The Morphotectonic units of Ikaria island – Contribution in the natural hazards research

ενός μεν της διαχρονικής εξέλιξης της νήσου, όπως αυτή εντάσσεται στα πλαίσια της γεωδυνα-μικής εξέλιξης του ελληνικού τόξου και ιδιαίτερα κατά τα τελευταία στάδια από το Αν. Μειόκαινο και μετά, αφ' ετέρου δε της δράσης των εξωγενών παραγόντων, αλλά και της ανθρώπινης παρέμβασης.Με βάση τα πρωτογενή στοιχεία υπαίθρου και την ανάλυση, επεξεργασία και αξιολόγησή τους μέσα από τη χρήση νέων τεχνολογιών (χρήση GIS, ανάλυση γεωγραφικών και περιγραφικών δεδο-μένων) προσδιορίστηκαν για την νήσο συγκεκριμένες μορφοτεκτονικές ενότητες. Η διάκριση των μορφοτεκτονικών ενοτήτων διαφαίνεται μέσα από τα ιδιαίτερα χαρακτηριστικά τους και έγκειται τόσο στη λιθολογική διαφοροποίηση (γρανίτης, μεταμορφωμένα, μεταλπικοί σχηματισμοί) και στο διαφορετικό τεκτονισμό (ρήγματα αποκόλλησης, ρήγματα οριζόντιας ολίσθησης, κανονικά ρήγματα), όσο και στην ιδιαίτερη μορφολογία (κατανομή κλίσεων, ασυμμετρίες υδρογραφικού δικτύου, επιφά-νειες επιπέδωσης, μορφολογικές ασυνέχειες κλπ.).Η σύνθεση των ιδιαίτερων χαρακτηριστικών της κάθε μορφοτεκτονικής ενότητας σε συνδυασμό με την ανθρώπινη παρέμβαση (πυρκαγιές, ανεξέλεγκτη βόσκηση κλπ.), καθορίζει και το είδος, την ένταση και το γεωγραφικό εντοπισμό των φυσικών κινδύνων που εκδηλώνονται στις διάφορες περι-οχές του νησιού, όπως κατολισθήσεις, διάβρωση, πλημμύρες, σεισμική δραστηριότητα, μεταβολές αναγλύφου, μεταβολές ακτογραμμών κλπ.Present morphological and tectonic image of Ikaria island is the complex result of both the tem-poral evolution of the island, as part of the geodynamical evolution of the Hellenic Arc, especially that of the last stages (from the upper Miocene and after), and the exogenous factors. Also human impact functions as an additional parameter for the formation of Ikaria geoenvironment.According to field data and their analysis, computing and estimation which took part with the use of modern technologies (use of GIS, analysis of geographical and descriptive databases) the mor-photectonic units of Ikaria Island were defined. The definition of the morphotectonic units was based on their special features and more precisely on the lithological differentiation (granite, metamorphic rocks and post alpine formations) as well as the complex ductile and brittle structures (large scale ductile shear-zones and brittle detachment faults, normal faults, strike-slip transfer faults and join sets) and the morphological features (slope distribution, asymmetry of the drainage system, planation surfaces, morphological discontinuities etc).The synthesis of the special features of each morphotectonic unit in combination with the human impact (fires, overgrazing etc), defines the kind, the intensity and the geographical localization of the natural hazards which occur in various sites of the island, such as landslides, erosion, floods, seismic activity, relief changes, coastline changes etc

Numerical Modelling of Tidal Notch Sequences on Rocky Coasts of the Mediterranean Basin

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Late Holocene shorelines deduced from tidal notches on both sides of the Ionian Thrust (Greece): Fiscardo Peninsula (Cephalonia) and Ithaca Island.

