. gar, Mt. Jakupica, Mt. Korab), Salix herbacea
(Mr. gar, Mt. Korab), Salix alpina (Mt. gar, Mt. Jakupica), Salix waldsteiniana,
Anemone narcissiflora (Mr.Shar, Mt. Jakupica, Mt. Pelister, Mr. Rudoka,
Mt. Korab), and others found near these.
The second characteristic feature of Macedonia's plant world is the existence
of a large number 
of
endemic species, which-despite the great changes that have been taking place
since the Tertiary period - have nevertheless managed to survive until today.
During the Pleistocene period, the Glacial phenomenon spread to all the
peaks of the high mountain massifs. Due to favourable conditions, however,
quite a number of representatives of the old Tertiary flora managed to survive
in numerous refugiums. These plants have a limited expansion and are most
often linked to specific mountains or locations; it is 
supposed
that during the Tertiary period as well, these plants spread only locally.
Perhaps this is the reason that almost every one of the mountains in Macedonia
has specific local endemics today. 1-here are many examples of this, such
as Crocus scardicus and Verbascum scardicolum, found only on Mt. ar; Crocus
cvij'icii, Centaurea soskae, Centaurea galicicae, Bupleurum mayeri,Sempervivum
galicicum, and others on Mr. GaliCica; Colchicum macgdonicum, Saxifraga
karadzicensis, Dianthus jakupicensis, Thymus kara-
dzicensis, Sempervivum macedonicum, and others only on Mt. Jakupica; and
Stachys iva, Silene prilepensis, Centaurea kozjakensis and others on Mt.
Kozjak in the vicinity of Prilep. 
Among the endemics, there are specialised forms that have adapted to specific
living conditions such that they can be found only in very specific locations.
The steppe endemic species included in this category are
Hedysarum macedonicum and Salvia jurisicii (central Macedonia), Ferulago
macedonica (in the vicinity of the village Krivolak), and Alyssum bargalense
(Owe Pole, beneath the peak of Bogoslovec), which grow exclusively on paleogenic
sea sediments. Some endemics from this 
group
have exceptionally small areals, as is the case with Tulipa marianae and
Astragalus cernjavskii (Krivolak, Orlovo Brdo), Silene viscariopsis (Mariovo),
Asplenium macedonicum (Prilep, Markovi Kuli, Treskavec, Mt. Selechka), Verbascum
adenanthum (the Prilep area), Silene paeoniensis (gorge on Babuna, gorge
on the River Crna), Verbascum macedo-
nicum (Kavadarci, Poloki Manastir), Verbascum lesnovoensis (Probitip, the
village of Lesnovo), and many others. It is interesting to 
note
that some of these endemics, from a taxonomic point of view, are quite isolated
and their most closely related species grow on the Aegean islands, the Caucasus,
Crimea, the Near East, the Pyrenees, and other places.
The number of endemics in Macedonia is just as large in the mountains as
it is in the gorges and the valleys. The mountains of Macedonia, which are
of very old geological age, are particularly rich with endemics. 
Some
local endemics are Crocus cvijicii (Galichica), Helichtysum zivojinii (Galiica),
Verbascum scardicolum (Mt. Shar), Astragalus mayeri
(Gali(ica), Crocus pelistericus (Pelister), Fritillaria macedonica (De,at),
Cenista fukarekiana (Osogovo -Carev Vrv). A few of the large number of Balkan
endemics are Viola grisebachiana (Jakupica), Narthecium scardicum (Mt.
Shar, Korab, Jakupica), Trifolium pilczii (Pelister, Galichica, Jablanica,
Babuna), Ranunculus wettsteinii (Korab) and others.
The deep gorges, which in certain places have the appearance of real canyons,
are also rich 
in
endemics. Due to the specific ecological conditions, these gorges served
as refugiums where numerous tertiary and endemic species found shelter,
most notably, two well-known Balkan endemorelics, Ramonda nathaliae and
Ramonda serbica, as well as Dioscorea balcanica (gorge on 
the
RiverCrn Drim). Of special note among the local endemics are Tulipa scardica
(2edenska gorge), Anchusa macedonica (Taorska gorge), Campanula debarensis
(gorge on the River Crn Drim), Centaurea demirkapiensis (gorge on the River
Vardar near Demir Kapija), and
Stachys babunensis (gorge on the River Babuha) and others. The endemism
of the lowlands of Macedonia was the least known until recently. Within
this group of endemics. are Stachys macedonica (Mariovo), Nepeta macedonica
(Kozuf), Viola arsenica, Viola allchariensis and Thy-
mus alsarensis (Altar). The majority of species mentioned develop on limestone
ground. 
The
only known serpentine local endemic in Macedonia is Medicago prostrata subsp,
pseudorupestris. However, the numher of 
Balkan
serpentine endemics is significantly higher (Potentilla visianii, Centaurea
kosaninii, Convolvulus cochlearis, etc.). These develop on the serpentine
massif in the surroundings of the village of Radua. A territorial differentiation
according to their richness with endemics shows that the western parts of
Macedonia, to the west of the River Vardar, are richer in endemics than
are the eastern parts.
