This study presents a novel multi-scale flood risk assessment framework for cultural heritage sites, applied to the Temple of Apollo, Aegina Island, Greece. Three modeling configurations were developed and compared: (i) an island-wide Rain-on-Grid (RoG) hydraulic model at 5m resolution, (ii) a site-only model driven by inflows from the island-scale simulation, and (iii) a high-resolution nested model coupling island-scale outputs with centimeter-scale site RoG simulations enabled by UAV photogrammetry. Simulations for 100-, 1000-, and 2000-year return periods revealed strong scale-dependent differences: island-wide inundation extents of 7.3-10.3km2, site-specific inundation of 2-24%, and water volumes of 92-1483m3 depending on the model configuration and return period. Flow velocities remained below 1.0m/s, indicating low erosive potential but possible material degradation. Limestone deterioration analysis showed 4-10% compressive strength reduction, 3-9% elastic modulus decrease, and mass losses of 0.64-26.08kg after 24-h inundations. The nested approach provided more realistic water volume accumulation over the single-scale model and revealed critical micro-topographic controls on flood behavior. This scalable, built on readily accessible tools (HEC-RAS and UAV), framework supports rapid deployment to heritage sites globally, enabling quantitative risk assessments for adaptation planning and conservation prioritization.

(1) Background: High temperatures and water scarcity, intensified by climate change, present major challenges to Mediterranean viticulture. In this study morphological, anatomical, and physiological responses of leaves at two developmental stages of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Assyrtiko were examined. (2) Methods: Young expanding and fully expanded leaves of two-year-old grapevines grown in pots in a controlled growth chamber, grown in soil in an open-air vineyard, and an adjacent greenhouse on Aegina Island (Greece), were used. The plants were subjected to water deficit (WD), elevated temperature (ET), and combined water deficit and elevated temperature (WD_ET) conditions for four months, and compared with control plants (C). (3) Results: Stress conditions caused contrasting effects on specific leaf area (SLA), which declined in young expanding leaves, except for a significant increase under elevated temperatures, while it increased in fully expanded leaves exposed to stress treatments. Concerning the anatomical traits, the thickness of spongy and palisade parenchyma did not change in young expanding leaves exposed to the three stress treatments, but increased in fully expanded leaves exposed to WD_ET. Metabolic traits (phenolic compounds, soluble sugars, and starch content) further highlighted these differences. (4) Conclusions: The findings reveal distinct stress responses between young expanding and fully expanded leaves of the grapevine Assyrtiko, underscoring the influence of water deficit and elevated temperatures on leaf developmental stage.

Fossils constitute a significant part of Earth's biodiversity, holding considerable heritage value. With an aim of improving and enhancing dissemination of knowledge and by integrating augmented reality technologies, this paper presents an AR application to identify fossils in two fossil sites, that of Agia Marina (Aegina Island) and Rafina (Attiki peninsula). An application compatible to mobile devices that enables the user to identify the fossils in situ, promoting learning through interactive experiences. It offers virtual tours that transport users back in time to the paleo environments where these fossils were originally found. This application seeks to make science, and especially paleontology, accessible and engaging to a wide range of people. To achieve this, we employed advanced photogrammetry techniques. By utilizing these methods, we were able to create detailed and accurate 3D models of marine fossils and environments. This approach not only enhances the visual representation of these paleo-environments but also provides precise data for scientific analysis and educational purposes. The AFT project allows us to capture the intricacies of invertebrate species and their habitats, ensuring that their importance within the marine ecosystem is effectively communicated and appreciated by a wider audience.

