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https://olympias.lib.uoi.gr/jspui/handle/123456789/39935Full metadata record
| DC Field | Value | Language |
|---|---|---|
| dc.contributor.author | Παπακώστας, Κωνσταντίνος | el |
| dc.contributor.author | Papakostas, Konstantinos | en |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-03-30T06:32:42Z | - |
| dc.date.available | 2026-03-30T06:32:42Z | - |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://olympias.lib.uoi.gr/jspui/handle/123456789/39935 | - |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States | * |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/ | * |
| dc.subject | Οπληφόρα | el |
| dc.subject | Ungulates | en |
| dc.subject | Βαλκανικό αγριόγιδο | el |
| dc.subject | Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica | en |
| dc.title | Οικολογία και διατήρηση του Βαλκανικού αγριόγιδου (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) στην Ελλάδα | el |
| dc.title | Ecology and conservation of the Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) in Greece | en |
| dc.type | doctoralThesis | en |
| heal.type | doctoralThesis | el |
| heal.type.en | Doctoral thesis | en |
| heal.type.el | Διδακτορική διατριβή | el |
| heal.classification | Οικολογία και διατήρηση | el |
| heal.classification | Ecology and conservation | en |
| heal.dateAvailable | 2026-03-30T06:33:43Z | - |
| heal.language | en | el |
| heal.access | free | el |
| heal.recordProvider | Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων. Σχολή Επιστημών Υγείας | el |
| heal.publicationDate | 2026-02 | - |
| heal.abstract | The Balkan chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra balcanica) is an emblematic mountain ungulate and one of the seven subspecies of the Northern chamois (R. rupicapra). Greece marks the southernmost edge of its European distribution. Although national legislation protects the species and prohibits hunting since 1969, the subspecies maintains an Inadequate-Bad conservation status. Poaching, road development, and hunting of other game species drive the main threats, while livestock competition, tourism, mining projects, genetic isolation, and climate change add further pressure. Greece has approved an action plan for the species, but it is not yet implemented. To contribute to this plan and strengthen conservation efforts, this thesis examines key ecological aspects of the Balkan chamois in Greece. It assessed seasonal range use and habitat selection in two mountains that differ in climatic conditions (dry/wet), analyzed diel and seasonal activity patterns, produced a national habitat suitability map, and quantified potential habitat loss and fragmentation driven by climate change and renewable energy development. It also synthesized current knowledge on home range and habitat selection for both Northern and Southern chamois. On Mt. Olympus, we collected 1,182 chamois observations during four seasonal surveys in 2022 and 2023 and estimated population size. The annual range reached 103 km2. The smallest range occurred in autumn during the rut, followed by summer, and the largest in winter. The species showed a Mediterranean range use pattern, which indicates that summer drought acts as the main ecological stressor. The population numbered roughly 430 individuals and showed an increasing trend, although fecundity remained low in 2022. Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA) revealed that chamois selected areas close to hiking trails throughout the year, likely due to habituation to hikers, and avoided mountain roads, which aligns with strategies that minimize poaching risk. It also selected rocky habitats and escape terrain, especially in spring and winter. These findings refine approaches for identifying escape terrain and mapping suitable habitat and support management measures that include road control, water provision in dry mountains, visitor regulation, anti poaching actions, and expansion of hunting-free areas. On Mt. Oiti, we recorded 652 chamois occurrences in 2023 across a study area of 156 km2. Seasonal ranges and core areas showed limited variation and strong spatial overlap, which indicates minimal seasonal movement. Species Distribution Models identified 12.2 km2 of suitable habitat, and 28% of this area lay outside the Natura 2000 network. Chamois used forests in all seasons and expanded their use of grasslands in summer and autumn. Human disturbance variables exerted the strongest influence on habitat suitability. The species consistently avoided areas near livestock pens, roads, and hunting grounds. Planned wind power stations would lead to 17% loss of the suitable habitat and would likely reduce the population’s range, while the impact of proposed small hydroelectric units remains uncertain. These results highlight the need to restrict infrastructure and road construction in suitable habitat, expand protected areas and wildlife refuges, and regulate livestock pressure, all in line with the national action plan. Although chamois are widely distributed across Europe and parts of Asia (ten subspecies), studies on their distribution and habitat selection account for less than 10% of the literature on the genus, and existing research disproportionately focuses on the Alpine chamois (R. r. rupicapra). We explored the chamois home range patterns and habitat selection drivers, trends in methodological data collection and analysis tools, and research gaps. We conducted a systematic search (PRISMA guideline) and a meta-analysis of the peer-reviewed, English-language articles that reported quantitative data on home range size or habitat selection, comprising 22 studies spanning 16 study 13 areas. Knowledge stemmed mainly (68% of studies) from the Alpine subspecies. Seven subspecies remain understudied (0-1 study each). Telemetry and field observations were the primary field methods in home range and habitat selection studies, respectively. Annual individual home ranges were small but varied greatly (0.04-4.94 km²), depending on sex (larger in males), dispersal behavior (larger in migrating males), and season. Habitat selection analysis (24 factors tested; 452 cases) revealed that topography (elevation, slope, escape terrain) and human disturbance (hunting, infrastructure, hiking trails, livestock) influenced chamois habitat selection. Rocky, grassland and forest habitat use were season-dependent, and snow-covered areas were generally avoided. We highlight the need for further research on underrepresented and threatened subspecies, as well as on the chamois' responses to human disturbance and climatic variables, to better inform conservation management under global change. We also performed the first assessment of the activity patterns of the Balkan chamois in Greece using camera traps, with a focus on potential differences between forested and open habitats. We deployed 49 camera traps across Pindos mountain range (2015-2020), targeting areas with high chamois presence. Thirty-nine cameras yielded usable data (6,152 camera days). We quantified Relative Abundance Index (RAI) and analyzed seasonal and diel activity patterns based on independent photographic events. Chamois showed a high RAI (43), with daily activity ranging from 9:00 to 21:00 and a peak at 11:00. Chamois used both forested and open areas, but we found no substantial differences in their activity patterns between the two. Nocturnal activity was generally low but increased during autumn, coinciding with the rutting season. We recommend a systematic camera trap deployment in future studies to evaluate activity overlap with sympatric species and the effects of human disturbance on chamois behavior. | en |
| heal.advisorName | Κατή, Βασιλική | el |
| heal.committeeMemberName | Apollonio, Marco | en |
| heal.committeeMemberName | Αστάρας, Χρήστος | el |
| heal.committeeMemberName | Batsidis, Apostolos | en |
| heal.committeeMemberName | Halley, John | en |
| heal.committeeMemberName | Sotiropoulos, Konstantinos | en |
| heal.committeeMemberName | Šprem, Nikica | en |
| heal.academicPublisher | Πανεπιστήμιο Ιωαννίνων. Σχολή Επιστημών Υγείας. Τμήμα Βιολογικών Εφαρμογών και Τεχνολογιών | el |
| heal.academicPublisherID | uoi | el |
| heal.numberOfPages | 121 σ. | el |
| heal.fullTextAvailability | true | - |
| Appears in Collections: | Διδακτορικές Διατριβές - ΒΕΤ | |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Δ.Δ. Παπακώστας Κωνσταντίνος (2026).pdf | 5.85 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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