Nikolaos Monokrousos

Dr. Nikolaos Monokrousos is an Associate Professor in Soil Ecology at the School of Humanities, Social Sciences and Economics at the International Hellenic University. Before joining IHU he was a researcher at the Institute of Soil and Water Resources, Hellenic Agricultural Organization – Demeter.

He is active in the field of Soil Ecology for over 15 years and his research interests are focused on the study of the soil microbial community structure and functionality, the soil enzyme activity, and their role in soil organic matter decomposition and nutrient cycling. Part of his research is also focused on the study of soil free-living nematode communities, aiming to study in-depth the relations and interactions of organisms that belong to different levels of the soil food web. His goal is to better understand how agricultural management practices affect organisms of different soil food web levels (indicators of soil health) and to improve soil functions optimizing agricultural productivity and sustainability. He has published more than 45 research papers in international peer-reviewed journals and has participated in several national and international projects (PENED, THALIS, LIFE).

List of publications

  1. Ntalli N, Adamski Z, Doula M, Monokrousos N (2020). Nematicidal Amendments and Soil Remediation. Plants 9, 429
  2. Meidani C, Savvidis A, Lampropoulou E, Sagia A, Katsifas E, Monokrousos N, Hatzinikolaou DG, Karagouni AD, Giannoutsou E, Adamakis IDS, Ntalli N (2020). Τhe nematicidal potential of bioactive Streptomyces strains isolated from Greek rhizosphere soils tested on Arabidopsis plants of varying susceptibility to Meloidogyne Plants 9, 699
  3. Chatzistathis T, Monokrousos N, Psoma P, Tziachris P, Metaxa I, Strikos G, Papadopoulos FH, Papadopoulos AH (2020). How fully productive olive trees (Olea europaea, cv. ‘Chondrolia Chalkidikis’) manage to over-satisfy their P nutritional needs under low Olsen P availability in soils? Scientia Horticulturae 265, 109251
  4. Ntalli N, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Doitsinis K, Kalomoiris M, Papadakis EN, Boutsis G, Dimou M, Monokrousos N (2020). Mode of action and ecotoxicity of hexanoic and acetic acids on Meloidogyne javanica. Journal of Pest Science 93, 867-877
  5. Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Orfanoudakis M, Jones DG, Scullion J, Stamou GP (2020). The effects of plant type, AMF inoculation and water regime on rhizosphere microbial communities. European Journal of Soil Science 71, 265-278
  6. Ntalli N, Bratidou Parlapani A, Tzani K, Samara M, Boutsis G, Dimou M, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Monokrousos N (2020). Thymus citriodorus (Schreb) botanical products as ecofriendly nematicides with bio-fertilizing properties. Plants 9, 202
  7. Parapouli M, Sfakianaki A, Monokrousos N, Perisynakis A, Hatziloukas E (2019). Comparative transcriptional analysis of flavour-biosynthetic genes of a native Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain fermenting in its natural must environment, vs. a commercial strain and correlation of the genes’ activities with the produced flavour compounds. Journal of Biological Research-Thessaloniki 26, 5
  8. Vokou D, Genitsaris S, Karamanoli K, Vareli K, Zachari M, Voggoli D, Monokrousos N, Halley JM, Sainis I (2019). Metagenomic characterization reveals pronounced seasonality in the diversity and structure of the phyllosphere bacterial community in a Mediterranean ecosystem. Microorganisms 7 (11), 518
  9. Ntalli N, Tsiafouli MA, Tzani K, Mavridi O, Oplos C, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Monokrousos N (2019). Whey: the soil bio-community enhancer that selectively controls root-knot nematodes. Plants 8 (11), 445
  10. Konstantinou S, Monokrousos N, Kapagianni P, Menkissoglu‐Spiroudi U, Gwynn‐Jones D, Stamou GP, Papatheodorou EM (2019). Instantaneous responses of microbial communities to stress in soils pretreated with Mentha spicata essential oil and/or inoculated with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Ecological Research 34, 701-710
  11. Ntalli N, Zioga D, Argyropoulou M, Papatheodorou EM, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Monokrousos N (2019). Anise, parsley and rocket as nematicidal soil amendments and their impact on non-target soil organisms. Applied soil ecology 143, 17-25
  12. Stamou GP, Monokrousos N, Gwynn-Jones D, Whitworth DE, Papatheodorou EM (2019) A polyphasic approach for assessing eco-system connectivity demonstrates that perturbation remodels network architecture in soil microcosms. Microbial ecology 78, 949-960
  13. Nantsios T, Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou E (2018). Microbial Inoculation as a tool in livestock farming. Modern Concepts & Development in Agronomy 5, 515-524
  14. Avtzis DN, Stara K, Sgardeli⁠ V, Betsis A, Diamandis⁠ S, Healey JR, Kapsalis E, Kati⁠⁠ V, Korakis⁠ G, Marini Govigli⁠ V, Monokrousos⁠ N, Muggia L.⁠, Nitsiakos V⁠, Papadatou E⁠, Papaioannou H, Rohrer A⁠, Τsiakiris R, Van Houtan KS, Vokou D., Wong J⁠, Halley JM (2018). Quantifying the conservation value of Sacred natural Forests. Biological Conservation 222, 95-103.
