Project
PhD: Apostolis Stefanidis
Project info
Title
Ecology and conservation of mountainous Orthoptera communities, with emphasis on endemic and threatened species
Year
2023 - 2026
Host Institution
University of Ioannina (Biodiversity Conservation Lab - BCL)
PhD student
Apostolis Stefanidis
*The research project was supported by the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) under the 4th Call for HFRI PhD Fellowships (Fellowship Number: 11266)
Advisory Board
Prof. Vassiliki Kati (Supervisor) University of Ioannina
Prof. Sinos Giokas – University of Patras (UOP)
Assoc. Prof. George Fotiadis – Agricultural University of Athens (AUA)
Scientific collaboration
Dr. Olga Tzortzakaki – Postdoctoral researcher (BCL)
Dr. Konstantina Zografou – Postdoctoral researcher (BCL)
Dr. Konstantinos Kougioumoutzis – Postdoctoral researcher (UOP)
Luc Willemse – Orthoptera taxonomist (Naturalis)
Elvira Sakkoudi – Diploma student (BCL)
Ilias Blanis – Diploma student (AUA)
Goal
Increase the ecological knowledge of Orthoptera in the high mountains, focusing on endangered and endemic species
Research questions
- Explore the diversity patterns of Orthoptera fauna in high mountains
- Investigate the community composition and structure of Orthoptera communities in high mountains
- Estimate the fundamental niche of target species and map their predicted distribution area through ecological niche modeling (ENM)
- Accomplish a thorough update of the conservation status of the four target species under IUCN criteria
- Assess the impact of climate change on the four target species under different climate scenarios through species distribution modeling (SDM)
Actions
1.
Fieldwork
2.
Data analysis
3.
Scientific paper writing
4.
Publications & Dissemination
Concept & Methods
The study area covers a total of 1039 km2 and includes 9 mountain ecosystems, five of which belong to the Natura 2000 network of protected areas.
Ecological models for target species
- ENMs (Ecological Niche Models) will be produced for every target species to cross-validate the species ranges.
- SDMs (Species Distribution Models) will be used to predict the potential distribution of each species under different climate scenarios (for years 2070, 2100) and assess the risks for the populations in the future due to distribution range shrinkage.
- GLMs (Generalised Linear Models) to investigate the microenvironmental parameters that influence the abundance of target species
Community ecology
Explore the composition and structure of Orthoptera communities and the environmental parameters shaping them, in terms of multivariate statistics (ordination, clustering, RDA etc.).
Academic CV - A. Stefanidis
Conferences & workshops
Conferences
- Stefanidis A, Kougioumoutzis K, Zografou K, Fotiadis G, Tzortzakaki O, Willemse L, Kati V 2024. Distribution pattern and conservation ecology of two globally threatened Orthoptera species of Greece. (Presentation). European Congress on Orthoptera Conservation IV. 4-6 July 2024. Rovereto, Italy. https://www.fondazionemcr.it/UploadDocs/26923_booklet_ECOC_IV.pdf
- Stefanidis A, Fotiadis G, Tzortzakaki O, Willemse L, Kati V 2023. (Poster Awarded) Ecology and conservation of two endemic and endangered Orthoptera species of Oiti, Tymphrestos and Vardousia mountains. HELECOS. 11th Hellenic Conference of Ecology. 4-7 October 2023. Patras, Greece. https://www.helecos.gr/en/activities/helecos-congresses/11th-congress
- Tzortzakaki O, Stefanidis A, Kazoglou Y, Faulwetter S, Willemse L, Giokas S 2023. (Poster) Management and conservation of the rare, endemic, and threatened butterfly and Orthoptera species in the National Park of Chelmos Vouraikos. HELECOS. 11th Hellenic Conference of Ecology. 4-7 October 2023. Patras, Greece. https://www.helecos.gr/en/activities/helecos-congresses/11th-congress
- Stefanidis A., Willemse L., Kati V. 2022. Orthoptera diversity patterns on Mitsikeli Mountain. (Presentation) European Congress on Orthoptera Conservation III. 1-2 April 2022. Leiden, Netherlands. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19ZZUWEoMxe91t68XpqGKiW1uF9IISpR_/view
