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%). We sampled 46 plots (100 m ² ) 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. 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 ). Connectivity analysis showed that P. parnassica ‐suitable habitat consisted of few larger and well‐connected patches (26 patches: effective mesh size of 1.57 km ² ) and that O. parnassica ‐suitable habitat consisted of more but smaller and less connected patches (56 patches: effective mesh size of 0.3 km ² ). 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. 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. 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.

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/km 2), 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 0.45 among 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.

Wind harnessing is a fast-developing and cost-effective Renewable Energy Source, but the land impacts of wind power stations are often overlooked or underestimated. We digitized land take, i.e., the generation of artificial land, derived from 90 wind power stations in Greece constructed between 2002 and 2020 (1.2 GW). We found substantial land take impacts of 7729 m2/MW (3.5 m2/MWh) of new artificial land, 148 m/MW of new roads and 174 m/MW of widened roads on average. Models showed that the number and size of wind turbines, the absence of other existing infrastructures and the elevational difference across new access roads increased artificial land generation. The elevational difference across new and widened access roads also increased their length. New wind power stations in Greece are planned to be installed at higher elevations and in terrains facing higher risks for soil erosion and soil biodiversity. The general tendency in the European Union is to sit fewer wind power stations in mountainous and forested land. Still, this pattern is inversed in several countries, particularly in Southern Europe. After screening 29 policy and legal documents, we found that land take is indirectly inferred in the global policy but more directly in the European policy through five non-legally binding documents and three Directives. However, the current European energy policies seem to conflict with nature conservation policies, risking land take acceleration. The study provides insights for reducing land take when planning and constructing wind power stations. We underline the need for better quantification of land take and its integration in the complex process of sustainable spatial planning of investments.

Wind harnessing is a fast-developing and cost-effective Renewable Energy Source, but the land impacts of wind power stations are often overlooked or underestimated. We digitized land take, i.e., the generation of artificial land, derived from 90 wind power stations in Greece constructed between 2002 and 2020 (1.2 GW). We found substantial land take impacts of 7729 m2/MW (3.5 m2/MWh) of new artificial land, 148 m/MW of new roads and 174 m/MW of widened roads on average. Models showed that the number and size of wind turbines, the absence of other existing infrastructures and the elevational difference across new access roads increased artificial land generation. The elevational difference across new and widened access roads also increased their length. New wind power stations in Greece are planned to be installed at higher elevations and in terrains facing higher risks for soil erosion and soil biodiversity. The general tendency in the European Union is to sit fewer wind power stations in mountainous and forested land. Still, this pattern is inversed in several countries, particularly in Southern Europe. After screening 29 policy and legal documents, we found that land take is indirectly inferred in the global policy but more directly in the European policy through five non-legally binding documents and three Directives. However, the current European energy policies seem to conflict with nature conservation policies, risking land take acceleration. The study provides insights for reducing land take when planning and constructing wind power stations. We underline the need for better quantification of land take and its integration in the complex process of sustainable spatial planning of investments.

Greece hosts 35% of European Orthoptera fauna (378 species), with a surprisingly high degree of endemism (37%) and a high degree of red-listed species (37%). We investigated the ecology of two endemic and red-listed species through plot sampling (100 m2) in the summer of 2021 and 2022. The Tymphrestos Greek Bush-cricket (Parnassiana tymphrestos) is an endemic species with its global distribution restricted to Oiti Mountain (46 km2: 54% in GR2440004) and Tymphrestos Mountain (0.84 km2: 100% in GR2430001). The Tymphrestos Mountain Grasshopper (Oropodisma tymphrestosi) is an endemic species with its global distribution restricted to Oiti (11 km2: 84% in GR2440004) Tymphrestos (2 km2: 100% in GR2430001) and Vardoussia Mountain (1,25 km2: 100% in GR GR2450008). The subpopulations of both species are considered isolated. Both species inhabit mountainous grasslands (4090), Abies forest clearings (951B) and Nardus grasslands (6230). P. tymphrestos prefers microhabitats above 1540 m, with high grass and herb cover (>50%) of average height between 17-20 cm and substantial cover (17%) of short thorny bushes of Astragalus angustifolius, where it hides, and of stony/rocky substrate (16%). O. typmhrestos prefers microhabitats above 1610 m, with an average grass and herb cover of 75% of average height of 18 cm and a substantial cover of stony/rocky substrate (16%). Both species are assessed as endangered (EN) due to their restricted geographic range and the inferred decline of their population sizes and habitat quality due to unsustainable grazing. Preliminary species distribution modeling using 3 modeling techniques (GLM, GBM and Maxent) pinpointed that three key parameters can predict their presence: (1) the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) of August, (2) the Precipitation Seasonality and (3) the topographic roughness. Research is ongoing on the future distribution pattern of the species under climate change.