Southern Aegean Research Articles

A dwarf elephant and a rock mouse on Naxos (Cyclades, Greece) with a revision of the palaeozoogeography of the Cycladic Islands (Greece) during the Pleistocene

During the Late Pleistocene, Naxos and adjacent areas, including Delos and Paros, constituted a mega-island, here referred to as palaeo-Cyclades. The extensive low-lying plains with lakes and rivers provided a suitable habitat for elephants. Due to long-term isolation from the mainland and mainland populations, these elephants evolved miniature size. The species found on Naxos had a body size of about ten percent of that of the mainland ancestor, Palaeoloxodon antiquus. During the glacial periods of the Late Pleistocene, P. antiquus may have migrated eastwards and southwards in search of better conditions and reached the islands. The dwarf species of the various Southern Aegean islands (e.g. Crete, Tilos, Rhodos, palaeo-Cyclades) are each the result of independent colonisation events. The very small size of the Naxos species respective to the dwarf elephants from Crete is explained as due to the lack of competitors. The only other elements of the contemporaneous fauna were a rock mouse (Apodemus cf. mystacinus) and a shrew (Crocidura sp.). Submergence of the area, climate change, volcanism, hunting by humans or a combination of these factors during the terminal Pleistocene may have caused the extinction of this endemic fauna.

Late Pleistocene Dwarf Elephants from the Aegean Islands of Kassos and Dilos, Greece

Dwarf elephants are quite well known from the western Mediterranean islands, but they are still poorly documented in most eastern Mediterranean islands. This paper reports on the discovery of a third lower molar of a dwarf elephant from the island of Kassos, which is situated in the southern Aegean, between Crete and Karpathos. This molar is determined as Palaeoloxodon aff. creutzburgi, a dwarfed species known from the Late Pleistocene caves and deposits in Crete and derived from the mainland straight-tusked elephant P. antiquus. An upper molar (M3) from the island of Dilos, previously referred to Elephas antiquus or E. mnaidriensis, is also redescribed. It is almost identical to the upper molars of a paleoloxodontine elephant from Naxos. Its small size and lack of sufficient comparative material lead us to determine it as Palaeoloxodon sp. The palaeogeographic evolution of the Aegean region during the Pleistocene and its impact on the dispersal of elephants in the Aegean islands are discussed.

Influence of Dardanelles outflow induced thermal fronts and winds on drifter trajectories in the Aegean Sea

The data provided by 12 drifters deployed in the Northern Aegean Sea in the vicinity of the Dardanelles Strait in August 2008 and February 2009 are used to explore the surface circulation of the basin and the connectivity to the Black Sea. The drifters were deployed within the Dardanelles outflow of waters of Black Sea origin in the Northeastern Aegean. Thanks to the particular choice of the drifter deployment positions, the data set provides a unique opportunity to observe the branching behaviour of the surface currents around Lemnos Island. Such pathways were notpossible to study with previous drifter deployments that were far from the Dardanelles Strait. In addition, the drifter tracks covered the Aegean basin quite thoroughly, mapping major circulation features and supporting the overall general circulation patterns described by previous observational and modelling studies. The collected data display cases in which drifters are driven by winds and thermal fronts. Wind products were used to estimate the influence of the atmospheric forcing on the drifter trajectories. Satellite sea surface temperature images were connected to the drifter tracks, demonstrating a high correlation between the remote and in situ observations. The waters of Black Sea origin were traced all the way to the Southern Aegean, establishing a strong connectivity link between the Aegean and Black Sea basins.

Relationship between sagittal otolith size and fish size in Argentina sphyraena and Glossanodon leioglossus (Osteichthyes: Argentinidae) in the southern Aegean Sea, Turkey

Sagittal otoliths are widely used to determine taxon, age and size of the teleost fishes, and are useful tools for studies of prey-predator relationships, population dynamics and ichthyo-archaeology. They can also be used to estimate the size of the prey. We examined the relationships between otolith measurements (length, height and weight) and fish size (total length and weight) for two species of Argentinidae (Argentina sphyraena and Glossanodon leioglossus) from the Southern Aegean Sea, Turkey. Length, height and mass of sagittae were shown to be good indicators for the length and weight of fish in both species. Glossanodon leioglossus has relatively larger sagittae than Argentina sphyraena. Linear and exponential functions provided the best fit for relations between otolith and fish measurements. No significant differences were found between left and right otolith sizes.

