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The EU Water Framework Directive foresees the ecological assessment of surface waters against identified pressures. Nutrient loading is the main pressure impairing the ecological quality of lake ecosystems, and aquatic macrophytes are considered good indicators of ecological response. In this study, we statistically assessed different aspects of aquatic plant (macrophyte) diversity in response to different trophic levels in Mediterranean lakes. We used 5690 relevés of aquatic vegetation, distributed over 305 transects, sampled in 18 freshwater lake ecosystems during 2013–2016. Our results show a significant decrease in taxonomic alpha diversity in lakes with a total phosphorus content above 100 μg/L. Syntaxonomic diversity followed the species richness pattern as well. Functional richness decreased along the trophic gradient, while functional dispersion was higher in lakes with high trophic levels. Taxonomic and functional beta partitioning presented changes in assembly processes leading to greater community homogeneity in lakes with higher trophic levels. In summary, we found no redundancy between taxonomic and functional diversity indices. These results provide novel insights into aquatic plant assembly processes of impacted freshwater lakes needed to forward conservation and restoration practices.
Dimitrios Zervas; Vasiliki Tsiaoussi; Athanasios S. Kallimanis; Panayotis Dimopoulos; Erwin Bergmeier; Ioannis Tsiripidis. Multiple-Facet Diversity Patterns of Aquatic Vegetation in Lakes along a Trophic Gradient. Water 2021, 13, 2281 .
AMA StyleDimitrios Zervas, Vasiliki Tsiaoussi, Athanasios S. Kallimanis, Panayotis Dimopoulos, Erwin Bergmeier, Ioannis Tsiripidis. Multiple-Facet Diversity Patterns of Aquatic Vegetation in Lakes along a Trophic Gradient. Water. 2021; 13 (16):2281.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDimitrios Zervas; Vasiliki Tsiaoussi; Athanasios S. Kallimanis; Panayotis Dimopoulos; Erwin Bergmeier; Ioannis Tsiripidis. 2021. "Multiple-Facet Diversity Patterns of Aquatic Vegetation in Lakes along a Trophic Gradient." Water 13, no. 16: 2281.
Sparsely vegetated habitats of cliffs and screes act as refugia for many regional and local endemic specialized plant taxa most of which have evolved precisely for that type of habitat. The interplay between taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional plant diversity on rock and scree habitats of extreme environmental conditions, enlightens the relations of plant communities and ecosystems and facilitates management planning for the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The identification of biodiversity patterns and hotspots (taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional) contributes to the integration of the ecosystem services (ES) approach for the mapping and assessment of ecosystems and their services (MAES) implementation in Greece and the creation of thematic maps based on the MAES reporting format. The overlap among the protected areas’ network revealed that almost all areas of cliffs and screes of medium, high, and very high taxonomic and phylogenetic plant endemism are included in the Natura 2000 area network. The results of this study provide the baseline information for ES assessments at sparsely vegetated land of cliffs and screes. Our results contribute to the implementation of certain indicators of the national set of MAES indicators in Greece such as (a) floristic diversity and (b) microrefugia of endemic diversity and support of decision-making.
Maria Panitsa; Ioannis Kokkoris; Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Anna Kontopanou; Ioannis Bazos; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Linking Taxonomic, Phylogenetic and Functional Plant Diversity with Ecosystem Services of Cliffs and Screes in Greece. Plants 2021, 10, 992 .
AMA StyleMaria Panitsa, Ioannis Kokkoris, Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Anna Kontopanou, Ioannis Bazos, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Linking Taxonomic, Phylogenetic and Functional Plant Diversity with Ecosystem Services of Cliffs and Screes in Greece. Plants. 2021; 10 (5):992.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMaria Panitsa; Ioannis Kokkoris; Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Anna Kontopanou; Ioannis Bazos; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2021. "Linking Taxonomic, Phylogenetic and Functional Plant Diversity with Ecosystem Services of Cliffs and Screes in Greece." Plants 10, no. 5: 992.
This study presents a standardized approach to collecting, registering, and reporting field-survey data for baseline MAES (Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services) information in Greece. This is accomplished through a web-based platform (MAES_GR) exclusively developed under the relevant, nation-wide LIFE-IP 4 NATURA project. Based on the European Commission’s guidance for ecosystem condition (EC) and ecosystem services (ES) MAES studies, we conceptualized and structured an online platform to support EC and ES assessments, integrating all relevant fields of information needed for registering EC and ES parameters. A novel algorithm calculating EC was also developed and it is available as an integral part of the platform. The use of the MAES_GR platform was evaluated during nationwide field surveys efforts, increasing time efficiency and reducing costs. Field recording of EC and ES pinpoint spatial priorities for ecosystem restoration, conservation and sustainable development. This work highlights that MAES implementation can be favored by the use of technology tools such as mobile survey platforms, developed according to scientific needs and policy guidelines. Such tools, apart from the data inventory phase, can be used for data analysis, synthesis and extraction, providing timely, standardized information suitable for reporting at the local, regional, national and European Union scale.
Ioannis Kokkoris; Vasileios Kokkinos; Evangelos Michos; Rafail Kalogeropoulos; Marios Charalambides; Agisilaos Kounelis; Eleni Iliadou; Christos Damianidis; Giorgos Mallinis; Christos Bouras; Panayotis Dimopoulos. MAES_GR: A Web-Based, Spatially Enabled Field Survey Platform for the MAES Implementation in Greece. Land 2021, 10, 381 .
