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Surveys of anthropogenic pressures and their effect on river fish communities have rarely been conducted in the eastern Mediterranean countries, in contrast to the rest of Europe. An electrofishing dataset of 1586 samples (818 sites) was analyzed to investigate human-induced pressures on river fish assemblages in Greece. Pressure patterns and pressure-impact analysis towards the national fish bioassessment index (HeFI) and its four-constituent metrics are depicted. At each sampling site 11 anthropogenic pressure variables were assessed, and several integrated/grouped pressure indices were computed, including hydrology, morphology, connectivity, and water quality. Almost 60% of samples were classified as impacted. The most common pressure groups affecting Greek rivers were hydrology recorded at 714 (45%) samples, morphology at 692 (44%) and artificial barriers at 382 (24%) samples. The same pattern persists among the six investigated freshwater ecoregions in Greece. The most impacted ecoregions were Thrace (76% impacted samples), Western Aegean (67% impacted samples) and Macedonia-Thessaly (67% impacted samples). Lowlands and large rivers displayed higher levels of degradation, but water pollution was not recognized as a key stressor in most running waters. Pressure-impact analysis demonstrates that all HeFI component metrics (insectivorous, omnivorous, benthivores, potamodromous species) respond as expected to almost all integrated pressure indices considered, as regards: a) the direction of response, and b) the response to pressure intensity gradients. However, the longitudinal connectivity stressor clearly fails to respond towards metrics. The findings confirm the usefulness of model-based indices, using fish assemblage functional metrics as bioassessment tools. Specific recommendations for refining the tools are provided.
V. Tachos; P.G. Dimitrakopoulos; S. Zogaris. Multiple anthropogenic pressures in Eastern Mediterranean rivers: Insights from fish-based bioassessment in Greece. Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleV. Tachos, P.G. Dimitrakopoulos, S. Zogaris. Multiple anthropogenic pressures in Eastern Mediterranean rivers: Insights from fish-based bioassessment in Greece. Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleV. Tachos; P.G. Dimitrakopoulos; S. Zogaris. 2021. "Multiple anthropogenic pressures in Eastern Mediterranean rivers: Insights from fish-based bioassessment in Greece." Ecohydrology & Hydrobiology , no. : 1.
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.
Roberta Barbieri; Jasna Vukić; Radek Šanda; Yiannis Kapakos; Stamatis Zogaris. Alburnoides economoui, a new species of spirlin from Central Greece and redescription of Alburnoides thessalicus (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae). Biologia 2017, 72, 1075 -1088.
AMA StyleRoberta Barbieri, Jasna Vukić, Radek Šanda, Yiannis Kapakos, Stamatis Zogaris. Alburnoides economoui, a new species of spirlin from Central Greece and redescription of Alburnoides thessalicus (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae). Biologia. 2017; 72 (9):1075-1088.
Chicago/Turabian StyleRoberta Barbieri; Jasna Vukić; Radek Šanda; Yiannis Kapakos; Stamatis Zogaris. 2017. "Alburnoides economoui, a new species of spirlin from Central Greece and redescription of Alburnoides thessalicus (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae)." Biologia 72, no. 9: 1075-1088.
In the western part of the Arabian/Persian Gulf, coastal habitats such as intertidal wetlands and mangroves are scarce and poorly studied. We conducted a rapid assessment survey of bird species richness and abundance at the Fuwairit khor lagoon in northern Qatar, using a line transect count scheme to collect data from six different generic habitat types, repeated during five consecutive days in late April 2013. To further analyze the ecological requirements of the surveyed bird assemblage per habitat type, we assigned ecological guild categories to each species and distinguished among migrants, local, and regional breeders. Mangrove and intertidal mudflats hosted the highest bird densities and the most distinctive assemblages, while the beach habitat had high concentrations of birds but relatively few species. In contrast to the wetland habitats, near-shore marine areas and dune habitats had very limited numbers of birds and a relatively depauperate species assemblage. Employing a habitat perspective in a quantitative bird survey method shows that birds are effective biodiversity indicators for a rapid survey of coastal features in a poorly-studied region of the Arabian/Persian Gulf.
Stamatis Zogaris; Athanasios Kallimanis. Coastal Zone Habitat-Use by Birds in Qatar: Insights from a Rapid Assessment Method During Spring Migration. Tropical Conservation Science 2016, 9, 658 -676.
AMA StyleStamatis Zogaris, Athanasios Kallimanis. Coastal Zone Habitat-Use by Birds in Qatar: Insights from a Rapid Assessment Method During Spring Migration. Tropical Conservation Science. 2016; 9 (2):658-676.
Chicago/Turabian StyleStamatis Zogaris; Athanasios Kallimanis. 2016. "Coastal Zone Habitat-Use by Birds in Qatar: Insights from a Rapid Assessment Method During Spring Migration." Tropical Conservation Science 9, no. 2: 658-676.