Fossil shorelines produced by recent co-seismic movements were identified throughasubmarine survey along the coasts of Ithaca and Fiscardo (Greece).In both areas a tidal notch-slightly submerged below present Mean Sea Level (MSL) was observed at various sites. This “modern” notch is known to have been submerged by the global sea-level rise during the 19th and 20th centuries. The depth after tide and air-pressure correction of the vertex of the “modern” notch (that owes its submergence to the current rapid sea level rise) was measured between -20 and -30±5cm at Fiscardo and between -36 and -45±6cm at Ithaca. This “modern” notch at the same depth on east and west sides of the Ionian Thrust suggests that both areas were not affected by the co-seismic vertical movements that occurred in 1953 (in the wider area). On the other hand, a greater depth in Ithaca could be an effect of co-seismic subsidence. Over the long term, the tectonic behavior of Ithaca differs from Fiscardo. At Ithaca no evidence of emergence was found and Holocene vertical movements have been only of subsidence: submerged fossil tidal notches were distinguished below MSL at about -40 (modern), -60, -75, -95, -106, -126, -150 and -220±6cm. On the East coast of Fiscardo peninsula impacts of ancient earthquakes have left some marks of emergence at about +18 and +44±5cm, and of submergence at about -25 (modern), -45, -60, -75, -82, -100 and -230cm, with even some evidence of past uplift and subsidence at the same sites

Late Holocene tectonic implications deduced from tidal notches in Leukas and Meganisi islands (Ionian Sea)

In this paper the tectonic behavior of Leukas and Meganisi islands (Ionian Sea) is examined through underwater research carried out in both islands. A possible Late Holocene correlation between coseismic subsidences is attempted and evidenced by submerged tidal notches in both islands. These subsidence events probably occurred after the uplift that affected the northernmost part of Leukas around 4 to 5ka BP. In conclusion, although the whole area was affected by a similar tectonic strain, certain coseismic events were only recorded in one of the two islands and in some cases they affected only part of the study are

SPINSMEDE: a transnational taining experience on soil protection

SPinSMEDE, acronym of Soil Protection in Sloping Mediterranean Agri- Environments, an Erasmus Intensive Programme, funded by the EC Lifelong Learning Programme, was designed and implemented following the policy context of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in Europe. This document announced expectable demand for technical competences to meet increased requirements on the issue, most needed to cope with the specific soil degradation problems of Mediterranean hill-slopes. SPinSMEDE took place during three years (2008-2010), in three different places (Portugal, Greece and Spain), involving students and lecturers from five Universities. The presentation aims at reporting this transnational training experience on soil protection. The design, implementation and evaluation phases are described, outlining the main background elements, methodological approaches and outcomes of each phase. Namely, context-driven justification of the project, a description of the partnership and programme contents are included in the design phase. Programme implementation is addressed in terms of students profile, activities performed, assessment requirements, support material provided, and project deliverables. After describing the programme evaluation procedures developed and applied, the discussion focus on SPinSMEDE success, drawbacks, and problems arose and ways adopted to cope with them. Final remarks state main lessons learned and and programme follow-up activities envisaged

SPINSMEDE: first presentation of a transnational training experience on soil protection

SPinSMEDE, acronym of Soil Protection in Sloping Mediterranean Agri-Environments, an Erasmus Intensive Programme, funded by the EC Lifelong Learning Programme, was designed and implemented following the policy context of the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in Europe. This document announced expectable demand for technical competences to meet increased requirements on the issue, most needed to cope with the specific soil degradation problems of Mediterranean hill-slopes. SPinSMEDE took place during three years (2008-2010), in three different places (Portugal, Greece and Spain), involving students and lecturers from five Universities. The presentation aims at reporting, at a preliminary stage of data exploration, this transnational training experience on soil protection. The design, implementation and evaluation phases are described, outlining the main background elements, methodological approaches and outcomes of each phase. Namely, context-driven justification of the project, a description of the partnership and programme contents are included in the design phase. Programme implementation is addressed in terms of students profile, activities performed, assessment requirements, support material provided, and project deliverables. After describing the programme evaluation procedures developed and applied, the discussion focuses on SPinSMEDE success, drawbacks, and problems arose and ways adopted to cope with them. Final remarks state main lessons learned and and programme follow-up activities envisaged

Soil protection in sloping mediterranean agri-environments: lectures and exercises

