2235 research outputs found
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Demographic aftermath five years after the Covid-19 outbreak: Serbian scenario
No full textFive years after the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus epidemic, there is still no comprehensive study of the overall demographic consequences in Serbia. The entire health and social crisis that began in Serbia at the beginning of March 2020 caused unexpected changes in population dynamics through variations in mortality, fertility and migrations, but also affected trends in marriages and divorces. These components of demographic dynamics, after five years, left their mark on the agesex structure of the population and additionally influenced population shrinkage. In this report, we will analyze the change of the components of demographic dynamics together with nuptiality and divorce in the last five years, as well as the age-sex composition of the population recorded by the 2022 Census. So far, the most scientific attention has been paid to the demographic consequences of the Covid-19 crisis through its direct impact on population mortality, while the impact on population fertility (direct and indirect) in Serbia has been far less considered. The migration patterns surely were strongly influenced by the extraordinary social circumstances caused by the pandemic, but still there is no explanation as to whether the impact was immediate and short-term (during the crisis), or whether some different streams of migration to/from and within Serbia were initiated? In the end, the demographic consequences of the changed trends in marriage and divorce and their impact on birth rates in Serbia have remained completely out of scientific focus. Changes in births, mortality, migrations, marriages and divorces continue to shape the demographic reality of Serbia more than five years after the outbreak of the pandemic. What was, or still is, the intensity of this impact; what kind of the negative chain of demographic events was initiated; and what is the total demographic cost of the Covid-19 crisis in Serbia up to this moment, are the questions we will try to answer in this paper.Editor: Natalija Miri
Geospatial Modeling of Suitable Sites for Solar Power Plants Based on GIS and BWM: A Case Study of the City of Kraljevo, Serbia
No full textIncreasing the share of renewable energy sources in global electricity production is one of the main goals of sustainable development and environmental protection. Solar energy in many parts of the world has a great potential that is still underutilized. Serbia is one of the European countries with significant solar potential and conditions for the construction of solar power plants. Before installing photovoltaic panels and construction of solar power plants, the most suitable areas must be identified. This is the first step in which many environmental and socio-economic factors are considered to identify the most suitable areas and make efficient use of solar energy. The territory of the city of Kraljevo is the largest administrative unit in Serbia, which has a certain potential that has not been used so far. Using geographic information systems (GIS) and the Best–Worst Method (BWM), six natural and anthropogenic factors that have a significant impact on the final selection of suitable locations were determined and evaluated. By assigning weighting coefficients and processing six thematic maps in GIS, a synthesis map of amenities was created. On the territory of the city of Kraljevo, about 6.98% of the area is most suitable, while 25.23% is suitable for the construction of solar power plants. This is the first study for Kraljevo that integrates GIS-BWM for the needs of solar energy potential. The obtained results provide an adequate geospatial representation of the most suitable locations, which can be useful to decision-makers in the proper utilization of solar energy.Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Operations Research (LNOR
Prostorno-demografska organizacija naselja Boka
No full textU savremenim pristupima proučavanja naselja problem prostorno-demografske organizacije naselja sagledava se sa aspekta unutrašnje organizacije, kao i organizacije naselja u mreži naselja. U
radu se analizira prostorno-demografska organizacija naselja Boka,
od 14. veka do danas, na osnovu analize statističkih izvora i relevantne literature. Naselje Boka se nalazi u Srednjobanatskoj oblasti
i pripada opštini Sečanj. Prema popisu iz 2022. godine u naselju
je bilo 1143 stanovnika. Na prostorno-demografsku problematiku,
koja zauzima značajno mesto u savremenim geografskim istraživanjima, bitno su uticali fizičko-geografski i antropogeni faktori. Oni
su tokom naseobinske istorije Boke imale dinamičan karakter, s tim
da su najitenzivniji od 90–ih godina 20. veka. Težište istraživanja
predstavlja prikaz opštih i posebnih zakonitosti koje su imale presudan uticaj na teritorijalni razmeštaj naselja Boka, kao i njegovu
demografsku, morfološku i funkcionalnu strukturu.Urednik: Vladimir Čavra
Natural Resource Management in Depopulated Regions of Serbia—Birth of Rural Brownfields or Final Abandonment