This study employs advanced synthetic aperture radar (SAR) techniques, specifically the small baseline subset (SBAS) method, to analyze ground deformation dynamics on Aegina, a volcanic island within the Hellenic Volcanic Arc. Using Sentinel-1 satellite data spanning January 2016 to May 2023, this research reveals different deformation behaviors. The towns of Aegina and Saint Marina portray regions of stability, contrasting with central areas exhibiting subsidence rates of up to 1 cm/year. The absence of deformation consistent with volcanic activity on Aegina Island aligns with geological records and limited seismic activity, attributing the observed subsidence processes to settlement phenomena from past volcanic events and regional geothermal activity. These findings reinforce the need for continuous monitoring of the volcanic islands located in the Hellenic Volcanic Arc, providing important insights for local risk management, and contributing to our broader understanding of geodynamic and volcanic processes.

Abstract The seismic performance assessment of the ancient Temple of Aphaia in Aegina island, Greece, is presented. The Temple of Aphaia was erected around 500BC using porous limestone and is one of the most characteristic examples of Doric architecture. The assessment is performed within a performance‐based framework using state‐of‐the‐art tools of earthquake engineering. In the first part, the seismic hazard of the site was calculated using the European Seismic Hazard Model and hazard‐consistent records were selected. Then, the Temple was scanned by drone and the point cloud was used to develop the numerical structural model. The Temple was analyzed using the discrete element method. Appropriate engineering demand parameters and limit state thresholds were defined. Fragility curves for the structural elements, namely, columns and architraves, of the Temple were computed via multi‐stripe analysis. Finally, the seismic risk of the Temple was evaluated using long‐term estimates in terms of return periods of exceeding limit states and total loss. The outcomes of the study offer valuable information to engineers, architects, and archaeologists regarding the current status of the monument in terms of identifying its most vulnerable elements and allowing the prioritization of short‐ and long‐term restoration actions.

Inadequate information regarding pesticide contamination in Greek agricultural soils is currently available, while national soil monitoring programs have not been initiated yet. The aim of the present study was to assess the levels, compositions, and distribution of thirty three organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Greek agricultural soils, due to the environmental threat posed by these compounds, even after decades from their abrogation from the market. Determination of the organochlorine pesticides was achieved using gas-chromatography-mass spectrometry, following a QuEChERS sample preparation method. A total of 60 soil samples, from two soil horizons (up to 60 cm), were obtained from agricultural lands in Greece throughout 2019-2020. The major findings presented DDTs, γ-HCH, alachlor, and 4,4- DCBP in the examined soil samples, with DDTs being the major compounds with their maximum cumulative concentration (ΣDDTs) reaching 1273.4 μg kg-1 d.w. Compositional profile and diagnostic ratios suggested that the occurrence of DDT residues was due to historical inputs. Most of the samples did not exceed the target values set by the Netherlands and Canadian guidelines for DDTs in soil; however, there was one exception in the case of Aegina Island. Finally, based on the environmental exposure assessment conducted, the vast majority of the analytes presented lower concentrations compared to the predicted environmental concentrations, with an exemption for DDE metabolite where the measured and predicted concentrations were almost equal.

Figurines are one of the most numerous categories of finds, coming to light in their hundreds in sacral contexts. And while other finds, such as ceramics, fall often into the category of profane, coroplastic finds are clearly always votives. They are offerings to the deity given either singly or, possibly, in groups, along with other offerings, such as edible stuffs. The importance of figurines as votive offerings in shrines has undergone a revision: up to a few decades ago, they were considered cheap, mass-produced products of little interpretive significance to the results of modern research. Their study, when from sacred assemblages, has since progressed greatly. Many independent publications bear witness to this. Their newly-appreciated importance lies not only in their being revealing finds for the practice of worship in a place but also, when there exists, say, a repetition of types for a long time, they offer valuable information about the character, qualities, and sometimes even the very identity of the worshiped deity. And while individual figurines as votive offerings to shrines may be a personal expression of the dedicator, they all reflect a collective and repetitive practice directly related to the deity worshiped. Depending on their place of manufacture, they also provide information on domestic production, influences from other regions and the commercial relations of the sanctuaries and the wider area in which they exist with other such religious centres and other ceramic traditions. But their artistic value is not necessarily negligible. Along with the handmade or mass-produced products, there are similar coroplastic examples on a larger scale, made in multiple moulds; these may far exceed 20 cm in size. Such pieces were certainly not cheap votive offerings but expensive and perhaps made to order. In the present study, the information that may be drawn from figurines in sanctuaries is examined. The exercise takes as a case-study all the figurines from the sanctuary of Aphaia on the island of Aegina in the Saronic Gulf, which are mainly dated due to the Archaic period. This corpus is well-suited to the task in that it gives information not limited only to the typology of the figurines and their relation to the properties of the worshiped deity, but also on their origin, which goes beyond the island itself.

