• Climate variability, climate modification and change. Climate history.
• Climate Variability and climatic changes in the Mediterranean region.
• Climate Models (GCMs). Basic equations and assumptions (climatic ‘scenarios’, etc)
• Agroclimatic Models and Climate Models: applications based on their combined use for assessing the potential impacts of climate changes in agriculture.
• Drought , Aridity and Desertification. Assessment and tools for prediction with focus on rural areas.
• Extreme and heavy rainfalls. Rainfall, Runoff and Flooding. Flood events and ways to cope with them.
• Extreme weather and climate events, types and effects on agricultural production, socio-economic effects, and protection measures. El-Ninõ-LaNinã cycles, etc., effects on vegetation and agricultural ecosystems.
• Cyclones (tropical and extratropical ones included), tornadoes, etc. Effects and forecasting methods.
• Episodes of high temperatures (heat waves). Effects and ways to cope with them. Fires and fire risk assessments.
• Extreme air temperature values in rural and urban environments and their spatiotemporal patterns.
• Severe Thunderstorms. Storms and hail. Hail fall and anti-hail protection.
• Changes of the atmospheric environment (air pollution climatology) and environmental stresses in rural areas
Learning results
Bibliography
Texts in Greek:
• Chronopoulou, A., Flokas, A. 2010. Agricultural Meteorology and Climatology. Ziti Editions. Thessaloniki
• Maheras, P. Balafoutis, C. 1997. General Climatology with Elements of Meteorology. University Studio Press, Thessaloniki.
• Tsiros, I.X. 2019. GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES: Extreme Weather Events- Climate Changes-Pollution. University Lecture Notes.
Texts in English:
• Das H.P., Adamenko T.I., Anaman K.A., Gommes R.G. and Johnson G. 2003. Agrometeorology related to extreme events. Technical Note No. 201, World Meteorological Organization (WMO) – No. 943, Geveva, Switzerland.
• World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2006. Preventing and mitigating disasters. Working together for a safer world. WMO – No.993. Geneva, Switzerland.
• Reddy K.R. and Hodges H.F., 2000. Climate Change and Global Crop Productivity. CABI Publishing, NY, USA.
The Faculty of Crop Science of the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA), was founded in June 1989 (Official Journal of the Hellenic Republic Νο. 166Α΄/16-6-1989) it is the first University Faculty of Crop Science founded in Greece