The relation between the flora in Macedonia and the flora of the neighbouring
countries can best be illustrated through the large number of mutual endemic
species. For instance, in the northern, western and southwestern mountains
on the border with Albania (Mt. Shar, Bistra, Korab, Deshat, Jablanica,
Galichica,) there are a certain number of endemics that enter Albanian territory
(e.g.,Colchicum pieperianum, Draba korabensis, Dioscorea balcanica, Narthecium
scardicum and others), as well as the 
territory
of Kosovo in Yugoslavia (e.g., Crocus scardicus and Pancicia serbica). On
the southern border mountains (Kozuf, Dudica, Nidze) are a certain number
of species that grow in northern Greece, Aegean Macedonia (e.g., Peucedanum
lavrentiadis, Viola brachyphylla, Alyssum doerfleri and others). The presence
of the following species, among others, whose areals spread on the Balkan
Peninsula and the Near East prove the existence of a floral link
with Asia Minor: Juniperus foetidissima (Galichica, Baba Sach, gorge on
the River Treska), Podocytisus caramanicus (along the River Vardar basin),
and Salvia candidissima (Galichica), Alyssum linifolium (central Macedonia,
village of Gradsko).
RILICTNESS AND ENDEMISM IN MACEDONIAN VEGETATION
The cover of vegetation in the territory of Macedonia is rich
and diverse. It is represented by about 260 associations, which are part
of more than 90 unions, 50 orders, and 30 classes.
Relictness
and endemism are specific also to vegetation in Macedonia. The floral composition
of some swampy communities in the lowlands of Macedonia is perfectly adapted
to the recent climate. However, other swampy communities have a floral composition
completely different from other communities, and their development is not
dependent on the climatic conditions dominant in Macedonia today. These
are in fact relict communities that are remains of the vegetation that had
developed in past geological periods, and their floral composition is unique
to them. This has been observed also with respect to the high-mountain vegetation.
Such relict communities, including Caricetum elatae, Cypero-Cariceturn acutiformis,
Osmundo-Thelyptereturn, Marisceturn and "Molinietum, " develop
on organogenic swampy grounds (peat). These are a true rarity today. The
Caricetum elatae community that used to grow near Lake Ohrid has been almost
completely destroyed. The situation is the same with as. Cypero-Cariceturn
acutiformis in the Gostivar vicinity. We can still find as. Mariscetum and
"Molinietum" only in the area surrounding Gevgelija, near NegorskaBanja,
and as. Osmunclo-Thelypteretum at the foot of Mr. Belasica, near the village
of Bansko.
The so-called "steppes" region which is located in central Macedonia,
and which is in fact a steppe-like area, represents a specific phenomenon
in the vegetation. A number of endemic and relict species appear in its
recent vegetation; these are otherwise characteristic of the steppes regions
of the Near East and include Capparis sicula, Hedysarum macedonicum, Onobrychis
hypargyrea, Krascheninnikovia ceratoides, Morina persica and Astragalus
parnassi.
In the vicinity of Strumica and Gevgelija in southern Macedonia, in shallow,
moist, and sandy places, grows a community of the relict species Isoetesphrygia,
a rarity on the Balkan Peninsula.
Refugial forest vegetation
In the territory of Macedonia, a large number of plant communities grow
within the forest cover at altitudes ranging from 50 to 2000 m. Some of
these have relict origins.
Macedonia
is mainly a mountainous country. Its mountains, reaching altitudes of up
to about 2000 m, are covered with forest vegetation. This plant community's
growth is related to recent climatic conditions. However, close to the mountains
in many places, in the deep gorges and river valleys, and especially in
western and southern Macedonia, there are so-called refugial forest communities
growing which have a relict character. These have survived in specific places
where the local climate differs from the macroclimate. These places are
under the influence of the Mediterranean climate from the Adriatic and Aegean
seas. Unlike the climatogenic forest communities, these communities are
much richer in species, but unfortunately, not all of them have
been studied sufficiently. To date, 11 refugial areas have been noted in
the territory of Macedonia.
ANIMAL WORLD (FAUNA)
Fauna in the territory of Macedonia are also rich in diversity.
This variety is contingent on the hydrography, geological history, vegetation
cover, and orographic characteristics of Macedonia. Groups belonging to
the invertebrates (Invertebrata) that have specifically been studied are
Annelida (Plathelminthes, Nemathelminthes), Oligochaeta (Lumbricidae, Tricladidae,
Nematoda), Molusca (Castropoda), Crustacea (Ostracoda, Cladocera, Copepoda,
Decapoda) and Insecta (Odonata, Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera,
Lepidoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Scotyloidae). From among
the vertebrates (Vertebrata), special attention has been given to the study
of the following groups: Pisces (fish), Amphibia (amphibians), Reptilia
(reptiles), Ayes (birds), and Mammalia (mammals). To date there are known
to be 3500 invertebrate species and approximately 500 vertebrate species
in the territory of Macedonia... Go
to PART II...
Ministry of information of Republic of Macedonia
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