English - Convention on Biological Diversity

7. PROBLEM ANALYSIS
COUNTRY STUDY FOR BIODIVERSITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
7.1. Current loss of, or effects on, biodiversity
The present status of biodiversity in the Republic of Macedonia is a consequence of
the environmental conditions in which its components (species and ecosystems) are
developing, global changes and anthropogenic impacts.
Aquatic and wetland ecosystems are the most endangered. The assn. Myriophyllo-
Nupharetum (Doyran Lake) has almost disappeared, whereas assn. Lemno-Spirodelletum
polyrhizae subassn. aldrovandetosum (Prespa Lake) is threatened with extinction.
Relict lowland marsh communities can be found only in a generally fragmented state,
with six of them particularly endangered (assn. Caricetum elatae subassn.
lysimachietosum - Ohrid Lake, near Studenchishte; assn. Cypero-Caricetum acutiformis
- Gostivar; assn. Glycerietum maximae - Pelagonia; assn. Mariscetum - Negortsi Spa;
assn. Osmundo-Thelipteretum - Bansko and assn. Scirpo-Alopecuretum cretici -
Monospitovo Marsh).
With regard to meadows, the most endangered are those associations developing on
very wet terrain (assn. Hordeo-Caricetum distantis - Gevgeliya and Skopye).
Three communities among the halophytic vegetation are the most endangered,
particularly assn. Camphorosmetum monspeliacae.
Among forest vegetation, nine forest phytocenoses are endangered: assn. Aceri
heldreichii-Fagetum - Yakupitsa and Shar Planina Mountains; assn. Alnetum viridis -
Belasitsa; assn. Carici elongatae-Alnetum glutinosae - Polog, Debartsa; assn. Daphno-
Cytisanthetum radiati calcicolum - Galichitsa and Yablanitsa; assn. Ephedro-Prunetum
tenellae – Kavadartsi and Lubas; assn. Juglando-Aesculetum hippocastani - Suv Dol,
near Izvor, and Yablanitsa; assn. Periploco-Alnetum glutinosae - Monospitovo Marsh,
assn. Periploco-Fradzinetum angustifoliae-pallisae - Negortsi Spa and assn. Tilio
cordatae-Fagetum - Drevenicka Mountain.
Within the lower plant groups, the best available knowledge is on phylum
Bacillariophyta. Nine species are considered to be extinct and 107 are endangered. As
for the Fungi, a Preliminary Red List has been developed, including 67 endangered
species from phylum Basidiomycota and 12 from Lichens.
Among the higher plant groups, the most endangered group is that of Angiosperms
(280-300 endangered species), ferns (15), mosses (20) and Gymnosperms (7). Five
species of Gymnosperms are considered to be extinct.
The current faunal diversity of the Republic of Macedonia is facing great pressure
resulting from direct and indirect anthropogenic impacts. Thus, as many as 113
vertebrate species are included in the category of threatened species, which is 22.3% of
the entire vertebrate fauna (17 are Macedonian endemic species).
Invertebrate faunal diversity suffers from even greater anthropogenic pressure, which
leads to a reduction in the populations of large numbers of species and eventually to
extinction. Special attention and care needs to be paid to 650 endemic invertebrate taxa,
many of which are limited to the three natural lakes (Doyran Lake – 11, Prespa Lake –
18 and Ohrid Lake – 209). The disappearance of these species will represent an
immeasurable loss, not only at the national level, but also at a global level.
Despite a large amount of research, there is still not enough information on a large
portion of the endemic species concerning the current status of their populations and the
direct threats to their survival.
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