A Survey of 137Cs in Sediments of the Eastern Mediterranean Marine Environment from the Pre-Chernobyl Age to the Present

A survey of 137Cs in sediments from the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Aegean and Ionian Seas) during the period from 1984 to 2007 is presented. Data have been collected and analyzed in the framework of the monitoring system of Greece performed by the Environmental Radioactivity Laboratory (NCSR “Demokritos”) over the past 30 years. Sediment activities reflect the impact from the Chernobyl accident one year later (1987). It is evident that sediment acts as the final receptor of 137Cs, showing that fast depollution of the Mediterranean still remains a utopia. Radioactive “hot spots” were observed in the northern Aegean Sea and lower values in the southern Aegean Sea and Ionian Sea. Finally, an effort to evaluate the risk of ionizing radiation (from 137Cs) to the biota inhabiting sediments was made using ERICA. The respective dose rates for two reference organisms (benthic fish and mollusks) were estimated to be far below the screening dose, at which the radiological impact on the abundance of the population begins.

Seismicity, Vp/Vs and shear wave anisotropy variations during the 2011 unrest at Santorini caldera, southern Aegean

The Santorini caldera has been the focus of several large explosive eruptions in the past, the last of which occurred in the early 1950s. The volcano was dormant until early 2011 when increasing number of earthquakes accompanied significant intra-caldera uplift. This seismic activity was recorded by 8 temporary as well as 19 permanent seismic stations that were installed on Santorini and nearby islands after the onset of the unrest. Using data from January 2011 until June 2012 we calculated accurate relative locations for 490 events utilizing both catalog and waveform cross-correlation differential travel times of P- and S-phases. The distribution of relocated events exhibits a large cluster between Thera and Nea Kameni islands along the caldera rim, suggesting the activation of a preexisting ring fault. All hypocenters are located between 5 and 11km resulting in a sharp cutoff of seismicity above and below these depths. We also used P and S travel times in order to calculate average Vp/Vs ratios and estimated shear wave splitting parameters (fast direction φ, delay time δt) for events within the shear wave window. The Vp/Vs ratios at several stations exhibit a majority of values consistently below the regional one (~1.77). Their temporal variations can be explained as periods of gas influx and depletion in the upper crust beneath the caldera. A comparison of δt for a number of earthquake doublets shows a progressive decrease of delay times towards the end of the unrest probably as a result of cracks closing owing to stress relaxation. The seismological observations presented here are compatible with petrological models that suggest the existence of a deep (11–14km) dacitic magma reservoir and a shallower (<5km) rhyolitic magma chamber.

Occurrence, sources and transport pathways of natural and anthropogenic hydrocarbons in deep-sea sediments of the eastern Mediterranean Sea

Abstract. Surface sediments collected from deep basins (1018–4087 m depth) of the eastern Mediterranean Sea (Ionian Sea, southern Aegean Sea and northwestern Levantine Sea) were analyzed for aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as tracers of natural and anthropogenic inputs. Concentrations of total aliphatic hydrocarbons, n-alkanes and the unresolved complex mixture (UCM) of aliphatic hydrocarbons varied significantly, ranging from 1.34 to 49.2 μg g−1, 145 to 4810 ng g−1 and 0.73 to 36.7 μg g−1, respectively, while concentrations of total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ranged between 11.6 and 223 ng g−1. Molecular profiles of determined hydrocarbons reflect a mixed contribution from both natural and anthropogenic sources in deep-sea sediments of the eastern Mediterranean Sea, i.e., terrestrial plant waxes, degraded petroleum products, unburned fossil fuels and combustion of grass, wood and coal. Hydrocarbon mixtures display significant variability amongst sub-regions, reflecting differences in the relative importance of inputs from various sources and phase associations/transport pathways of individual hydrocarbons that impact on their overall distribution and fate. Hydrocarbon concentrations correlated significantly with the organic carbon content of sediments, indicating that the latter exerts an important control on their transport and ultimate accumulation in deep basins. Additionally, water masses' circulation characteristics also seem to influence the regional features and distribution patterns of hydrocarbons. Our findings highlight the role of deep basins/canyons as repositories of both natural and anthropogenic chemical species.

