the Team

About me

I am Professor of Terrestrial Ecosystem Management at the Open University of Cyprus (OUC).  Over the years I held positions and developed research and teaching activities at the Universities of Reading (England), Cagliari, Bologna, Milano-Bicocca (Italy) and Ioannina (Greece). I have been a research associate of the CIHEAM- MAICh and consultant for international organizations UNEP PAP / RAC and UNIDO and a member of the network " Mediterranean Experts on Climate and environmental Change (MedECC)".

I hold a doctorate in Physical Geography, an MSc in Vegetation Ecology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Academic Practice and a BSc in Forestry. I am a member of the Royal Geographical Society, the British Ecological Society, the International Association of Landscape Ecology, and the International Association of Vegetation Science.  My research interests include the biogeography and landscape processes in Mediterranean islands and mountains, the use of geospatial tools on species, habitats and ecosystem services analysis, landscape ecology and landscape evaluation, and systematic conservation planning. My research has been funded by the EC 6th and 7th FP, H2020, LIFE+, INTERREG, ENPI-CBCMED, ERASMUS programmes and Ministries and Government agencies in the UK and Cyprus.

Key Publications

1. Christodoulou, C. S., Griffiths, G. H., & Vogiatzakis, I. N. (2021). Systematic Conservation Planning in a Mediterranean island context: The Example of Cyprus. Global Ecology and Conservation,32 e01907.

2. Manolaki, P., Zotos, S. & Vogiatzakis I.N. (2020) An integrated ecological and cultural framework for landscape sensitivity assessment in Cyprus. Land Use Policy 92, p.104336.

3. Christodoulou, C.S., Griffiths, G.H., Vogiatzakis, I.N. (2018) Using threatened plant species to identify conservation gaps and opportunities on the island of Cyprus. Biodiversity and Conservation DOI: 10.1007/s10531-018-1572-4

4. Vogiatzakis I.N., Mannion A.M and Sarris D. (2016) Mediterranean Island Biodiversity and Climate Change: the last 10,000 years and the future Biodiversity and Conservation 25: 2597-2627

5. Vogiatzakis I.N., Stirpe M.T., Rickebusch S., Metzger M., Xu G., Rounsevell, M, Bommarco R., Potts, S.G. (2015) Rapid assessment of historic, future and current habitat quality for biodiversity around UK Natura 2000 sites. Environmental Conservation 42: 31-40

6. Tzanopoulos, J. and Vogiatzakis I.N. (2011) Processes and patterns of landscape change on a small Aegean island: the case of Sifnos, Greece. Landscape and Urban Planning 99: 58-64

7. Vogiatzakis, I.N., Mannion, A.M., Griffiths, G.H. (2006) Mediterranean Ecosystems: problems and tools for conservation Progress in Physical Geography 30: 175-200.

8. Vogiatzakis, I.N., Griffiths, G.H., Mannion, A.M. (2003). Environmental factors and vegetation composition, Lefka Ori massif Crete, S.Aegean. Global Ecology and Biogeography 12: 131 - 146

Senior Researcher & Adjunct Faculty Τutor

Interests

Aquatic ecology, Aquatic plant assemblages and traits, ecosystem services

ORCID / Research Gate / Google Scholar / LinkedIn 

About me

Paraskevi holds a Ph.D. in Aquatic Ecology (University of Patras, Department of Plant Ecology) entitled “Ecological assessment of Acheron and Louros river, W. Greece and their catchment area using aquatic macrophytes as biological indicators”, and a Bachelor (B.Sc.) in Biology (University of Patras). Her main research interests involve freshwater ecology and management including functional aspects of river communities, evaluation of ecological quality, dynamics of aquatic and riparian vegetation, landscape ecology, human activities and change detection analysis, effects of global changes on aquatic ecosystems and the assessment of ecosystem services.

