Interplay of Landscape, Tectonics and Climate Change in the Mediterranean context

Hosted by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the physical activities of the BIP will be field based, training students on climate change effects on Mediterranean tectonically active landscape. Additionally, students will be introduced to methods that will broaden their skillset.

The activities will also be focused on new methods and techniques in the field. In this way, students will be more fully trained, gaining exposure to different academic and cultural environments, learning new techniques, and acquiring qualifications for the job market.

The virtual part of the BIP will combine online pre-recorded lectures and activities with online instructor-led discussions. The virtual component will give students both theoretical background about this course, but also will introduce them, virtually, to the study area of physical mobility. 

The 5-days field part will take place on Naxos Island as a base, with daily excursions to Paros and/ or the Small Cyclades islands. The entire area is already affected by climate change, which is obvious from the climate-driven hazards - such as coastal erosion, landslides and flash flood events. The area is also affected by earthquakes and tectonics have played a crucial role in the landscape.

The anthropogenic pressures because of the increase of the touristic activity together with the climate crisis play an important role in the environment. Active geomorphology, the processes including tectonics are almost self-explanatory and are a unique example for our students to better understand the landscape evolution and the effect of climate change to landscape response.

The area also gives an excellent opportunity for discussions about adaptation and mitigation strategies and Nature based solutions.

1. Understanding how climate change is affecting the landscape
2. Climate change and Tectonic triggered hazards
3. Climate changes from the north to the south of Europe
4. Coastal, Karstic and tectonically affected landscapes
5. Understanding landscape processes

At the end of this course, the students:

• will be able to understand climate change and landscape evolution in the Mediterranean context;
• will be able to understand how climate change is affecting the landscape;
• will be familiarized with climate change triggered hazards;
• will be familiarized with tectonic triggered hazards;
• will have known climate changes from the north to the south of Europe;
• will have trained on coastal landscape topics;
• will have trained on karstic landscapes;
• will have trained on tectonically affected landscapes;
• will have gained new competences on geomorphological methods and techniques.

The physical mobility part will be running between 28 June - 2 July 2027. It will take place on Naxos Island as a base, with daily excursions to Paros and/ or the Small Cyclades islands. 

Students will gain hands-on experience with the impacts of climate change, tectonics, and human activities on landscapes and ecosystems. They will explore Naxos’ coastal lagoons, engaging in discussions on their future evolution under sea-level rise, and study the palaeoenvironmental and palaeogeographical evolution of the islands using various climate and sea-level change indicators, such as beachrocks and lagoons. 

Students will also examine coastal processes and morphodynamics, learning to link environmental changes to natural and anthropogenic drivers. Practical exercises will include GNSS-RTK measurements, topographical cross sections, and coastline change analysis, enabling them to connect field observations with quantitative methodologies.

Main subjects to be discussed and main activities in the field:

• Climate change impact on the landscape
• The role of tectonics in landscape evolution
• Climate change impacts on the environment
• Human impact on landscape and ecology
• Tectonically affected landscapes and recognition of tectonic features in the field
• Karstic landscapes: recognition and comprehension of processes involved
• Palaeoenvironmental changes and palaeogeographic evolution/ reconstruction
• Current societal challenges, including the future of lagoons
• Climate change indicators
• Coastal processes
• Morphotectonics
• Nature-based solutions to cope with coastal erosion
• Nature-based solutions to rebuild sand dunes
• Analysis of coastline change and morphodynamics based on GNSS-RTK measurements
• Topographical cross sections using GNSS-RTK
• Sediment core sampling
• Sediment core analysis

Τhe virtual component will run between 5 April - 11 June 2027 and will be preparatory to set the basis to better understand the physical part. It will introduce students to the theoretical concepts, study sites, and key methods in coastal geomorphology, landscape evolution, and climate change. 

It will combine synchronous online sessions, asynchronous multimedia materials, recorded lectures, and virtual fieldtrips, enabling students to become familiar with Naxos, Paros, and the Small Cyclades before on-site activities.

Virtual reality tools and guided online tours of study sites will support pre-field orientation, ensuring that students can focus on hands-on learning and methodological training during the physical component.

 Some of the topics covered in this part:

• Climate change and sea-level change
• Climate change and landscape evolution
• Coastal processes
• Coastal landforms
• Coastal evolution - Vulnerability based on geomorphic hazards
• The role of climate change and anthropogenic impacts on coastal environments
• Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction
• Beach morphodynamics
• Nature-based solutions to deal with coastal erosion
• Nature-based solutions to rebuild sand dunes
• Introduction to the Cyclades environment and the evolution of the coastal zone

Evaluation of the students on the virtual component will be accomplished through online questionnaires/ quizzes.

Regarding the physical part, students will be evaluated through a presentation they will have to do at the end of the physical mobility.

Motivation Letter

Level of english (According to CEFR)

CV

Applications will be evaluated based on their CV, motivation letter, and the relevance of the students' studies with the subject of the BIP.

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

• Dr. Dr. MSc Niki Evelpidou, Professor, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment
• Dr. Anna Karkani, Laboratory Teaching Staff, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment 
• Dr. Giannis Saitis, Researcher, Faculty of Geology and Geoenvironment

University of Bucharest

• Dr. Mihaela Verga, Lecturer, Faculty of Geography
• Dr. Alfred Vespremeanu-Stroe, Professor of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geography 
• Dr. Ion Florin Tatui, Researcher, Faculty of Geography

Stockholm University

• Dr. Arjen Stroeven, Professor, Department of Physical Geography
• Dr. Gunhild Rosqvist, Professor, Department of Physical Geography
• Dr. Maricela De la Torre Castro, Professor, Department of Physical Geography

Aix-Marseille Université

• Dr. Francois Sabatier, Associate Professor, Department of Geography, Planning and Environment

Paris Lodron University of Salzburg

• Dr. Lang Andreas Professor, Head of Research Group Geomorphology