Papastergiadou Evanthia

Evanthia Papastergiadou is a Professor in the Department of Plant Biology at the University of Patras, Greece. She leads the Plant Ecology Research Group and is a key figure in aquatic ecosystem research, particularly focusing on freshwater macrophytes, biodiversity, and ecological water quality under the EU Water Framework Directive.

Education:

• Degree in Biology, School of Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
• PhD in Biology, Department of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Research Interests:

Her research spans a wide array of ecological themes, including:

• Structure, dynamics and management of aquatic ecosystems
• Ecological water quality assessment using macrophytes as bioindicators
• Impact of invasive species and anthropogenic pressures
• Climate change effects on aquatic vegetation
• Landscape ecology and GIS-based land-use change analysis

Research Trends from Publications:

Her recent work emphasizes functional diversity of aquatic macrophytes, responses to environmental gradients, and conservation strategies in riparian and lacustrine systems across Europe. She has contributed to large-scale comparative studies such as REFRESH, COST-CONVERGES, and LIFE-IP, often involving mesocosm experiments and long-term monitoring.

Grants and Projects:

• LIFE-IP (2018–2025): Integrated conservation of Natura 2000 sites
• COST Action CONVERGES (2017–2021): Riparian ecosystem management
• EU FP7 REFRESH (2010–2014): Climate change impacts on freshwater ecosystems
• National Monitoring Programs for River Ecological Quality (2014–2023)

Labs & Teams:

She is affiliated with the Plant Ecology Research Group at the University of Patras, which is actively involved in freshwater ecology and conservation biology. Her team collaborates with international partners across Europe, contributing to EU-level policy and conservation frameworks.