AMA StyleIoannis Kokkoris, Vasileios Kokkinos, Evangelos Michos, Rafail Kalogeropoulos, Marios Charalambides, Agisilaos Kounelis, Eleni Iliadou, Christos Damianidis, Giorgos Mallinis, Christos Bouras, Panayotis Dimopoulos. MAES_GR: A Web-Based, Spatially Enabled Field Survey Platform for the MAES Implementation in Greece. Land. 2021; 10 (4):381.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIoannis Kokkoris; Vasileios Kokkinos; Evangelos Michos; Rafail Kalogeropoulos; Marios Charalambides; Agisilaos Kounelis; Eleni Iliadou; Christos Damianidis; Giorgos Mallinis; Christos Bouras; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2021. "MAES_GR: A Web-Based, Spatially Enabled Field Survey Platform for the MAES Implementation in Greece." Land 10, no. 4: 381.
Human-induced biodiversity decline has been on the rise for the past 250 years, due to various causes. What is equally troubling, is that we are unaware which plants are threatened and where they occur. Thus, we are far from reaching Aichi Biodiversity Target 2, i.e., assessing the extinction risk of most species. To that end, based on an extensive occurrence dataset, we performed an extinction risk assessment according to the IUCN Criteria A and B for all the endemic plant taxa occurring in Greece, one of the most biodiverse countries in Europe, in a phylogenetically-informed framework and identified the areas needing conservation prioritization. Several of the Greek endemics are threatened with extinction and fourteen endemics need to be prioritized, as they are evolutionary distinct and globally endangered. Mt. Gramos is identified as the most important conservation hotspot in Greece. However, a significant portion of the identified conservation hotspots is not included in any designated Greek protected area, meaning that the Greek protected areas network might need to be at least partially redesigned. In the Anthropocene era, where climate and land-use change are projected to alter biodiversity patterns and may force many species to extinction, our assessment provides the baseline for future conservation research, ecosystem services maintenance, and might prove crucial for the timely, systematic and effective aversion of plant extinctions in Greece.
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Extinction Risk Assessment of the Greek Endemic Flora. Biology 2021, 10, 195 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Ioannis Kokkoris, Maria Panitsa, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Extinction Risk Assessment of the Greek Endemic Flora. Biology. 2021; 10 (3):195.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2021. "Extinction Risk Assessment of the Greek Endemic Flora." Biology 10, no. 3: 195.
Biodiversity hotspots (BH) cover a small fraction of the Earth’s surface, yet host numerous endemics. Human-induced biodiversity loss has been increasing worldwide, despite attempts to halt the extinction crisis. There is thus an urgent need to efficiently allocate the available conservation funds in an optimised conservation prioritization scheme. Identifying BH and endemism centres (EC) is therefore a valuable tool in conservation prioritization and planning. Even though Greece is one of the most plant species-rich European countries, few studies have dealt with the identification of BH or EC and none has ever incorporated phylogenetic information or extended to the national scale. Consequently, we are unaware of the extent that Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) of the Natura 2000 network efficiently protect Greek plant diversity. Here, we located for the first time at a national scale and in a phylogenetic framework, the areas serving as BH and EC, and assessed the effectiveness of the Greek SAC in safeguarding them. BH and EC are mainly located near mountainous areas, and in areas supposedly floristically impoverished, such as the central Aegean islands. A critical re-assessment of the Greek SAC might be needed to minimize the extinction risk of the Greek endemics, by focusing the conservation efforts also on the BH and EC that fall outside the established Greek SAC.
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Athanasios Kallimanis; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Plant Endemism Centres and Biodiversity Hotspots in Greece. Biology 2021, 10, 72 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Ioannis Kokkoris, Maria Panitsa, Athanasios Kallimanis, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Plant Endemism Centres and Biodiversity Hotspots in Greece. Biology. 2021; 10 (2):72.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Athanasios Kallimanis; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2021. "Plant Endemism Centres and Biodiversity Hotspots in Greece." Biology 10, no. 2: 72.
Within the ecosystem services framework, cultural ecosystem services (CES) have rarely been applied in state-wide surveys of protected area networks. Through a review of available data and online research, we present 22 potential proxy indicators of non-material benefits people may obtain from nature in Natura sites in Greece. Despite the limitations due to data scarcity, this first distance-based study screens a recently expanded protected area system (446 Natura sites) providing steps towards an initial CES capacity review, site prioritization and data gap screening. Results identify hot spot Natura sites for CES values and wider areas of importance for the supply of CES. Additionally, a risk analysis mapping exercise explores the potential risk of conflict in the Natura sites, due to proposed wind farm developments. Α number of sites that may suffer serious degradation of CES values due to the large number of proposed wind turbines within these protected areas is identified, with 26% of Greece’s Natura sites showing serious and high risk of degradation of their aesthetic values. Screening-level survey exercises such as these may play an important role in advancing conservation effectiveness by increasing the appreciation of the multiple benefits provided by Natura protected areas. Based on this review, we propose recommendations through an adaptive approach to CES inventory and research initiatives in the protected area network.
Vassiliki Vlami; Ioannis Kokkoris; Stamatis Zogaris; George Kehayias; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Cultural Ecosystem Services in the Natura 2000 Network: Introducing Proxy Indicators and Conflict Risk in Greece. Land 2020, 10, 4 .