No full textNumerous research studies have long established the causes and consequences of the depopulation of certain regions in Europe, but it seems that there are no systematic approaches to implementing the policy of managing abandoned areas. Following years of demographic decline in settlements, the 2022 census revealed depopulated clusters in Serbia—regions with 20 or fewer residents or even no inhabitants at all. The areas of depopulated settlements are growing territorially from the south towards the north. This paper adopts a broader interpretation of brownfield land, defining it as any previously used land that is no longer employed for commercial purposes, serving as the theoretical foundation. Although they seem economically hopeless, some depopulated clusters have become the subject of research for the exploitation of mineral resources such as gold, copper, zinc, uranium, lithium and coal. The main problem is that depopulated clusters have acquired an ecological stability that would be disrupted by the opening of mines and massive construction. The changes in land use were analyzed using time series data and a formal database of natural resources from these communities. The primary methodological framework was based on the correlation between population size, utilized areas, and the ecological stability coefficient. This study aimed to explore the relationship between the proportion of arable land within a spatial unit and its depopulation rate while also examining how arable land and mineral resources could influence the potential revitalization of rural wastelands in Serbia’s depopulated areas. The primary findings indicate a significant correlation between population decline and changes in the natural environment of abandoned clusters, as well as the significant potential of clusters as rural brownfields. While it is natural to continue with ecological and green space projects, the current liberal and centralized mining management policy can create major problems for the remaining population
Effect of climate and land use change on discharge in the Betwa River basin, India, using SWAT based on CMIP6 and the Land Change Modeler model projections
No full textAssessment of hydrological flux under climate and land use change is critical. For the Ken-Betwa river-linking project underway in central India, a pre-assessment of land use land cover (LULC) and climate change effects on the hydrology of the Betwa River basin becomes essential. Land Change Modeler suggests a sustained expansion in open forests and built-up land. Agricultural land area shows a decline for 2030 and 2050. Model performance measures such as Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, R2 , PBIAS, and RSR for calibration (1987–1999)/validation (2000– 2018) were 0.66, 0.67, 1.2, 0.59, and 0.64, 0.65, 9.2, and 0.60, respectively, based on the historical climate (1984 2018) and land use map. SSP245 scenarios (MRI-ESM2-0 and ACCESS-ESM1-5) and LULC 1990, 2010, 2030, and 2050 show a decreasing trend in the average annual discharge. Average annual river discharge declined with the MRI-ESM2-0 model under SSP245 and LULC 2010 scenarios, while a more optimal decline was observed under SSP245 and LULC 1990 scenarios. There is a substantial decline in average annual river discharge with ACCESS-ESM1-5 under SSP245 and LULC 2050, whereas the least projected decline is under SSP245 and LULC 1990. Both models exhibited a decreasing trend in average annual discharge at the outlet from mid-century
Factors Influencing Orchid Species Richness in the Central Balkans: The Importance of Belowground Organ Types
No full textThe Balkan Peninsula is considered one of the most important centres of orchid diversity in Europe. However, the patterns of orchid species richness in the Central Balkans have not been sufficiently studied so far. The aim of this study was, therefore, to identify the centres of orchid diversity and the factors that influence the spatial variation in orchid species richness in the Central Balkans. For the analyses, the area of the Central Balkans was divided into 10 × 10 km grid cells. The environmental variables determined for each grid cell and used in the analyses were altitude, bioclimatic variables, geological substrates and habitat types. A random forest (RF) analysis was used to identify the environmental predictors most strongly associated with species richness. In addition to the total number of taxa, orchids with three belowground organ types were analysed separately: (a) rhizomatous orchids, (b) orchids with palmately lobed and fusiform tubers (“palmate tuberous orchids”) and (c) orchids with spherical or ovoid tubers (“ovoid tuberous orchids”). In the Central Balkans, 54 orchid species and subspecies have been recorded, and the most important centres of diversity are the Tara, Zvijezda, Jadovnik and Zlatar Mountains and the Ovčar-Kablar Gorge. In general, two groups of grid cells with the largest number of orchid taxa, i.e., hotspots, stood out: (1) grid cells with a large altitudinal range and (2) grid cells occupied by gorges and ravines. The most important gradients influencing orchid species richness are specific habitat types and altitudinal ranges, while climatic factors and geological substrates are less important. The most important factors affecting the richness of total and rhizomatous orchids are altitudinal range and habitat types (Abieti-Fagenion, Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis and Pinion nigrae forests), highlighting the important role of habitat heterogeneity. The maximum altitude, percentage of Abieti-Fagenion and Vaccinio-Picetea forests and the minimum value of the mean temperature of the driest quarter are the most important factors for determining the richness of palmate tuberous orchids, whereas the percentage of xero-thermophilous habitat types (Ostryo-Carpinion orientalis, Asplenietea trichomanis and Pinion nigrae) has the greatest influence on the richness of ovoid tuberous orchids. These results confirm the hypothesis concerning the origin and development of underground organs in orchids, emphasising that palmate tuberous orchids are best adapted to cold and humid habitat conditions, whereas ovoid tuberous orchids have the ability to grow in habitats with very warm and dry conditions. This study provides a good basis for better orchid conservation planning and underlines the importance of belowground strategies as a feature of orchid life history that should be considered when studying patterns of orchid diversity.Supplementary material: [https://gery.gef.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2207
