Greek Island Research Articles

Dynamic Investigation and Optimization of a Solar-Based Unit for Power and Green Hydrogen Production: A Case Study of the Greek Island, Kythnos

The aim of the present work is the analysis of a solar-driven unit that is located on the non-interconnected island of Kythnos, Greece, that can produce electricity and green hydrogen. More specifically, solar energy is exploited by parabolic trough collectors, and the produced heat is stored in a thermal energy storage tank. Additionally, an organic Rankine unit is incorporated to generate electricity, which contributes to covering the island’s demand in a clean and renewable way. When the power cannot be absorbed by the local grid, it can be provided to a water electrolyzer; therefore, the excess electricity is stored in the form of hydrogen. The produced hydrogen amount is compressed, afterward stored in tanks, and then finally can be utilized as a fuel to meet other important needs, such as powering vehicles or ferries. The installation is simulated parametrically and optimized on dynamic conditions, in terms of energy, exergy, and finance. According to the results, considering a base electrical load of 75 kW, the annual energy and exergy efficiencies are found at 14.52% and 15.48%, respectively, while the payback period of the system is determined at 6.73 years and the net present value is equal to EUR 1,073,384.

Erythrism in the Eastern Grass Snake, Natrix natrix (Linnaeus, 1758)

We describe the unusual case of erythrism in the Eastern Grass Snake, Natrix natrix. This colour morph is very rare and has not been reported in the literature before. Despite having observed thousands of N. natrix in the field, we personally detected this morph in only three individuals originating from Slovakia, Romania, and mainland Greece, while photos of a fourth individual from a Greek island were provided to us. In addition, a recent study with a large data set from citizen scientists was unable to produce a single reddish Eastern Grass Snake. Such colouration is likewise uncommon in the western members of Grass Snakes (N. helvetica, N. astreptophora), with two examples provided herein. Because the potential biological importance of erythristic colouration is unclear, we encourage other field herpetologists and naturalists to publish their observations of reddish Grass Snakes in the printed literature.

Re-Starting the Cruise Sector during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece: Assessing Effectiveness of Port Contingency Planning.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreaks on board cruise ships early in the pandemic highlighted gaps worldwide in public health emergency contingency plans (PHECPs) for responding to unknown threats. To restart cruise operations in 2021 and respond to potential COVID-19 outbreaks, a major tourist-based Greek island port (Port A) developed a COVID-19 PHECP. We assessed plan effectiveness by reviewing epidemiological data and monitoring outcomes, followed by an intra-action review (IAR) analyzing three event responses. From May to December 2021, 118 calls from 23 cruise ships with 119,930 passengers were recorded, with 29 COVID-19 cases in 11 cruises on board 7 ships. No outbreak was recorded during the study period. Strengths of the introduced PHECP included commitment of senior management; a core multi-disciplinary team of local authorities/ship agents involved in design and execution; interoperability agreements for port and ships’ PHECPs; cruise industry commitment to compliance; and pre-existing scenarios considering capacity needs. Central government coordination for preparedness planning at local ports is essential for successful responses. Monitoring local and country level response capacities is critical to inform planning, risk assessment, and decision-making. Immediately recording ports’ response actions provides the basis to capture lessons and improve contingency plans. To facilitate communication and common response protocols between European and non-European ports, IARs should be conducted between countries.

Urban mortality in Greece: Hermoupolis (1859–1940)

AbstractThe paper examines mortality patterns in the city of Hermoupolis, on the Greek island of Syros, from 1859 to 1940. It produces important new insights into Mediterranean urban historical demography and is the first comprehensive study of urban mortality in Greece, utilising the largest and one of the longest time series at the individual level yet calculated from civil registration and census data. Abridged life tables were constructed for the first time for a Greek urban settlement, enabling the calculation of age‐specific mortality rates and life expectancies. Hermoupolis experienced much higher mortality levels than the national average. The findings suggest that early childhood mortality started to decline rapidly from the late nineteenth century onwards, with declines in early adulthood and infancy following. The paper reinforces and confirms our limited knowledge about the timing of the mortality transition in Greece. It proposes that an urban penalty was clearly operating in the country even during the early twentieth century. Finally, this paper suggests that a combination of factors was responsible for the mortality decline in Hermoupolis, including wider access to water, which even when it was not clean enough to drink, nevertheless enabled improvements in personal hygiene among the residents of the city.

