Yiannis G . Matsinos - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Yiannis G . Matsinos
Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
Environmental noise is a global problem with multiscale consequences, affecting human well-being,... more Environmental noise is a global problem with multiscale consequences, affecting human well-being, environmental health and business efficiency. Several tourist accommodations aiming towards a more competitive and profitable business, produce the by-product of noise thus resulting in a higher noise footprint. The aim of this research is to propose an approach towards the assessment and calculation of the noise footprint of tourist accommodations. Three tourist accommodations located in Lesbos Island (North Aegean Greece) were studied. The transportational, functional, natural and recreational sound sources were assessed. Furthermore, the degree of background noise was included. Noise measurements were conducted using a calibrated sound level meter. The equivalent continuous sound level (Leq) noise indicator levels for each type of source were obtained and analyzed. In order to assess the overall noise footprint a composite indicator based on the signal to noise ratio was shaped. Furt...
Encyclopedia of Ecology, 2008
Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing t... more The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing tools that offer high resolution recordings are expensive. The use of acoustic indicators is proposed as an easy-to-use, rapid, non-intrusive, low-cost option in biodiversity assessment as well as in environmental noise management. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and prioritize acoustic indicators in terms of environmental noise management and biodiversity assessment in order to assist the development of a low cost Automated Recording Unit (ARU). The data collection areas are two similar public spaces of Mytilene, with the only difference being a differentiation regarding the levels of urbanization. A series of sound recordings were performed using a specific protocol. Signal analysis was performed using the R Statistics software. A list of spectral complexity indicators were extracted, evaluated and ranked in order for their incorporation to the ARU created. These indicator r...
Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing t... more The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing tools that offer high resolution recordings are expensive. The use of acoustic indicators is proposed as an easy-to-use, rapid, non-intrusive, low-cost option in biodiversity assessment as well as in environmental noise management. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and prioritize acoustic indicators in terms of environmental noise management and biodiversity assessment in order to assist the development of a low cost Automated Recording Unit (ARU). The data collection areas are two similar public spaces of Mytilene, with the only difference being a differentiation regarding the levels of urbanization. A series of sound recordings were performed using a specific protocol. Signal analysis was performed using the R Statistics software. A list of spectral complexity indicators were extracted, evaluated and ranked in order for their incorporation to the ARU created. These indicator r...
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2006
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2006
Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, 2014
ABSTRACT The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in or... more ABSTRACT The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in order to emphasize two contrasting views of stability for ecological systems, namely between efficiency and persistence or between constancy and change. The first definition of resilience is the rate at which a system returns to a single state after a perturbation. The definition assumes certain local stability properties of the state. Ecological systems being dynamic and often transient can shift from one stability domain to another, and this transition property characterizes the term resilience. In that manner a second definition introduces resilience as the amount of change or disturbance required for a major shift from one stability domain to another. The first definition is characterized by control, predictability, and efficiency, in view of optimality in ecosystem functioning. The second definition focuses more on prediction, adaptability, and variability – attributes pertaining more to the evolutionary perspective. These contrasting views of ecological resilience can have very different results in understanding and managing ecological complexity. The issue of sustainability is more relevant to the first definition of ecological resilience, because of the interacting nature between man and the environment from the viewpoint of human development in a globally changing environment. On the other hand, focus on engineering resilience moves the argument of sustainability to controlling, offering predictable results as long as we experience the stability domain. The notion of resilience differs significantly from that of resistance in ecological theory. The latter is defined as the ability of the system to remain the same while external conditions change, whereas the former is the ability of the system to recover after it has changed. In that sense fully functioning ecosystems are both resistant to change and resilient or able to self-recover from external disturbances, thereby maintaining stability.
Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 1994
The contribution of certain contaminants to reproductive failure in many avian species has been a... more The contribution of certain contaminants to reproductive failure in many avian species has been an ongoing concern. We used the individual-oriented approach in an effort to quantify effects of chronic contaminant exposure on small groups of interacting individual birds rather than the population as a whole. This was made possible by the use of an object-oriented model, where individual birds are interacting objects, and their actions are implemented by passing to them appropriate messages. Using this modeling approach, a breeding colony of Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) is simulated as an assemblage of interacting individuals whose daily actions (foraging, growth, feeding of the young) are simultaneously followed over short time intervals for a nesting season. Spatial distribution of the contaminants in prey resources is used on a cell by cell basis, and their effects on certain behavior characteristics of adult birds (e.g., foraging efficiency, effects on flying efficiency, parental care) are taken into account. Results show that sublethal effects can have a considerable effect on colony success.