The long history of the Mediterranean records striking examples of success and failure of land use models and management practices, which, in the latter case, are a heavy heritage for the soil resource in this basin. At present day, many forms of soil degradation threaten Mediterranean soils as, for instance, salinization, pollution, structural degradation and erosion. There is a geographical pattern of distribution of these forms of soil degradation and soil erosion is first in rank as far as sloping areas are concerned. Corresponding to a very large surface of Mediterranean land, these are especially sensitive areas, where soils are a qualitatively scarce resource. Sloping Mediterranean agri-environments heir a very significant part of cropping systems, crops and products traditional of the basin, vineyards and olive groves being the most relevant ones. Improvements in productivity and economic income of these areas are imperative to reduce population depletion and its impacts on territory sustainability. On the other hand, the long-term cultivated and highly eroded slopes ask for alternative land use models and management options that allow recovery of already much degraded environments. The importance of sloping areas, their land uses and misuses, comes also from their hydrological key role that, in the Mediterranean, has large consequences for water conservation, flood hazard and off-site effects of soil erosion. Soil protection initiatives are needed to cope with the threats to soil resource highlighted above. The thematic strategy for soil protection in Europe clearly sets the topic in high priority at policy level, as the need for soil protection is there stated in specific terms. This new political background encourages defining specifically oriented rationale in view soil protection measures design and implementation. Actually, expertise acquired in the last couple of decades throughout Europe, as part of the European strong research efforts in the topic, shows the high level of specialization necessary to tackle with soil protection issues. The still growing research-borne information has to be converted into technically useful tools for ―real world‖ problem solving. The thematic strategy for soil protection in Europe asks for such a challenge and problems posed on Mediterranean sloping areas are certainly important test-subjects. Foreword T. de Figueiredo & N. Evelpidou vi Figueiredo & Evelpidou As requirements stated in regulations eventually issued from the thematic strategy for soil protection in Europe become more specific, demand is expected to grow for technical staff able to deal with the design and implementation of soil protection measures. This is why and what for SPinSMEDE was designed, planned and organized. SPinSMEDE, acronym for Soil Protection in Sloping Mediterranean Agri- Environments, labels an Erasmus Intensive Programne that first took place in spring 2008, in Portugal, at Escola Superior Agrária of the Instituto Politécnico de Bragança. Intensive Programmes, within the Lifelong Learning Programme, are short duration higher education programmes, fully creditated within the ECTS framework. They stem on a transnational partnership of EU Universities, where students and professors come from, as in an Erasmus mobility scheme. For SPinSMEDE two-week and 6 credits Intensive Programme, the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, the co-ordinating institution, promoted a partnership including the Wageningen University (The Netherlands), the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (Greece), the University of Lleida (Spain), and the Unversity of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The book objectives, target audience and general sequence of subjects, are all the same as those defined for the programme itself. Therefore, it is aimed at providing basic tools to assess soil degradation and to design soil protection initiatives in Mediterranean sloping areas. Rooted in both the EU thematic strategy for soil protection in Europe and the special environmental sensitivity of Mediterranean slopes, it is oriented towards the capacitation in such specific issue of post-graduation students, especially those with background in agricultural, forest or environmental engineering and those from life or earth sciences. The programme comprises two main parts, and this is reflected in the book contents. In order to allow a better insight on the Mediterranean environment, the texts of overview lectures addressed to geography and geology, climate, soils and vegetation are also presented. Background subjects, the first part, addresses soil degradation processes and assessment, soil protection measures design and implementation applying technical and socio-economic criteria. It is intended to provide the base knowledge necessary to better understand subjects treated in the second part. Selected case studies are presented and explored in the second part, and they concern land use typical of Mediterranean slopes, such as vineyards, olive groves, forests or shrubs. Not by chance, the book falls somewhere between the classical text book and the professionally oriented handbook. As so, after a more theorectically developed topic, the reader may find exercises that set the necessary links with ―real world‖ conditions and problems, and that guide in the application of methods to approach it. This book assembles the texts and reading material of most of the lectures and exercises given during the two editions of SPinSMEDE, the 2008, held in Bragança, and the 2009, held in Athens (a third edition is planned for spring 2010, in Santiago de Compostela). It is felt as a still in progress work, because the relevance of this thematic seemingly requires the attention of a wider audience than the one it may reach now, and, in turn, this goal asks for editorial refinements that, for the moment, could not be achieved according to expectations. Editors and contributors deeply wish their work to serve the outstanding and demanding cause of soil resource protection in the Mediterranean sloping agri-environments