AMA StyleVassiliki Vlami, Ioannis Kokkoris, Stamatis Zogaris, George Kehayias, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Cultural Ecosystem Services in the Natura 2000 Network: Introducing Proxy Indicators and Conflict Risk in Greece. Land. 2020; 10 (1):4.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVassiliki Vlami; Ioannis Kokkoris; Stamatis Zogaris; George Kehayias; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Cultural Ecosystem Services in the Natura 2000 Network: Introducing Proxy Indicators and Conflict Risk in Greece." Land 10, no. 1: 4.
Human well-being and the prerequisite sustainable environmental management are currently at stake, reaching a bottleneck when trying to cope with (i) the ever-growing world population, (ii) the constantly increasing need for natural resources (and the subsequent overexploitation of species, habitats, ecosystems, and landscapes) and (iii) the documented and on-going impacts of climate change. In developed societies, the concern about environmental protection is set high in the public dialogue, as well as to management and policy agendas. The recently constituted Intergovernmental Science—Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) urges transformative changes for technological, economic, and social factors aiming to tackle both direct and indirect drivers of biodiversity loss. By this, the role of conservation and management practices for the environment is characterized as a crucial and top issue and should deal with (a) promoting best practices from the local to the global level, (b) identifying spatial and temporal knowledge gaps, (c) multidisciplinary aspects for sustainable management practices, (d) identifying and interpreting the role of stakeholders and socio-economic parameters in the decision-making process, and (e) methods and practices to integrate the concept of ecosystem services into natural capital assessment and accounting, conservation and management strategies. Modern literature highlights that land-use change and prioritization, restoration of natural areas, cultural landscape identification and maintenance, should be considered to the top of the scientific and policy agenda, as well as to the epicenter of novel awareness-raising strategies for the environment in the near future.
Panayotis Dimopoulos; Ioannis P. Kokkoris. Protection and Management of Species, Habitats, Ecosystems and Landscapes: Current Trends and Global Needs. Forests 2020, 11, 1244 .
AMA StylePanayotis Dimopoulos, Ioannis P. Kokkoris. Protection and Management of Species, Habitats, Ecosystems and Landscapes: Current Trends and Global Needs. Forests. 2020; 11 (12):1244.
Chicago/Turabian StylePanayotis Dimopoulos; Ioannis P. Kokkoris. 2020. "Protection and Management of Species, Habitats, Ecosystems and Landscapes: Current Trends and Global Needs." Forests 11, no. 12: 1244.
Land-Use/Land-Cover (LULC) products are a common source of information and a key input for spatially explicit models of ecosystem service (ES) supply and demand. Global, continental, and regional, readily available, and free land-cover products generated through Earth Observation (EO) data, can be potentially used as relevant to ES mapping and assessment processes from regional to national scales. However, several limitations exist in these products, highlighting the need for timely land-cover extraction on demand, that could replace or complement existing products. This study focuses on the development of a classification workflow for fine-scale, object-based land cover mapping, employed on terrestrial ES mapping, within the Greek terrestrial territory. The processing was implemented in the Google Earth Engine cloud computing environment using 10 m spatial resolution Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 data. Furthermore, the relevance of different training data extraction strategies and temporal EO information for increasing the classification accuracy was also evaluated. The different classification schemes demonstrated differences in overall accuracy ranging from 0.88% to 4.94% with the most accurate classification scheme being the manual sampling/monthly feature classification achieving a 79.55% overall accuracy. The classification results suggest that existing LULC data must be cautiously considered for automated extraction of training samples, in the case of new supervised land cover classifications aiming also to discern complex vegetation classes. The code used in this study is available on GitHub and runs on the Google Earth Engine web platform.
Natalia Verde; Ioannis Kokkoris; Charalampos Georgiadis; Dimitris Kaimaris; Panayotis Dimopoulos; Ioannis Mitsopoulos; Giorgos Mallinis. National Scale Land Cover Classification for Ecosystem Services Mapping and Assessment, Using Multitemporal Copernicus EO Data and Google Earth Engine. Remote Sensing 2020, 12, 3303 .
AMA StyleNatalia Verde, Ioannis Kokkoris, Charalampos Georgiadis, Dimitris Kaimaris, Panayotis Dimopoulos, Ioannis Mitsopoulos, Giorgos Mallinis. National Scale Land Cover Classification for Ecosystem Services Mapping and Assessment, Using Multitemporal Copernicus EO Data and Google Earth Engine. Remote Sensing. 2020; 12 (20):3303.
Chicago/Turabian StyleNatalia Verde; Ioannis Kokkoris; Charalampos Georgiadis; Dimitris Kaimaris; Panayotis Dimopoulos; Ioannis Mitsopoulos; Giorgos Mallinis. 2020. "National Scale Land Cover Classification for Ecosystem Services Mapping and Assessment, Using Multitemporal Copernicus EO Data and Google Earth Engine." Remote Sensing 12, no. 20: 3303.
