Valasia Iakovoglou

Title : Save water while enhancing restoration success under the challenges of climate change

Abstract:

Increased aridity levels is one of the predicted climatic alterations. Restoration efforts particularly in the semi-arid areas of the Mediterranean region pose many obstacles that associates with higher frequency and intensity of drought events. Safeguarding the biodiversity levels of those ecosystems by increasing restoration success is of crucial importance. Research have shown that seedlings that have undergone a period of stress, can better overcome adverse growth conditions. Based on the presented research, seedlings of forest species were subjected to irrigation treatments. The results of this research have indicated that seedlings treated with reduced water frequency prior to field transplanting, were able to successfully maintain their growth under field conditions. Consequently, the benefit is dual when applying reduced watering; save water while increasing transplanting success under field semi-arid Mediterranean summer growth conditions.

Audience Take Away: 

• Tool to increasing restoration success.
• Ways to resolve water-related problems under the challenges of climate change.
• Understand the impact of species.

Biography:

Dr. Valasia Iakovoglou is a distinct graduate of Iowa State University, USA. She has more than 20-yrs of national/international research and teaching experience as an Ecophysiologist/Silviculture expert in seedling production and Restoration/Conservation of Ecosystems with emphasis on Biodiversity under the challenges of Climate Change. She has received numerous scholarships, awards and recognitions. She is an editor of nine international journals and a reviewer in more than fifteen with one of them being the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). She has more than 100 publications (such as books/book chapters and peer-reviewed scientific papers). She is active in many scientific societies such as the Mediterranean Experts of Climate and environmental Change (MedECC) and associations such as the “Association of Inter-Balkan Woman’s Cooperation Societies (AIWCS)” of UNESCO Center, where she serves as Board Member. Currently she is the Director of the Ecotourism Sector of the UNESCO chair Con-E-Ect.