Simeon Lukanov

Personal information

Contacts

Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research,
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences,
Tzar Osvoboditel № 1, 1000 Sofia, Bulgaria
e-mail: simeon_lukanov@abv.bg
GSM: +359988/396-351
ORCiD: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2546-6590
Scopus Author ID: 55821844300

Curriculum vitae

Date and place of birth: 07.VI.1984, Sofia

Nationality: Bulgarian

Education:
1998-2003: National High School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences “Acad. L. Chakalov”, profile “Biology”; First English Language School.
2003-2007: Bachelor in Biology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski".
2007-2009: Master in Biology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". Master thesis: "Biology of the southern crested newt (Triturus karelinii) from two localities near Sofia".
2011-2014: Ph.D student, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski". PhD thesis: "Vocal communication and relations in anuran amphibians from the Ranidae family in Bulgaria".

Knowledge and skills:
Languages: English – very good, Spanish – basic, Russian - basic
Computer skills: MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Access); moderate experience with statistical and sound-processing software (Statistica 7-10, SoundRuler 0.9), basic experience with geographic information system (ArcGIS 10).
Driving licence: category "B".

Recent projects:
2015-2017: East and South European Network for Invasive Alien Species – a tool to support the management of alien species in Bulgaria (ESENIAS-TOOLS). Funded by program BG03 Biodiversity and ecosystem services.
2015-2017: Improving the Bulgarian Biodiversity Information System (IBBIS). Funded by program BG03 Biodiversity and ecosystem services
2015-2017: Wetland Ecosystem services Mapping and Assessment (WEMA) in Bulgaria. Funded under program BG03 Biodiversity and ecosystem services, 33-86/27.08.2015.
2017-2019: Biogea - impact of the implementation of greening measures on GBI in a variety of farmed landscapes and effect of GBI on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Funded by Biodiversa.
2017-2019: Impact of anthropogenic noise on model anuran species (Amphibia: Anura) in Bulgaria. Funded under contract DFNP-17-94/28.07.17
2018-2021: Research of the pheromone communication of the Nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) and its role in the species behavior. Funded under contract KP-06-N21/11 from the National Science Fund of Bulgaria.
2019-2022: An integrative approach for clarifying the prevalence, biologic characteristics and phylogenetic relations among closely related amphibian species (Anura and Caudata) in Bulgaria. Funded under contract KP-06-N31/11 from the National Science Fund of Bulgaria.
2019-2023: COST Action CA18221 PEsticide RIsk AssessMent for Amphibians and Reptiles (PERIAMAR). Funded by the Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
2021-2023: Interdisciplinary approach to pesticide risk assessment on model amphibian species. Funded under contract KP-06-COST/2 from National Science Fund of Bulgaria.

Current positions:
Associate Professor at the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences.
Subject editor (Herpetology) at North-Western Journal of Zoology.
Subject editor (Herpetology) at Acta Zoologica Bulgarica.

Research interests

Ecology, behaviour and conservation of amphibians and reptiles.

Publications

Andonov K., Dyugmedzhiev A., Lukanov S., Slavchev M., Vacheva E., Stanchev N., Popgeorgiev G., Duhalov D., Kornilev Y.V., Nedeltcheva-Antonova D., Naumov B.2020. Analyses of Skin Secretions of Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) (Reptilia: Serpentes), with Focus on the Complex Compounds and Their Possible Role in the Chemical Communication. Molecules, 25 (16) https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25163622

Aneva I., Zhelev P., Lukanov S., Peneva M., Vassilev K., Zheljazkov V.D. 2020. Influence of the Land Use Type on the Wild Plant Diversity. Plants 9 (5) https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9050602

Biserkov V., Lukanov S. 2017. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Surveying Freshwater Turtle Populations: Methodology Adjustment. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica, Supplement 10, p. 161-163.

Concepción E., Aneva I., Jay M., Lukanov S., Marsden K., Moreno G., Oppermann R., Pardo A., Piskol S., Rolo V., Schraml A., Díaz M. 2020. Optimizing biodiversity gain of European agriculture through regional targeting and adaptive management of conservation tools. Biological Conservation 241 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2019.108384

Dufresnes C., Strachinis I., Suriadna N., Mykytynets G., Cogălniceanu D., Székely P., Vukov T., Arntzen J.W., Wielstra B., Lymberakis P., Geffen E., Gafny S., Kumlutaş Y., Ilgaz Ç., Candan K., Mizsei E., Szabolcs M., Kolenda K., Smirnov N., Géniez P., Lukanov S., Crochet P.A., Dubey S., Perrin N., Litvinchuk S., Denoël M. 2019. Phylogeography of a cryptic speciation continuum in spadefoot toads (Pelobates). Molecular Ecology https://doi.org/10.1111/mec.15133

