Omorika Digital repository of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrad
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Vegetation Cover as a Driver of Sedimentary Organic Matter in Small Water Reservoirs
No full textUnderstanding the impact of vegetation on organic matter content in sediments is essential for sustainable reservoir management and water quality protection. This study examined the relationship between land cover, erosion processes, and organic matter accumulation in the sediments of four small water reservoirs in the Republic of Serbia. Organic matter content was quantified and analyzed in relation to basin characteristics, including land-use composition, absolute and mean flow gradients, and sediment grain size distribution. Field sampling was conducted across the catchments of four small water reservoirs—Duboki potok, Resnik, Ljukovo, and Sot—with sediment samples collected from main tributaries and accumulation basins. A multi-method approach was employed, combining remote sensing for vegetation-cover assessment, granulometric analysis, organic matter evaluation via loss-on-ignition at 350 °C, and statistical correlation analysis to assess the influence of land use and hydrological gradients on sediment composition. The results revealed a strong correlation (R = 0.892) between forest cover and sedimentary organic matter content, confirming the significant role of vegetation in stabilizing sediments and promoting organic matter deposition. Reservoirs with higher forest and shrub cover (e.g., Sot and Duboki potok) exhibited greater organic matter accumulation (5.79–5.98%), while the agriculture-dominated Ljukovo catchment (76.85% agricultural land) recorded the lowest organic matter content (3.89%) due to increased sediment displacement and reduced erosion resistance. These findings underscore the critical role of vegetation in regulating sediment dynamics and enhancing organic matter retention in small water reservoirs. To mitigate excessive organic matter deposition and improve water quality, sustainable watershed management strategies—such as vegetation buffer strips, afforestation, and erosion control measures—are recommended
The beech provenance trial at the “Goč” teaching base - a basis for assessing the adaptive and productive potential of 14 serbian provenances
No full textProvenijenični test bukve u Nastavnoj bazi „Goč” osnovan je od 14 srpskih provenijencija. Procena njihovog adaptivnog i proizvodnog potencijala započeta je analizom prijema i preživljavanja sadnica. Istovremeno su evidentirana i oštećenja na sadnicama. Prijem sadnica na nivou testa iznosio je 91,4%, dok je preživljavanje 87,7%. Procenat prijema kretao se od minimalnih 86,7% (provenijencija Boranja) do maksimalnih 100% (provenijencija Brezovica). Najmanji procenat preživljavanja sadnica imala je provenijencija Rudnik (77,3%), dok je najveći zabeležen kod provenijencije Brezovica (97,1%). Značajan uticaj na smanjenje procenta preživljavanja sadnica imala je stoka koja se slobodno kreće na području osnovanog provenijeničnog testa. Ukupno, na kraju prve vegetacije (oktobar, 2024. godine), oštećeno je 33,5% sadnica, od čega je približno polovina sadnica suhovrha, dok je druga polovina prevršena. Započeta istraživanja potrebno je nastaviti, naročito u nerednih nekoliko godina, kako bi se mogli doneti adekvatni zaključci o adaptivnom potencijalu analiziranih provenijencija, koji zajedno sa proizvodnim potencijalom treba da bude predmet istraživanja u dužem vremenskom periodu
Cork Flooring Market in Selected SEE non-EU Countries: Opportunities and Barriers to Development
No full textThe article analyzes the types of cork flooring and their presence in the markets of selected
SEE non-EU countries. In this sense, an analysis of the main characteristics of cork tiles and cork panels
as the main types of cork floor coverings has been carried out. In order to identify the main trade flows
of these products, the European countries that are the largest suppliers of selected SEE non-EU
countries were analyzed. To compare the market supply, selected markets of SEE non-EU countries
were analyzed. In particular, the barriers assumed to have an impact on market development in selected
SEE non-EU countries were analyzed
Macrophyte nutrient removal efficiency as a solution for eutrophic lake remediation: a case study Nature park “Palić”
No full textMacrophytes represent important components of the aquatic ecosystem,
providing ecosystem services and mediating nutrient cycling and storage. The
aim of this study is to evaluate nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations
in aboveground and belowground biomass. The biofilter potential of these three
species was evaluated in the context of the shallow eutrophic Lake Palić. Results
indicate that most accumulated N is in the belowground biomass, indicating
