Iro Kouzali

Frederick University

Research Units

Member In the research unit:

Disciplines, scientific fields, research areas

  • Life Sciences
    • Ecology, Evolution, Population and Environmental Biology
      • Biodiversity

Keywords

  • Biodiversity conservation
  • Botany
  • Plant Taxonomy

Bio

Iro Kouzali is a biologist who graduated from University of Patras. Her thesis during her undergraduate studies was entitled ‘Contribution to the study of the cytology and reproductive mechanism of the genus Limonium Miller (Plumbaginaceae) in Cyprus’ which led to her first scientific publication. In 2009, Iro received her BSc in Biology.
Following, her undergraduate studies, Iro was awarded with a scholarship from the Natural Environment Research Council of UK [NERC Award] to implement her postgraduate studies at the University of Edinburgh. During her postgraduate studies, Iro received a Practical Certificate in Field Botany after a training in Belize (Central America). Her thesis during her postgraduate studies was entitled ‘The inheritance of chloroplasts in the genus Begonia L. (Begoniaceae)’. In 2010, Iro received her MSc in Biodiversity and Plant Taxonomy.
Iro participated in six projects co-funded by the European Commission and specifically, the LIFE Programme and the Horizon Europe programme. During her work career, she had the chance to participate in monitoring of plant species and habitat types of Annexes I and II of Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC, in their conservation and management as well as in mapping of their distribution. Additionally, she was actively involved in a significant number of environmental studies, appropriate impact assessments, monitoring and management plans, and action plans.

Degrees

BSc in Biology [University of Patras, Hellas]
MSc in Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants [University of Edinburgh, UK]

Projects

«Managing the Natura 2000 network in Cyprus and shaping a sustainable future» - LIFE IP PHYSIS [LIFE 18 IPE/CY/000006]

01/08/2021 - 31/08/2029
The primary objective of Pandoteira project is to achieve and maintain a favourable conservation status for important species and habitat types in Cyprus, through actions in the whole Natura 2000 network.
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'safeGUARDing biodiversity and critical ecosystem services across sectors and scales' GUARDEN-101060693- HORIZON-CL6- 2021- GOVERNANCE-01

31/05/2022 - 31/08/2026
GUARDEN will make use of a suite of methods and tools using Deep Learning, Earth Observation, and hybrid modelling to augment the amount of standardized and geo-localized biodiversity data, build-up a new generation of predictive models of biodiversity and ecosystem status indicators under multiple pressures (human and climate), and propose a set of complementary ecological indicators for local management and policy.

The GUARDEN approach will be applied to sectoral case studies involving end users and stakeholders through MSPs, and addressing critical cross-sectoral challenges (i.e., at the nexus of biodiversity and deployment of energy/transport infrastructure, agriculture, and coastal urban development).
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«Coastal dune habitats, sublittoral sandbanks, marine reefs: conservation, protection, and threats mitigation» - LIFE CALLIOPE [LIFE17 NAT/IT/000565]

01/07/2021 - 31/08/2024
The general aim of the project CALLIOPE is preserving, protecting and mitigating the direct and undirect human threats on coastal dunes, sublittoral sandbanks and marine reefs along the Italian coast of central Adriatic and the north-west coast of Cyprus. In these target areas still occur large dune ecosystems and sublittoral marine habitats but they are seriously threatened by development and tourism activities which cause trampling and dune habitat degradation, removal of dune vegetation at the beach accesses, nautical tourism and fraud fishing and the lack of an effective EC protection of natural coastal resources.
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«Integrated conservation management of priority habitat type 9590* in the Natura 2000 site Koilada Kedron-Kampos» - LIFE-KEDROS [LIFE15 NAT/CY/000850]

01/09/2016 - 31/08/2020
The main objective of the project was to ensure the medium and long–term preservation of the priority habitat type 9590 *Cedrus brevifolia forests in good conservation status, in the only Natura 2000 site (CY2000008) it occurs in Cyprus and in Europe, by implementing a range of carefully planned management measures that aimed to mitigate all negative impacts of the major threats on the habitat.
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«Improving the conservation status of the priority habitat types *1520 and *5220 at the Rizoelia Forest Park» (LIFE-RIZOELIA) [LIFE12 NAT/CY/000758]

01/09/2013 - 30/06/2015
The primary aim of the project was to promote and enable the longterm conservation of the two priority habitats, '*5220 - Arborescent matorrals with Ziziphus' and '*1520 - Gypsum steppes (Gypsophiletalia)' in Cyprus, by quantifying and halting natural and anthropogenic pressures/threats that contribute to their longterm degradation.
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«Improving the conservation status of the priority habitat type *9560 (Endemic forests with Juniperus spp.) in Cyprus» (JUNIPERCY) [LIFE10 NAT/CY/000717]

01/07/2013 - 30/06/2015
The JUNIPERCY project’s primary objective was to promote and enable the long-term conservation of endemic forests with Juniperus spp. in Cyprus. This was the first project to target this habitat in its known locations in Cyprus, within three Natura 2000 network sites.
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«Establishment of a Plant Micro-Reserve Network in Cyprus for the Conservation of Priority Species and Habitats» (PLANT-NET CY) [LIFE08 NAT/CY/00453].

01/05/2011 - 30/06/2013
The PLANT-NET CY project aimed to improve the conservation status of four Cyprus’ endemic priority plant species (Arabis kennedyae, Astragalus macrocarpus subsp. lefkarensis, Centaurea akamantis, Ophrys kotschyi) and two priority habitat types in Cyprus (Cedrus brevifolia forests, Shrubs and low forest vegetation of Quercus alnifolia). Its chosen approach was to establish and manage a network of five Plant Micro-Reserves (PMRs) in the country
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Trivia about me

Mother of two.

She is an experienced coordinator of laboratory sessions about botany and plant anatomy for undergraduate students in a private university (2016 - 2024).

She worked as a tutor in Problem Based Learning (PBL) for medical students in a private university (2016 - 2022).

Awarded with a scholarship from the Natural Environment Research Council of UK [NERC Award] for her postgraduate studies (2009 - 2010).

Contact Info