Petrology, mineral chemistry and Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions of granitoids in the central Menderes metamorphic core complex: Constraints on the evolution of Aegean lithosphere slab

Plutonic associations in the central Menderes metamorphic core complex are suitable rocks in order to understand the magma forming processes in extended terrains. Syn-extensional Salihli and Turgutlu granitoids have granodioritic composition and contain monzonitic and monzodioritic microgranular enclaves. They are transitional metaluminous/peraluminous and high-K calc-alkaline in character and are located on I- and S-type transition. Salihli and Turgutlu granodiorites are geochemically similar to each other while their microgranular enclave chemistry is in contrast with low SiO2 and high Mg#values. Mineral chemistry data from granodiorites and mafic microgranular enclaves confirm their shallow emplacement at about 7km. Geochemical modelling suggests that syn-extensional granitoids were derived from the mixing of mantle and lower crustal components, which were finally modified by a significant amount of upper crustal contamination and fractional crystallization processes at shallow crustal levels. Early-Middle Miocene syn-extensional granitoids across the Aegean region form a magmatic belt associated with roll-back of the Aegean lithosphere slab. Roll-back induced magmatism together with ductile deformation in western Turkey ceased after cooling of the Salihli granodiorites at 12.2Ma. But core-complex related magmatism was continuous in the Cycladic metamorphic core complex during Late Miocene and was followed by an active arc volcanism in the southern Aegean. Such abrupt change from ductile to brittle mode of extension in western Turkey can be explained by opening of a slab window on the Aegean lithosphere slab, which would lead to upwelling of fertile subslab asthenospheric mantle, forming transitional and finally OIB-type basalts.

The 2011–2012 unrest at Santorini rift: Stress interaction between active faulting and volcanism

AbstractAt Santorini, active normal faulting controls the emission of volcanic products. Such geometry has implication on seismic activity around the plumbing system during unrest. Static Coulomb stress changes induced by the 2011–2012 inflation within a preexisting NW‐SE extensional regional stress field, compatible with fault geometry, increased by more than 0.5 MPa in an ellipsoid‐shaped zone beneath the Minoan caldera where almost all earthquakes (96%) have occurred since beginning of unrest. Magmatic processes perturb the regional stress in the caldera where strike‐slip rather than normal faulting along NE‐SW striking planes are expected. The inflation may have also promoted more distant moderate earthquakes on neighboring faults as the M &gt; 5 January 2012, south of Christiania. Santorini belongs to a set of en echelon NE‐SW striking rifts (Milos, Nysiros) oblique to the Aegean arc that may have initiated in the Quaternary due to propagation of the North Anatolian fault into the Southern Aegean Sea.

Ground-Motion Prediction Equations of Intermediate-Depth Earthquakes in the Hellenic Arc, Southern Aegean Subduction Area

A response-spectra database is compiled of hundreds of seismic records from intermediate-depth earthquakes (earthquakes whose foci are located between 45 to 300 km from the earth's surface) with moment magnitudes of M 4.5-6.7 that occurred in the South Aegean subduction zone. The database consists of high-quality data from both acceleration-sensor and broadband velocity-sensor instruments. The database is much larger than previous databases used in the development of past em- pirical regressions enabling the determination of various parameters of ground-motion attenuation not previously examined. New variables accounting for the highly com- plex propagation of seismic waves in the Greek subduction zone are introduced based on the hypocentral depth and the location of the event, as these factors control the effects of the back-arc low-velocity/low-Q mantle wedge on the seismic-wave propa- gation. The derived results show a strong dependence of the recorded ground motions on both hypocentral depth and distance, which leads to the classification of the dataset into three depth-hypocentral distance categories. Ground motions from in-slab earth- quakes, especially with hypocentral depthsh� > 100 km, are amplified for along-arc stations, an expected effect of channeled waves through the high-velocity slab. The ground motions are also strongly attenuated in the back-arc region, due to the low-Q mantle wedge, which are almost independent of the recording hypocentral distance. In contrast, for shallower in-slab events (60 km <h< 100 km), the corresponding dif- ferentiation of seismic motion for along-arc and back-arc stations is observed beyond a specific critical distance range. Moreover, for longer periods, both along-arc ampli- fication and back-arc anelastic-attenuation factors strongly diminish, suggesting that the longer wavelengths of seismic waves are not affected by the complex geophysical structure, resulting in more similar ground motions for both back-arc and along-arc stations. Finally, results for interface events ( h< 45 km) occurring along the outer Hellenic arc suggest their wave propagation is not affected by the presence of the low-velocity/low-QS mantle wedge, but is mainly controlled by the differences of the anelastic attenuation between the Mediterranean and Aegean lithospheres.