Supporting Human Dignity in a Collapsing Field: Gestalt Approach in the Social and Political Contexts

Supporting Human Dignity in a Collapsing Field: Gestalt Approach in the Social and Political Contexts

Competition and Pass-Through: Evidence from Isolated Markets

We measure how pass-through varies with competition in isolated oligopolistic markets with captive consumers. Using daily pricing data from gas stations on small Greek islands, we study how unanticipated and exogenous changes in excise duties are passed through to consumers in markets with different numbers of retailers. We find that pass-through increases from 0.4 in monopoly markets to 1 in markets with four or more competitors and remains constant thereafter. The speed of price adjustment is about 60 percent higher in more competitive markets. Finally, we show that geographic market definitions based on measures of distance across sellers often result in signifi-cant overestimation of the pass-through. (JEL H22, H25, L13, L81)

Evidence-Based Exploration as the Ground for Heritage-Led Pathways in Insular Territories: Case Study Greek Islands

Global key drivers—e.g., climate change, COVID-19 outbreak—have initiated critical debates as to the sustainable future pathways of many regions around the globe. Among these fall islands, as distinct types of regions that are marked by insularity drawbacks and a mono-sectoral economic profile, grounded in mass tourism. Having as a case study area all Greek islands, this work addresses: sustainability concerns that are due to the mass tourism repercussions in these heritage-endowed territories; and efforts undertaken by the Greek insular municipalities to deploy, in a collaborative manner, strategic cultural tourism plans in support of the transition from a resource-intensive mass tourism pattern to natural and cultural heritage-led future developmental trails. Towards this end, a two-stream methodological approach is used that relies on: quantitative, spatially-defined data elaboration/interpretation and visualization, highlighting the dynamics of tourism development in island territories; and qualitative data on issues related to the aforementioned plans from all insular municipalities, gathered through a web-based questionnaire. Research results unveil the unsustainable spatial and developmental patterns of Greek insular contexts and the shortage of mainstream planning expertise for collaboratively establishing attractive cultural-tourism ensembles. These factors restrain sustainability achievements and the repositioning of Greek islands in the global scenery as authentic heritage-led destinations.

Η Αισθητική – Καλλιτεχνική Εκπαίδευση στην ευρύτερη Νησιωτική Περιοχή της Δωδεκανήσου

The dialectical relationship between the traditional and the contemporary, which surrounds every human expression, is the dominant feature of both art and architecture, as manifested in practice and theory and is the subject of this study. The aim is to search, investigate through all the elements that coexist in traditional and modern environment, those constants that can seem beneficial in interpretation, in experiencing and recreating the Greek island tradition.
 A child who is going to be an islander, a tomorrow's citizens learns to be inspired by the cultural heritage seeking to offer to the society through rebuilding, changing and adaptation that will stem from the historical validity, modern trends and expressed improvement and progress. The reciprocal relationship between traditional and modern art provides to a child a holistic approach to the environment, giving impulses of high quality in different areas, such as History, Architecture, Folklore, Literature, Culture in producing quality goods. The global approach of an aesthetic education that begins in early childhood is one of the sectors that can effectively help in this direction: awareness of the need for maintenance and upgrading of tradition with a view to productive coupling of traditional with modern.

Greek Islands’ Energy Transition: From Lighthouse Projects to the Emergence of Energy Communities

Energy transition in islands constitutes a major challenge. Apart from a necessity, it can also be a great opportunity for sustainable social and economic development. Toward this direction, a new, promising movement has emerged recently in Greek islands. Straight from the roots of the insular population, development of energy communities comes as the result of increased awareness of local people, raised also by the legacy of lighthouse projects and initiatives. Kythnos, Ikaria, Sifnos, Tilos, Agios Efstratios, Crete, and Chalki, are all islands that have embraced the implementation of successful, local-scale innovation projects and/or initiatives, generating meaningful results across different energy aspects and contributing to positive social change. Our study provides an overview of the broader energy transition aspects in Greek islands, discusses the impact of the aforementioned exemplary cases, and further elaborates on the model of energy communities. According to our analysis, leveraging on the experience of lighthouse projects and initiatives, and on the dynamics of the emerging energy community movement, could lead to increased social and economic benefits for the insular populations, to broad public acceptance, and to minimum environmental impacts for the islands’ natural ecosystems.

