Andreas P. Mamolos

• Professor
• Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Mediterranean basin is considered as a biodiversity and climate hotspot. Endemic aromatic plants could play a key role in minimizing energy inputs and greenhouse gas emissions and conserving water and soil resources regarding the Mediterranean agriculture. This study aims to provide an assessment regarding the energy consumption and greenhouse gase...

By 2050, the increasing demand for food will put additional pressure on natural resources. Underutilized crops, such as wild vegetables, are an essential component of the Mediterranean diet and are widely correlated with the traditional cuisine of Mediterranean countries. They could be widely associated with resistance to abiotic stress and enhance...

Energy flows in perennial agro and natural ecosystems are essential and could be related to greenhouse gas emissions and increasing water demands. Energy indices and carbon and water footprint are useful tools in assessing the interaction between production systems and environmental impact inside Natura 2000 sites and enhancing ecosystem services....

Olive cultivation is expanding rapidly in the northwestern part of Greece, under both rainfed and irrigated practices. Irrigation can result in larger yields and economic returns, but trade-offs in the water–energy–pollution nexus remain a controversial and challenging issue. This study presents an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Greek...

The development of agriculture is linked to energy resources. Consequently, energy analysis in agroecosystems could be a useful tool for monitoring some measures in the agricultural sector to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. The objectives of this study were to (a) evaluate differences of energy indices in orange and kiwi orchards, and (b) point...

Agroecosystem energy analysis is a useful tool for tracking some of the measures taken in the agricultural sector to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in order to achieve the Paris Agreement climate targets. The objectives of this study were to (a) determine differences in energy inputs among tomato farming systems (greenhouse, open-field, and hydr...

Agricultural fields have natural within-field soil variations that can be extensive, are usually contiguous, and are not always traceable. As a result, in many cases, site-specific attention is required to adjust inputs and optimize crop performance. Researchers, such as agronomists, agricultural engineers, or economists and other scientists, have...

Most terrestrial plants depend strongly on associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi (Subphylum: Glomeromycotina) to establish and survive (Bever, 2002; van der Heijden et al., 1998; Klironomos et al., 2011; Veresoglou et al., 2017), and have evolved a nutritional mutualism. In this mutualism, the plant provides carbon to the fungus, usua...

Agriculture accounts for 5% of the entire energy used worldwide. Most of it is not in a renewable form, so it can be linked to greenhouse gas emissions. According to the Paris Agreement, on climate change, one of its major targets is the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the agricultural production process must drastically change. C...

The assessment of energy flow in agroecosystems can help to select the best management strategies for cultivated species. Conventional and organic vineyards and kiwi orchards along with conventional, integrated and organic apple orchards were selected from sites located both in and out Natura 2000 network to (a) determine energy efficiency of the f...

Residues decomposition is an important process for plant nutritional demands. The present work was conducted in order to investigate the olive tree residues decomposition (leaves and shoots: buried in a horizontal and a sloping site of an organic olive grove) and its impact on soil properties and microbial N-biomass as affected by soil slope. Mean...

Energy flow in orchards can be used to determine first the best management practices and second the possibility of using those which have best environmental advantages. Conventional and organic peach and kiwi orchards were selected in order to (a) determine energy flow of the farming systems, and (b) reveal the importance of energy inputs in crop a...

Aims Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) constitute essential elements for plant growth and their availability influence species diversity in herbaceous plant communities. Legumes exhibit relatively high abundance in N-limited soils. Moreover, the legumes’ N:P ratios are much higher than those of the other plant species grown in the same site, probably...

A novel approach to assess and evaluate environmental impacts associated with a technical construction project is presented using the case study of a dam construction. The proposed methodology consists of a stepwise procedure that includes impact assessment, impact ranking, impact analysis, and mapping the final impact score using GIS as the decisi...

Organic farming is applied in olive groves in Lesvos Island the last 20 years. “Kolovi” and “Adramitiani”, two dominant varieties are cultivated. Since there is limited research for energy inputs in olive groves, 62 conventional and 26 organic farms were selected during 2011–2013 in order to (a) determine the differences in energy flow among farmin...

The variation of management practices in olive groves was related to total energy outputs, energy efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions. The energy analysis of olive groves in Cyprus Island may be a useful tool for mapping the variation of the above mentioned variables aiming at best management of energy inputs. Twenty-one olive groves from diff...

A combination of agro-environmental indicators and energy analysis of a production system, such as vineyards located in Natura 2000 sites, for which little is known, may be a useful tool to decide best farm management practices with low greenhouse gas emissions. In randomly selected vineyards at six sites of Natura 2000 network in Cyprus, we evalua...

Gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) was used to measure the (13)C/(12)C ratios of PLFAs at natural abundance levels from a temperate grassland nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) factorial fertilization experiment in northern Greece. In each plot two rhizosphere samples were derived centred around individual Agrost...

Heterogeneity in Moisture Content. Means (±S.E) of moisture content of the samples obtained in the harvest of the 10th of July 2008 grouped according to the blocking factor. (DOC)

Mahalanobis-distances-based matrix. Mahalanobis distances for the centroids of the samples following a principal component analysis. Analysis of the effect of the four fertilization treatments on the ranking of the Mahalanobis distances based on a Kruskal-Wallis test revealed significance of the effect of treatment. (DOC)

Recently, the increased cost of fossil fuels and greenhouse gas emissions has attracted the interest of many scientists to study the energy use in agricultural systems. Energy analysis in white asparagus farms is useful to decide best management strategies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate a) the energy flow among conventional, integra...

Energy analysis in peach orchards is useful to decide best management strategies. The objectives of this study were to evaluate (a) the energy flow among conventional, integrated and organic farming systems and (b) the effect of farming system to greenhouse gas-emissions. Sixteen farms (four conventional, nine integrated, three organic) at six loca...

Notwithstanding the comprehensive literature available on the subject, our understanding of linkages between soil properties and plant productivity remain inconclusive. Here we report on the potential role of soil pH in modulating plant productivity as assessed on the basis of dry mass, harvested in the form of 0,25 m2 quadrats, in two low-producti...

The construction of hydraulic technical projects plays an important role in preserving water resources for the continuously increase of water needs espe-cially due to the last climate changes. Though water reservoirs contribution in lo-cal economic prosperity is substantial, questions rise about the possible impacts on protected areas near the cons...

Summary 1. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and ammonia oxidizers (AO) represent key soil microbial groups regulating nitrogen (N) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Both utilize soil ammonium-N reserves for N assimilation, whilst the latter, through autotrophic nitrification, drive ammonia oxidation to highly mobile nitrate-N. 2. An incompatibl...

The construction of hydraulic technical projects plays an important role in preserving water resources for the continuously increase of water needs especially due to the last climate changes. Though water reservoirs contribution in local economic prosperity is substantial, questions rise about the possible impacts on protected areas near the constr...

Origanum vulgare L. subsp. hirtum (Link) Ietsw. is a polymorphic taxon with respect to essential oil production and glandular trichome density. Here it is examined whether the natural populations that are indigenous in continental Greece may be considered as different ecotypes (i.e. populations with different genetic variation) and whether evidence...

According to the singular hypothesis of plant diversity, different plant species are expected to make unique contribution to ecosystem functioning. Hence, individual species would support distinct microbial communities. It was hypothesized that microbial community dynamics in the respective rhizospheres of, two floristically divergent species, Agro...

Wetlands are some of the most biologically productive and dynamic natural ecosystems with multiple value for man and nature. Indeed wetlands provide goods and service such as water storing, floodwater trapping, and trapping of sediment and pollutants. Wetlands also affect climate change by absorbing CO2, storing and releasing heat, and harnessing s...

The temporal patterns of growth and nutrient accumulation into shoots of coexisting species were studied at two neighbouring areas contrasting with respect to long-term water availability, in an upland herbaceous grassland. Plant growth limiting nutrients were nitrogen (N) in the wet area, and N and phosphorus (P) in the dry area. A series of seven...

An energy analysis in orchards is useful to deciding best management strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate, by selecting organic and conventional sweet cherry orchards located in/or close to Natura 2000 sites (a) the energy flow between the two farming systems and (b) the effect of farming system to gas emissions (CO2, CH4 and N2O...

Summary 1. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and ammonia oxidizers (AO) represent key soil microbial groups regulating nitrogen (N) cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Both utilize soil ammonium-N reserves for N assimilation, whilst the latter, through autotrophic nitrification, drive ammonia oxidation to highly mobile nitrate-N. 2. An incompatible...

The construction of hydraulic technical projects plays an important role in preserving water resources for the continuously increase of water needs especially due to the last climate changes. Though water reservoirs contribution in local economic prosperity is substantial, questions rise about the possible impacts on protected areas near the constr...

The main purpose of this study was the development of an impact evaluation model to effectively assess and map possible ecological impacts due to a dam construction on habitats and species from the nearest Natura 2000 sites. A new approach has been developed in order to assess and map possible impacts on habitats due to a dam construction at both c...