The rising human activities and resource exploitation have increased pressure in the coastal zone and the marine environment, risking the very existence of Marine Priority Habitats (MPH) and Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH). The delimitation of these two priority areas in a time- and cost-effective way is essential for the sustainable management and exploitation of sea resources and natural-cultural heritage preservation. We propose an Integrated Methodological Approach for the Detection and Mapping of MPH and UCH. To achieve this, we used a downscale methodological approach of increasing spatial resolution based on three main methodological axes: (i) desk-based research, (ii) marine geophysics/seafloor classification, and (iii) in-depth visual inspection/3D mapping. This methodological scheme was implemented at the Saronic Gulf and focused on Aegina island. The methodology proposed, which combines existing and new techniques, proved successful in detecting and mapping the MPH and UCH in detail, while it compiled the information necessary for the establishment of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) maps. Finally, the MSP map constructed for the Saronic Gulf demonstrated the lack of holistic coastal zone management plans due to impacts on UCH linked to anthropogenic intervention and the sparsity of marine habitats owing to marine pollution.

The documentation of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) is the basis for sustainable maritime development including its protection, preservation, and incorporation in coastal zone management plans. In this study, we present a multidisciplinary, non-intrusive downscale approach for the documentation of UCH implemented on the coastal area of Aegina Island, Greece, where a unique submerged harbour complex is preserved. This approach succeeded in obtaining information that serves both geomorphological and archaeological purposes in a time- and cost-effective way, while obtaining information of centimeters to millimeters scale. The geomorphology of the area was mapped in detail through marine geophysical means while ancient submerged conical rubble structures and breakwaters were documented using automatic seafloor segmentation techniques, revealing previously unknown sites of archaeological interest. The structures’ parameters were extracted from the acoustic data to analyze their morphometry, while photogrammetry was realized using a Remotely Operated Vehicle to expose their micro-structure. The spatial distribution of the structures revealed the construction of a well-planned harbour complex with multiple passages and different possible functionalities. Finally, through the structures’ morphometric analysis (geometry and terrain statistical parameters) their preservation status was revealed, demonstrating the anthropogenic impact on the submerged ancient structures due to the modern harbor activity.

Septoria leaf spot is an important disease of pistachio trees in Greece. This study aimed to determine effects of temperature and the incubation period on germination of conidia of Septoria pistaciarum, and to evaluate a generic model to forecast pistachio leaf spot under the field conditions of Aegina Island, Greece. The optimum temperature for conidium germination was 23°C, and germination was inhibited at 35 and 4°C. At constant temperature of 23°C, conidia commenced germination after 9 h. The predictive model indexed disease risk close to 100 at 10 May at two locations (Rachi Moschona and Vigla) in 2017, and first leaf spot symptoms were observed on 17 May. Moderate to high disease severity (>25% leaves infected) were observed in unsprayed trees at the end of May. In 2018, the model indexed risk close to 100 on 9 May at Rachi Moschona, and first symptoms were observed on 18 May. Moderate to high disease severity (>25% leaves infected) were observed in unsprayed trees on 25th of May. This study has shown that the forecasting model can be used in Aegina Island, Greece, to predict the severity of Septoria leaf spot of pistachio.

