Nikolaos Toumasis

Areas of expertise

• Digital Agriculture
• Monitoring and Environmental Informatics
• Natural Capital
• Sustainable Land Systems
• Water Science and Engineering

Background

Nikolaos Toumasis is an environmental scientist with expertise in the multidisciplinary study of ecological resilience. He applies basic scientific and practical problems at the intersection of ecology, hydroclimatology, water quality, geomorphology, and integrated land-water management from a whole system perspective. Nikolaos has specific interest in computational -Integrated Catchment Modelling, Coding and Analytics. Landscape rehabilitation and restoration, geomorphology-ecology interactions in river-floodplain systems, and coastal erosion are the three primary areas of focus for Nikolao's research group. Statistical and time series analyses of suspended ecology dynamics in wetlands and field surveys to ascertain ecological responses to soil processes and human interventions are just a few of the many methods used in this research area, which covers spatial and temporal scales.

Prior to his PhD, Nikolaos Toumasis graduated in 2006 from Technical School Aviation (Military Academy) from the Air Training Command. In 2007, Nikolaos gained a degree in Civil Aviation for the Certification Program ‘Introductory Training Air Traffic Controllers’ with a specialisation from the Air Force as an Air Traffic Controller. In 2012 he gained a BSc from the Faculty of the Department of Physics at the University of Ioannina. His MBA degree is in Human Resource Management and Leadership from Cardiff Metropolitan University. Furthermore, his MBA dissertation was entitled: 'The role of Human Resource Management in preventing occupational stress in Air Traffic Controllers in the European Union (Period 2010-2014)'. He obtained a MSc degree in Atmospheric Sciences and the Environment, and his dissertation was entitled 'Biometeorology of Airports', measuring pressure, wind velocity, temperature and humidity, outgoing long wavelength radiation, absorbed by atmosphere (Earth's Radiation Budget), fluid mechanics, and Climate Change-Impacts and Mitigation. His (F119-MAT) Postgraduate Research (PhD) at Heriot-Watt University, Department of Maths, concerned developing techniques of data assimilation in numerical weather prediction and climate change modelling, basic regression analysis, variational approaches, Kalman filtering, Bayesian inference approach, formulating and implementing the Optimal Interpolation, 3-DVAR, and 4-DVAR approaches, and Lorentz. Nikolaos' dissertation was about 'Data assimilation implementation on Quasigeostrophic fluid model', using Matlab for research problems, selection, and interpretation of the prior and posterior distributions.

His main areas of expertise include landscape ecology, woodland ecology, restoration ecology, and spatial ecology, investigating the consequences of anthropogenic disturbances and the effectiveness of conservation actions with a focus on finding effective ways to restore biodiversity, ensuring UK woodlands and grasslands are protected and resilient to future environmental changes. Benefiting from the broad nature of ecology and working as a meteorologist-climatologist at the Laboratory of Meteorology (University of Ioannina), he has been exposed to an extensive range of subjects, from climate change to new technologies of remote sensing. Having studied the specialised courses, Bioclimatology, Meteorology, and Geophysics for Environmental Scientists GGE NERC Geophysics course at Keele University, he has gained essential knowledge in Environmental Sciences, and he has acquired the essential skills of systematic research, analytical thinking, and restoration ecology evaluation. He is a graduate member of the Institute of Environmental Engineers, Royal Society of Edinburgh, British Ecological Society, IAGRE, European Geosciences Union, and The Douglas Bomford Trust.

Current activities

-‘Startup of the SOILL support structure for SOIL Living Labs’

To deliver research outputs in contribution to the EU HORIZON SOILL-Startup project and to develop and undertake a plan to contribute as a research team member to a broader program of environmental research. Plan and undertake a work program for the research contribution, using methodology and techniques appropriate to this type of research, e.g.:

· Investigations leading to the discovery of new knowledge.

· Analysing and illuminating data, interpreting and bringing new insights through integration.

· Stakeholder engagement methods.

· Application of knowledge in practice out of which new intellectual understanding emerges.

· Plan and produce independent original research.

· Investigate approaches, then test and develop them.

· Take responsibility for organising resources and effective decision-making in support of excellence in research and teaching.

· Support colleagues in research, student supervision, teaching, and grant proposal writing.

· Contribute to the effective operation of the theme and centre.

-''Securing Lawtonian Landscape Resilience'' (PhD_Funded under CENTA)

Lawton (2010) reviewed England's biodiversity and ecological networks and concluded that biodiversity sites did not comprise a coherent and resilient ecological network, in the face of a changing climate and threats to biodiversity. We need to make our network of sites bigger, better and more joined up and plan effectively to avoid further degradation. The Governments 25 year environment plan sets goals for improving the environment, aiming to achieve a growing and resilient network richer in biodiversity. This project answers the question, how do deliver these goals by means of green infrastructure investments informed by robust science.

-The RestREco study sites helped put his work into context, and engaging with the project's stakeholders and partners to evaluate the practical application of his PhD research in supporting evidence-based decision-making.

-As part of the coastal research team at Natural England (NPIF23-5), he had lots of practical fieldwork experience in Gibraltar Point NNR, RSPB Freiston Shores, and RSPB Frampton marshes and spent time discussing the Wash, why it is important, the 'Freitopia scheme-new saline lagoon and freshwater reservoir', the landscape recovery project, saltmarsh management, the NSIP Boston Alternative Energy by managing recreational pressures, and climate change adaptation. He was involved in major casework projects in the Lincolnshire coastal and marine protected sites, the challenges of coastal erosion, as well as the regulatory process. The Natural England project was focused on building the evidence base around maritime cliff and slope habitat, which has been rather neglected in the recent past. He investigated and modelled maritime influence (e.g., salt spray, maritime weather) around the English coast, specifically with regards to cliff habitat, and considered how this influences vegetation development in order to help improve understanding of habitat creation potential and in truly identifying the Maritime Cliff and Slope resource in England.

-The opportunity to attend the CENTA Speed PhD 2024 as a group mentor helped him enhance his research duties to assist his team with fieldwork and data collection working on the project: ‘The revitalisation of hedgerows as a method of flood risk prevention in England’, in soil morphology along a Cotswold catena, examining relationships between landscape topography and soil taxonomy.

Clients

• Natural Environment Research Council
• Environment Agency
• Natural England

Publications

• Articles in journals
• Books