The Role of Coastal Morphology in Influencing Sea Level Variations Induced by Meteorological Forcing in Microtidal Waters: Examples from the Island of Crete (Aegean Sea, Greece)

Poulos, S.E.; Plomaritis, T.A.; Ghionis, G.; Collins, M.B., and Angelopoulos, C., 2013. The role of coastal morphology in influencing sea level variations induced by meteorological forcing in microtidal waters: examples from the Island of Crete (Aegean Sea, Greece). Sea surface variations due to strong (northerly) onshore winds are compared over three different geomorphological settings of the essentially tideless (tidal range < 10 cm) northern coast of Crete (southern Aegean Sea): (i) an open beach zone; (ii) a beach zone with the same offshore characteristics as the previous zone, but protected by a shore-parallel reef; and (iii) a pocket beach located in the cove of a semienclosed gulf. Even though the three beach zones are exposed to similar meteorological forcing (strong northerly winds with speeds > 10 m s−1), they developed different water level variations depending on the local morphological conditions. The beach zone situated in the semienclosed gulf experienced a 3.3 times larger offshore sea surface rise (10 cm) than the unprotected open beach. The presence of the reef, on the third beach, caused a 2.7 times higher increase of the nearshore sea surface elevation (i.e., up to 24.5 cm) than the nearshore sea surface rise (9 cm) measured at the nearby unprotected open coast that experiences similar offshore hydrodynamic conditions. The sea surface variations in the offshore zone are induced primarily by wind forcing and, secondarily, by barometric pressure fluctuations: their corresponding ratios vary from 3.2 ∶ 1 in the unprotected open beach, to 2.2 ∶ 1 in the pocket beach located in the semienclosed gulf. Sea surface rise within the nearshore zone is controlled mainly by the wave set-up, due to breaking waves; this, at the open coast, is about 1.3 times larger than the wind set-up. Finally, the presence of the reef amplifies sea surface rise along the shoreline, which can easily exceed 0.4 m (15 times the offshore sea surface rise).

Late Glacial to mid-Holocene palaeoclimate development of Southern Greece inferred from the sediment sequence of Lake Stymphalia (NE-Peloponnese)

The sedimentary sequence of Lake Stymphalia (NE-Peloponnese) for the first time sheds light on the palaeoclimate development of Southern Greece from 15 to 5 ka BP. New geochemical data based on high-resolution X-ray fluorescence scanning provide in-situ, and continuous analysis of predefined element suites on split-core surfaces. Variations of elements over time were assessed constructing correlation matrices based on the calculation of Pearson correlation coefficients. The element suite includes Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Zn, Rb, Sr, and Zr. A major result includes that changes in element behaviour are related to hydrological changes in the catchment (precipitation), lake level status, and evaporation (insolation/solar activity), and are ultimately driven by climate.Major trends/shifts in elemental ratios correspond to the climate development in the Eastern Mediterranean region. Based on correlation of Rb/Sr, reflecting wet/dry climates, with foraminiferal proxies of marine core LC21 from the Southern Aegean Sea, and the stable oxygen-isotope record of Soreq cave (Israel), the Bølling–Allerød, the Younger Dryas, and the 8.2 ka cold event were identified.

OLYNTHUS MILLSTONES IN THE SOUTHERN LEVANT: THE BACKDROP TO THE MARITIME TRADE OF OLYNTHUS MILLSTONES

This article aims to illustrate the background behind the maritime trade of Olynthus-type millstones in the eastern Mediterranean region. A look at the distribution of southern Aegean Olynthus millstones, whose provenances were identified by Williams-Thorpe and Thorpe’s petrographic analysis, reveals that millstones were not a major import into the southern Levant, where local Olynthus millstones were produced and distributed. They were more frequent in Cyprus, where they were valued locally due to the dearth of stones appropriate for use as millstones. The analysis of Williams-Thorpe and Thorpe also suggests that southern Levantine millstones, in contrast to millstones from earlier and later periods, were not exported to other Mediterranean regions. Shipwreck remains from the eastern Mediterranean, as well as the distribution of commercial Rhodian amphorae, reveal that Rhodian merchants carried wine and millstones from the southern Aegean to Cyprus. The southern Levant, where a number of locally produced Olynthus mills were unearthed, was self-sufficient in millstones. Hence, the Rhodian merchants, who dominated eastern Mediterranean trade, used the southern Aegean millstones as saleable ballast.