The existence of quiet areas in every city, is considered essential and of high value but is not ... more The existence of quiet areas in every city, is considered essential and of high value but is not always considered in planning. Even in places that have the characteristics of an urban quiet area, the non-informative noise, reaches its users. The need to establish and delimit, or create an area that is not exposed to a certain value of a noise indicator is undeniable. The lack of specific methodology and the absence of city noise limits in some cases, poses a barrier towards the road to quietness. The aim of this study is to assist urban planners, on the subject of quiet areas in agglomerations and contribute to their scientific background. A survey on quietness, coupled with noise measurements using the guidelines of the EU directive 2002/49/EC and a soundwalk were conducted in order to assess the acoustic perception in an urban environment and highlight the characteristics of quiet areas. Quantitative and qualitative results were both compared and used conjunctively, in order for ...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and... more The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and pollution, by circulating products and materials and by regenerating nature. Furthermore, under an urban circular development scheme, environmental noise can be designed out. The current noise control policies and actions, undertaken at a source–medium–receiver level, present a linearity with minimum sustainability co-benefits. A circular approach in noise control strategies and in soundscape design could offer numerous ecologically related co-benefits. The global literature documenting the advantages of the implementation of circular economy in cities has highlighted noise mitigation as a given benefit. Research involving circular economy actions such as urban green infrastructure, green walls, sustainable mobility systems and electro-mobility has acknowledged reduced noise levels as a major circularity outcome. In this research paper, we highlight the necessity of a circularity and bi...
Earth, Aug 26, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Research in Zoology, 2021
Complexity of complete ancient and modern food webs assumed to capture essential forests network ... more Complexity of complete ancient and modern food webs assumed to capture essential forests network trophic topology scales similarly to that of ancient and modern lake webs and communities from variable environments. Reasonably these groupings and patterns are not exclusively driven by environmental fluctuating conditions. Unexpectedly, disparate aquatic and terrestrial communities can belong to the same connection trend with network size whose nodes represent the number of trophic species. Although some aquatic communities can host apex predators at higher trophic levels than terrestrial ones, it is not clear if this relates to different connectance or hierarchical structure. OBJECTIVES-In this study we analyzed, reviewing literature trophic webs, extreme number of trophic levels data and their relationship with trophic link distributions (vulnerability and surrogate energetic parameters). Furthermore, we report about a gap on the number of energetic pathways at a threshold modal trophic level. General differences, among aquatic and terrestrial communities, in primary consumers fractions or percentages were tested. METHODS-A new network approach to food webs was presented to interpret maximum chain length or extreme trophic levels from matrix information and few assumptions. Two opposite logarithmic trends were analyzed, and sigmoid models were utilized to predict missing predatory links in large cumulative food networks. RESULTS-The main results are the presentation of two opposite trends of link density vs topological connectance in log-log correlation analysis where communities belonging to different eco-regions of the richest lake in terms of trophic species (i.e., Lake Malawy-Nyasa-Niassa) were submitted to further scrutiny for the interpretation of their maximum chain length. Herbivore's Fraction-1 equal the number of trophic levels in newly defined size ambivalent communities that are characterized by relatively small number of species but displaying the same complexity pattern of species rich ones. CONCLUSION-Maximum number of trophic levels of ecological communities from different habitats could be associated with extrapolated link density obtained by the trends of vulnerability link and surrogate energetic link distributions. Top-down and bottom-up control were discussed under this new perspective where ubiquitous anti-predatory strategies, inferred by reduction in trophic links, were also estimated. This wide new perspective could be preparatory for the interpretation of the effects of changing scenarios or contexts and habitat/species safeguard.
This book is the first of its kind to describe the challenges that arise in studying and conservi... more This book is the first of its kind to describe the challenges that arise in studying and conserving biodiversity across different scales. Taking a scale-conscious view of the drivers of change, biodiversity patterns and processes themselves, and policy actions aimed at management and protection, it describes a wide range of practical methods and recommendations to improve conservation at continental and global scales. Drivers of change are considered at different spatial scales, including the likely effects on biodiversity under land use and climate change. Ecological patterns and processes are examined and modelled at different levels of biological organization, from genetics, through individual dispersal and population viability, to community structure and selected ecosystem services. Trade-offs and tensions between different conservation goals are explored, and promising new methods for the study of scaling effects are digested from the scientific literature. Different governance...