rhizomes and root system as a reservoir of nutrients supporting regrowth. While the P
content is different from spatial variability and is mostly related to the concentration
of phosphorus in the soil, higher concentrations of P in the underground biomass
were more precisely observed in localities where the soils in the immediate vicinity
are richer in phosphorus. These findings highlight the ecological function of
macrophytes in nutrient cycling and their potential for phytotechnology to lower
nutrient loads and sustain ecosystem services in freshwater system
Ecosystem Services of Blackthorn: Effects of Harvesting Time on the Functional Extraction of Polyphenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity
No full textThe objective of this study was to examine the potential ecosystem services of Blackthorn
(Prunus spinosa L.) in view of its traditional importance as a source of food and
medicine. Fruits were sampled from a suburban population in the southwestern part of
Belgrade at three time points: after ripening in late summer, in early winter, and in early
spring. Using spectrophotometric methods and ethanol and distilled water as solvents, the
contents of polyphenolic compounds and the antioxidant capacity were determined. To
assess the influence of the harvesting period, the results were analysed using descriptive
statistics, one-way ANOVA, Tukey's HSD and LS Means tests, Spearman's correlation
coefficient, and confidence interval models. The biochemical composition of the fruits was
shown to depend on the time of harvest, as confirmed by the statistically significant
differences between the sampling periods for all the parameters except anthocyanins. In
all the sampling periods, the ethanolic extracts exhibited higher values of polyphenolic
compounds and antioxidant capacity compared to the aqueous extracts. Early spring and
early winter were identified as the most suitable harvesting times, as the strongest
antioxidant activity measured by the FRAP test was recorded in the third period, and by
the DPPH and ABTS tests in the second period. This study makes a significant
contribution by confirming that the harvest time does not affect the anthocyanin content,
thus highlighting the commercial potential of Blackthorn fruits as natural colourants
based on anthocyanins. The patterns of variability suggest optimal harvesting times for
the efficient extraction of bioactive compounds and the use of Blackthorn fruits in the
development of functional foods and pharmaceutical products. Furthermore, the findings
serve as a basis for developing strategies aligned with climate change predictions, as the
results confirm a positive influence of low air temperatures preceding the second and
third sampling on the bioactive components of the fruits
Branże Potarch i Wpływ na Środowisko od Średniowiecza do Początków Ery Nowożytne
No full textThe environmental influence of the PoTaRCH industry in the Middle Ages – both within Europe and beyond – has received only limited scholarly attention. To address this gap, this study evaluates the ecological consequences of producing and using non-timber forest products during the medieval period and assesses their broader significance in the preindustrial era. We conducted a comprehensive review of the secondary literature and, when available, contemporary written sources. Our methodological approach integrates comparative historical analysis with regional case studies to examine production technologies, terminology, trade networks, and strategies for exploiting forest resources. We also employ multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives to clarify the economic and social roles of these materials across several regions. As this paper shows, inconsistent terminology and uneven research coverage across topics and regions complicate comparative work and highlight the need for more detailed, systematic investigations. Given the substantial regional variation in medieval developments, the period examined here extends from the Great Migrations following the collapse of the western Roman Empire to the Early Modern period in the late sixteenth century. Where necessary, later evidence is also used. Our findings indicate that charcoal production exerted significant ecological effects during the medieval period, particularly in relation to mining and metallurgy. By contrast, potash production had a more pronounced impact in the Early Modern period. Although research on pitch and tar remains comparatively sparse, available evidence suggests that their production contributed to localized forms of forest degradation.Wpływ przemysłu związanego z produktami PoTaRCH na środowisko w okresie średniowiecza – zarównow kontekście europejskim, jak i poza nim – został dotychczas zbadany jedynie częściowo. Celem niniejszego opracowania była zatem ocena konsekwencji ekologicznych produkcji i wykorzystania