Research Highlights: This is the first approach that integrates biodiversity data into Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem and their Services (MAES) implementation and natural capital accounting process, at the national scale, using an extensive vascular plant dataset for Greece. Background and Objectives: The study aims to support the MAES implementation in Greece, by assessing, as a pilot, the woodland and forest ecosystem type; the targets of the study are: (a) Identify and map ecosystem type extent; (b) identify ecosystem condition using biodiversity in terms of plant species richness (i.e., total, ecosystem exclusive, endemic, ecosystem exclusive endemic diversity); (c) develop ecosystem asset proxy indicators by combining ecosystem extent and ecosystem condition outcomes; (d) identify shortcomings; and (e) propose future steps and implications for the MAES implementation and natural capital accounting, based on biodiversity data. Materials and Methods: Following the national European Union’s and United Nations System of Environmental Economic Accounts-Experimental Ecosystem Accounting (SEEA-EEA) guidelines and the adopted National Set of MAES Indicators, we developed a set of four proxy ecosystem asset indicators to assess ecosystem types with respect to ecosystem area extent and ecosystem condition. This was as interpreted by its plant diversity in terms of species richness (total, ecosystem exclusive, endemic, and ecosystem exclusive endemic diversity). Results: The results revealed that when indicators use well-developed biodiversity datasets, in combination with ecosystem extent data, they can provide the baseline for ecosystem condition assessment, ecosystem asset delineation, and support operational MAES studies. Conclusions: The relation among biodiversity, ecosystem condition, and ecosystem services is not a linear equation and detailed, fine-scale assessments are needed to identify and interpret all aspects of biodiversity. However, areas of importance are pinpointed throughout Greece, and guidance is provided for case-study selection, conservation strategy, and decision-making under the perspective of national and EU environmental policies.
Konstantinos Kotsiras; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Integrating Plant Diversity Data into Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem and Their Services (MAES) Implementation in Greece: Woodland and Forest Pilot. Forests 2020, 11, 956 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Kotsiras, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Integrating Plant Diversity Data into Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem and Their Services (MAES) Implementation in Greece: Woodland and Forest Pilot. Forests. 2020; 11 (9):956.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Kotsiras; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Integrating Plant Diversity Data into Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem and Their Services (MAES) Implementation in Greece: Woodland and Forest Pilot." Forests 11, no. 9: 956.
Graecobolanthus was proposed in 2018 as a new generic name for the Greek species of the genus Bolanthus, the latter genus comprising the remaining species from Anatolia and the Levant according to the revising authors. However, the type of the two generic names, i.e., Graecobolanthus graecus from Greece and Bolanthus hirsutus from the Levant, undoubtedly belong to the same genus based on morphological and genetic similarity. Importantly, B. hirsutus was not included in the molecular analysis by the revising authors. In summary, we note that (i) Graecobolanthus is taxonomically superfluous and Bolanthus is the correct generic name of the Greek‐endemic species; (ii) an extended Phrynella and/or a new generic name might accommodate the Turkish taxa currently under Bolanthus, which were located on a distinct phylogenetic branch in the study by the revising authors.
Aris Zografidis; Ori Fragman‐Sapir; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Notes on the generic name Graecobolanthus (Caryophylleae, Caryophyllaceae). TAXON 2020, 69, 992 -997.
AMA StyleAris Zografidis, Ori Fragman‐Sapir, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Notes on the generic name Graecobolanthus (Caryophylleae, Caryophyllaceae). TAXON. 2020; 69 (5):992-997.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAris Zografidis; Ori Fragman‐Sapir; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Notes on the generic name Graecobolanthus (Caryophylleae, Caryophyllaceae)." TAXON 69, no. 5: 992-997.
Human-induced biodiversity loss has been accelerating since the industrial revolution. The climate change impacts will severely alter the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns at all scales, leading to biotic homogenization. Due to underfunding, a climate smart, conservation-prioritization scheme is needed to optimize species protection. Spatial phylogenetics enable the identification of endemism centers and provide valuable insights regarding the eco-evolutionary and conservation value, as well as the biogeographical origin of a given area. Many studies exist regarding the conservation prioritization of mainland areas, yet none has assessed how climate change might alter the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns of an island biodiversity hotspot. Thus, we conducted a phylogenetically informed, conservation prioritization study dealing with the effects of climate change on Crete’s plant diversity and biogeographical patterns. Using several macroecological analyses, we identified the current and future endemism centers and assessed the impact of climate change on the biogeographical patterns in Crete. The highlands of Cretan mountains have served as both diversity cradles and museums, due to their stable climate and high topographical heterogeneity, providing important ecosystem services. Historical processes seem to have driven diversification and endemic species distribution in Crete. Due to the changing climate and the subsequent biotic homogenization, Crete’s unique bioregionalization, which strongly reminiscent the spatial configuration of the Pliocene/Pleistocene Cretan paleo-islands, will drastically change. The emergence of the ‘Anthropocene’ era calls for the prioritization of biodiversity-rich areas, serving as mixed-endemism centers, with high overlaps among protected areas and climatic refugia.
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Panayiotis Trigas; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Spatial Phylogenetics, Biogeographical Patterns and Conservation Implications of the Endemic Flora of Crete (Aegean, Greece) under Climate Change Scenarios. Biology 2020, 9, 199 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Maria Panitsa, Panayiotis Trigas, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Spatial Phylogenetics, Biogeographical Patterns and Conservation Implications of the Endemic Flora of Crete (Aegean, Greece) under Climate Change Scenarios. Biology. 2020; 9 (8):199.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Panayiotis Trigas; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Spatial Phylogenetics, Biogeographical Patterns and Conservation Implications of the Endemic Flora of Crete (Aegean, Greece) under Climate Change Scenarios." Biology 9, no. 8: 199.
