LIVEMOUNT
Project info
*This project has received funding from the Hellenic Foundation for Research and Innovation (HFRI), under the Action: Basic Research Financing (Horizontal Support of all Sciences), National Recovery and Resilience Plan (Greece 2.0). Project Number: 015451.
Prof. Vassiliki Kati – University of Ioannina (UOI), Department of Biological Applications & Technology, Biodiversity Conservation Lab
Assoc. Prof. Giorgos Fotiadis – Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), Department of Forestry & Natural Environment Management, Forest Botany-Geobotany
Asst. Prof. George Adamidis – University of Patras (UP), Department of Biology, Plant Functional Biology
Prof. Michalis Vrachnakis – University of Thessaly (UTH), Department of Forestry, Wood Sciences & Design, Rangeland Science
UOI:
Asst. Prof. Charilaos Yotis, plant biologist
Dr. Konstantina Zografou, entomologist
Dr. Olga Tzortzakaki, entomologist
Dr. Haritakis Papaioannou, biologist
Dr. Christina Kassara, biologist
Dr. Yorgos Iliopoulos, biologist
Konstantina Nasiou, biologist, PhD student
Apostolis Stefanidis, biologist, PhD student
Niki Evaggelopoulou, economist, scientific staff
Effrosyni Varoucha, biologist, scientific staff
UTH:
Assoc. Prof. Yannis Kazoglou, agronomist/rangeland scientist
Prof. Nikolaos Gougoulias, soil scientist
Dimitrios Oikonomou, agronomist, PhD student
Pinelopi Alexaki, economist, scientific staff
Goal
Research questions
- How will mountainous plant and insect communities respond to increasing climate stress along with ongoing alterations to livestock grazing pressure?
- How does livestock grazing, and aridity affect ecosystem service delivery, such as carbon sequestration, nutrient recycling, water retention and insect pollination, in the mountainous grasslands?
- What is the current grazing capacity of the mountainous grasslands and what will their future potential to sustain livestock food production under climate change be?
- How can new scientific evidence help address societal and policy barriers to adopting sustainable solutions?
Actions
1.
Nested fieldwork sampling of plants, grasshoppers and butterflies; field measurements of soil properties, ecophysiological processes, plant traits and grazing capacity;setting up multivariate datasets
2.
Data analysis (e.g. modelling, mapping)
3.
Scientific paper writing and publication
4.
Result dissemination; link with conservation policy and practice
Concept & methods
Study area
Seven mountains that are all protected under the Natura 2000 network: Smolikas (GR2130002), Tymfi (GR2130009), Mitsikeli (GR2130008), Lakmos (GR2130007), Athamanika (GR2110002), Oiti (GR2440004) and Parnassos (GR2450005). They are managed by three Protected Areas Management Units (MU) operating under the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA).
Site selection
We will focus on the grasslands available at high altitudes (>1,000 m) across the Pindos Mountain range (e.g. habitat types 4090 or 6230: Annex I of the Habitats’ Directive).
We will define a two-dimensional gradient of grazing intensity (LSU) and aridity stress over the study area and select a set of at least 25 sites to maximize this gradient’s range (different climate profiles and stocking densities).
Target taxa
We selected three taxa – vascular plants, grasshoppers and butterflies – that capture different trophic and functional facets (e.g. biomass production, nutrient cycle, pollination), are sensitive microclimatic indicators and highly responsive to grazing regime change.
Methodology approaches
Taxonomic: We will study the impact of grazing/climate change on the three taxa’s diversity patterns and community structure across the grazing/aridity gradient. We will use standard field methods (e.g. protocols, nested sampling) to set up a multi-taxa database and analyze the data using appropriate modelling methods (e.g. Generalized Linear or Additive Mixed-Effects Models).
Functional: We will study how ecosystem processes are altered by grazing under different aridity stress levels. We will sample and deliver a database of soil properties; chlorophyll fluorescence (including stress indicators) and gas exchange data for dominant plant species; plant traits of dominant plants and grazing capacity. We will employ structural equation models (SEMs) to analyze our data.
Synthesis: We will collect data of livestock capital (heads of cattle, sheep and goat), production (milk, meat) and substitutes on annual basis for Greece, using data repositories. We will deliver a sustainable grazing map of current suggested grazing intensity levels, to be also projected in the future, accounting for the aridity values increase. We will then link our scientific findings with conservation policy and practice, in the broader socio-economic and policy context at the national and EU level.