The first record of Phyllorhiza punctata von Lendenfeld, 1884 from the southern Aegean Coast of Turkey

The Australian spotted jellyfish Phyllorhiza punctata was reported in September 2011, in Sulungur Lake, Mugla, on the Southern Aegean coast of Turkey. This is the second record from Turkey. The first record was in 2010 in Iskenderun, on the Levantine coast of Turkey.

Inter-annual productivity variability in the North Aegean Sea: Influence of thermohaline circulation during the Eastern Mediterranean Transient

The North Aegean inter-annual productivity variability was investigated, by means of a coupled hydrodynamic/biogeochemical model simulation, over a multi-year (1985–2001) period covering the Eastern Mediterranean Transient (EMT). The EMT was a historically significant period (1987–1994), characterized by the massive formation of dense waters in the Aegean and their subsequent southward spreading to the Eastern Mediterranean. Our findings suggest that during the dense water formation events, deep nutrient rich water is exported to the South, affecting the N. Aegean nutrient pool. We show that the open sea productivity variability, driven by the deep nutrient pool entrainment to the euphotic zone, is related to both vertical mixing and nutrient fluxes, induced by thermohaline circulation variability. A negative correlation appears between the two processes, as stronger vertical mixing triggers a higher nutrient export. Process oriented experiments adopting maximum and minimum nutrient fluxes to the Southern Aegean revealed a significant impact on the nutrient pool, counterbalancing the effect of different vertical mixing on primary production. The model results presented good correlation with available satellite SST and Chl-a data. The impact of precipitation and BSW inflow variability on the Aegean salinity and dense water formation was investigated, showing a significant contribution by both preconditioning factors.

Automated determination of S-phase arrival times using autoregressive prediction: application to local and regional distances

SUMMARY We present an algorithm for automated S-phase arrival time determination of local, regional and teleseismic events based on autoregressive (AR) prediction of the waveform. The waveforms of the horizontal components are predicted using a scalar AR model for multicomponent recordings. The AR coefficients are estimated in a short moving window using a least-squares approach minimizing the forward prediction error. Synthetic tests with single-component data show that the least-squares approach yields similar or even better results than the Yule–Walker and Burg’s algorithms. We discuss the choice of the AR model and show that the corresponding prediction error of the AR model, applied to both horizontal components, is sufficient to detect instantaneous changes in amplitude, frequency, phase and polarization. The rms prediction error of both horizontal components defines the characteristic function, to which an algorithm for the estimation of the arrival time is applied. The proposed algorithm also accounts for automatic quality assessment of the estimated S-onset times. Four quality criteria are used to define the weight of the automatically estimated S-arrival time. They are based on two different estimations of the slope of the characteristic function and on two signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs). The proposed algorithm is applied to a large data set recorded by a dense regional seismic network in the southern Aegean. The data set contains recordings of local and regional crustal as well as intermediate deep earthquakes. The reliability and the robustness of the picking algorithm is tested by comparing more than 2600 manual S readings, serving as reference picks, with the corresponding automatically derived S-onset times. We find an average deviation from the reference picks of 0.5 s ± 0.8 s. If only excellent automatic picks are considered, the average difference from the reference picks is reduced to −0.057 s ± 0.12 s. The proposed automatic quality weighting scheme yields similar weights for the individual S onsets as the ones set by the analysts. The presented algorithm works reliably and robust even when applied to a data set with heterogeneous SNRs. Furthermore, the proposed method may be suitable for the implementation in an earthquake early-warning system as additional, accurate S-wave arrival time estimates stabilize the location, especially the determination of the event depth.

Stress field around the Coloumbo magma chamber, southern Aegean: Its significance for assessing volcanic and seismic hazard in Santorini

Coloumbo submarine volcano lies 6.5 km offshore the NE part of the Santorini island complex and exhibits high seismicity along with vigorous hydrothermal activity. This study models the local stress field around Coloumbo's magma chamber and investigates its influence on intrusion emplacement and geometry. The two components of the stress field, hoop and radial stress, are calculated using analytical formulas that take into account the depth and radius of the magma chamber as these are determined from seismological and other observations. These calculations indicate that hoop stress at the chamber walls is maximum at an angle of 74° thus favouring flank intrusions, while the radial stress switches from tensile to compressive at a critical distance of 5.7 km from the center of the magma chamber. Such estimates agree well with neotectonic and seismological observations that describe the local/regional stress field in the area. We analyse in detail the case where a flank intrusion reaches the surface very near the NE coast of Thera as this is the worst-case eruption scenario. The geometrical features of such a feeder dyke point to an average volumetric flow rate of 9.93 m 3 s −1 which corresponds to a Volcanic Explosivity Index of 3 if a future eruption lasts about 70 days. Hazards associated with such an eruption include ashfall, ballistic ejecta and base surges due to explosive mixing of magma with seawater. Previous studies have shown that areas near erupting vents are also foci of moderate to large earthquakes that precede or accompany an eruption. Our calculations show that a shallow event (3–5 km) of moment magnitude 5.9 near the eruptive vent may cause Peak Ground Acceleration in the range 122–177 cm s −2 at different locations around Santorini. These values indicate that seismic hazard even due to a moderate earthquake near Coloumbo, is not trivial and may have a significant impact especially on older buildings at Thera island.