Climate change poses a great challenge for biodiversity conservation. Several studies exist regarding climate change’s impacts on European plants, yet none has investigated how climate change will affect the extinction risk of the entire endemic flora of an island biodiversity hotspot, with intense human disturbance. Our aim is to assess climate change’s impacts on the biodiversity patterns of the endemic plants of Crete (S Aegean) and provide a case-study upon which a climate-smart conservation planning strategy might be set. We employed a variety of macroecological analyses and estimated the current and future biodiversity, conservation and extinction hotspots in Crete. We evaluated the effectiveness of climatic refugia and the Natura 2000 network of protected areas (PAs) for protecting the most vulnerable species and identified the taxa of conservation priority based on the Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) index. The results revealed that high altitude areas of Cretan mountains constitute biodiversity hotspots and areas of high conservation and evolutionary value. Due to the “escalator to extinction” phenomenon, these areas are projected to become diversity “death-zones” and should thus be prioritised. Conservation efforts should be targeted at areas with overlaps among PAs and climatic refugia, characterised by high diversity and EDGE scores. This conservation-prioritisation planning will allow the preservation of evolutionary heritage, trait diversity and future ecosystem services for human well-being and acts as a pilot for similar regions worldwide.
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Panayiotis Trigas; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Plant Diversity Patterns and Conservation Implications under Climate-Change Scenarios in the Mediterranean: The Case of Crete (Aegean, Greece). Diversity 2020, 12, 270 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Maria Panitsa, Panayiotis Trigas, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Plant Diversity Patterns and Conservation Implications under Climate-Change Scenarios in the Mediterranean: The Case of Crete (Aegean, Greece). Diversity. 2020; 12 (7):270.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Panayiotis Trigas; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Plant Diversity Patterns and Conservation Implications under Climate-Change Scenarios in the Mediterranean: The Case of Crete (Aegean, Greece)." Diversity 12, no. 7: 270.
Research Highlights: This is the first review of existing knowledge on the Lamiaceae taxa of Greece, considering their distribution patterns and their linkage to the ecosystem services they may provide. Background and Objectives: While nature-based solutions are sought in many fields, the Lamiaceae family is well-known as an important ecosystem services provider. In Greece, this family counts 111 endemic taxa and the aim of the present study is to summarize their known occurrences, properties and chemical composition and analyze the correlations between these characteristics. Materials and Methods: After reviewing all available literature on the studied taxa, statistical and GIS spatial analyses were conducted. Results: The known properties of the endemic Lamiaceae taxa refer mostly to medicinal and antimicrobial ones, but also concern nutritional and environmental aspects. Essential oils compositions with high concentrations in molecules of interest (e.g., carvacrol, caryphyllene oxide, etc.) have been found in some taxa, suggesting unexploited applications for these taxa. Distribution patterns show a higher concentration of endemic Lamiaceae on the island of Kriti and southern Peloponnisos; patterns of the endemics’ properties are also highlighted in the biodiversity hotspot of Kriti. However, the lack of data for two thirds of the taxa, regarding their properties or specific distribution, shows a gap of knowledge. Results on endemic Lamiaceae properties and composition are correlated with the supply or potential supply of ecosystem services and the relevant hotspots have been identified. Conclusions: The Greek endemic Lamiaceae taxa are proved to be of great importance, regarding their chemical composition and the properties they confer. The distribution analysis suggests the existence of clustering patterns of plant species with common properties. Finally, this study highlights knowledge gaps that should be filled in order to ensure the conservation of the endemic Lamiaceae taxa and the preservation of the ecosystem services they provide or could potentially provide.
Alexian Cheminal; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Medicinal and Aromatic Lamiaceae Plants in Greece: Linking Diversity and Distribution Patterns with Ecosystem Services. Forests 2020, 11, 661 .
AMA StyleAlexian Cheminal, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Medicinal and Aromatic Lamiaceae Plants in Greece: Linking Diversity and Distribution Patterns with Ecosystem Services. Forests. 2020; 11 (6):661.
Chicago/Turabian StyleAlexian Cheminal; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Medicinal and Aromatic Lamiaceae Plants in Greece: Linking Diversity and Distribution Patterns with Ecosystem Services." Forests 11, no. 6: 661.
Research Highlights: The developed National Set of Indicators for the Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystems and their Services (MAES) implementation in Greece at the national level sets the official, national basis on which future studies will be conducted for MAES reporting for the achievement of targets within the National and the European Union (EU) biodiversity Strategy. Background and Objectives: Greece is currently developing and implementing a MAES nation-wide program based on the region’s unique characteristics following the proposed methodologies by the European Commission, in the frame of the LIFE-IP 4 NATURA project (Integrated actions for the conservation and management of Natura 2000 sites, species, habitats and ecosystems in Greece). In this paper, we present the steps followed to compile standardized MAES indicators for Greece that include: (a) collection and review of the available MAES-related datasets, (b) shortcomings and limitations encountered and overcome, (c) identification of data gaps and (d) assumptions and framework setting. Correspondence to EU and National Strategies and Policies are also examined to provide an initial guidance for detailed thematic studies. Materials and Methods: We followed the requirements of the EU MAES framework for ecosystem services and ecosystem condition indicator selection. Ecosystem services reported under the selected indicators were assigned following the Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services. Spatial analysis techniques were applied to create relevant thematic maps. Results: A set of 40 MAES indicators was drafted, distributed in six general indicator groups, i.e., Biodiversity, Environmental quality, Food, material and energy, Forestry, Recreation and Water resources. The protocols for the development and implementation of an indicator were also drafted and adopted for future MAES studies in Greece, providing guidance for adaptive development and adding extra indicators when and where needed. Thematic maps representing ecosystem services (ES) bundles and ES hotspots were also created to identify areas of ES importance and simultaneously communicate the results at the national and regional levels.
Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Georgios Mallinis; Eleni S. Bekri; Vassiliki Vlami; Stamatis Zogaris; Irene Chrysafis; Ioannis Mitsopoulos; Panayotis Dimopoulos. National Set of MAES Indicators in Greece: Ecosystem Services and Management Implications. Forests 2020, 11, 595 .
AMA StyleIoannis P. Kokkoris, Georgios Mallinis, Eleni S. Bekri, Vassiliki Vlami, Stamatis Zogaris, Irene Chrysafis, Ioannis Mitsopoulos, Panayotis Dimopoulos. National Set of MAES Indicators in Greece: Ecosystem Services and Management Implications. Forests. 2020; 11 (5):595.
Chicago/Turabian StyleIoannis P. Kokkoris; Georgios Mallinis; Eleni S. Bekri; Vassiliki Vlami; Stamatis Zogaris; Irene Chrysafis; Ioannis Mitsopoulos; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "National Set of MAES Indicators in Greece: Ecosystem Services and Management Implications." Forests 11, no. 5: 595.
Industrial wind farms are being developed within many protected areas, such as in EU Natura 2000 sites; this includes proposals on small Mediterranean islands, such as Samothraki in Greece. Scarce wild land areas on islands may be particularly vulnerable to landscape-scale degradation; this may have serious negative societal impacts. Samothraki’s resident perceptions were surveyed in the wake of such a proposal, in June 2018. Of 98 respondents, 48% reported they were against the wind farm plan, while 22% did not take sides. We compare for-and-against sub-group perceptions of the proposed wind farm with potential impacts on the landscape and explore residents’ opinions on ecosystem services and environmental pressures and threats. Conflict over the wind farm was prevalent; residents most frequently reported that the proposal threatens aesthetic and landscape qualities. Aesthetic qualities were also the second highest ranked ecosystem services, after freshwater provision. However, other threats, such as livestock overgrazing, top residents’ opinion of major environmental problems on the island. The questionnaire survey used provides a scoping assessment, which may assist in identifying "conflict hotspots" for wind farm development. A critical review of wind farm planning in protected areas is presented in light of insights gained from this survey and other relevant studies.
Vassiliki Vlami; Jan Danek; Stamatis Zogaris; Eirini Gallou; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; George Kehayias; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Residents’ Views on Landscape and Ecosystem Services during a Wind Farm Proposal in an Island Protected Area. Sustainability 2020, 12, 2442 .
AMA StyleVassiliki Vlami, Jan Danek, Stamatis Zogaris, Eirini Gallou, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, George Kehayias, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Residents’ Views on Landscape and Ecosystem Services during a Wind Farm Proposal in an Island Protected Area. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (6):2442.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVassiliki Vlami; Jan Danek; Stamatis Zogaris; Eirini Gallou; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; George Kehayias; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Residents’ Views on Landscape and Ecosystem Services during a Wind Farm Proposal in an Island Protected Area." Sustainability 12, no. 6: 2442.
In the Anthropocene era, climate change poses a great challenge in environmental management and decision-making for species and habitat conservation. To support decision-making, many studies exist regarding the expected vegetation changes and the impacts of climate change on European plants, yet none has investigated how climate change will affect the extinction risk of the entire endemic flora of an island biodiversity hotspot, with intense human disturbance. Our aim is to assess, in an integrated manner, the impact of climate change on the biodiversity and biogeographical patterns of Crete and to provide a case-study upon which a cost-effective and climate-smart conservation planning strategy might be set. We employed a variety of macroecological analyses and estimated the current and future biodiversity, conservation and extinction hotspots in Crete, as well as the factors that may have shaped these distribution patterns. We also evaluated the effectiveness of climate refugia and the NATURA 2000 network (PAs) on protecting the most vulnerable species and identified the taxa that should be of conservation priority based on the Evolutionary Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) index, during any environmental management process. The highlands of Cretan mountain massifs have served as both diversity cradles and museums, due to their stable climate and high topographical heterogeneity. They are also identified as biodiversity hotspots, as well as areas of high conservation and evolutionary value, due their high EDGE scores. Due to the ‘escalator to extinction’ phenomenon and the subsequent biotic homogenization, these areas are projected to become diversity ‘death-zones’ in the near future and should thus be prioritized in terms of conservation efforts and by decision makers. In-situ conservation focusing at micro-reserves and ex-situ conservation practices should be considered as an insurance policy against such biodiversity losses, which constitute cost-effective conservation measures. Scientists and authorities should aim the conservation effort at areas with overlaps among PAs and climate refugia, characterized by high diversity and EDGE scores. These areas may constitute Anthropocene refugia. Thus, this climate-smart, cost-effective conservation-prioritization planning will allow the preservation of evolutionary heritage, trait diversity and future services for human well-being and acts as a pilot for similar regions worldwide.
Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Panayiotis Trigas; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Management implications based on diversity patterns under climate change scenarios in a continental island biodiversity hotspot. 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Ioannis P. Kokkoris, Maria Panitsa, Panayiotis Trigas, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Management implications based on diversity patterns under climate change scenarios in a continental island biodiversity hotspot. . 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKonstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Ioannis P. Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Panayiotis Trigas; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Management implications based on diversity patterns under climate change scenarios in a continental island biodiversity hotspot." , no. : 1.
The Aegean archipelago has long been the main research area of numerous biogeographers, plant ecologists and taxonomists due to its intricate palaeogeography and high environmental and topographical heterogeneity. Nevertheless, some parts of this archipelago are essentially unexplored and the processes driving spatial variation in species composition remain unaddressed. Aiming to fill these gaps, we investigated the flora and plant diversity patterns of the Northern Sporades island group, as well as its biogeographical relationships. The study area lies in the biogeographical region of the West Aegean islands and comprises 23 islands and islets. The total flora of the study area consists of 1202 infrageneric taxa, belonging to 517 genera and 120 families, reflecting its geographical and bioclimatic characteristics. The endemic element consists of 41 taxa (3.4% of the flora), eight of which are restricted to the West Aegean islands and two are single island endemics. Area emerged as the most important variable in shaping plant species richness, while niche-based processes played a lesser role in driving these patterns. Regarding the taxonomic and phylogenetic beta-diversity patterns, environmental filtering and not dispersal limitation seems to shape the plant assemblages of the Northern Sporades islets. Biogeographically, the Northern Sporades island group seems to be closer connected to the Kiklades rather than to Evvia or the adjacent mainland, due to their longer isolation and separate palaeogeographical history during the Quaternary.
Eleni Iliadou; Ioannis Bazos; Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Elpida Karadimou; Ioannis Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Thomas Raus; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity patterns in the Northern Sporades islets complex (West Aegean, Greece). Plant Systematics and Evolution 2020, 306, 1 -17.
AMA StyleEleni Iliadou, Ioannis Bazos, Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis, Elpida Karadimou, Ioannis Kokkoris, Maria Panitsa, Thomas Raus, Arne Strid, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity patterns in the Northern Sporades islets complex (West Aegean, Greece). Plant Systematics and Evolution. 2020; 306 (2):1-17.
Chicago/Turabian StyleEleni Iliadou; Ioannis Bazos; Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis; Elpida Karadimou; Ioannis Kokkoris; Maria Panitsa; Thomas Raus; Arne Strid; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2020. "Taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity patterns in the Northern Sporades islets complex (West Aegean, Greece)." Plant Systematics and Evolution 306, no. 2: 1-17.
Islands prevalently function as model systems and natural laboratories for the design of many biogeographical, ecological and evolutionary theories (community assembly theory, island biogeography, metapopulation ecology etc., see Warren & al. 2015). Basic ecological and evolutionary processes have been revealed by studying island ecosystems in particular, since evolution is most forceful on islands, their ecology is often simplified (simplicity of biota) and they are area-defined by distinct natural boundaries (Whittaker & al. 2014).
Thomas Raus; Elpida Karadimou; Panayotis Dimopoulos. Taxonomic and functional plant diversity of the Santorini-Christiana island group (Aegean Sea, Greece). Willdenowia 2019, 49, 363 -381.
AMA StyleThomas Raus, Elpida Karadimou, Panayotis Dimopoulos. Taxonomic and functional plant diversity of the Santorini-Christiana island group (Aegean Sea, Greece). Willdenowia. 2019; 49 (3):363-381.
Chicago/Turabian StyleThomas Raus; Elpida Karadimou; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2019. "Taxonomic and functional plant diversity of the Santorini-Christiana island group (Aegean Sea, Greece)." Willdenowia 49, no. 3: 363-381.
Aim The former continental‐scale studies modelled coarse‐grained plant species‐richness patterns (gamma diversity). Here we aim to refine this information for European forests by (a) modelling the number of vascular plant species that co‐occur in local communities (alpha diversity) within spatial units of 400 m2; and (b) assessing the factors likely determining the observed spatial patterns in alpha diversity. Location Europe roughly within 12°W–30°E and 35–60°N. Taxon Vascular plants. Methods The numbers of co‐occurring vascular plant species were counted in 73,134 georeferenced vegetation plots. Each plot was classified by an expert system into deciduous broadleaf, coniferous or sclerophyllous forest. Random Forest models were used to map and explain spatial patterns in alpha diversity for each forest type separately using 19 environmental, land‐use and historical variables. Results Our models explained from 51.0% to 70.9% of the variation in forest alpha diversity. The modelled alpha‐diversity pattern was dominated by a marked gradient from species‐poor north‐western to species‐rich south‐eastern Europe. The most prominent richness hotspots were identified in the Calcareous Alps and adjacent north‐western Dinarides, the Carpathian foothills in Romania and the Western Carpathians in Slovakia. Energy‐related factors, bedrock types and terrain ruggedness were identified as the main variables underlying the observed richness patterns. Alpha diversity increases especially with temperature seasonality in deciduous broadleaf forests, on limestone bedrock in coniferous forests and in areas with low annual actual evapotranspiration in sclerophyllous forests. Main conclusions We provide the first predictive maps and analyses of environmental factors driving the alpha diversity of vascular plants across European forests. Such information is important for the general understanding of European biodiversity. This study also demonstrates a high potential of vegetation‐plot databases as sources for robust estimation of the number of vascular plant species that co‐occur at fine spatial grains across large areas.
