Mount Paiko
Encyclopedia
Mountain Paiko is a small mountain range
(surface area:399 km2) that lies on the border of Pella
and Kilkis
prefectures in Central Macedonia
, Greece.
. Together they surround the plain of Aridea. East and south of Paiko are the plains of the Vardar
(Axios) river and the plains of Giannitsa
respectively.
The highest peaks are Skra (1097 m), Tsouma (1219 m), Vertopia (1490 m), Pirgos (1494 m), Kadasi (1607 m) and Ghola Tsuka (1650 m). Pirgos, Vertopia and Kadasi surround a large plateau (formerly native grassland) at altitude around 1200 m. Most areas of the plateau are residential or cultivated.
and sedimentary rock
s, mainly carbonatite
and ophiolite. Sedimentary rocks are found mostly in NE areas.
s can be found at high altitudes, connected by several streams. Two waterfalls and a lagoon of blue-green waters are located near the Skra peak.
East of the mountain is a small artificial lake (Lake Metalleiou) 35 m deep and of circumference around 4 km.
of large trees include:
Smaller plants and fungi include:
At Metalleiou lake humans have introduced trout. Fishing is allowed under controlled conditions.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
(surface area:399 km2) that lies on the border of Pella
Pella Prefecture
Pella is one of the regional units of Greece, in the geographic region of Macedonia. It is part of the Region of Central Macedonia. It is named after the ancient city of Pella, the capital of ancient Macedonia. The capital of Pella is Edessa....
and Kilkis
Kilkis Prefecture
Kilkis is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Macedonia. Its capital is the city of Kilkis.-Geography:The mountains near Kilkis are Paiko to the west, parts of the western part of Kerkini to the northeast and Krousia to the east...
prefectures in Central Macedonia
Central Macedonia
Central Macedonia is one of the thirteen regions of Greece, consisting of the central part of the region of Macedonia. With a population of over 1.8 million, it is the second most populous in Greece after Attica.- Administration :...
, Greece.
Geography
Morphologically, Paiko is a curvy extension to the NE of the adjacent Voras mountain rangeVoras mountain range
The Voras Mountain Range or Nije-Kozhuf The mountain range is typically divided in three mountains:* Voras or Nije . Highest Peak is Kaimakchalan at .* Kozhuf or Tzena . Highest peak is Zelen Breg at ....
. Together they surround the plain of Aridea. East and south of Paiko are the plains of the Vardar
Vardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
(Axios) river and the plains of Giannitsa
Giannitsa
Giannitsa is the largest town and a former municipality in Pella regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pella, of which it is a municipal unit...
respectively.
The highest peaks are Skra (1097 m), Tsouma (1219 m), Vertopia (1490 m), Pirgos (1494 m), Kadasi (1607 m) and Ghola Tsuka (1650 m). Pirgos, Vertopia and Kadasi surround a large plateau (formerly native grassland) at altitude around 1200 m. Most areas of the plateau are residential or cultivated.
Geology
Paiko is composed of igneousIgneous rock
Igneous rock is one of the three main rock types, the others being sedimentary and metamorphic rock. Igneous rock is formed through the cooling and solidification of magma or lava...
and sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock
Sedimentary rock are types of rock that are formed by the deposition of material at the Earth's surface and within bodies of water. Sedimentation is the collective name for processes that cause mineral and/or organic particles to settle and accumulate or minerals to precipitate from a solution....
s, mainly carbonatite
Carbonatite
Carbonatites are intrusive or extrusive igneous rocks defined by mineralogic composition consisting of greater than 50 percent carbonate minerals. Carbonatites may be confused with marble, and may require geochemical verification....
and ophiolite. Sedimentary rocks are found mostly in NE areas.
Hydrology
Paiko is rich in surface as well as underground bodies of water, often potable. Springs exist at the foothills and small wetlandWetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s can be found at high altitudes, connected by several streams. Two waterfalls and a lagoon of blue-green waters are located near the Skra peak.
East of the mountain is a small artificial lake (Lake Metalleiou) 35 m deep and of circumference around 4 km.
Flora
The vegetation of Paiko is considered lush. GeneraGenus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of large trees include:
- pinePinePines are trees in the genus Pinus ,in the family Pinaceae. They make up the monotypic subfamily Pinoideae. There are about 115 species of pine, although different authorities accept between 105 and 125 species.-Etymology:...