Advances in Civil and Industrial Engineering, 2018
Urban growth retains a bipolar dissension regarding quality of life as it is both deleterious and... more Urban growth retains a bipolar dissension regarding quality of life as it is both deleterious and beneficial for urban dwellers. Environmental noise could be considered a byproduct of growth, and according to numerus studies, it should not be ignored. The small urban setting of Mytilene located in the island of Lesvos (North Aegean, Greece) was the case study of this research. By implementing a novel protocol, the potential Quiet Areas of Mytilene were highlighted. The methodology consisted of noise measurements, soundscape recordings, and strategic noise mapping using the CadnaA noise prediction software. Furthermore, several soundwalks were conducted with the scope to obtain the citizen perspective regarding Quiet Area management. The way that city inhabitants perceive their acoustic surroundings could determine the character of the landscape along with the quality of the soundscape and define the meaning of quietness, which still remains vague.
International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 2019
Lately, spatial models have become a powerful, necessary statistical tool to estimate parameters ... more Lately, spatial models have become a powerful, necessary statistical tool to estimate parameters where data are represented by regions of interests using the window method . Estimation processes based on the high dimensionality of the data have become difficult to implement especially in cases where variability in the spatial models is the main task to investigate. Variability between spatial models considering hierarchical levels of scale, most of the time, involves errors leading to uncertainty in spatial regions. Solving the problem with uncertainty via the estimation of errors in spatial models, complex models could be simplified in easiest ones and important decisions for the quality of data could be taken.
The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in order to em... more The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in order to emphasize two contrasting views of stability for ecological systems, namely between efficiency and persistence or between constancy and change. The first definition of resilience is the rate at which a system returns to a single state after a perturbation. The definition assumes certain local stability properties of the state. Ecological systems being dynamic and often transient can shift from one stability domain to another, and this transition property characterizes the term resilience. In that manner a second definition introduces resilience as the amount of change or disturbance required for a major shift from one stability domain to another. The first definition is characterized by control, predictability, and efficiency, in view of optimality in ecosystem functioning. The second definition focuses more on prediction, adaptability, and variability – attributes pertaining more to the e...
Journal of environmental protection and ecology
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2009
Recent studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence about the importance of hatchling... more Recent studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence about the importance of hatchling production for sea turtle population dynamics. Therefore, understanding the effect of nesting habitat loss as a factor leading to hatchling reduction is essential in order to establish conservation plans for the recovery of sea turtle populations. In the present study, we developed a method to quantify habitat
Ecological Modelling, 2007
This paper describes the development of a model, able to simulate the dynamics of typical mountai... more This paper describes the development of a model, able to simulate the dynamics of typical mountainous Mediterranean ecosystems, following the forest gap dynamics framework. The model has been adapted to the bioclimatic conditions and species traits of the Northeastern part of the Mediterranean Basin, based on forest inventories and climate data from Greece. With GREFOS (GREek FOrest Species), we tried to develop a generalized forest simulator able to both perform realistically in the mountainous Mediterranean climatic zone, and to identify transitional zones with the lower elevation Mediterranean vegetation profile. GREFOS follows the structure and "evolution" of the ForClim model, which was initially developed for Temperate Central European forests. A life history strategy parameter, which affects (under a functional group type approach) the regeneration and mortality pathways of the species included in the model, has been incorporated. In addition, a simplified fire submodel was also embodied. For all species included in the model, we have computed the whole set of essential parameters used in forest gap models. Simulation exercises were carried out in two geographical areas with district site characteristics (Krania and Parnassos), where quantitative and qualitative field data were available, respectively. In both cases an altitudinal gradient exists and vegetation changes from a Mediterranean to a mountainous Mediterranean profile. The model produces realistic outputs despite its generality, while areas dominated by Mediterranean sclerophyllous species are successfully identified. As a final simulation exercise, for the second area of study, which comprises a natural reserve, we used GREFOS to explore scenarios of changes in the fire frequency. Following these scenarios pioneer pine species seem able to enhance their abundance, at both the upper distributional limit of typical Mediterranean forest communities and the lower limit of more Temperate oriented vegetative patterns.
Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
Environmental noise is a global problem with multiscale consequences, affecting human well-being,... more Environmental noise is a global problem with multiscale consequences, affecting human well-being, environmental health and business efficiency. Several tourist accommodations aiming towards a more competitive and profitable business, produce the by-product of noise thus resulting in a higher noise footprint. The aim of this research is to propose an approach towards the assessment and calculation of the noise footprint of tourist accommodations. Three tourist accommodations located in Lesbos Island (North Aegean Greece) were studied. The transportational, functional, natural and recreational sound sources were assessed. Furthermore, the degree of background noise was included. Noise measurements were conducted using a calibrated sound level meter. The equivalent continuous sound level (Leq) noise indicator levels for each type of source were obtained and analyzed. In order to assess the overall noise footprint a composite indicator based on the signal to noise ratio was shaped. Furt...
Encyclopedia of Ecology, 2008
Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing t... more The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing tools that offer high resolution recordings are expensive. The use of acoustic indicators is proposed as an easy-to-use, rapid, non-intrusive, low-cost option in biodiversity assessment as well as in environmental noise management. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and prioritize acoustic indicators in terms of environmental noise management and biodiversity assessment in order to assist the development of a low cost Automated Recording Unit (ARU). The data collection areas are two similar public spaces of Mytilene, with the only difference being a differentiation regarding the levels of urbanization. A series of sound recordings were performed using a specific protocol. Signal analysis was performed using the R Statistics software. A list of spectral complexity indicators were extracted, evaluated and ranked in order for their incorporation to the ARU created. These indicator r...
Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing t... more The procedure of sound recording offers new perspectives in ecology. Nevertheless, the existing tools that offer high resolution recordings are expensive. The use of acoustic indicators is proposed as an easy-to-use, rapid, non-intrusive, low-cost option in biodiversity assessment as well as in environmental noise management. The purpose of this research is to evaluate and prioritize acoustic indicators in terms of environmental noise management and biodiversity assessment in order to assist the development of a low cost Automated Recording Unit (ARU). The data collection areas are two similar public spaces of Mytilene, with the only difference being a differentiation regarding the levels of urbanization. A series of sound recordings were performed using a specific protocol. Signal analysis was performed using the R Statistics software. A list of spectral complexity indicators were extracted, evaluated and ranked in order for their incorporation to the ARU created. These indicator r...
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2006
Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, 2006
Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences, 2014
ABSTRACT The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in or... more ABSTRACT The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in order to emphasize two contrasting views of stability for ecological systems, namely between efficiency and persistence or between constancy and change. The first definition of resilience is the rate at which a system returns to a single state after a perturbation. The definition assumes certain local stability properties of the state. Ecological systems being dynamic and often transient can shift from one stability domain to another, and this transition property characterizes the term resilience. In that manner a second definition introduces resilience as the amount of change or disturbance required for a major shift from one stability domain to another. The first definition is characterized by control, predictability, and efficiency, in view of optimality in ecosystem functioning. The second definition focuses more on prediction, adaptability, and variability – attributes pertaining more to the evolutionary perspective. These contrasting views of ecological resilience can have very different results in understanding and managing ecological complexity. The issue of sustainability is more relevant to the first definition of ecological resilience, because of the interacting nature between man and the environment from the viewpoint of human development in a globally changing environment. On the other hand, focus on engineering resilience moves the argument of sustainability to controlling, offering predictable results as long as we experience the stability domain. The notion of resilience differs significantly from that of resistance in ecological theory. The latter is defined as the ability of the system to remain the same while external conditions change, whereas the former is the ability of the system to recover after it has changed. In that sense fully functioning ecosystems are both resistant to change and resilient or able to self-recover from external disturbances, thereby maintaining stability.
Mathematical and Computer Modelling, 1994
The contribution of certain contaminants to reproductive failure in many avian species has been a... more The contribution of certain contaminants to reproductive failure in many avian species has been an ongoing concern. We used the individual-oriented approach in an effort to quantify effects of chronic contaminant exposure on small groups of interacting individual birds rather than the population as a whole. This was made possible by the use of an object-oriented model, where individual birds are interacting objects, and their actions are implemented by passing to them appropriate messages. Using this modeling approach, a breeding colony of Great Blue Herons (Ardea herodias) is simulated as an assemblage of interacting individuals whose daily actions (foraging, growth, feeding of the young) are simultaneously followed over short time intervals for a nesting season. Spatial distribution of the contaminants in prey resources is used on a cell by cell basis, and their effects on certain behavior characteristics of adult birds (e.g., foraging efficiency, effects on flying efficiency, parental care) are taken into account. Results show that sublethal effects can have a considerable effect on colony success.