  15. Tsiafouli MA, Monokrousos N, Sgardelis SP (2018). Drought in spring increases microbial carbon loss through respiration in a Mediterranean pine forest. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 119, 59-62.
  16. Ntalli N, Monokrousos N, Rumbos C, Kontea D, Zioga D, Argyropoulou MD, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Tsiropoulos NG (2018). Greenhouse biofumigantion with Melia azedarach controls Meloidogyne and enhances soil biological activity. Journal of Pest Science 91, 29-40.
  17. Touka A, Vareli K, Igglezou M, Monokrousos N, Alivertis D, Halley JM, Hadjikakou S, Frillingos S, Sainis I (2018). Ancient European Lakes: Reservoirs of Hidden Microbial Diversity? The Case of Lake Pamvotis (NW Greece). Journal of Open Ecology 8, 537-578.
  18. Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Stamou GP (2018). Dimension and structural traits of soil macropores in cultivations differing in the duration of organic management. Environmental Engineering and Management Journal 17, 1555-1562.
  19. Stamou GP, Konstadinou S, Monokrousos N, Mastrogianni A, Orfanoudakis M, Hassiotis C, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Vokou D, Papatheodorou EM (2017). The effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and essential oil on soil microbial community and N-related enzymes during the fungal early colonization phase. AIMS Microbiology 3, 938-959.
  20. Panayiotou E, Dimou M, Monokrousos N (2017). The effects of grazing intensity on soil processes in a Mediterranean protected area. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 189, 441.
  21. Halley JM, Monokrousos N, Mazaris AD, Vokou D. (2017). Extinction debt in plant communities: where are we now? Journal of Vegetation Science 28, 459-461.
  22. Halley JM, Monokrousos N, Mazaris AD, Newmark WD, Vokou D (2016). Dynamics of extinction debt across five taxonomic groups. Nature Communications 7: 1-6.
  23. Monokrousos N, Charalampidis G, Kapagianni P, Argyropoulou MD, Papatheodorou EM (2016). Spatial and temporal variations of soil function in a Mediterranean serpentine ecosystem. Soil Research 54: 905-913.
  24. Samalidou Μ, Bougiouklis D, Vyzantiadis T, Meletiadis J, Monokrousos N, Siotou E, Sivropoulou A, Anagnostopoulos A, Sotiropoulos D (2015). In vitro and in vivo study on the effect of antifungal agents on hematopoietic cells in mice. Experimental Biology and Medicine 240: 1728-1734.
  25. Costa C, Papatheodorou EM, Monokrousos N, Stamou G.P. (2015). Spatial variability of soil organic C, inorganic N and extractable P in a Mediterranean grazed area. Land Degradation and Development 26: 103-109.
  26. Paraskevopoulou S, Monokrousos N, Kappas I, Abatzopoulos TJ (2015). Spatio-temporal variability of benthic macrofauna in a coastal lagoon assessed by ecological interaction networks. Community Ecology. Community Ecology 16: 10-22.
  27. Kokokiris L, Stamoulis A, Monokrousos N, Doulgeraki S. (2014). Oocytes development, maturity classification, maturity size and spawning season of the red mullet. Journal of Applied Ichtyology (Mullus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758). Journal of Applied Ichtyology 30: 20-27
  28. Vokou D, Dimitrakopoulos PG, Jones N, Damialis A, Monokrousos N, Pantis JD, Mazaris AD (2014). Ten years of co-management in Greek protected areas: an evaluation. Biodiversity and Conservation. Biodiversity and Conservation 23: 2833-2855.
  29. Monokrousos N, Boutsis G, Diamantopoulos J (2014). Development of soil chemical and biological properties in the initial stages of post-mining deposition sites. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 186: 9065-9074.
