Κυπριακό Κέντρο Περιβαλλοντικής Έρευνας & Εκπαίδευσης – Κυκπεε
The ecosystem of the Salt Lake is presented through an interactive poster providing the reader with information about the formation of the salt lake and other general information. Additionally, the interactive poster has three little case-windows where “unrevealed” information for the salt lake is found in each one of them. By pressing the button under each case-window, the windows are lit so the information can easily be seen.
Moreover, on the same poster there is an interactive game in order to learn how the biotic factors (all the living organisms found in an ecosystem, e.g. animals, plants etc) in combination with the abiotic factors (all the non-living factors that are a part of an ecosystem, e.g. water, humidity, temperature, air etc) are being affected by the seasonal changes.
The term “Salt Lake” refers to the natural lagoon area of 2.7 km and up to 3m below the sea level and it is characterized by its high seasonality.
Winter time
Due to the increased rainfall, the salinity of the salt lake decreases. The shrimp population in the salt lake increases given that in this period they retain their eggs and give birth to larvae (nauplii). Also, during the rainy season, Akrotiri salt lake hosts a huge number of flamingos spending winter months in the salt lake since flamingos are fed on shrimps.
Autumn
Due to the first rain, the water dissolves the salt accumulated in the summer. Thus, the salinity of water increases.
Spring
The salt lake gradually dries and the salinity increases, due to the decrease of rain. Therefore, when the salinity exceeds a threshold the shrimps lay their cysts.
Summer
The salt lake is covered by white salt and the shrimp cysts wait for the right conditions to hatch. This is the period that all the flamingos migrate to other countries.