The existence of quiet areas in every city, is considered essential and of high value but is not ... more The existence of quiet areas in every city, is considered essential and of high value but is not always considered in planning. Even in places that have the characteristics of an urban quiet area, the non-informative noise, reaches its users. The need to establish and delimit, or create an area that is not exposed to a certain value of a noise indicator is undeniable. The lack of specific methodology and the absence of city noise limits in some cases, poses a barrier towards the road to quietness. The aim of this study is to assist urban planners, on the subject of quiet areas in agglomerations and contribute to their scientific background. A survey on quietness, coupled with noise measurements using the guidelines of the EU directive 2002/49/EC and a soundwalk were conducted in order to assess the acoustic perception in an urban environment and highlight the characteristics of quiet areas. Quantitative and qualitative results were both compared and used conjunctively, in order for ...
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and... more The circular economy paradigm can be beneficial for urban sustainability by eliminating waste and pollution, by circulating products and materials and by regenerating nature. Furthermore, under an urban circular development scheme, environmental noise can be designed out. The current noise control policies and actions, undertaken at a source–medium–receiver level, present a linearity with minimum sustainability co-benefits. A circular approach in noise control strategies and in soundscape design could offer numerous ecologically related co-benefits. The global literature documenting the advantages of the implementation of circular economy in cities has highlighted noise mitigation as a given benefit. Research involving circular economy actions such as urban green infrastructure, green walls, sustainable mobility systems and electro-mobility has acknowledged reduced noise levels as a major circularity outcome. In this research paper, we highlight the necessity of a circularity and bi...
Earth, Aug 26, 2022
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
Research in Zoology, 2021
Complexity of complete ancient and modern food webs assumed to capture essential forests network ... more Complexity of complete ancient and modern food webs assumed to capture essential forests network trophic topology scales similarly to that of ancient and modern lake webs and communities from variable environments. Reasonably these groupings and patterns are not exclusively driven by environmental fluctuating conditions. Unexpectedly, disparate aquatic and terrestrial communities can belong to the same connection trend with network size whose nodes represent the number of trophic species. Although some aquatic communities can host apex predators at higher trophic levels than terrestrial ones, it is not clear if this relates to different connectance or hierarchical structure. OBJECTIVES-In this study we analyzed, reviewing literature trophic webs, extreme number of trophic levels data and their relationship with trophic link distributions (vulnerability and surrogate energetic parameters). Furthermore, we report about a gap on the number of energetic pathways at a threshold modal trophic level. General differences, among aquatic and terrestrial communities, in primary consumers fractions or percentages were tested. METHODS-A new network approach to food webs was presented to interpret maximum chain length or extreme trophic levels from matrix information and few assumptions. Two opposite logarithmic trends were analyzed, and sigmoid models were utilized to predict missing predatory links in large cumulative food networks. RESULTS-The main results are the presentation of two opposite trends of link density vs topological connectance in log-log correlation analysis where communities belonging to different eco-regions of the richest lake in terms of trophic species (i.e., Lake Malawy-Nyasa-Niassa) were submitted to further scrutiny for the interpretation of their maximum chain length. Herbivore's Fraction-1 equal the number of trophic levels in newly defined size ambivalent communities that are characterized by relatively small number of species but displaying the same complexity pattern of species rich ones. CONCLUSION-Maximum number of trophic levels of ecological communities from different habitats could be associated with extrapolated link density obtained by the trends of vulnerability link and surrogate energetic link distributions. Top-down and bottom-up control were discussed under this new perspective where ubiquitous anti-predatory strategies, inferred by reduction in trophic links, were also estimated. This wide new perspective could be preparatory for the interpretation of the effects of changing scenarios or contexts and habitat/species safeguard.
This book is the first of its kind to describe the challenges that arise in studying and conservi... more This book is the first of its kind to describe the challenges that arise in studying and conserving biodiversity across different scales. Taking a scale-conscious view of the drivers of change, biodiversity patterns and processes themselves, and policy actions aimed at management and protection, it describes a wide range of practical methods and recommendations to improve conservation at continental and global scales. Drivers of change are considered at different spatial scales, including the likely effects on biodiversity under land use and climate change. Ecological patterns and processes are examined and modelled at different levels of biological organization, from genetics, through individual dispersal and population viability, to community structure and selected ecosystem services. Trade-offs and tensions between different conservation goals are explored, and promising new methods for the study of scaling effects are digested from the scientific literature. Different governance...