niedrzewnychproduktów leśnych w średniowieczu oraz określenie ich znaczenia w okresie przedindustrialnym na podstawie obszernego przeglądu literatury i – tam, gdzie było to możliwe – dostępnych źródeł pisanych. Zastosowana metodologia obejmuje analizy historyczno-porównawcze oraz studia przypadków regionalnych,służące zrozumieniu technologii produkcji, poznaniu terminologii, strategii handlu i eksploatacji zasobówleśnych. Wykorzystano podejścia multidyscyplinarne i interdyscyplinarne, aby rozpoznać znaczenie tychmateriałów w gospodarkach i społeczeństwach różnych regionów w badanym okresie. Autorzy wskazują, żezłożone kwestie terminologiczne oraz niespójności między studiami dotyczącymi różnych obszarów i zagadnień utrudniają badania porównawcze i wskazują na potrzebę bardziej szczegółowych analiz. Uwzględniając zróżnicowanie doświadczeń średniowiecznych w poszczególnych regionach, okres badawczy obejmujeczas od wielkich wędrówek ludów po upadku Cesarstwa Zachodniorzymskiego do wczesnej nowożytnościw drugiej połowie XVI wieku, przy czym w uzasadnionych przypadkach wykorzystano również informacjez późniejszych epok. Stwierdzono, że wytwarzanie węgla drzewnego miało znaczący wpływ ekologicznyw średniowieczu, zwłaszcza w związku z górnictwem i hutnictwem, podczas gdy produkcja potażu wywierała znacznie większe oddziaływanie w epoce nowożytnej. W przypadku smoły drzewnej badania są mniejliczne, lecz istnieją dowody na to, że jej wytwarzanie również przyczyniało się do lokalnej degradacji lasów
Effects of truck and trailer operation in the transport of timber assortments in the “Tara“ National Park
No full textU radu je obrađena problematika efikasnosti rada kamiona sa prikolicom pri prevozu drvnih sortimenta lišćara i četinara na području Nacionalnog parka „Tara“, a istraživanja su sprovedena u tri gazdinske jedinice. Predmet istraživanja bio je kamion Mercedes Arocs 3345. U istraživanjima je primenjena studija rada. Efekti rada razlikovali su se od uslova rada koji su podeljeni na povoljne, srednje povoljne i nepovoljne. U radu su dati koeficijenti korekcije za preračunavanje norme u srednje povoljnim uslovima na normu u povoljnim i nepovoljnim uslovima rada, kao i koeficijenti korekcije normi za različite vrste drveća. Norme rada prikazane su u m3/dan, za prosečne zapremine ture od 20 do 40 m3 i za prosečne zapremine komada od 0,1 do 0,8 m3. Norme su prikazane za srednju obračunsku transportnu distancu po makadamskom putu od 3 do 50 km. Za preračunavanje distanci po različitim kategorijama puta na obračunsku transportnu distancu ustanovljeni su obračunski koeficijenti
Texture of urban soils of Belgrade
No full textUrban soils differ significantly from natural and agricultural soils due to
the direct impacts of urbanization, including heterogeneous land use,
construction, industrial activity, and waste disposal. These anthropogenic
influences cause substantial physical disturbances, leading to pronounced
vertical and horizontal variability in soil properties, particularly texture.
Unlike natural soils, whose texture is largely derived from parent material
and remains relatively stable, urban soils may experience rapid and intense
textural changes. Since soil texture controls key functions such as water
retention, nutrient cycling, and pollutant filtration, it plays a critical role in
supporting ecosystem services.
This study investigates soil texture variability in urban soils of Belgrade
across four land use types (parks, industrial complexes, traffic junctions,
and urban forests) with the aim of quantifying the impact of anthropogenic
land use change on soil texture. Composite samples were collected from
two layers (0–10 cm and 10–40 cm) using a steel auger. The comparative
analysis revealed higher proportions of coarse sand (2.0–0.2 mm) in the
soils of industrial complexes and traffic junctions—by 9.45% and 8.69% in
surface layers, and 11.35% and 7.48% in subsoil layers, respectively
compared to urban forests (0.97%, 0.87%). A similar trend was observed
for fine sand (0.2–0.06 mm), with industrial zones (16.95%, 20.96%) and
traffic junctions (18.0%, 18.16%) showing elevated levels relative to urban
forests. In contrast, both coarse silt (0.06–0.02 mm) and fine silt (0.02–
0.002 mm) were lower in these land use types across both layers, although
the differences were less pronounced. No statistically significant differences
were found in the clay fraction among the various land use categories.
These findings indicate that the type of urban land use significantly
influences the distribution of sand and silt fractions, while clay content
remains largely unaffected. Urban land use notably influences soil texture,
especially sand and silt distribution, with industrial and traffic areas showing
greater disturbance. In contrast, clay content remains relatively unaffected,
indicating its stability under varying land use conditions.