A causal model for creating public value (in institutional voids)—the case of Lesvos

The Greek island of Lesvos is a holiday destination that became the main entry point for forced migrants to Europe during 2015 and 2016. These circumstances of disruptive societal change are used as the basis for developing a causal and dynamic model that creates public value in institutional voids.The clash between a holiday location and a humanitarian-ecological disaster and the fact that volunteers were the frontline response at the border of the EU in a politically complex situation made this, at the time, a very special case. The attention of celebrities and the media, Lesvos’ geographical proximity to Turkey, the historical conflicts between the two neighbouring countries, the lack of interaction between local people and the involvement of international NGOs spurred conflicts between various actors, causing social fragmentation on the island.The model identifies the core aspects of strengthening social capital and building trust to counter such societal fragmentation. Following Archer’s morphogenetic approach as a meta-concept, and the identification of causalities for understanding the social dynamics on Lesvos as a starting point, an extended version of Moore’s public value concept was used to build the empirical basis for the development of the model.The model presented can be used to distinguish between three very separate pathways of creating public value. I call this public value (PV) outcome creation. These pathways are described separately by using causal loop diagrams (CLDs). When aligned, they suggest a causal understanding of how adaptive leadership and collaborative governance can be a core element and a generative mechanism of social change that creates public value.Although the paper draws on a case study that is relevant to migration studies, it is not a migration study, but rather an attempt to use and improve “social-theory reflection” by applying a systems thinking approach as we embark on addressing public value creation, social problems and social-systems transformation (in institutional voids).

Conversations as Vessels and Anchors

Conversations as Vessels and Anchors

(Per)forming Assemblages and Institutional Maintenance: The Case of Mastic Growing in Greece

Materials are increasingly considered to play a significant role in institutional work. The degree of their involvement and agency remains, however, disputed. Scholars refer to them as tools that human actors mobilize, as objects that embody the outcomes of institutional work and, lately, as entities that actively contribute to institutional change and maintenance. The first two perspectives have been explored and their ontology appears to be straightforward, but the last stance is underdeveloped and builds on assumptions that need to be empirically tested, such as that human and non-human entities form sociomaterial assemblages and engage in collective performances. Although studies on this stream have referred to such assemblages, they have not fully explored their formation, their collective performances and their contribution to institutional work. This paper delves into 24 rural communities in the Greek island of Chios, where agricultural practices of mastic growing have remained intact for hundreds of years, and unpacks three types of entanglements among humans and non-humans: spatial, temporal and affective. In analyzing these entanglements, it reveals how each of them emerges, brings about collective performances and contributes to institutional maintenance. Implications for the role of materials in institutional work and maintenance are discussed, along with contributions to the broader performativity literature and community studies.

Characterization of Ikaria Heather Honey by Untargeted Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-High Resolution Mass Spectrometry Metabolomics and Melissopalynological Analysis.

Honey represents a valuable food commodity, known since ancient times for its delicate taste and health benefits due to its specific compositional characteristics, mainly the phenolic compound content. “Anama” honey is a monofloral honey produced from the nectar of Erica manipuliflora plant, a heather bush of the Greek island of Ikaria, one of the Mediterranean’s longevity regions. “Anama” is characterized by a unique aroma and taste, with a growing demand for consumption and the potential to be included in the list of products with a protected designation of origin. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical and botanical profile of authentic Anama honey samples and find similarities and differences with honey samples of a different botanical origin from the same geographical area. Untargeted Ultrahigh-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS) metabolomics study was conducted on authentic heather, pine, and thyme honey samples from Ikaria and neighboring islands. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA), and differential analysis were performed using the entire metabolic profile of the samples and allowed the identification of chemical markers for sample discrimination. Thirty-two characteristic secondary metabolites (cinnamic acids, phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenes) and other bioactive phenolic compounds, some of them not previously reported in a heather honey (aucubin, catalpol, domesticoside, leonuriside A, picein among others), emerged as potential chemical indicators of Anama honey. Melissopalynological analysis was also carried out to decipher the botanical and geographical origin of Anama honey. The relative frequency of the pollen of dominant plants of the Ericaceae family and a multitude of nectariferous and nectarless plants contributing to the botanical profile of Anama was evaluated. The identification of the pollen sources enabled a potential correlation of differentially increased secondary metabolites and chemicals with their botanical origin. The physicochemical profile of Anama was also determined, including the parameters of pH, color, electrical conductivity, diastase, moisture, as well as sugars, supporting the high quality of this heather honey.

