Meet the editors

Carmelo Maria Musarella, PhD (Reggio Calabria, Italy – 23/01/1975) is a biologist, specializing in plant biology. He studied and worked in several European Universities: Messina, Catania, Reggio Calabria, Rome (Italy), Valencia, Jaén, Almeria (Spain), and Evora (Portugal). He was the Adjunct Professor of Plant Biology at the "Mediterranea" University of Reggio Calabria (Italy). His research topics are: floristic, vegetation,

habitat, biogeography, taxonomy, ethnobotany, endemisms, alien species, and biodiversity conservation. He has authored many research articles published in indexed journals and books. He has been the guest editor for Plant Biosystems and a referee for this same journal and others. He is a member of the permanent scientific committee of International Seminar on "Biodiversity Conservation and Management", which includes several European universities. He has participated in several international and national congresses, seminars, workshops, and presentations of oral communications and posters.

Ana Cano Ortiz holds a PhD in Botany from the University of Jaén, Spain. She has worked in private enterprise, university, and secondary education. She was the co-director of four doctoral theses. Her fundamental line of research is related to botanical bioindicators. She has worked in Spain, Italy, Portugal, and Central America. She has written more than one hundred works published in various national and international journals, as well

as books and book chapters; and has presented a hundred papers/communications to national and international congresses.

Ricardo Quinto Canas, Phd in Analysis and Management of Ecosystems, is currently an Invited Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at the University of Algarve, Portugal, and member of the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), University of Algarve. He is also the Head of Division of Environmental Impact Assessment - Algarve Regional Coordination and Development Commission (CCDR - Algarve). His current

research projects focus on Botany, Vegetation Science (Geobotany), Biogeography, Plant Ecology and Biology Conservation, aiming to support Nature Conservation. Dr. Quinto Canas has co-authored many cited journal publication, conference articles and book chapters in above-mentioned topics.

Contents

**Section 1**

**Section 2**

Introductory Chapter: Habitats of the World

Within and Outside the Natura 2000 Network

and Protected Areas in the Niger Delta, Nigeria

*María E. Merlo and Juan F. Mota*

*by Aroloye O. Numbere*

*and Chris Zevenbergen*

**Preface III**

Introduction **1**

**Chapter 1 3**

Plants, Animals, Humans and Climate **9**

**Chapter 2 11** Intensive Habitat Loss in South Spain: Arborescent Scrubs with *Ziziphus* (5220\*)

**Chapter 3 29**

**Chapter 4 49**

**Chapter 5 65**

**Chapter 6 79** Influence of Floods on Spatial Variability of Wetslums Using Geo-information Techniques: A Case Study of a Specific Human Habitat in Korail, Dhaka

*by Carmelo Maria Musarella, Ana Cano-Ortiz and Ricardo Quinto Canas*

*Fabián Martínez-Hernández, Francisco J. Pérez-García, Agustín Lahora,* 

Deviation from Grazing Optimum in the Grassland Habitats of Romania

*Carmen Adriana Gheorghe, Sorin Avram, Sorina Fărcaș and József Pál Frink*

Mangrove Habitat Loss and the Need for the Establishment of Conservation

Modeling the Past and Current Distribution and Habitat Suitability for Two Snake-eyed Skinks, *Ablepharus grayanus* and *A. pannonicus* (Sauria: Scincidae) *by Rasoul Karamiani, Nasrullah Rastegar-Pouyani and Eskandar Rastegar-Pouyani*

*by Koen Olthuis, Kasirajan Mahalingam, Pierre-Baptiste Tartas* 

*by Anamaria Roman, Tudor-Mihai Ursu, Irina Onțel, Teodor Marușca, Oliviu Grigore Pop, Sretco Milanovici, Alexandru Sin-Schneider,* 

*by Antonio J. Mendoza-Fernández, Esteban Salmerón-Sánchez,* 