Given its critical role in determining soil functionality, the assessment of
soil texture is essential for sustainable land management, particularly in
addressing environmental challenges such as land degradation and climate
variability. Therefore, soil texture should be systematically integrated into
environmental assessments and urban planning processes. Municipal
authorities are strongly encouraged to incorporate texture analysis when
formulating sustainable land use strategies and environmental protection
policies for the city of Belgrade
MONTHLY DYNAMICS OF POTENTIALLY TOXIC ELEMENTS IN THE BEDLOAD IN ONE CATCHMENT IN CENTRAL SERBIA
No full textPotentially toxic elements (PTEs) occur naturally or due to human activities. Beside potential negative effects on the environment, PTEs in the food chain can also affect human health. High PTEs reduce the quality of water, soil and load (sediment), disrupting biological balance, and other ecosystem functions (Singh et al., 2011). Contaminated bedload serves as a pollution source, where deeper layers represent historical pollution, and surface layers reflect seasonal changes in precipitation, flow velocity and discharge. It is crucial to monitor PTEs content, if industrial pollution sources or water supply accumulations are present in the catchment. The aim of this work is to determine the concentrations of PTEs (Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cr, Hg) in the bedload during 7 months monitoring, and to analyze the concentration dynamics in relation to precipitation. The research was conducted in the Rogavska river catchment, an area of 9.6 km2. This river is one of the tributaries that form the Rasina, which flows into Ćelije lake. The average annual precipitation is about 950 mm. The largest part of the catchment consists of medium-grained granodiorites, harzburgites and sericite-chlorite schists, on which mainly humus-silicate soils are developed. Forests cover 75% of the area, with pastures and grasslands making up 18%, agriculture 4.5%, and other land uses in smaller percentages. The results show that content of Ni and Cr generally exceed the remediation value given by the Regulation (Official Gazette 88/2010, 30/18, 54/19), i.e. 210 and 380 g/kg respectively. These contents indicate a geological origin, represented by ultramafic rocks (harzburgites and partially serpentinites) that are rich in these elements. Other PTEs are below the limit values. The content of PTEs in the bedload was analyzed on a monthly basis and the dynamics were compared with the monthly values of precipitation. For all elements, except for Hg, a clear pattern was observed that indicates an increase in the concentration of these elements with higher amounts of precipitation. More intense precipitation indicates more pronounced erosion processes, as a result of which the elements together with soil particles are transported through the hydrographic network to Rogavska river. However, the concentration of Hg does not show a consistent dependence on precipitation, which suggests a different mechanism of its transport, retention on soil particles or many sources. Further research should be directed towards determining the bioavailable forms of these elements, considering that all the erosion material from this catchment ends up in the Rasina river, and finally in the Ćelije lake, which serves for water supply
ENHANCING SOCIAL COHESION IN URBAN LANDSCAPE THROUGH THE GREENING OF URBAN RUINS
No full textIntensive urbanization has a negative impact that most often results in the reduction in size and fragmentation of urban green spaces. Conversely, urban green spaces help cities sustainably mitigate the adverse effects of rapid urban sprawl. Even a minimal increase in urban green spaces is important today and often follows modern greening trends such as the revitalization of ruins and abandoned urban buildings. An urban ruin is considered an unusable, non-functional human creation that is the result of past human activity in the urban landscape. Numerous studies show that increased attention is being paid to abandoned urban buildings due to their diverse impacts, the emergence of relevant policies, and the real challenges cities face.
The greening of urban ruins came as a response to the urban tissue’s tendency to expand and the rapid repurposing of buildings, mostly into vibrant public spaces that positively impact daily life and quality of life. The specificity of the greening of ruined buildings is the fact that the devastated structure represents the basis for the development of new green areas. In the design process the most important thing is to achieve synergy between the built structure and the greenery which creates opportunities for the emergence of different micro-environments that encourage spontaneous gathering of users and their interactions.
Greened urban ruins can also be used as places for social events where the interplay of the interior and exterior space creates a unique space supported and recognized by the community.
The connection between social cohesion and urban green spaces is still an insufficiently explored area, which leaves room for different approaches and interpretations. This study reviews papers and case studies on the greening of urban ruins to gain a stronger understanding of its public value in terms of the social benefits it can bring. The paper offers a conceptual overview of the potential benefits of greening urban ruins with the goal of addressing gaps in knowledge about enhancing social cohesion. The research encompasses an overview of European and global case studies of green urban ruins and provides suggestions to landscape architects in Serbia on how new green structures such as urban ruins can influence the improvement and strengthening of social cohesion in urban areas