Koleva V., Kornilev Y., Telenchev I., Lukanov S., Hristova B., Natchev N. 2017. Salt tolerance's toll: prolonged exposure to saline water inflicts damage to the blood cells of dice snakes (Natrix tessellata). Web Ecology 17: 1-7. https://doi.org/10.5194/we-17-1-2017

Kornilev Y., Lukanov S., Pulev A., Slavchev M., Andonov K., Vаcheva E., Vergilov V., Mladenov V., Georgieva R., Popgeorgiev G. 2020. The Alien Pond Slider Trachemys scripta (Thunberg in Schoepff, 1792) in Bulgaria: Future Prospects for an Established and Reproducing Invasive Species. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 70 (4): 571-581.

Lukanov S. 2020. Amphibian and reptile diversity in protected site “Reka Veselina” – current state and prospects for future conservation. Ecologia Balkanica 12 (1): 195-199.

Lukanov S. 2020. First record of underwater sound produced by the Balkan crested newt (Triturus ivanbureschi). Acta Herpetologica 15(1): 15-20 https://doi.org/10.13128/a_h-7863

Lukanov S. 2020. Species diversity as an indicator of the heterogeneity of agricultural land in Bulgaria. In: Peneva et al. Biodiversity, green and blue infrastructure and agriculture in Bulgaria. Publishing complex - UNWE, Sofia. pp. 103-116 (in Bulgarian).

Lukanov S. 2022. Inter-pond migration during the aquatic phase by male Triturus ivanbureschi. Russian Journal of Herpetology 29(6): 373 – 376. https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2022-29-6-373-376

Lukanov S., Doncheva T., Kostova N., Naumov B. 2021. Effects of selected environmental parameters on the activity and body condition of the Buresch's crested newt (Triturus ivanbureschi) with notes on skin secretions. North-western Journal of Zoology 17 (1): 34-38. https://biozoojournals.ro/nwjz/content/v17n1/nwjz_e201508_Lukanov.pdf

Lukanov S., Lazarkevich I., Dimitrova B. 2022. Persistent Winter Activity in Triturus ivanbureschi Arntzen & Wielstra, 2013 (Amphibia: Caudata). Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 74 (2): 281-285. https://www.acta-zoologica-bulgarica.eu/2022/002573.pdf

Lukanov S., Naumov B. 2017. Amphibians and reptiles. In: Ivanova N. (ed.). Mapping and Assessment of Ecosystem Services of Wetlands in Bulgaria. IBER-BAS, Sofia. pp. 120-123.

Lukanov S., Naumov B. 2019. Effect of anthropogenic noise on call parameters of Hyla arborea (Anura: Hylidae). Ecological Questions 30 (1): 55-60 http://dx.doi.org/10.12775/EQ.2019.006

Lukanov S., Popgeorgiev G. 2017. Lithobates catesbеianus (Shaw, 1802). In Trichkova T., Vladimirov V., Tomov R., Todorov M. (eds.): Atlas of invasive alien species of concern to the European Union, IBER-BAS, ESENIAS, Sofia, p.: 106-109. (in Bulgarian)

Lukanov S., Popgeorgiev G., Tzankov N. 2018. First bioacoustic and morphological data for the presence of Pelophylax bedriagae in Bulgaria. Acta Scientifica Naturalis, 5 (1): 54-63. https://doi.org/10.2478/asn-2018-0008

Lukanov S., Simeonovska-Nikolova D., Tzankov N. 2011. Habitat distribution and vocal activity of the Marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus), the European green toad (Epidalea viridis) and Eastern spadefoot (Pelobates syriacus) (Anura: Ranidae, Bufonidae, Pelobatidae) in the protected area of Rupite. Science and Technology 1 (3): 16-20.

Lukanov S., Simeonovska-Nikolova D., Tzankov N. 2011. Call types of the Marsh frog (Pelophylax ridibundus Pallas, 1771) (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) in Bulgaria. Youth Scientific Conference “Kliment’s Days” Conference proceedings, second book, ISSN: 1314-4960, p. 69-72.

Lukanov S., Simeonovska-Nikolova D., Tzankov N. 2015. A comparative study of the mating call of Pelophylax ridibundus and Pelophylax kurtmuelleri (Anura: Ranidae) from syntopic and allotopic populations. Journal of Natural History. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2013.791942

Lukanov S., Simeonovska-Nikolova D., Tzankov N. 2014. Effects of environmental factors over mating call characteristics of the marsh frog Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas 1771) in Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 66 (2): 209-216.