- Quercus (Oak)OakAn oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus , of which about 600 species exist. "Oak" may also appear in the names of species in related genera, notably Lithocarpus...
(especially Quercus pubescens and Quercus frainetto) - plane (especially Platanus orientalisPlatanus orientalisPlatanus orientalis, or the Oriental plane, is a large, deciduous tree of the Platanaceae family, known for its longevity and spreading crown. The species name derives from its historical distribution eastward from the Balkans, where it was recognized in ancient Greek history and literature....
) - alder (especially Alnus glutinosa)
- beechBeechBeech is a genus of ten species of deciduous trees in the family Fagaceae, native to temperate Europe, Asia and North America.-Habit:...
- walnutWalnutJuglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
- chestnutChestnutChestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
- cedrus
- willowWillowWillows, sallows, and osiers form the genus Salix, around 400 species of deciduous trees and shrubs, found primarily on moist soils in cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere...
- populus
- apple trees
Smaller plants and fungi include:
- Species of grassGrassGrasses, or more technically graminoids, are monocotyledonous, usually herbaceous plants with narrow leaves growing from the base. They include the "true grasses", of the Poaceae family, as well as the sedges and the rushes . The true grasses include cereals, bamboo and the grasses of lawns ...
. - Shrubs such as wild strawberries.
- Mushrooms. A rare species (DaedaleopsisDaedaleopsisDaedaleopsis is a genus of fungi in the Polyporaceae family. The widely distributed genus contains six species....
septentrionalis) known only in northern areas was discovered in 2009. - FernFernA fern is any one of a group of about 12,000 species of plants belonging to the botanical group known as Pteridophyta. Unlike mosses, they have xylem and phloem . They have stems, leaves, and roots like other vascular plants...
. - Flowers like Primula vulgarisPrimula vulgarisPrimula vulgaris is a species of Primula native to western and southern Europe , northwest Africa , and southwest Asia...
, ScillaScillaScilla is a genus of about 50 bulb-forming perennial herbs in the family Asparagaceae, subfamily Scilloideae, native to woodlands, subalpine meadows, and seashores throughout Europe and Asia...
bifolia, Viola odorata, Galanthus elwesii and CrocusCrocusCrocus is a genus in the iris family comprising about 80 species of perennials growing from corms. Many are cultivated for their flowers appearing in autumn, winter, or spring...
veluchensis.
Fauna
Except mammals (deers, rabbits) and vultures, notable animals include:- AmphibianAmphibianAmphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
s such as the Great Crested NewtGreat Crested NewtThe Great Crested Newt, also called Northern Crested Newt or Warty Newt is a newt in the family Salamandridae, found across Europe and parts of Asia.-Distribution:...
and the Yellow-bellied toadYellow-bellied toadThe Yellow-Bellied Toad belongs to the order of Anura, the archaeobatrachial family of Bombinatoridae, and to the genus of fire-bellied toads.- Anatomy :...
. - ReptileReptileReptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s such as Hermann's Tortoise. - The fish Sabanejewia aurata and the rare Mediterranean BarbelMediterranean BarbelThe Mediterranean Barbel or Southern Barbel is a species of ray-finned fish in the Cyprinidae family. It is found in France and Spain, as well as Bulgaria where the Barbus meridionalis petenyi subspecies is also known as Balkan Barbus / Barbel...
. - LepidopteraLepidopteraLepidoptera is a large order of insects that includes moths and butterflies . It is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders in the world, encompassing moths and the three superfamilies of butterflies, skipper butterflies, and moth-butterflies...
(57 species have been identified) such as the Large CopperLarge CopperThe Large Copper is a butterfly of the family Lycaenidae.The insect has a wide range occurring throughout the Northern Palearctic ecozone north to the middle taiga zone .-Subspecies:...
butterfly and the CallimorphaCallimorphaCallimorpha is a genus of moth in the family Arctiidae. It consists of two species in Europe.- Species formerly placed in Callimorpha :* Callimorpha quadripunctaria Linnaeus, 1758-References:*...
quadripunctata moth.
At Metalleiou lake humans have introduced trout. Fishing is allowed under controlled conditions.