Zisis Gagkas

Research Scientist
Environmental and Biochemical Sciences
T: +44 (0)344 928 5428 (*)

Zisis is an interdisciplinary researcher with >15 years’ experience in land, soil and water resources research and geospatial analysis. He has experience in developing approaches for modelling the spatial distribution of soils and other environmental properties and functions using advanced statistical and geospatial data analysis techniques. His work focuses on integrating soils and other biophysical data within existing and new applications and frameworks for ecosystem services provision, land management and evaluation, and diffuse pollution and flooding mitigation.

 

 

Zisis’ research interests comprise:

  • Soil-water relationships and soil hydrological pathways’ influence on river flows and chemistry at a catchment scale.
  • Digital Soil Mapping (DSM) techniques for predictive spatial modelling of soil properties and functions.
  • Spatial decision support systems for environmental modelling.
  • Climate change impacts on Natural Capital (habitats, soils, waters), including wildfire danger and risk.

Past research

Zisis has previously worked in the James Hutton Institute as a Macaulay Development Trust (MDT) Postdoctoral Research Fellow (2016-2019) in coupling Digital Soil Mapping with hydropedology by developing and applying DSM techniques for spatial predictive modelling of soil hydrological properties and functions.

Journals

Prior to appointment

Reports

Conference posters

  • Glendell, M.; Gagkas, Z.; Niemi, L.; Gibb, S.; Taggart, M.; Arakawa, N.; Anderson, C.; Pfleger, S. (2023) Decision support tool for sustainable prescribing, SAGES ANNUAL SCIENCE MEETING 2023, 16-17 May 2023, King’s College Conference Centre, University of Aberdeen,
  • Naha, S.; Macleod, K.; Gagkas, Z.; Glendell, M. (2023) Evaluating the performance of processbased models for drought simulation in Scotland, European Geosciences Union, 23-28 April, 2023, Vienna.
  • Rivington, M.; Aitkenhead, M.; Gagkas, Z. (2022) Climate Change Impacts on Natural Capital Developing a new risk and opportunities assessment framework, Scotland’s Plant Health Conference 2022, 1 June 2022, Dundee.
  • Rivington, M.; Aitkenhead, M.; Gagkas, Z.; Nijnik, M.; Gimona, A.; Martino, S. (2022) Climate Change impacts on Natural Capital Value, 4th Ecosystem Services Partnership (ESP) Europe Conference, 10-14 October 2022, Heraklion.
  • Naha, S.; Macleod, K.; Gagkas, Z.; Glendell, M. (2022) Understanding the vulnerabilities of Scotland’s water resources to drought, British Hydrological Society 14th National Symposium, 12-14 September 2022, Lancaster University
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; McBride, A. (2022) Spatial disaggregation of a legacy soil map to support digital soil and land evaluation assessments in Scotland, 22nd World Congress of Soil Science, 31 July – 5 August, Glasgow
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; Baggaley, N. (2022) Risk mapping to quantitatively assess the relative contribution of pathways of phosphorus (P) agricultural diffuse pollution, 22nd World Congress of Soil Science, 31 July – 5 August, Glasgow
  • Troldborg, M.; Gagkas, Z.; Vinten, A.; Lilly, A.; Glendell, M. (2022) A spatial Bayesian Belief Network for assessing fieldlevel pesticide pollution risk in a small drinking water catchment , SETAC Copenhagen – SETAC Europe 32nd Annual Meeting, 15-19 May 2022, Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Gagkas, Z.; Campbell, G.; Owen, J.; Davies, M. (2021) Analyses of Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) Incident Reporting System (IRS) data in relation to wildfire incidents, Hutton Annual Research Symposium 2021, 2 December 2021, The James Hutton Institute.
  • Glendell, M.; Vinten, A.J.A.; Richards, S.; Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; Baggaley, N.; Coull, M.; Schurch, N.; Gimona, A.; Pohle, I.; Troldborg, M.; Stutter, M.I. (2020) A systems approach to modelling phosphorus pollution risk in Scottish rivers using bayesian belief networks., EGU General Assembly 2020 Online, 4-8 May 2020, EGU2020-8229. Abstract.
  • Glendell, M.; Vinten, A.J.A.; Richards, S.; Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; Baggaley, N.; Coull, M.; Schurch, N.; Pohle, I.; Gimona, A.; Troldborg, M.; Stutter, M.I. (2019) Modelling phosphorus pollution risk in Scottish rivers – a decision support tool., SAGES’19 Conference ‘Global Climate Challenges for a Blue Green Economy: Scientific Evidence; its Relevance; Societal Solutions’ John McIntyre Centre, Edinburgh, 27-28 November 2019. Book of Abstracts, p16.
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A. (2019) Application of Digital Soil Mapping to hydropedology to improve soil hydrological models., 42nd TB Macaulay Lecture, Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, 2 October 2019. (Poster)
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; Stutter, M.I.; Baggaley, N. (2019) Development of framework for a RAG risk assessment on phosphorus application to land., The James Hutton ANNUAL Research Symposium 2019, West Park Conference Centre, Dundee, 7 November 2019. (Poster)
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A. (2019) Deriving a set of simple rules to classify soils for predicting hydrological response., Wageningen Soil Conference 2019, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 27-30 August 2019. (Abstract)
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; Baggaley, N.J. (2018) Comparison of available water capacity predictions in Scotland from different PTFs implications for modelling., The James Hutton Institute Annual Research Symposium, Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen, 29 November 2018. Poster.
  • Lilly, A.; Baggaley, N.J.; Campbell, G.A.; Gagkas, Z. (2018) Comparison of digital and traditional soil mapping., The James Hutton Institute Annual Research Symposium, Treetops Hotel, Aberdeen, 29 November 2018. (Poster)
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A.; Baggaley, N. (2018) Comparison of available water capacity predictions in Scotland from different PTFs: implications for modelling., British Society of Soil Science Annual Conference, Soils and Sustainable Development Goals, Lancaster University, 4-5 September 2018. (Poster)
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A. (2017) Improving the spatial resolution of soil hydrological classes in Scotland using digital soil mapping techniques., The James Hutton Institute Annual Research Symposium, Bonar Hall, Dundee, 22 November 2017. (Poster)
  • Gagkas, Z.; Lilly, A. (2017) Application of digital soil mapping to hydropedology to improve soil hydrological models., 40th TB Macaulay Lecture, Our Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh, 4 October 2017. (Poster)