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Ms Aikaterini Christopoulou is a Geologist with MSc degrees in Environmental Chemistry and Ecology. Since 2019, she is a research assistant at the Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, focusing on geographic information systems and flood modelling.
Safety in touristic destinations is of utmost importance since tourists’ preferences change frequently in response to emerging threats. Natural hazards are a significant risk and, as such, they need to be considered in the effort for safe tourism. Services and systems monitoring and predicting extreme natural phenomena and disasters in sites of special tourist and cultural interest can lead to more effective risk management and incident response. This paper presents Xenios, a system under development in Greece that provides early warning and risk communication services via web-based and mobile phone applications. We present the user requirements analysis contacted, which led to the design of a modular system architecture through a formal Business Process Model procedure. Currently, early warning systems for wildfire, floods, and extreme weather events are offered, based on a fusion of information from satellite imagery, meteorological forecasts, and risk estimation models. Moreover, visitors’ dispersion monitoring via unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and Wi-Fi connection signals is also offered, along with emergency response planning and ticketing system’s interfacing. The system is built around a modular architecture that permits the easy integration of new subsystems or other danger forecasting modules, depending on the site’s actual needs and limitations. Xenios also provides a mobile app for site visitors, which establishes a communication link for sending alarms, but also serves them with useful tourist information, so that they are encouraged to download and use the app. Finally, the opportunities for supporting a viable business model are also discussed. The results of this study could prove useful in designing other natural risk management systems for sites of cultural and natural interest.
Chrysostomos Psaroudakis; Gavriil Xanthopoulos; Dimitris Stavrakoudis; Antonios Barnias; Vassiliki Varela; Ilias Gkotsis; Anna Karvouniari; Spyridon Agorgianitis; Ioannis Chasiotis; Diamando Vlachogiannis; Athanasios Sfetsos; Konstantinos Kaoukis; Aikaterini Christopoulou; Petros Antakis; Ioannis Gitas. Development of an Early Warning and Incident Response System for the Protection of Visitors from Natural Hazards in Important Outdoor Sites in Greece. Sustainability 2021, 13, 5143 .
AMA StyleChrysostomos Psaroudakis, Gavriil Xanthopoulos, Dimitris Stavrakoudis, Antonios Barnias, Vassiliki Varela, Ilias Gkotsis, Anna Karvouniari, Spyridon Agorgianitis, Ioannis Chasiotis, Diamando Vlachogiannis, Athanasios Sfetsos, Konstantinos Kaoukis, Aikaterini Christopoulou, Petros Antakis, Ioannis Gitas. Development of an Early Warning and Incident Response System for the Protection of Visitors from Natural Hazards in Important Outdoor Sites in Greece. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (9):5143.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChrysostomos Psaroudakis; Gavriil Xanthopoulos; Dimitris Stavrakoudis; Antonios Barnias; Vassiliki Varela; Ilias Gkotsis; Anna Karvouniari; Spyridon Agorgianitis; Ioannis Chasiotis; Diamando Vlachogiannis; Athanasios Sfetsos; Konstantinos Kaoukis; Aikaterini Christopoulou; Petros Antakis; Ioannis Gitas. 2021. "Development of an Early Warning and Incident Response System for the Protection of Visitors from Natural Hazards in Important Outdoor Sites in Greece." Sustainability 13, no. 9: 5143.
Reduction of nutrient loadings is often prioritized among other management measures for improving the water quality of freshwaters within the catchment. However, urban point sources and agriculture still thrive as the main drivers of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in European rivers. With this article we present a nationwide assessment of nitrogen and phosphorus loads that 18 large rivers in Greece receive with the purpose to assess variability among seasons, catchments, and river types and distinguish relationships between loads and land uses of the catchment. We employed an extensive dataset of 636 field measurements of nutrient concentrations and river discharges to calculate nitrogen and phosphorus loads. Descriptive statistics and a cluster analysis were conducted to identify commonalties and differences among catchments and seasons. In addition a network analysis was conducted and its modularity feature was used to detect commonalities among rivers and sampling sites with regard to their nutrient loads. A correlation analysis was used to identify major possible connections between types of land uses and nutrient loads. The results indicated that the rivers Alfeios, Strymonas, and Aliakmonas receive the highest inorganic nitrogen loads while the highest inorganic phosphorus loads were calculated for the rivers Strymonas, Aliakmonas, and Axios. Concerning the temporal variation of loads, inorganic nitrogen presented a peak on March and gradually declined until October when the dry period typically ends for most regions of Greece. Inorganic phosphorus loads had the highest average value in August and the lowest in October. Thus, our findings confirmed the presence of a typical seasonal variation in nitrogen loads that follows the seasonality in hydrology where high surface runoff during the wet months contribute to higher river discharges and higher nitrogen loads from the catchment. On the contrary, high phosphorus loads persisted during dry months that could be attributed to a dilution effect. Furthermore, the results imply a clear connection between agriculture and both nitrogen and phosphorus. Overall, this work presents extensive information on the nitrogen and phosphorus loads that major rivers in Greece receive that can largely aid water managers to adapt and revise basin management plans in accordance with agricultural management (e.g., which months farmers should reduce the use of fertilizers) with the purpose of meeting the environmental targets defined by the Water Framework Directive (WFD).
Konstantinos Stefanidis; Aikaterini Christopoulou; Serafeim Poulos; Emmanouil Dassenakis; Elias Dimitriou. Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loads in Greek Rivers: Implications for Management in Compliance with the Water Framework Directive. Water 2020, 12, 1531 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Stefanidis, Aikaterini Christopoulou, Serafeim Poulos, Emmanouil Dassenakis, Elias Dimitriou. Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loads in Greek Rivers: Implications for Management in Compliance with the Water Framework Directive. Water. 2020; 12 (6):1531.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Stefanidis; Aikaterini Christopoulou; Serafeim Poulos; Emmanouil Dassenakis; Elias Dimitriou. 2020. "Nitrogen and Phosphorus Loads in Greek Rivers: Implications for Management in Compliance with the Water Framework Directive." Water 12, no. 6: 1531.