Reusing and presenting the turbulent history of prisons, World War II concentration camps and memorial sites is a complex process, based on experience, memory and its impact on society. The purpose of this study is the presentation and reintegration of the Kapodistrian Orphanage- Political Prisons of Aegina in the society. The ''Behind Open Bars'' proposal aims, mainly, at the acceptance and promotion of the difficult cultural heritage and memory and at the positive re-registration of this landmark in the city of Aegina. At the same time, it aims at the preservation, reuse and promotion of the Kapodistrian Orphanage - Prisons of Aegina, through two parts, an experiential museum unit and a cultural center. The Experiential Museum of Aegina follows and connects the ancient and modern history of Aegina with the turbulent history of the Kapodistrian Orphanage. Undertakes to promote the History of Aegina Political Prisons, restoring and preserving some of the prisons cells and creating new ways of projecting the difficult memory.

Pistachios are a nutritionally beneficial food source widely consumed all over the world. Pistachios exhibit high content of antioxidants, vitamins and other beneficial micronutrients, including nutrient elements and rare earth elements (REEs). Considering that the concentration of REEs depends on the climate and soil characteristics that vary among different geographical regions, REEs could constitute markers responsible for the geographical discrimination of this nut type. In this study, Greek pistachios with a protected designation of origin (PDO) label from Aegina Island and Fthiotida and Turkish pistachios from Adana were analyzed with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to assess their REE profile. La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and Yb were determined and quantified. The quantification results were further analyzed using the main effect plot, permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA), nonmetric multidimensional scaling (nMDS), principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering (HCA) to investigate the similarities between the pistachios. A decision tree (DT) was developed for the classification of pistachios according to their geographical origin proving to be a promising and reliable tool for verifying the authenticity of food products on the basis of their REE profile.

In this study, an integrated environmental risk assessment (ERA) study involving frequent monitoring of both water and soil parameters (24 on total), was carried out to assess and compare the environmental risk quality of three pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) fields (two in Aegina island and one in Kilkis) based upon risk categories identified and assessed in terms of quality and quantity. In this context, vertical profiles and risk matrices were created for a 60-month period for the most important soil and water parameters i.e., soil pH, soil organic matter, soil salinity, heavy metals, and irrigation water quality. According to the obtained results, the two pistachio fields in Aegina exhibited reduced overall risk values, i.e., 17% and 27%, respectively after the adoption of sustainable cultivation practices, thus reflecting a transition from “medium to high risk” to “low to medium risk” environmental quality. On the other hand, overall risk values for the pistachio field in Kilkis were reduced by 34% and were lower compared to the ones obtained for the pistachio fields in Aegina. The better environmental profile identified for the entire period in Kilkis ranging from “medium risk” to “low risk” was the result of lower inherent risk associated with irrigation water quality and soil salinity. The proposed methodology can be easily applied in other agricultural areas and for similar cultivations in Greece and other Mediterranean countries.

The removal of Hg from contaminated aquatic media is of major importance, taking into consideration the highly toxic character of the element. One of the most promising water treatment technologies is adsorption by low cost adsorbents, such as activated carbon produced by agricultural byproducts. In this study, activated carbon in granular form (GAC) was produced using pistachio shells from Aegina Island (Greece). Two main GAC products have been synthesized. The first one was chemically activated using ZnCl2. The second one was further treated with Na2S in order to introduce S atoms on the functional groups. The effectiveness of synthesized GAC products for Hg removal was evaluated by conducting batch equilibrium and kinetic experiments. It was found that sulfurization was able to increase by a factor of more than 2 the adsorptive capacity of activated carbon. Namely the maximum adsorption capacity was 73 mg/g for the simple GAC and increased up to 166 mg/g for the S-modified product. The kinetics of adsorption was described with almost equivalent precision using the pseudo-first and the pseudo-second order models, a behavior which is often observed in adsorption experiments, depending on the experimental conditions. The value of activation energy EA was found to be negative (− 18.8 kJ/mol) in the case of simple GAC and positive (8.27 kJ/mol), in the case of S-modified GAC, suggesting that Hg adsorption on the modified carbon follows a different mechanism, closer to chemisorption processes.