- Noutsou V., Nasiou K., Stefanidis A., Nitas P., Chiotelli K., Tzortzakaki O., Kati V. 2022. (Poster) Saving the last dance: conservation actions for the Epirus grasshopper Chorthippus lacustris. Congress on Orthoptera Conservation III. 1-2 April 2022. Leiden, Netherlands. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19ZZUWEoMxe91t68XpqGKiW1uF9IISpR_/view
- Stefanidis, A., Willemse, L., Kati V. 2021. (Presentation) Orthoptera diversity patterns on Mitsikeli Mountain. HELECOS. 10th Hellenic Conference of Ecology. Ecology and Conservation of Nature: advances and challenges in an age of crisis. 14-17/10/2021. Online Conference. p 92. https://helecos10.gr/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/helecos10-proceedings-final.pdf
Summer schools & workshops
- TEOSS international workshop “Orthoptera Sound System”, 22 – 28 July 2025, Konitsa, Greece. (organization team) https://bc.lab.uoi.gr/en/education-training/teoss/
- TEOSS international workshop “Recording Orthoptera sounds”, 8 – 12 July 2024, Verona, Italy. (participant) https://aeaelbosqueanimado.org/en/teoss-workshop-1-verona-italy/
- Orthoptera Summer school “Orthoptera Taxonomy and Conservation”, 17 – 23 July 2023, Konitsa, Greece. https://cetaf.org/dest/orthoptera-taxonomy-and-conservation/
- Summer school “UNESCO Biosphere Reserves for transboundary ecosystem management and conflict prevention’’ 23 Aug – 1 Sep 2019. Montenegro and Kosovo. https://www.centreforeconics.org/consultancy-and-projects/projects/daad-balkan-2019/
Conferences
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Summer schools & workshops
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Papers
Stefanidis, A., Kougioumoutzis, K., Zografou, K., Fotiadis, G., Willemse, L., Tzortzakaki, O., & Kati, V. (2025). Distribution Patterns and Habitat Preferences of Five Globally Threatened and Endemic Montane Orthoptera (Parnassiana and Oropodisma). Ecologies, 6(1), 5.
Greece is a European hotspot for Orthoptera (378 species), yet it has been scarcely explored. We investigated the distribution and habitat preferences of the species of two endemic Orthoptera genera, Parnassiana and Oropodisma, in the montane ecosystems of central Greece. We conducted field surveys from 2021 to 2024 in 174 sites across seven mountains. The species of both genera preferred habitats above 1500 m, with species-specific preferences for microhabitat parameters: Parnassiana species favored moderate slopes with dense shrub cover, while Oropodisma species favored substrates with intermediate stone cover and relatively high vegetation cover. Species distribution models estimated the area of suitable habitat for Parnassiana to be at 5 km2 and Oropodisma at 3.28 km2. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and potential evapotranspiration were the key environmental drivers of the habitat suitability for both genera. Generalized regression models showed that altitude positively influenced Parnassiana population density, peaking at 2200 m, whereas rock and soil cover negatively impacted Oropodisma population densities. The results emphasize the critical role of montane habitats in sustaining these species and provide essential data for future research and conservation strategies.
Stefanidis, A., Kougioumoutzis, K., Zografou, K., Fotiadis, G., Tzortzakaki, O., Willemse, L., Kati, V. 2024. Mitigating the extinction risk of globally threatened and endemic mountainous Orthoptera species: Parnassiana parnassica and Oropodisma parnassica. Insect Conservation and Diversity, 1–15.
1. Orthoptera species are vulnerable to extinction on a global scale. Greece hosts 35% (380 species) of the European Orthoptera fauna with a high degree of endemic (37%) and threatened species (37%).
2. We sampled 46 plots (100 m2) to investigate the distribution and ecological requirement of two Greek mountain endemic and red-listed species: Parnassiana parnassica (Ramme, 1926; Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Critically Endangered [CR]) and Oropodisma parnassica (Scudder, 1897; Orthoptera: Caelifera; Endangered [EN]). Species had a restricted geographical range, with two isolated populations confined to high altitudes (1527–2320 m) of Mts. Parnassos and Elikonas.
