Climate change imprint on a tectonically active landscape

The BIP "Climate change Imprint on a tectonically active landscape" is organised and hosted by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. The physical activities will take place at Navarino Environmental Observatory (NEO), situated in the Gialova area. The activities will include fieldwork and laboratory, training students on various environmental issues and various methods and techniques on past climate variability and its effect on landscape evolution.

Being hosted at NEO, this BIP can provide the opportunity of knowledge exchange and open discussions on relevant topics with the rest of the NEO experts team. Also, the location where the physical part will take place belongs to a wider Natura 2000 site, which relies on the EU's Birds and Habitats Directives. Therefore, site visits can also be planned during the training period, facilitating discussions on environmental and biodiversity conservation-related issues.

The field part will take place on the wider area of Gialova-Navarino Bay. The area is characterised by a unique landscape, bearing evidence of past climatic and environmental changes. At the same time, the coastal zone is affected by fluvial, tectonic, aeolian, and coastal processes as well as human interventions and thus the interdisciplinary approach of this partnership is very important.

The virtual part will combine online lectures and activities with instructor-led discussions, giving students the theoretical background of this course. The aim is for the students to gain the background for the physical mobility so that, when on site, more focus will be given on in situ training, collection and analysis of data, tools for analysing and interpreting data in the context of climate and environmental change.

1. Climate change impact on the landscape
   
2. Climate change impact on the environment
3. Human impact on the landscape and the ecology
4. Palaeoenvironmental changes and palaeogeographicvolution / reconstruction
5. Current challenges and future of lagoons
6. Climate change indicators
7. Coastal processes

• understanding how climate change is affecting the landscape;
  
• understanding how climate change affects environmental changes;
• understanding how tectonics is affecting the landscape;
• understanding how humans are affecting the landscape and the ecology;
• new competences on data analysis and interpretation on climate change and environmental issues.

The physical mobility part of the course will take place in the wider area of Gialova-Navarino Bay - Greece, during 10-14 March 2025. It will be devoted to field activities - methods and techniques we use in the field to collect and analyse data. You can find below the main subjects to be discussed and the main activities scheduled for the physical mobility session:

• palaeoenvironmental changes
• climate change indicators
• soil erosion
• palaeogeographicvolution / reconstruction
• current challenges and future of lagoons
• coastal processes, coastal evolution, discussion
• sand dunes
• marine terraces as sea-level indicators: how to map them, how to sample them
• aerial photography-aerial photogrammetry
• analysing data collected in the field- RTK-GNSS mapping sand dunes
• cross section development for dune fields

During the field activities, various tools and methods will be used: ArcGIS Field Maps, Drones, GIS, Morphological Mapping, OSL Sampling, Photogrammetry, RTK-GNSS, Water quality monitoring (in situ measurements and lab analysis), CLD (Causal Loop Diagrams) mapping.

The virtual part will include live presentations but also asynchronous training tools such as multimedia material and recorded lectures. The aim is for the students to be acquainted with the study sites prior to the physical mobility. This way, during the physical mobility, more emphasis will be given to the methods and techniques used in the data collecting, for analysing climate and environmental changes. During the virtual component, we plan to provide students with the necessary background on the topics we will address during the physical mobility.

Some of the topics covered in this part:

• the role of climate change to the landscape;
• the role of tectonics in shaping the landscape;
• indicators used to trace climate and environmental changes;
• geomorphic features used to understand landscape and environmental changes;
• climate-related hazards;
• the role of humans in changing the landscape and ecology.

Evaluation of students on the virtual component will be accomplished through online questionnaires/quizzes. For the physical mobility, students will be evaluated through a presentation they will have to do at the end of the physical mobility.

Motivation Letter

CV

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

National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

• 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 Tătui, Researcher, Faculty of Geography

Stockholm University

• dr. Arjen Stroeven, Professor, Department of Physical Geography
• dr. Dr. Gunhild Rosqvist, Professor, Department of Physical Geography 
• dr. Håkan Berg, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Geography
• dr. Georgios Maneas, NEO Station Manager, PhD student, Department of Physical Geography
• dr. Martina Hättestrand, NEO Director, Department of Physical Geography
• dr.  Lars-Ove Westerberg, Senior lecturer, Department of Physical Geography