An investigation on ovarian development of grooved shrimpMelicertus kerathurusin Izmir Bay, Turkey

In the current study, commercially valuable penaeid shrimp,Melicertus kerathurus, were attained approximately monthly in the Izmir Bay, southern Aegean Sea from May 2004 to April 2005. For each specimen, we measured body length, body weight and ovarian weight, and calculated gonadosomatic indices (GSI). GSI values results pointed out that the GSI inMelicertus kerathurusincreased during vitellogenesis (2.03 ± 0.24%) but sharply decreased after spawning (0.53 ± 0.35%) to reach levels similar to those in immature females. We also examined oogenesis inMelicertus kerathurusby histological observation of the ovary to determine reproductive cycle for future domestication. The observation on the gonads leads us to conclude that there are five stages of development for the females: (I) previtellogenic; (II) early vitellogenic; (III) late vitellogenic; (IV) mature; and (V) spent. Histological characteristics showed that the best time to capture adult shrimps for breeding purposes was between the months of April and June. The numbers of each oocyte type that were present were also counted, measured, and used to evaluate the following traits: total oocyte number; mean oocytes diameter; and maximum oocyte diameter. Oocyte diameter was significantly different at all stages (P &lt; 0.05) and the largest diameter was observed as 163.92 ± 4.51µm at stage IV.

Biological invasions and climatic warming: implications for south-eastern Aegean ecosystem functioning

The Aegean Sea, due to the complexity and variety of morphological features, bathymetry, hydrological, hydrodynamic features and climatic characteristics, offers a unique opportunity for monitoring the spreading and/or invasion of alien biota. It is known that the establishment of warm/tropical marine alien species is related mainly to the increase in sea temperature. A significant increase in aliens' number along the southern Aegean (Dodecanese) coasts has been documented in the last twenty years, while their arrival has produced evident changes in coastal ecosystem composition and function. Although the study area acts as a crossroad for tropical alien species introduction in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, a direct attempt to link temperature alterations with new alien species arrivals has not been performed. Satellite and in situ derived marine temperature data showed that the study area has gone through a remarkable warming, while the link between global temperatures and regional ones revealed that this warming is not a local phenomenon but part of global climate trends. Examining relationships between new alien species arrivals data since 1929 against global temperatures, it is shown that their introduction rate parallels the significant increase of marine temperatures. The association of alien introductions with marine water warming, as well as potential effects on ecosystem functioning of selected species is discussed.

Planning for knowledge infrastructure and capacity building in a distinct insular regional context (Cyclades-Southern Aegean): the role of higher education institutions’ research actions

This paper is based on the study of a distinct insular region in Greece: Cyclades Prefecture with reference to also to the broader Periphery of the Southern Aegean. It elaborates on the issue of island innovation systems and the role of actions driven by higher education institutions (HEIs) in knowledge infrastructure (KI) and capacity building (CB). The paper argues that an exceedingly high number of HEI research actions tend to develop with “relative autonomy” from local expertise, networks and knowledge patterns embedded in the insular setting. In addition, these actions are conditioned by the EU policy doctrine, the dominant central state perception of innovation policies and the adverse pattern of HEI development in the national territory. Its geographically scattered composition and scarcities in scientific specializations and research fields make the sole regional HEI feeble in its ability to assume a leading role in fostering KI and CB processes. From this context, a number of factors and obstacles militate against a knowledge area-wide integrated strategy, deriving from: (a) the local socio-economic setting; (b) the proliferation of HEI actions; and (c) the institutional-governance system. In parallel to such obstacles, however, there are indications of potential conditions of change emanating from the positive role of some HEIs actions, the relatively active presence of regional HEIs, the growth trends of the insular economy, the making of new niches and networks, the presence of international institutions and, above all, the building of an atmosphere of trust between local communities and HEIs.