3. Species distribution models showed that slope affected their suitable habitat, together with the topographic position index and the annual temperature range (P. parnassica), and the amount of green vegetation and evapotranspiration (O. parnassica).
4. Connectivity analysis showed that P. parnassica-suitable habitat consisted of few larger and well-connected patches (26 patches: effective mesh size of 1.57 km2) and that O. parnassica-suitable habitat consisted of more but smaller and less connected patches (56 patches: effective mesh size of 0.3 km2).
5. Generalised linear models showed that the population density of P. parnassica was negatively influenced by the height of herbaceous vegetation and that of O. parnassica was positively influenced by altitude.
6. The species face three main imminent threats: land take, wildfires and global warming, whereas livestock grazing seems to have a positive impact and skiing a neutral impact on their populations.
7. We assessed both species as EN after International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) criteria and a suite of conservation measures are suggested for their status improvement.
Stefanidis, A.; Zografou, K.;Tzortzakaki, O.; Kati, V. OrthopteraCommunity Dynamics andConservation in a Natura 2000 Site(Greece): The Role of Beta Diversity.Diversity2024,16, 11; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16010011
Greece is a European hotspot for Orthoptera (378 species), yet it has been scarcely explored.We investigated the diversity patterns of Orthoptera and the ecological mechanisms shaping them by sampling 15 sites (30 plots of 1ha) across five habitats in Mount Mitsikeli, a Natura 2000 site.The mountain is deemed rich (0.4 species/km2), hosting 34 species, including a species of European interest (Paracaloptenus caloptenoides). The grassy openings in the beech–fir forest and rural mosaics were found to be important habitats for Orthoptera, while the mountain grasslands were poorer but hosted a greater abundance of grasshoppers. The three main environmental factors shaping diversity patterns (with an explained variance of 51.34%) were grass height, the cover of woody vegetation and the cover of bare ground. Beta diversity was high (with a Bray–Curtis of index 0.45among habitats). Species turnover prevailed among all sites and within agricultural land, beech–fir forest and Mediterranean scrub, while nested patterns prevailed within mountain grasslands and mixed thermophilous forest. Conservation actions should target sites in ecosystems driven by species turnover, but primarily the most species-rich sites are driven by nestedness. Such actions should include the implementation of biodiversity-inclusive grazing schemes to hamper forest encroachment and the restoration of mountain grassland quality from cattle overgrazing.
Grants & awards
PhD scholarship under the 4th Call for Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (H.F.R.I.) PhD Fellowships (Fellowship Number: 11266).
The Feraki Fund – Grant for Orthoptera research. 2022. Grant to support fieldwork for the project entitled “EOME – Ecology of endemic and endangered Orthoptera species of Μοuntainous Ecosystems in central Greece.” https://www.hzoos.gr/en/announcement/results-feraki-fund-2022
Theodore J. Cohn Research Fund Grant – The Orthopterists’ Society. 2020. Grant to support fieldwork for the research project entitled “CODE- Conservation of Orthoptera Diversity in central Epirus, Greece.” http://orthsoc.org/
Certifications
Training
- Writing in the Sciences. 1/1/2024. Online course authorized by Stanford University and offered through Coursera. https://www.coursera.org/learn/sciwrite
- Completion of the Global and Regional Assessor for IUCN. 18/09/2021. Online Red List Training: “Assessing Species’ Extinction Risk using IUCN Red List Methodology” https://www.iucnredlist.org/resources/online
- Esri Training – MOOC Cartography (in ArcGIS Pro). 03/2020 – 05/2020. Online Seminars. https://www.esri.com/training/mooc/
Languages
- Greek – Mother tongue
- English – Proficient user C2 (Proficiency of Michigan)
- Russian – Independent user B1 (St. Petersburg State University)
- German – Independent user B1 (Goethe-Institut)
News
News on the PhD project, including notifications of new material published, conference participations, relevant policy impact posted in the BCL facebook page and/or twitter @StefanidisTolis and ResearchGate
April 13, 2025
November 18, 2024
October 23, 2024
September 7, 2024