In viticulture, residue decomposition may be important in terms of fertilization, due to the low grapevine nutritional demands. Grapevine residue quality, mass loss and nutrient release rates were studied in an organic (Vorg) and a conventional vineyard (Vconv) for 19-months. Leaf and cane residues of the Vorg (Lorg, Corg) and of Vconv (Lconv, Ccon...

An energy analysis, in conventional and organic vineyards, combined with ethanol production and greenhouse gas emissions, is useful in evaluating present situation and deciding best management strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the differences in the energy flow between organic and conventional vineyards in three locations, to...

The vegetation in a grassland area in the prefecture of Kilkis (N. Greece), known for its surface Cu-mineralization, was studied. 43 quadrats were established along a transect through an area where the vegetation formed patches of different size. Cover-abundance and frequency estimates for all species were made. Normal Association Analysis revealed...

This study was conducted to determine the effect of Canada thistle density and the direct and indirect effects of Canada thistle aboveground biomass and N concentration on wheat yield. A 4-yr experiment (1991–1995) with four Canada thistle densities (0, 4, 16, 64 plants m−2) was conducted. Initial statistical analysis showed a significant effect of...

A 2-year study is presented on the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on plant productivity, uptake of phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) and diversity of plant community in a herbaceous, P and N limited grassland consisting exclusively of C3 species and dominated by two plant species less mycotrophic than the subordinate ones. We hypothesiz...

Rotation systems and allelopathic interactions between plants-plants, plants-insects, plants-microorganisms would be important to exploit allelopathy in optimising the production of rotation systems. The objective of this study is to provide evidences for the importance of allelopathy in crop rotation for weed, insect and disease management with mi...

Abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in the roots of plant species was assessed in two areas in Greece in a 4-year study (2004–2007). The field experiment was conducted in a mountainous and herbaceous grassland in Greece in which both nitrogen (N)- and phosphorus (P)-limited plant community productivity. In 2006, data were also collected...

An energy analysis, combined with an economic one, in conventional and organic olive groves is useful in evaluating present situation and deciding best management strategies. The objective of this study was to evaluate the differences in the energy budget between organic and conventional olive groves in three locations in the island of Thasos and t...

Several studies have shown that ecosystem functioning increases with increasing species richness. Most of these studies examined the effects of species richness on primary productivity. The underlying mechanism that explains this pattern is usually the selection effect. The higher the diversity in plant communities the higher the chance in includin...

Establishment of sericea lespedeza [Lespedeza cuneata (Dumont de Courset) G. Don.] in southeastern USA is difficult. Seedling emergence may be related to the range of temperatures prevalent during establishment. A growth chamber study was undertaken to measure the effect of temperature on seedling emergence of 56 sericea lespedeza genotypes. Main t...

Soil physicochemical characteristics, total aboveground biomass, number of species and relative abundance of groups and individual species were measured along a moisture gradient in a pasture, flooded in part during winter through early summer, adjacent to Pamvotis lake in Ioannina, Greece. Soil and vegetation measurements were conducted in 39 quad...

The temporal patterns of growth and nutrient accumulation into above-ground biomass of two annual coexisting plant species were studied in a semi-arid unfertile grassland. The hypothesis that temporal differences in growth and in nutrient accumulation into above-ground biomass facilitate species coexistence was also tested. Of the annual species id...

To optimise sampling conditions for the detection by ELISA of Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV) and Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV), the most important viral pathogens of garlic worldwide, relative virus concentrations were determined during the growing period and in different leaf parts by DAS-ELISA. Both viruses were found to have uneven distributi...

Effects of differences in long-term water supply were examined on soil characteristics, primary production and species composition in a wet and a dry site of an upland herbaceous grassland. Also the responses of species to N and P enrichments were examined. N and P concentrations of non-legume species were positively related, indicating that biomas...

Dominant plant species in semi-arid environments differ in their effects on litter decomposition. The present study was conducted to investigate the contribution of dominant plant species found in a natural semi-arid grassland to nutrient cycling through their litter decomposition. Aboveground litter (stems and leaves) of Dichanthium ischaemum, Chr...

The relationship between two soil arthropod communities (Coleoptera and Isopoda) in organic and conventional fields was investigated. Soil arthropods were sampled by pitfall traps, and fuzzy set theory and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) were used for their classification. The study was conducted in: (1) two organic and two conventional vin...