She worked as a member of the scientific team of Plant Ecology (Patras University) from 2005-2013 and in 2014, she was awarded a two-year post-doctoral position at the Open University of Cyprus (OUC).  Since 2005 she has participated in several research projects where her main research field was the assessment of the ecological quality of freshwater ecosystems as demanded by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). She participated in the Mediterranean Intercalibration Process (2006-2011) for rivers as a macrophyte expert for Cyprus and Greece. She has also been involved as a macrophytes expert on the determination of the evaluation criteria of the ecological status on temporary salt lakes (Larnaca salt lake complex). She is a co-author of 32 peer-reviewed papers published in international scientific journals and 3 peer-reviewed papers in conference proceedings from 2011-2020 in collaboration with > 150 different researchers from 18 different countries.

She is a former AIAS-COFUND (Marie Curie) Postdoctoral Fellow, Aarhus Advanced Institute of Advanced Science, AIAS, Aarhus University, Denmark and currently she works as a senior researcher at the OUC.

Key publications

1. Paraskevi Manolaki, Ada Pastor, Krister Karttunen, Kun Guo, Tenna Riis.2022. Effects of temperature and nutrient enrichment on Arctic moss growth and productivity. Polar Biology https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-022-03077-6

2. Manolaki Paraskevi, Gimenez-Grau Pau, Pastor Ada, Baattrup-Pedersen Annette, Riis Tenna. 2022. Weed cutting in a large river reduces ecosystem metabolic rates. Journal of Environmental Management 314, 115014.

3. Nucci A., Angiolini, Manolaki, P., Vogiatzakis, I.N. An integrated approach for conservation assessment in a Mediterranean river basin. Land use Policy, 119, 106217.

4. Pastor, A., Manolaki, P., Freixa, A. et al. 2021. Temperature-induced changes in biofilm organic matter utilization in arctic streams (Disko Island, Greenland). Polar Biol. 44, 2177–2188. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02955-9

5. Mousikos, A., Manolaki, P., Knez, N., Vogiatzakis, I.N. 2022. Can distribution modelling inform rare and endangered species monitoring in Mediterranean islands? Can distribution modeling inform rare and endangered species monitoring in Mediterranean islands? Ecological Informatics, 66, 101434. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2021.101434.

6. Ioanna Ioannidou, Paraskevi Manolaki, Vassilios Litskas, Ioannis Vogiatzakis. 2021. Temporary Salt Lakes: Ecosystem Services Shift in a Ramsar Site over a 50-Year Period. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9.

7. Manolaki Paraskevi, Olesen Annica, Hvidt Bjørg Graves, Lauridsen L. Torben, Riis Tenna. 2021. Investigating emergent macrophytes establishment rate and propagation towards constructed wetlands efficacy optimization. Knowl. Manag. Aquat. Ecosyst. 2021, 422, 23.

8. Manolaki P., Tooulakou G., Klapa M., Eller F., Byberg U. C., Sorrell K. B., Riis T. 2020. Systems Biology Approaches in Ecophysiology: Probing the amphibious plant Butomus umbellatus response to light limitation and nutrient overloading. Frontiers in Plant Science.11:1972 (IF: 4.407)

9. Manolaki P., M.B. Mouridsen, N. Nielsen, A. Olesen, S.M. Jensen, T.L. Lauridsen, A. Baattrup-Pedersen, B. Sorrell, T. Riis. 2020. A comparison of nutrient uptake efficiency and growth rate between different macrophyte growth forms. Journal of Environmental Management, 274, 111181 (IF: 5.6).

10. Riis T., Kelly-Quinn M., Aguiar F., Manolaki P. et al., Global overview of ecosystem services provided by riparian vegetation. BioScience 1–14 (IF:5.97).

Research Associate

Interests

Invertebrate conservation, Community ecology, Biodiversity Monitoring, Mountain biodiversity

About me

I am a Research Associate at the Open University of Cyprus (TEM lab) and have been recently awarded a Darwin Plus Fellowship concerning the conservation and protection of pollinators (2022-2023). I hold a BSc in Environmental and Natural Resources Management from the University of Ioannina and an MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation, and Management from the University of Oxford, United Kingdom. My PhD was in the field of Biodiversity Conservation at the Department of Biological Applications & Technology (Biodiversity Conservation Lab), University of Ioannina. I have participated in various research and monitoring programs in Greece and Cyprus concerning the conservation and management of flora and invertebrate fauna (2005-present). I am the co-chair of the Cyprus Butterfly Study Group (2012-present) and a member of the IUCN SSC Grasshopper Specialist Group (2013-present).  My research interest focuses on exploring patterns and drivers of biodiversity, investigating the impacts of climate change on species distribution, community ecology of terrestrial invertebrates (butterflies and grasshoppers), and mountain biodiversity. I have presented my research work at international and national conferences (>10) and in international peer-reviewed journals (12 papers, 2 books, 3 book chapters).  