What was Killing Babies in Hermoupolis, Greece? An Investigation of Infant Mortality Using Individual Level Causes of Death, 1861–1930

This paper employs individual level cause of death data from the port city of Hermoupolis on the Greek island of Syros, in order to test the newly-constructed ICD10h coding system. By constructing cause specific death rates for infants from the late 19th century to early 20th century, the paper contributes to a comparative approach, which aims to show how causes of death differ across several locations within Europe and how they develop over time. Given the scarcity of cause of death data both at the individual and aggregate level in Greece roughly prior to the 1920s, the availability of such data in the draft death registers (for sporadic runs of years in the second half of the 19th and early 20th century) and the civil registration (from 1916 onwards) in Hermoupolis provides a deeper understanding of the history of cause-of-death reporting in the country. Infant mortality in Hermoupolis was relatively high throughout the study period, with water-food borne diseases accounting for the highest number of infant deaths, especially during the hot and dry summer months. While the prominent winter peak of neonatal mortality but also congenital-birth disorders could be partially associated with birth seasonality and/or low temperatures over the winter months. Finally, certain vague terms such as 'atrophy' and 'athrepsy', but especially 'drakos' require further investigation until they are firmly understood.

Modelling electric vehicles uptake on the Greek islands

For decades, the Greek islands have been facing challenges in terms of quality of power supply, increased carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions, and costs due to their reliance on oil-fired generation subsidised by the Greek state. In light of the recent reforms to decarbonise the islands' region while enhancing their local grids, this study investigates the impact of electromobility considering an autonomous electricity system supported by storage versus an interconnected one. Two Electric Vehicles (EVs) deployment scenarios coupled with several charging strategies have been modelled using the PLEXOS energy systems model. The results highlight that the Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) scenarios demonstrate the most evident benefits for the islands' electricity systems, performing adequately under both the Autonomous and Interconnection scenarios concerning the economic and environmental impact. Such scenarios have the potential to reduce emissions by 8.5% while dropping costs up to 20% by 2040, when combined with the required renewables expansion plan. From the security of supply perspective, the results demonstrate improvements under the interconnected context accompanied by thermal generation restrictions without however eliminating power shortages recorded already in a non-EV case. The analysis also showcases an escalated impact on power shortages and curtailments during the maximum week, particularly when combined with an ambitious EV deployment. Yet, V2G may increase renewables share up to 7% in 2040. In this context, EVs could mobilise the additional deployment of 600 MW renewables by 2040 if interconnections with the mainland are realised. Assuming islands continue operating as autonomous electricity systems, the additional capacity to accommodate may reach 720 MW.

Peripheralisation and externalisation of the EU asylum regime: implications for the right to seek asylum on the southeastern EU border islands

ABSTRACT Since the increase of refugee arrivals in 2015, the longstanding trend of using islands to confine asylum seekers at the EU borders became a prominent aspect of asylum governance. By looking at the southeastern border of the EU, as it has been constructed around the five Greek islands that host the EU’s hotspot approach, I demonstrate the implications of the European governance of asylum on the individual right to seek asylum. In doing so, I argue that there is a newly introduced process of peripheralisation of asylum. Under the term peripheralisation I describe the multidimensional process of demotion or downgrading of a socio-spatial unit about other socio-spatial units, i.e. the Greek mainland and the northern EU member states. Although the externalisation of asylum, is key to understanding the impact of the right to asylum, peripheralisation provides the necessary conceptual tool to explain the new architecture of confinement inside the territory of the EU and on the southeastern border islands. The main contribution of the article is providing an understanding of how the right to asylum is also hampered within the EU through the peripheralisation of the islands and by the externalisation of Turkey.

Investigating Possible Synergism in the Antioxidant and Antibacterial Actions of Honey and Propolis from the Greek Island of Samothrace through Their Combined Application.

