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ARS Home Midwest Area Ames, Iowa National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment People







Athanasios  Papanicolaou

(Thanos)    Laboratory Director /ARSUserFiles/57126/Papanicolau_Thanos.jpg
 Ph.D. - Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech (VPI & SU), Blacksburg, VA, 1997 M.Sc. - Civil & Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech (VPI & SU), Blacksburg, VA, 1993 Undergraduate - Civil Engineering (5-yr degree), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, 1990 Thanos Papanicolaou‬ - ‪Google Scholar‬
 My research spans across different scales: from sediment particles to catchments; from in-depth fundamental work linking hydrological processes to ecosystem services; and from theoretical analysis to lab and field experimentation to address sustainability and adaptation of ecosystems. I have made fundamental contributions to sediment transport theory that expanded H. A. Einstein’s stochastic approach (Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, 2002, 128(4)); the theoretical framework is used today to explain intermittency in soil/sediment flux prediction by providing sediment grain resting and travel times as well as travel velocities (Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 2018, 123(4), 2925–2953). Taking a landscape‐oriented approach to simulate soil organic carbon dynamics in intensively managed landscapes, I have demonstrated complementary modelling and field work that opens new avenues for approaching carbon redistribution through selective soil mobilization and oxidation processes – i.e., concept of soil organic carbon enrichment and depletion – and intermittent movement (Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 2015, 120(11), 2375-2401). Further, I have developed an enhanced Bayesian fingerprinting framework for studying sediment source dynamics in intensively managed landscapes (Water Resources Research, 2016, 52, 4646-4673). This paper provides a paradigm shift in how we “connect” terrestrial processes to instream and marine processes to perform sediment and carbon/nutrient budgets. To investigate the ex-ante effects of climate change on cropping mix and irrigation decisions, a coupled natural human systems approach (watershed-economic-agent based modelling) has been developed to identify optimal common resource functions for water, based on water availability, energy costs, existing water infrastructure, and willingness to adopt new water conservation practices and water smart technologies for irrigation (Climate Risk Management, 2021, 32(100293), 1-18). Currently, the focus of climate change research worldwide is on mitigation strategies and priorities such as Net Zero carbon emissions. Little effort is focused on adaptation, yet all indications are that there will be significant impacts to people and biodiversity as we progress towards realization of important goals, such as they are outlined in the recent USDA strategic plan.  *My vision* is to lead transformative and innovative research efforts, a system of systems approach, on the development of global sustainable production systems (food, water and energy) that are environmentally sound, socially acceptable and economically competitive. *My overarching goal* is to take advantage of my strong and comprehensive background on Critical Zone Science and adaptation strategies to develop a NLAE based, world-class hub for addressing the resilience of rural communities under climate threats through the pursuance of converged research; development of lab and sensor infrastructure facilities; development of dynamic predictive tools; capacity building in the field; and knowledge transfer to stakeholders.
 Publications(Clicking on the reprint iconReprint Icon  will take you to the publication reprint.)Assessing the effectiveness of alternative tiles intake on agricultural hillslopes-(Peer Reviewed Journal)Climate change impacts on spatio-temporal soil water extremes in geophysically diverse watersheds: A comparison between east and west Tennessee watersheds-(Review Article)Climate change impacts on spatio-temporal soil water extremes in geophysically diverse watersheds: A comparison between east and west Tennessee watersheds-(Peer Reviewed Journal)A typical turbulent junction flow characteristics upstream of boulders mounted atop a rough, permeable bed and the effects of submergence-(Peer Reviewed Journal)Emergent role of critical interfaces in the dynamics of intensively managed landscapes-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Kumar, P., Anders, A., Bauer, E., Blair, N.E., Cain, M., Dere, A., Druhan, J., Filley, T., Giannopoulos, C., Goodwell, A.E., Grimley, D., Karwan, D., Keefer, L.L., Kim, J., Marini, L., Muste, M., Papanicolaou, A.N., Rhoads, B.L., Rodriguez, L.H., Roque-Malo, S., Schaeffer, S., Stumpf, A., Ward, A. 2023. Emergent role of critical interfaces in the dynamics of intensively managed landscapes. Earth-Science Reviews. 