Key publications

1. Peyton J, Hadjistylli M, Tziortzis I, …, Tzirkalli E, Varnava AI, Pescott OL (2022) Using expert-elicitation to deliver biodiversity monitoring priorities on a Mediterranean island. PLoS ONE 17:e0256777 https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256777

2. Maes D, Verovnik R, Wiemers M, …, Tzirkalli E et al. (2019) Integrating national Red Lists for prioritising conservation actions for European butterflies. Journal of Insect Conservation 23: 301-330 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10841-019-00127-z

3. ​Tzirkalli E, Kadis C, Halley JM, Vogiatzakis I, Wilson RJ, Zografou K, Antoniou A, Tsintides T, Makris C, Kati V, (2019) Conservation ecology of butterflies in Cyprus in the context of Natura 2000. Biodiversity and Conservation 28(7), 1759-1782 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-019-01755-2

Interests

Marine and coastal conservation biology, systematic conservation planning,  Biodiversity Monitoring

Research Gate

About me

Stalo Leontiou is a PhD candidate at the Open University of Cyprus in the field of marine and coastal conservation biology. She is an interdisciplinary scientist with a keen interest in cross-realm systematic conservation planning. Stalo holds a BSc (2010) in Marine Sciences from the University of the Aegean and an MSc (2013) in Integrated Climate System Sciences from the University of Hamburg.

During the past four years, she has been working as a research assistant at the Terrestrial Ecosystems Management Lab and as a freelancer GIS specialist. She is also the manager of the database of the Cyprus RoadKill Observation System (CyROS), a citizen science approach that aims to report and analyze the impacts of the Cyprus road network on wild animals.

She has participated in EU funded programs (e.g. COST, ERASMUS) and has co-authored three articles and one as leading author (under review).  

She is also a member of Birdlife Cyprus and the Cyprus Butterfly Study Group.

Her main research interests include coastal-marine conservation planning, ecosystem services mapping, island geography, advanced GIS applications and techniques and citizen science networks.   

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Key Publications

1. Leontiou, S., Katsanevakis, S. and Vogiatzakis, I.N., 2022. Accounting for functional connectivity in cross-realm conservation planning in a data poor context: The Cyprus case. Journal for Nature Conservation, 70, p.126304.

2. V. Hermoso, S.B. Carvalho, S. Giakoumi, D. Goldsborough, S. Katsanevakis, S. Leontiou, V. Markantonatou, B. Rumes, I.N. Vogiatzakis, K.L. Yates. (2021). The EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Opportunities and challenges on the path towards biodiversity recovery. Environmental Science & Policy, 127, p. 263-271. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2021.10.028.

3. Peyton, Jodey M.; Martinou, Angeliki F.; Adriaens, Tim; Chartosia, Niki; Karachle, Paraskevi K.; Rabitsch, Wolfgang; Tricarico, Elena; Arianoutsou, Margarita; Bacher, Sven; Bazos, Ioannis; Brundu, Giuseppe; Bruno-McClung, Elizabeth; Charalambidou, Iris; Demetriou, Monica; Galanidi, Marika; Galil, Bella; Guillem, Rhian; Hadjiafxentis, Kypros; Hadjioannou, Louis; Hadjistylli, Margarita; Hall-Spencer, Jason Michael; Jimenez, Carlos; Johnstone, Graham; Kleitou, Periklis; Kletou, Demetris; Koukkoularidou, Despina; Leontiou, Stalo; Maczey, Norbert; Michailidis, Nikolas; Mountford, John Owen; Papatheodoulou, Athina; Pescott, Oliver L.; Phanis, Constantinos; Preda, Cristina; Rorke, Steph; Shaw, Richard; Solarz, Wojciech; Taylor, Chris D.; Trajanovski, Saso; Tziortzis, Iakovos; Tzirkalli, Elli; Uludag, Ahmet; Vimercati, Giovanni; Zdraveski, Konstantin; Zenetos, Argyro; Roy, Helen E. (2020). Horizon scanning to predict and prioritize invasive alien species with the potential to threaten human health and economies on Cyprus. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8, 566281, 15 pp. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.566281