Two field experiments were carried out in the watersheds of two Ramsar wetland areas, Lakes Koronia and Volvi (area A) and Lakes Mikri and Megali Prespa (area B), to study the effect of application of N fertilizer on wheat yields, the quality of runoff water, and the quality of stream water. The treatments were a combination of two methods of ferti...

Runoff water from agro-ecosystems may cause pollution to the adjacent semi-natural and natural terrestrial or aquatic ecosystems. An experiment was carried out in the watershed of Lake Koronia in northern Greece in 1991/1992 to study the effect of wheat cultivation practices on the quality of surface runoff water and transported soil sediments. The...

The rates of litter decomposition, organic matter loss and nutrient release for Dactylis glomerata (Gramineae) and Vicia villosa (Leguminosae) were studied at two sites in north Greece, which differed in soil pH, soil particle distribution and nutrient availability. Climate, soil characteristics and taxonomic plant differences affected the rates of...

There are indications that plant diversity can influence soil arthropod abundance and diversity in terrestrial ecosystems. This study was conducted to investigate the relationships between weed and soil arthropod diversity in organic and conventional agroecosystems. The fields involved in this study were: a) two organic and two conventional vineyar...

Fuzzy set theory and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) are often used for classification and ordination techniques in studies of various arthropod communities. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationships and trends of the two soil arthropod communities (Coleoptera and Isopoda) in organic and conventional agroecosys...

This study was conducted to investigate whether density, above-ground biomass and nitrogen (N) concentration of Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop. cause serious reductions in faba bean (Vicia faba L.) yield. A 2-year field experiment (1991–93) with four Cirsium densities (0, 4, 16, 64 plants m–2) was carried out. Statistical analysis showed a significant e...

To investigate how soil water content affects plant productivity; phenology and changes in aboveground biomass of five species were recorded in a Mediterranean lowland grassland during a relatively wet year (1991) and a dry year (1992); soil-water potentials were related to changes in soil water content. Species examined were the early-season C3gra...

Lespedeza cuneata is a perennial legume crop used to protect soil from erosion, beneficial to infertile soils and recommended for planting with some grasses to improve productivity. It is an allelopathic plant as evident from : (a). Establishment of some plants species in its crop field require high seed rates to overcome the inhibitory allelopathi...

The decomposition rates of different plant parts of maize (Zea mays L.; Gramineae), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.; Leguminosae] and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.; Compositae) were studied in soils with different physicochemical characteristics, and their contribution to nutrient availability was assessed. Litter decomposition rates were affecte...

Temporal pattern of growth, time and depth of root activity, and responses to N, P and K enrichment were measured for the three most abundant species in species-poor vegetation on fertile alluvial soil to examine whether differences in these characteristics could account for their co-existence. The responses of these co-existing species to nutrient...

Sericea lespedeza [Lespedeza cuneata (Dum. Cours) G. Don.] is a perennial legume with high polyphenol (tannin) concentration. The decomposition and nutrient release of sericea lespedeza residues with two tannin levels (high = 22% or low = 16%), which were either placed on the soil surface or buried at a depth of 5 cm were studied. An experiment was...

In recent decades researches, related to the effects of heavy metals and other trace elements on vegetation development, have increased, revealing that the vegetation in many heavy-metal soils is often patchy. Such patches may differ in floristic composition, even if they are close to each other. As a result, contrasting aspects on heavy-metal soil...

The rate of biomass decomposition, organic matter loss, and nutrient release from litter of Lotus corniculatus grown with or without N were studied using the litter-bag technique. The experiments were carried out at two sites in northern Greece with soil pH of 7.8 and 5.6, respectively. Applied N increased biomass decomposition and total N release...

1 Root activity of coexisting plant species was assessed by injecting lithium, strontium and caesium at depths of 5 and 15 cm in the soil of an upland grassland to which a factorial combination of N and P additions had been applied. 2 For each species and each tracer the ratio of the above-ground concentrations after injection at depths of 5 and 15...

1 A 3-year study tested the hypothesis that proportions of plant species are negatively related to species concentrations of limiting nutrients using a moderately acid lowland grassland site in Northern Greece, where growth was limited by soil moisture, N and P. 2 Species proportions were assessed both by a cumulative measure (above-ground biomass...

The effects of fertilisation on productivity of individual species and total vegetation and on vegetation diversity were examined in a lowland and an upland grassland developed on acid soils in Northern Greece. Lime and potassium, that were applied only in the lowland grassland, did not affect plant growth. Fertilisation with nitrogen and phosphoru...