244. Article 104543. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104543.Integrated crop-livestock system sustainability assessment for Iowa using system-of-systems approach-(Abstract Only)Storm pulse responses of fluvial organic carbon to seasonal source supply and transport controls in a Midwestern agricultural watershed-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Hou, T., Blair, N.E., Papanicolaou, A.N., Filley, T.R. 2023. Storm pulse responses of fluvial organic carbon to seasonal source supply and transport controls in a Midwestern agricultural watershed. Science of the Total Environment. 869. Article 161647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161647.Semi-theoretical model for mean sediment resting time of spherical particles: the role of hydrodynamic impulses and sphere size nonuniformity-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Wyssmann, M.A., Papanicolaou, A.N., Kyriakopoulos, T. 2023. Semi-theoretical model for mean sediment resting time of spherical particles: the role of hydrodynamic impulses and sphere size nonuniformity. Acta Geophysica. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11600-022-01010-3.Spatiotemporal variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity evident across agricultural management strategies-(Abstract Only) O'Brien, P.L., Papanicolaou, A.N. 2022. Spatiotemporal variability of saturated hydraulic conductivity evident across agricultural management strategies [abstract]. American Geophysical Union.Turbulent hydraulics around habitat boulders-(Abstract Only) Tsakiris, A., Papanicolaou, A.N. 2023. Turbulent hydraulics around habitat boulders [abstract]. Joint Federal Interagency Sedimentation and Hydrologic Modeling.Evaluating causal factors that influence the spatial and temporal variability of streambank erosion in Iowa-(Peer Reviewed Journal) Wilson, C.G., Schilling, K.E., Papanicolaou, A.N. 2022. Evaluating causal factors that influence the spatial and temporal variability of streambank erosion in Iowa. Journal of the ASABE. 65(6):1465-1473. https://doi.org/10.13031/ja.14894.Intermittency on soil movement: The role of landscape macro/microtopography-(Abstract Only) Papanicolaou, A.N., Wacha, K.M. 2022. Intermittency on soil movement: The role of landscape macro/microtopography [abstract]. American Geophysical Union.Examination of a characteristic scale unit for sediment flux prediction-(Abstract Only) Abban, B., Papanicolaou, A.N., Sivapalan, M. 2022. Examination of a characteristic scale unit for sediment flux prediction [abstract]. American Geophysical Union.Debris risks and mitigation strategies for hydrokinetic turbines in rural watersheds-(Abstract Only) Ganawan, B., Papanicolaou, A.N., Hill, C., Kasper, J., Browning, E. 2022. Debris risks and mitigation strategies for hydrokinetic turbines in rural watersheds [abstract]. UMERC+METS Energy Symposium.  ProjectsSustainable Intensification in Agricultural Watersheds through Optimized Management and TechnologyIn-House Appropriated (D)Accession Number:441902Managing Nutrient, Carbon, and Water Fluxes to Provide Sustainable and Resilient Cropping Systems for Midwestern LandscapesIn-House Appropriated (D)Accession Number:443545Government Owned Vehicle and Equipment Use by Non-federal Employees for Collaborative ResearchNon-Funded Cooperative Agreement (N)Accession Number:443594Quantifying Soil Health in the Des Moines Lobe Under a Wide Range of Management Scenarios Using the Oklahoma Mobile KitsNon-Funded Cooperative Agreement (N)Accession Number:444166Institutional Biological Safety Committee (IBC) Agreement - Iowa State UniversityNon-Funded Cooperative Agreement (N)Accession Number:441623Tile Detection at the ACRES Facility of Purdue UniversityNon-Funded Cooperative Agreement (N)Accession Number:445515Know Your Carbon Landscape: Data for Consistent Monitoring of Soil Carbon MonitoringReimbursable Cooperative Agreement (R)Accession Number:445370  ARS News ArticlesNo news articles listed for this employee.


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