Sani Environmental Observatory - Greece

Basic Information
Site Name
Sani Environmental Observatory
Short name
S.E.O.
Country
Greece
Site Manager
Funding Agency
Site Description
The Sani Environmental Observatory (S.E.O.) is located within a mature, near-coastal Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis L.) ecosystem at the peninsula of Kassandra, in Chalkidiki, Greece. It is part of the Stavronikita forest, which comprises approximately 300 ha of land covered mainly by forests and to a lesser extend by shrubs and pastures. The Observatory aims primarily at the assessment of the carbon and water balance of this typical low-elevation forest ecosystem to the ongoing climatic shift. Such ecosystems may be prone to the intensified heat and drought events, as well as to the associated insects’ and pathogens’ outbreaks, which are increasingly occurring at the Mediterranean region and particularly at its eastern part. Although Aleppo pines, as well as other Mediterranean pines, are generally adapted to the region’s xerothermic conditions, the in-depth understanding of their ecophysiological and growth responses will allow us to predict the potential of such ecosystems to adapt to climate change. SEO also serves to assess the carbon stocks and fluxes and the contribution of these natural, old-growth ecosystems to carbon sequestration and, thus, to climate change mitigation. S.E.O. is developed by the Forest Research Institute (Lab of Forest Ecophysiology) of the Hellenic Agricultural Organization Dimitra with the support of Sani Resort SA, the owner of the studied forest ecosystem, presenting a nice example of collaboration between the research community and the private sector. Given that SEO is located at a region of high touristic and aesthetic value, close to a wetland and the sea, the Observatory also plans actions to familiarize people with environmental monitoring and the multiple functions and services of the studied Mediterranean ecosystem.
Last modified
2023-09-04 11:09:14

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General Characteristics and Status
Site Status
Operational
Year Established
2008
Observed properties
Climate
Precipitation Sum:    540 mm
Temperature Mean: 16.39 °C
No reference period has been provided
Affiliation and Network Specific Information
Affiliation
LTER EuropeThis site is a verified "LTER Europe" member.
LTER Greece (LTER_EU_GR_009)This site is a verified "LTER Greece" member.
Photos
View of the Aleppo pines and the wetland

View of the Aleppo pines and the wetland

View of the landscape

View of the landscape

Climate station

Climate station

Eddy covariance equipment

Eddy covariance equipment

Eddy covariance tower

Eddy covariance tower

Aleppo pine stand

Aleppo pine stand

Sap flow measurements

Sap flow measurements

Geographic
Elevation (average)
4.00msl
Elevation (min)
0.00msl
Elevation (max)
6.00msl
Download

Site information [.json]

Centroid/representative coordinates [.shp] [.kml]