4. Vogiatzakis, I. N., Litskas, V. D., Koumpis, T., Kassinis, N., Constantinou, E., & Leontiou, S. (2020). The past, present and future of nature conservation in Crete and Cyprus: So close and yet so far. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators, 8, 100070. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2020.100070

About me

PhD topic: Ecology of intermittent rivers in Cyprus

I have completed my degree in Biology at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece and my Master in Water and Environmental Management at the University of Brighton. I work as Ecologist at I.A.CO Environmental and Water Consultants Ltd. My research interests falls in the fields of monitoring and assessment of aquatic ecosystems, with the use of bio-indicators. I have been involved in the development of the Landscape Character Assessment map of Cyprus and the national inventory of the wetlands of the island. I am also very keen in studying and mapping flora and habitats and teaching non-conventional, outdoor environmental education.

Key Publications

1. Pissaridou, P., Vasselon, V., Christou, A., Chonova, T., Papatheodoulou, A., Drakou, K., ... & Vasquez, M. I. (2021). Cyprus’ diatom diversity and the association of environmental and anthropogenic influences for ecological assessment of rivers using DNA metabarcoding. Chemosphere, 272, 129814.

2. Cantonati, M., Kelly, M. G., Demartini, D., Angeli, N., Dörflinger, G., Papatheodoulou, A., & Armanini, D. G. (2020). Overwhelming role of hydrology-related variables and river types in driving diatom species distribution and community assemblage in streams in Cyprus. Ecological Indicators, 117, 106690.

3. Peyton, J., Martinou, A. F., Pescott, O. L., Demetriou, M., Adriaens, T., Arianoutsou, M., ... & Roy, H. E. (2019). Horizon scanning for invasive alien species with the potential to threaten biodiversity and human health on a Mediterranean island. Biological Invasions, 21(6), 2107-2125.

Reseasrch Associate

Interests

Reptiles, Endemism, Cypriot herpetofauna, Species Distribution Modeling, Telemetry, Citizen Science and Education

About me

I was born and raised in Athens and have been living in Nicosia since 2016. In 2020 I graduated from the European University of Cyprus with a degree in Biology and pursued my master’s degree in Environmental Conservation and Management at the Open University of Cyprus. I completed my master’s in 2022 and throughout the duration of my studies I had the opportunity to partake in the projects ReTrack and CyROS and several environment-related smaller-scale jobs, conducting field, office and educational work.

I have a keen interest in zoology and reptiles in particular. During my graduate thesis I studied the movement of the lizard Laudakia cypriaca with the use of accelerometers while for my master’s thesis I investigated the present and future distribution of the endemic snake Natrix natrix cypriaca with Species Distribution Modeling.

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Key publications

1. Zotos S, Stamatiou M, Vogiatzakis I N. Elusive species distribution modelling: The case of Natrix natrix cypriaca. Ecological Informatics. 2022; 71: 101758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101758

2. Zotos, S., Stamatiou, M. and Vogiatzakis, I.N., 2023. The Cyprus Herp Atlas: An initiative for systematic recording of amphibian and reptile occurrences in Cyprus. Biodiversity Data Journal, 11.