Improving participation in spatial planning of mining areas - formal participatory methods in urban and spatial planning in Europe
No full textDevelopment in areas with extensive mineral extraction brings significant changes that especially affect the local population, both positively and negatively. The most important impacts include job creation, higher income, dependence on a single industry, environmental harm, health issues, and the need for (involuntary) resettlement. Mining companies that fail to prioritize corporate social responsibility and foster strong relationships with local communities often face a lack of public support. Transparent decision making through high public engagement and participatory planning process is therefore of great importance. The aim of this research is to identify formal participatory methods applied in the process of urban and regional planning, with focus on community participation. Through extensive analysis of legislation of European countries, we have identified the most commonly used methods and techniques. They have several advantages, but could be supplemented with informal methods for a better inclusion of attitudes and opinion of local community and other stakeholders
Innovative approache to forest management in the context of the sustainable development goals
No full textThe world and Europe face interlinked challenges that will intensify in the coming decades: increasing demand for food, water, materials and energy while mitigating and adapting to climate change and reversing environmental degradation, including biodiversity loss, nutrient emissions and land degradation. Although forest resources in Serbia are an important resource for economic growth, especially in rural areas, the traditional approach to their management and utilization is still predominant. This approach is characterized by its reliance on timber as the primary forest product, while other forest products are largely neglected and their economic valuation is often non-existent. In addition, a certain amount of wood biomass is left in the forest even though it could be economically exploited or offered to the market with minimal investment in infrastructure and technological solutions that would allow it to be used more effectively. Tackling these major challenges while promoting social, economic and environmental prosperity requires an innovative approach. Continuous transfer of know-how methods, capacity building in the field of forest management through the application of GIS and remote sensing technologies, climate smart forestry and the concept of circular bioeconomy is a possible way to improve the current situation in forestry and achieve some of the sustainable development goals
Демографски профил младог становништва Србије
No full textОва публикација објављена је уз финансијску помоћ Европске уније. За садржину ове публикације искључиво је одговоран Републички завод за статистику и та садржина нипошто не изражава званичне ставове Европске уније
Precipitation during the vegetation period in Central Serbia over 70 years
No full textIn this study, the trend for a category of variables, that is, for the total average annual amount of precipitation for the vegetation period (P-VP) from April to October is presented. Moreover, with the help of Geographic Information System (GIS) numerical analysis, geospatial distribution of the obtained results on the territory of the Central Serbia is described. The main objective of this study is the possible changes in trends for the total average annual amount of precipitation for the vegetation period in the observed area. In terms of methodology, trend testing was conducted using the Mann-Kendall trend test (M-K), trend equation, and trend magnitude. The data used for the necessary analysis were taken from the Meteorological Yearbooks of the Republic Hydrometeorological Institute of Serbia, with a total of 24 meteorological stations, for the observed time period from 1949 to 2018. A total of 24 time series were analyzed. The average annual amount of precipitation for the vegetation period of the observed area is 427.6 mm. The values range from 362.3 mm to 625.5 mm. The lowest value was recorded in Nis, while the highest value was recorded in Zlatibor. Based on the obtained results, a statistically significant positive trend was recorded in 2 time series, whereas in the remaining 22 time series there was no trend. Furthermore, the results obtained by the trend equation, and trend magnitude indicate a slight increase in the total average annual precipitation in 21 time series and a decrease was recorded in the remaining 3 time series. A decrease in the average annual amount of precipitation for the vegetation period was recorded in three cities, namely: Jagodina (-15.9 mm), Bujanovac (-4.6 mm), and Zajecar (-0.5 mm). Comprehending the interaction between precipitation and vegetation period is crucial for implementing adaptation and mitigation measures in terrestrial ecosystems. The preliminary findings of this study can offer a technical foundation and valuable reference for water resource and sustainable ecological management strategies in the Republic of Serbia, benefiting policymakers and stakeholders involved