  30. Mastrogianni A, Papatheodorou EM, Monokrousos N, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Stamou GP (2014). Reclamation of lignite mine areas with Triticum aestivum: the dynamics of soil functions and microbial communities. Applied Soil Ecology 80: 51-59.
  31. Monokrousos N., Charalampidis G, Boutsis G, Sousanidou V, Papatheodorou EM, Argyropoulou MD (2014). Plant induced differentiation of soil variables and nematode community structure in a mediterranean serpentine ecosystem. Soil Research 52: 593-603
  32. Markopoulos G, Noutsopoulos D, Mantziou S, Vatholomatos G, Monokousos N, Angelidis C, Tzavaras T. (2013). Arsenic induces VL30 retrotransposition: the involvement of oxidative stress and heat-shock protein 70. Toxicological Sciences 134: 312-322.
  33. Papatheodorou EM, Kapagianni P, Georgila ED, Monokrousos N, Stamou GP. (2013). Predictability of soil succession patterns under different agricultural land use practices: Continual conventional cultivation versus transformation to organic cultivation of fallow periods. Pedobiologia 56: 233-239.
  34. Vlachodimos K, Papatheodorou EM, Diamantopoulos J, Monokrousos N. (2013). Assessment of Robinia pseudoacacia cultivations as a restoration strategy for reclaimed mine spoil heaps. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 185: 6921-6932.
  35. Kapagianni P, Monokrousos N., Stamou G.P., Papatheodorou E.M. (2013). The response of properties of soil cropped with shell beans and treated with disinfectant and fertilizer during the plant growing season. Biology and Fertility of Soils 49: 225-233.
  36. Halley JM, Sgardeli V, Monokrousos N. (2013). Species-area relationships and extinction forecasts. Annals of the New York Academy of Science 1286: 50-61.
  37. Sfikas A, Βatsi C, Tselikou E, Monokrousos N, Vartholomatos G, Christoforidis C, Tzavaras Th, Kanavaros P, Gorgoulis VG, Marcu KB, Kolettas E (2012). The canonical NF-kappaB pathway differentially protects normal and human tumor cells from ROS-induced DNA damage. Cellular Signaling 24: 2007-2023.
  38. Papatheodorou EM, Kordatos H, Kouseras T, Monokrousos N, Menkissoglu-Spiroudi U, Diamantopoulos J, Stamou GP, Argyropoulou MD (2012). Differential responses of structural and functional aspects of soil microbes and nematodes to biotic and abiotic stress. Applied Soil Ecology 61: 26-33.
  39. Vokou D, Vareli K., Zarali e, Karamanoli k, Constantinidou HIA, Halley JM, Monokrousos N, Sainis I (2012). Exploring biodiversity in the bacterial community of the Mediterranean phyllosphere and its relationship with airborne bacteria. Microbial Ecology 64: 714-724.
  40. Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Stamou GP (2011). Under climatic change, soil microbial community and variables relating to N-cycle are modulated by changes in the upper limit temperature. Global Nest Journal 13: 385-394.
  41. Stamou GP, Argyropoulou MD, Tsiafouli MA, Monokrousos N, Sgardelis SP, Papatheodorou EM (2011). The study of secondary successional patterns in soil using network analysis: the case of conversion from convensional to organic farming. Pedobiologia 54: 253-259.
  42. Efthimiadou E, Papatheodorou EM, Monokrousos N, Stamou GP (2010). Changes of soil chemical, microbiological and enzymatic variables in relation to management regime and the duration of organic farming in Phaseolous vulgaris. Journal of Biological Research-Thessaloniki 14: 151-159.
  43. Monokrousos N, Bobori D, Tsiafouli M, Boutsis G, Chalkos D, Vlachodimos K, Kladas E, Blake K, Pyrovetsi M, Papatheodorou EM, Sgardelis S, Symeonidis L, Diamantopoulos J (2009). Evaluation of biological soil properties as indicators of flying ash deposition from lignite power plants in the Florina – Kozani Basin. Fresenius Environmental Bulletin 18: 1289-1294.
  44. Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Stamou GP (2008). The response of soil biochemical variables to organic and conventional cultivation of Asparagus Soil Biology & Biochemistry 40: 198-206.
  45. Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Diamantopoulos J, Stamou GP (2006). Soil quality variables in organically and conventionally cultivated field sites. Soil Biology & Biochemistry 38: 1282-1289.
  46. Monokrousos N, Papatheodorou EM, Diamantopoulos J, Stamou GP (2004). Temporal and spatial variability of soil chemical and biological variables in a Mediterranean shrubland. Forest Ecology & Management 202: 83-91.