An integrated multi-criteria analysis for assessing sustainability of agricultural production at regional level

Ceramic kilns are an indispensable part of the study of ceramic technology. Studies on the construction and maintenance of ancient ceramic kilns are mostly based on field observations during excavation. Here we report on the micromorphological study of a Late Helladic updraft ceramic kiln from the archeological site of Kolonna, Aegina Island, Greece. The study is focused on the construction details and stratigraphy of the interior of the kiln and also on the ashy sediments of the entrance area with the aim to better understand the operation of the kiln. In addition, X-ray power diffraction (XRPD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and FTIR microspectroscopy, applied directly on thin sections, provided information on the temperature of firing and on the observed mineralogical transformations. A highly calcareous clay was used for the construction of the kiln. The main construction of the kiln was followed by two major reconstructions affecting both the walls and floor, but not the door area. In between the reconstruction phases, the kiln was left open for considerable periods, probably during the rainy seasons as attested by the preservation of water-lain sedimentary crusts on the floor of the kiln. The firing process formed a poreless, well-reacted sealing crust on the inner surfaces of the kiln which presumably acted as an insulating shell. Calcitic ashes have been transformed to quicklime and hard indurated surfaces resembling lime constructions. The mineralogical transformations suggest firing temperatures in excess of 700 °C but probably lower than 900 °C. The use of highly calcareous material for the construction of the kiln, generally considered not suitable for its inferior thermal insulating properties and strength, is discussed in the light of the observed mineralogical transformations and fabric.

Energy flow analysis in agriculture; the case of irrigated pistachio production in Greece

ISHS VI International Conference on Landscape and Urban Horticulture Design proposal to increase functionality and enhance the landscape by native plants at the archaeological site of Kolona, Aegina Island, Greece

Summary The article examines pottery groups manufactured in non‐Mycenaean traditions from the site of the Menelaion in Laconia ( southern Peloponnese, Greece) during the middle stages of the Late Bronze Age. Pottery traditions are first defined using macroscopic study of surface and break features. Two distinct handmade traditions, and another one employing the wheel but with some links to traditional handmade pottery manufactured on the island of Aegina, were recognized and subjected to petrographic analysis. Its results confirmed that potters’ choices regarding clay preparation were different in the case of each identified tradition, being most distinct for the largest group of handmade undecorated water jars. The study highlights survival of pottery traditions with roots in the Middle Helladic period well into the Late Bronze Age, a fact that has not received appropriate attention in the scholarly discourse. It captures the very last stage of their existence, as just a few decades later the production and consumption are entirely dominated by Mycenaean pottery.

ABSTRACTPistacia vera L. (pistachio) is a tree widely cultivated for its edible nuts in Iran, the Mediterranean countries, China, the United States (mainly California), and some other countries. The objective of the present study is to provide a framework for sustainable agriculture in small islands, focusing on the cultivation of Pistacia vera L. in Aegina island, Greece. The framework comprises, among other elements, current cultivation practices, the characteristics of the island, pressures from other sectors such as tourism, current land uses, and groundwater vulnerability. Special emphasis is given to agricultural waste management for the production of compost and biochar and the subsequent application to soils in order to improve soil quality (e.g., soil organic matter, soil aggregate stability, water retention capacity, cation exchange capacity), increase soil carbon sequestration, and minimize the risk of groundwater contamination. Finally, the role of various stakeholders in the development of the sustainable framework is also discussed. The sustainability framework, if well designed and implemented, may identify pressures, environmental hotspots, and lack of concerted action between stakeholders and thus indicate mid- and long-term actions to mitigate impacts at various levels. The proposed framework may be also applied in other areas, and especially small islands, exhibiting characteristics similar to those of Aegina.