Advances in Civil and Industrial Engineering, 2018
Urban growth retains a bipolar dissension regarding quality of life as it is both deleterious and... more Urban growth retains a bipolar dissension regarding quality of life as it is both deleterious and beneficial for urban dwellers. Environmental noise could be considered a byproduct of growth, and according to numerus studies, it should not be ignored. The small urban setting of Mytilene located in the island of Lesvos (North Aegean, Greece) was the case study of this research. By implementing a novel protocol, the potential Quiet Areas of Mytilene were highlighted. The methodology consisted of noise measurements, soundscape recordings, and strategic noise mapping using the CadnaA noise prediction software. Furthermore, several soundwalks were conducted with the scope to obtain the citizen perspective regarding Quiet Area management. The way that city inhabitants perceive their acoustic surroundings could determine the character of the landscape along with the quality of the soundscape and define the meaning of quietness, which still remains vague.
International Journal of Reliable and Quality E-Healthcare, 2019
Lately, spatial models have become a powerful, necessary statistical tool to estimate parameters ... more Lately, spatial models have become a powerful, necessary statistical tool to estimate parameters where data are represented by regions of interests using the window method . Estimation processes based on the high dimensionality of the data have become difficult to implement especially in cases where variability in the spatial models is the main task to investigate. Variability between spatial models considering hierarchical levels of scale, most of the time, involves errors leading to uncertainty in spatial regions. Solving the problem with uncertainty via the estimation of errors in spatial models, complex models could be simplified in easiest ones and important decisions for the quality of data could be taken.
The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in order to em... more The term ‘resilience’ was first introduced by the Canadian ecologist C. S. Holling in order to emphasize two contrasting views of stability for ecological systems, namely between efficiency and persistence or between constancy and change. The first definition of resilience is the rate at which a system returns to a single state after a perturbation. The definition assumes certain local stability properties of the state. Ecological systems being dynamic and often transient can shift from one stability domain to another, and this transition property characterizes the term resilience. In that manner a second definition introduces resilience as the amount of change or disturbance required for a major shift from one stability domain to another. The first definition is characterized by control, predictability, and efficiency, in view of optimality in ecosystem functioning. The second definition focuses more on prediction, adaptability, and variability – attributes pertaining more to the e...
Journal of environmental protection and ecology
Ocean & Coastal Management, 2009
Recent studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence about the importance of hatchling... more Recent studies have provided theoretical and empirical evidence about the importance of hatchling production for sea turtle population dynamics. Therefore, understanding the effect of nesting habitat loss as a factor leading to hatchling reduction is essential in order to establish conservation plans for the recovery of sea turtle populations. In the present study, we developed a method to quantify habitat
Ecological Modelling, 2007
This paper describes the development of a model, able to simulate the dynamics of typical mountai... more This paper describes the development of a model, able to simulate the dynamics of typical mountainous Mediterranean ecosystems, following the forest gap dynamics framework. The model has been adapted to the bioclimatic conditions and species traits of the Northeastern part of the Mediterranean Basin, based on forest inventories and climate data from Greece. With GREFOS (GREek FOrest Species), we tried to develop a generalized forest simulator able to both perform realistically in the mountainous Mediterranean climatic zone, and to identify transitional zones with the lower elevation Mediterranean vegetation profile. GREFOS follows the structure and "evolution" of the ForClim model, which was initially developed for Temperate Central European forests. A life history strategy parameter, which affects (under a functional group type approach) the regeneration and mortality pathways of the species included in the model, has been incorporated. In addition, a simplified fire submodel was also embodied. For all species included in the model, we have computed the whole set of essential parameters used in forest gap models. Simulation exercises were carried out in two geographical areas with district site characteristics (Krania and Parnassos), where quantitative and qualitative field data were available, respectively. In both cases an altitudinal gradient exists and vegetation changes from a Mediterranean to a mountainous Mediterranean profile. The model produces realistic outputs despite its generality, while areas dominated by Mediterranean sclerophyllous species are successfully identified. As a final simulation exercise, for the second area of study, which comprises a natural reserve, we used GREFOS to explore scenarios of changes in the fire frequency. Following these scenarios pioneer pine species seem able to enhance their abundance, at both the upper distributional limit of typical Mediterranean forest communities and the lower limit of more Temperate oriented vegetative patterns.