Martin Večeřa; Jan Divíšek; Jonathan Lenoir; Borja Jiménez‐Alfaro; Idoia Biurrun; Ilona Knollová; Emiliano Agrillo; Juan Antonio Campos; Andraž Čarni; Guillermo Crespo Jiménez; Mirjana Ćuk; Panayotis Dimopoulos; Jörg Ewald; Federico Fernández‐González; Jean‐Claude Gégout; Adrian Indreica; Ute Jandt; Florian Jansen; Zygmunt Kącki; Valerijus Rašomavičius; Marcela Řezníčková; John S. Rodwell; Joop H.J. Schaminée; Urban Šilc; Jens‐Christian Svenning; Grzegorz Swacha; Kiril Vassilev; Roberto Venanzoni; Wolfgang Willner; Thomas Wohlgemuth; Milan Chytrý. Alpha diversity of vascular plants in European forests. Journal of Biogeography 2019, 46, 1919 -1935.
AMA StyleMartin Večeřa, Jan Divíšek, Jonathan Lenoir, Borja Jiménez‐Alfaro, Idoia Biurrun, Ilona Knollová, Emiliano Agrillo, Juan Antonio Campos, Andraž Čarni, Guillermo Crespo Jiménez, Mirjana Ćuk, Panayotis Dimopoulos, Jörg Ewald, Federico Fernández‐González, Jean‐Claude Gégout, Adrian Indreica, Ute Jandt, Florian Jansen, Zygmunt Kącki, Valerijus Rašomavičius, Marcela Řezníčková, John S. Rodwell, Joop H.J. Schaminée, Urban Šilc, Jens‐Christian Svenning, Grzegorz Swacha, Kiril Vassilev, Roberto Venanzoni, Wolfgang Willner, Thomas Wohlgemuth, Milan Chytrý. Alpha diversity of vascular plants in European forests. Journal of Biogeography. 2019; 46 (9):1919-1935.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMartin Večeřa; Jan Divíšek; Jonathan Lenoir; Borja Jiménez‐Alfaro; Idoia Biurrun; Ilona Knollová; Emiliano Agrillo; Juan Antonio Campos; Andraž Čarni; Guillermo Crespo Jiménez; Mirjana Ćuk; Panayotis Dimopoulos; Jörg Ewald; Federico Fernández‐González; Jean‐Claude Gégout; Adrian Indreica; Ute Jandt; Florian Jansen; Zygmunt Kącki; Valerijus Rašomavičius; Marcela Řezníčková; John S. Rodwell; Joop H.J. Schaminée; Urban Šilc; Jens‐Christian Svenning; Grzegorz Swacha; Kiril Vassilev; Roberto Venanzoni; Wolfgang Willner; Thomas Wohlgemuth; Milan Chytrý. 2019. "Alpha diversity of vascular plants in European forests." Journal of Biogeography 46, no. 9: 1919-1935.
We introduce a field survey method to assess the conservation condition of landscapes. Using a popular rapid assessment format, this study defines observable “stressed states” identified through the use of general metrics to gauge landscape degradation. Fifteen metrics within six thematic categories were selected through a literature review and extensive field trials. Field tests on the Greek island of Samothraki show a strong correlation between a single expert’s scores and five assessor’s scores at 35 landscape sites. Only three of the metrics did not maintain a high consistency among assessors; however, this is explained by the difficulty of interpreting certain anthropogenic stressors (such as livestock grazing) in Mediterranean semi-natural landscapes with culturally-modified vegetation patterns. The protocol and proposed index, with five conservation condition classes, identified areas of excellent and good quality, and reliably distinguished the most degraded landscape conditions on the island. Uncertainties and difficulties of the index are investigated, and further research and validation are proposed. The protocol effectively goes beyond a traditional visual aesthetic assessment; it can be used both by experts and non-scientists as a conservation-relevant multi-disciplinary procedure to support a holistic landscape diagnosis. The combination of an on-site experiential survey and its simple integrative format may be useful as a screening-level index, and for promoting local participation, landscape literacy and educational initiatives.
Vassiliki Vlami; Stamatis Zogaris; Hakan Djuma; Ioannis Kokkoris; George Kehayias; Panayotis Dimopoulos. A Field Method for Landscape Conservation Surveying: The Landscape Assessment Protocol (LAP). Sustainability 2019, 11, 2019 .
AMA StyleVassiliki Vlami, Stamatis Zogaris, Hakan Djuma, Ioannis Kokkoris, George Kehayias, Panayotis Dimopoulos. A Field Method for Landscape Conservation Surveying: The Landscape Assessment Protocol (LAP). Sustainability. 2019; 11 (7):2019.
Chicago/Turabian StyleVassiliki Vlami; Stamatis Zogaris; Hakan Djuma; Ioannis Kokkoris; George Kehayias; Panayotis Dimopoulos. 2019. "A Field Method for Landscape Conservation Surveying: The Landscape Assessment Protocol (LAP)." Sustainability 11, no. 7: 2019.