Several honeybee products are known for their functional properties, including important antioxidant and antimicrobial actions. The present study examines the antioxidant activity (AA), total polyphenolic content (TPC), and antibacterial action of honey and propolis samples collected from the Greek island of Samothrace, which were applied in vitro either individually or in combination in selected concentrations. To accomplish this, the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity and the Folin–Ciocalteu assays were employed to determine the AA and TPC, respectively, while the antibacterial action was investigated against each one of four important pathogenic bacterial species causing foodborne diseases (i.e., Salmonella enterica, Yersinia enterocolitica, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) using the agar well diffusion assay. Compared to honey, propolis presented significantly higher AA and TPC, while its combined application with honey (at ratios of 1:1, 3:1, and 1:3) did not increase these values. Concerning the antibacterial action, Y. enterocolitica was proven to be the most resistant of all the tested bacteria, with none of the samples being able to inhibit its growth. S. enterica was susceptible only to the honey samples, whereas L. monocytogenes only to the propolis samples. The growth of S. aureus was inhibited by both honey and propolis, with honey samples presenting significantly higher efficacy than those of propolis. Νo synergism in the antibacterial actions was observed against any of the tested pathogens. Results obtained increase our knowledge of some of the medicinal properties of honey and propolis and may contribute to their further exploitation for health promotion and/or food-related applications (e.g., as preservatives to delay the growth of pathogenic bacteria).

Renewable Energy Desalination for Island Communities: Status and Future Prospects in Greece

Energy and water are two of the most important components required to ensure prosperity and sustainable development to societies. This paper aims to review the status of renewable energy desalination for Greek islandic communities, deployed in two axes. The first one reviews the desalination systems state of the art technological solutions, their energy needs, how renewable energy may be employed and finally the cost of renewable energy desalination is investigated. The second axis focuses on Greek islands per se, where the current situation is investigated, potential solutions for meeting the water needs are evaluated, all leading to the proposal of a methodology towards designing an appropriate and applicable approach in addressing the water needs. Finally, a discussion takes place on how such options might be further deployed, particularly regarding the impacts they may produce for the livelihood and the future prosperity of the pertinent communities, and at the same time supporting the energy transition towards the EU Green Deal goals.

Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Aedes albopictus Populations in Rural and Agricultural Areas in Chania, Greece, After Its Invasion

Aedes albopictus, also known as the Asian tiger mosquito, is an aggressive invasive mosquito species that transmits parasites that cause several major human diseases such as dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika. Its recent establishment in many European countries and the reported autochthonous cases of Aedes-transmitted arboviral diseases highlight the importance of effective surveillance programs to plan and implement efficient mosquito-control interventions. Aedes albopictus invaded the Greek island of Crete in 2014 and rapidly spread throughout; however, there are no comprehensive population-related data yet available. Our study focused on spatial and temporal dynamics of Ae. albopictus populations in rural and agricultural areas in Chania (western part of the Crete Island). An oviposition surveillance network, consisting of 51 ovitraps, was established in 2017 and systematically inspected for 2 years. Thirty ovitraps were established in rural areas and 21 in the surrounding agricultural areas. Eggs were collected weekly and transferred to the laboratory for counting and assessment of hatching rates. The spatial and temporal egg distribution was assessed by using geographical information systems and spatial statistical analysis tools. Kernel density and hot spot analysis were employed to identify clusters of high populations of eggs. Oviposition activity (eggs in traps) was recorded during April–May and December (of both years), while the maximum egg-laying rates were observed during September–October. The proportion of traps with eggs was similar between rural and agricultural areas, while the higher number of eggs was recorded in rural compared to agricultural areas during 2017. Egg hatch rates were high (>90%) until the end of September. The proportion of diapausing non-hatched eggs rapidly increased at the end of November. All hatched larvae were identified as Ae. Albopictus, indicating a negative effect of the invasion on the population of the local species Ae. cretinus. This was a systematic attempt to monitor the seasonal and spatial patterns of the Asian tiger mosquito in the island of Crete, the southernmost area of Europe, and a study in Europe that assessed temporal and spatial dynamics of Ae. albopictus soon after its invasion and establishment in an area.

Ecological Niche Modelling of the Genus Anatololacerta Under Past, Historical And Future Bioclimatic Conditions

Anatolia has played an important role in the speciation of many species. Global climatic changes affect the distribution of many reptiles in different ways, including their range expansion or habitat loss. In this study, we focused on the genus Anatololacerta which inhabits Anatolia and some Greek islands. In total, 150 literature records and 20 items of observation data were analysed with the maximum entropy method (MaxEnt) for the last glacial maximum (LGM), as well as historical (1970-2000) and future (2081-2100; RCP 4.5) bioclimatic conditions. According to our model, the distribution ranges in the future conditions for A. danfordi, A. finikensis and A. ibrahimi were more extensive than for the historical conditions. However, A. anatolica and A. pelasgiana may experience a potential habitat loss in the future. Although physical barriers were obstacles in the LGM and historical records, these barriers may be overcome after the climatic changes taking place in the near future.