Lukanov S., Simeonovska-Nikolova D., Tzankov N. 2014. Effects of traffic noise on the locomotion activity and vocalization of the Marsh Frog, Pelophylax ridibundus. North-Western Journal of Zoology 10 (2): 359-364.

Lukanov S., Tzankov N. 2016. Life history, age and normal development of the Balkan-Anatolian crested newt (Triturus ivanbureschi Arntzen and Wielstra, 2013) from Sofia district. North-Western Journal of Zoology 12 (1): 22-32.

Lukanov S., Tzankov N., Handschuh S., Heiss E., Naumov B., Natchev N. 2016. On the amphibious uptake of food and prey manipulation behaviour in the Balkan-Anatolian crested newt (Triturus ivanbureschi, Arntzen and Wielstra, 2013). Zoology 119 (3): 224–231. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.zool.2016.02.002

Lukanov S., Tzankov N., Naumov B.2017. First documented records of Pelophylax lessonae (Camerano, 1882) (Amphibia: Ranidae) from Bulgaria. Acta Zoologica Bulgarica 69 (4): 483-488.

Lukanov, S., Stanchev, N., Vacheva, E., Naumov, B. 2018. A unique case of temporary bloat in Buresch’s crested newt Triturus ivanbureschi Arntzen and Wielstra, 2013. Herpetology Notes 11: 971-973.

Natchev N., Handschuh S., Lukanov S., Tzankov N., Naumov B., Werneburg I. 2016. Contributions to the functional morphology of caudate skulls: kinetic and akinetic forms. PeerJ 4:e2392; https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2392

Naumov B., Lukanov S. 2018. Notes on age-related changes in body size and colorpattern in captive Triturus dobrogicus (Kiritzescu, 1903). Herpetozoa 30 (3/4): 159-168.

Naumov B., Lukanov S., Vacheva E. 2020. Social media in service of biodiversity conservation: providing new locality for Ichthyosaura alpestris (Laurenti, 1768), a glacial relict in Bulgaria. Herpetology Notes 13: 181-183

Naumov B., Lukanov S., Vacheva E., Slavchev M. 2023. Distribution and Ecology of Triturus cristatus (Laurenti, 1768) (Amphibia: Salamandridae) in Bulgaria. Acta zoologica bulgarica 75 (1): 113-122.

Simeonovska-Nikolova D., Savov A., Lukanov S. 2016. Spatial relationships of Apodemus sylvaticus and Apodemus flavicolis in a syntopic habitat in Southwest Bulgaria during breeding season. Silva Balcanica 17 (1): 41-50.

Tzankov N., Popgeorgiev G., Naumov B., Stoyanov A., Kornilev Y., Petrov B., Dyugmedzhiev A., Vergilov V., Draganova R., Lukanov S., Westerström A. 2014. Identification guide of the amphibians and reptiles in Vitosha Nature Park. Directorate of Vitosha Nature Park, Sofia, pp. 248. (in Bulgarian)

Tzankov N., Popgeorgiev G., Lukanov S. 2017. Factsheet: Trachemys scripta (Thunberg in Schoepff, 1792). Trichkova T., Uludağ A., Zenetos A., Vladimirov V., Tomov R. Cogălniceanu D. & Duplić A. (Eds.). ESENIAS Scientific Reports 2. East and South European Network for Invasive Alien Species – A tool to support the management of alien species in Bulgaria (ESENIAS-TOOLS), IBER-BAS, ESENIAS, Sofia, Bulgaria. Available at: http://www.esenias.org

Tzankov N., Stojanov A., Dobrev D., Lukanov S., Kornilev Y., Andonov K., Vergilov V., Popgeorgiev G. 2017. Trachemys scripta (Thunberg in Schoepff, 1792). In Trichkova T., Vladimirov V., Tomov R., Todorov M. (eds.): Atlas of invasive alien species of concern to the European Union, IBER-BAS, ESENIAS, Sofia, p.: 110-113. (in Bulgarian)

Vergilov V., Hristov G., Lukanov S., Lambevska A., Tzankov N. 2016. First record of Ablepharus kitaibelii (Bibron & Bory de Saint-Vincent, 1833) in Montenegro. Biharean Biologist 10 (1): 65-66.

Affiliation

Department

Ecosystem Research, Environmental Risk Assessment and Conservation Biology

Division

Community Ecology and Conservation Biology

History

Member for

9 years 9 weeks