Designers of Nature's Subterranean Abodes: Insights into the Architecture and Utilization of Burrow Systems of Thomas' Pine Vole, (Rodentia: Arvicolinae).

(Rodentia: Arvicolinae), a fossorial vole endemic to the SW Balkans, uses a variety of substrates but its underground behavior remains poorly understood. This study examines the architecture and utilization of burrow systems in NW Peloponnese, Greece. In particular, eight burrow systems were meticulously excavated and studied, with comprehensive measurements taken of key characteristics, including length, depth, soil mounds, and surface openings.

The genus Acicula W. Hartmann, 1821 in the Caucasus (Gastropoda: Caenogastropoda: Aciculidae).

The Aciculidae is a family of terrestrial operculate snails with a western Palaearctic distribution. Historically three Acicula species were reported from the Caucasus Mountains, which represents the eastern edge of the family's distribution: A. limbata, A.

Chemical and biological tracking in decentralized sanitation systems: The case of artificial constructed wetlands.

Given that the social and economic sustainability of rural areas is highly based on the protection of natural resources, biodiversity and human health, simple-operated and cost-effective wastewater treatment systems, like artificial constructed wetlands (CWs), are widely proposed for minimizing the environmental and human impact of both water and soil pollution. Considering that the optimization of wastewater treatment processes is vital for the reduction of effluents toxic potential, there is imperative need to establish appropriate management strategies for ensuring CW performance and operational efficiency. To this end, the present study aimed to assess the operational efficiency of a horizontal free water surface CW (HFWS-CW) located in a world heritage area of Western Greece, via a twelve-month duration Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE)-like approach, including both chemical and biological tracking tools.

The interplay of wind and uplift facilitates over-water flight in facultative soaring birds.

Flying over the open sea is energetically costly for terrestrial birds. Despite this, over-water journeys of many birds, sometimes hundreds of kilometres long, are uncovered by bio-logging technology. To understand how these birds afford their flights over the open sea, we investigated the role of atmospheric conditions, specifically wind and uplift, in subsidizing over-water flight at a global scale.

Assessing the seasonal and intrinsic variability of neurotoxic and cyto-genotoxic biomarkers in blood of free-living Eleonoras' falcons.

In the present study we investigated seasonal and intrinsic variability of neurotoxic and cyto-genotoxic biomarkers in blood plasma and erythrocytes of free-living Eleonoras' falcons, captured during the pre-breeding (May of 2017 and 2018) and breeding period (September of 2017) on the Antikythira Island (Greece). Specifically, blood samples of captured birds were prepared for the determination of cholinesterase (ChEs, i.e.

Promoting evolution: the brand new .

Herein we present the recently founded Hellenic Evolutionary Society (HEVOS) that has been recently instituted to promote evolution and scientific thinking among the Greek-speaking public. HEVOS is a timely initiative, given the low levels of acceptance of evolution by Greek society and the almost complete lack of evolution teaching in primary and secondary education in Greece. Herein, the main aims of the Society are presented.

Habitat selection of woodchat shrikes during spring stopover is related to foraging strategy.

Every spring a huge number of passerines cross the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean Sea on their way to their breeding grounds. Stopover sites after such extended barriers where birds can rest, refuel, and find shelter from adverse weather, are of crucial importance for the outcome of their migration. Stopover habitat selection used by migrating birds depends on landscape context, habitat patch characteristics, as well as on the particular energetic conditions and needs of individual birds, but it is still poorly investigated.

Current and future suitability of wintering grounds for a long-distance migratory raptor.

Conservation of migratory species faces the challenge of understanding the ecological requirements of individuals living in two geographically separated regions. In some cases, the entire population of widely distributed species congregates at relatively small wintering areas and hence, these areas become a priority for the species' conservation. Satellite telemetry allows fine tracking of animal movements and distribution in those less known, often remote areas.

, a new valvatiform genus and a new species of the Hydrobiidae (Caenogastropoda, Truncatelloidea) from Greece.

A new to science valvatiform hydrobiid, Radea, , from southern Greece, is described and illustrated. The new genus is a tiny gastropod thriving in a stream and is differentiated from the other known European and circum-Mediterranean valvatiform hydrobiid genera by a unique combination of the male and female genitalia features i.e.

Influence of temperature on female, embryonic and hatchling traits in syntopic newts, Ichthyosaura alpestris and Lissotriton vulgaris.

Amphibian populations have been declining globally for the last several decades, and climate change is often regarded as one of the most important factors driving these declines. Amphibians are particularly sensitive to climatic changes due to their physiological, ecological and behavioral characteristics. Here we performed a laboratory experiment to investigate how temperature affects ovipositing females, eggs and hatchlings in two syntopic populations of alpine newts, Ichthyosaura alpestris, and smooth newts, Lissotriton vulgaris.

Evaluation of a battery of marine species-based bioassays against raw and treated municipal wastewaters.

The present study evaluates a battery of marine species-based bioassays against chemically characterized municipal wastewater samples (raw and WWTP treated). We estimated Dunaliella tertiolecta growth rate inhibition (24-96h IC values), Artemia franciscana immobilization (24h LC values), mussel hemocytes viability and lipid peroxidation enhancement (in terms of neutral red retention assay/NRRT and malondialdehyde/MDA content, respectively) in influent- and WWTP effluent-treated species. We found algal growth arrest and stimulation respectively, almost similar 24hLC values in Artemia sp.

Predator-prey interactions between shell-boring beetle larvae and rock-dwelling land snails.

Drilus beetle larvae (Coleoptera: Elateridae) are specialized predators of land snails. Here, we describe various aspects of the predator-prey interactions between multiple Drilus species attacking multiple Albinaria (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae) species in Greece. We observe that Drilus species may be facultative or obligate Albinaria-specialists.

Mitochondrial phylogeny and biogeographic history of the Greek endemic land-snail genus Codringtonia Kobelt 1898 (Gastropoda, Pulmonata, Helicidae).

The aim of this work was to infer the phylogeny of the Greek endemic land-snail genus Codringtonia Kobelt 1898, estimate the time frame of the radiation of the genus, and propose a biogeographic scenario that could explain the contemporary distribution of Codringtonia lineages. The study took place in the districts of Peloponnese, Central Greece and Epirus of mainland Greece. Sequence data originating from three mtDNA genes (COI, COII, and 16S rDNA) were used to infer the phylogeny of the eight nominal Codringtonia species.

Inference of evolutionary patterns of the land snail Albinaria in the Aegean archipelago: is vicariance enough?

Mitochondrial DNA sequences from 16S rRNA and ATPase8 genes were used to investigate phylogeographic patterns of the land snail Albinaria (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae) in the Aegean archipelago. Forty-two populations of Albinaria were analyzed, mainly A. turrita, A.