3. Zotos S, Stamatiou M, Naziri A, Meletiou S, Demosthenous S, Perikleous K, Erotokritou E, Xenophontos M, Zavrou D, Michael K, Sergides L. New Evidence on the Distribution of the Highly Endangered Natrix natrix cypriaca and Implications for Its Conservation. Animals. 2021; 11(4):1077. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041077

Currently at the Agricultural Research Institute (MANRE) 

Interests

Investigation and evaluation of phenological, morphological and productive characteristics in deciduous fruit trees, Modern farming systems and agricultural practices for deciduous fruit trees, Rating Cherry varieties (Prunus avium L.), Ex situ evaluation of local clones of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), Integrated Fruit Production-Sustainable Arboriculture

Key Publications

1. Ioannidou, S., Litskas, V., Stavrinides, M. and Vogiatzakis, I.Ν. (2022). Placing Ecosystem Services within the Water–Food–Energy–Climate Nexus: A Case Study in Mediterranean Mixed Orchards. Agronomy, 12(9), p.2224. doi:10.3390/agronomy12092224.

2. Ioannidou, S.C., Litskas, V.D., Stavrinides, M.C. and Vogiatzakis, I.N. (2022). Linking management practices and soil properties to Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean mixed orchards. Ecosystem Services, 53, p.101378. doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101378.

3. Kyriacou, M.C., Ioannidou, S., Nikoloudakis, N., Seraphides, N., Papayiannis, L.C. and Kyratzis, A.C. (2020). Physicochemical characterization and trait stability in a genetically diverse ex situ collection of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) germplasm from Cyprus. Scientia Horticulturae, 263, p.109116. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2019.109116.

Currently at the Polish Academy of Sciences Mammal Research Institute

Interests

biodiversity loss, species reintroduction, wildlife management, habitat prediction and ecosystem services.

Key Publications

1. Mousikos, A., Manolaki, P., Knez, N. and Vogiatzakis, I.N., 2021. Can distribution modeling inform rare and endangered species monitoring in Mediterranean islands?. Ecological Informatics, 66, p.101434.

Currently at VL Sustainability Metrics LTD

Interests 

Environmental Footprint of Food Production Systems; Zero Emissions Food Production; Ecosystem Services; Environmental Impact Assessment of Xenobiotics; Curriculum Development and Vocational Training

ORCID  / Google Scholar

​Key publications

1. Ioannidou, S.C., Litskas, V.D., Stavrinides, M.C., Vogiatzakis, I.N. (2022). Linking management practices and soil properties to Ecosystem Services in Mediterranean mixed orchards. Ecosystem Services 53, 101378. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101378

2. Litskas, V., Mandoulaki, A., Vogiatzakis, I. N., Tzortzakis, N., & Stavrinides, M. (2020). Sustainable viticulture: First determination of the environmental footprint of grapes. Sustainability, 12(21), 8812

3. Litskas, V.D., Migeon, A., Navajas, M., Tixier, M-S., Stavrinides, M.C., 2019. Climate change expected to reduce suitability of land for tomato production and increase mite outbreaks. Env Res Letters, Vol 14, no 8.

Currenlty at KES College 

Interests 

Dendroecology, Forest and Agroecosystem management, Climate change adaptation/mitigation, Combating desertification, Regenerative agriculture

Key Publications

1. Palaiogianni A, Stylianou M, Sarris D, Agapiou A. 2022. Carob-Agro-Industrial Waste and Potential Uses in the Circular Economy, Chapter 33. In: Ramadan M.F., Farag M.A. (eds) Mediterranean Fruits Bio-wastes, Springer DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-84436-3_33Sarris D. Mazza G. 2021. Mediterranean Pine Root Systems under Drought, Chapter 8. In: G. Ne'eman, Y. Osem (Eds) Pines and their mixed forest ecosystems in the Mediterranean Basin, Springer p. 129-140. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-63625-8_8

2. Constantinou E, Sarris D, Vogiatzakis NI. 2021. The possible role of Ziziphus lotus as an ecosystem engineer in semiarid landscapes, Journal of Arid Environments 195, 104614. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2021.104614

3. Mazza G, Markou L, Sarris D. 2021. Species-specific growth dynamics and vulnerability to drought at the single tree level in a Mediterranean reforestation. Trees, DOI: 10.1007/s00468-021-02151-6

4. Mazza G, Sarris D. 2021. Identifying the full spectrum of climatic signals controlling a tree species' growth and adaptation to climate change. Ecological Indicators 130, 108109 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.10810.