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The influence of exploration activities of a potential lithium mine to the environment in Western Serbia
No full textThe proposed exploitation of the Jadar Valley lithium/borate deposit in Serbia, by the Rio Tinto Corporation, indicates that it would become large-scale processing of boron- and lithium-containing ore. It would be one of the world’s very first lithium mines in populated and agricultural area. The company claims that the envisioned mining will be in accordance with environmental protection requirements. The Jadar Valley deposits have been claimed to cover 90% of Europe’s current lithium needs. Yet, local opposition to the mining has arisen due to potential devastating impacts on groundwater, soil, water usage, biodiversity loss, and waste accumulation. Research drilling by the mining company has already produced environmental damage, with mine water containing high levels of boron leaking from exploratory wells and causing crops to dry out. Furthermore, our investigations reveal substantially elevated downstream concentrations of boron, arsenic, and lithium in nearby rivers as compared to upstream regions. Additionally, here we show that soil samples exhibit repeated breaches of remediation limit values with environmental consequences on both surface and underground waters. With the opening of the mine, problems will be multiplied by the tailings pond, mine wastewater, noise, air pollution, and light pollution, endangering the lives of numerous local communities and destroying their freshwater sources, agricultural land, livestock, and assets
A Flexible Programming and Verification Methodology for Reconfigurable CNC Woodworking Machine
No full textAn advanced flexible programming methodology for CNC woodworking machines was developed. As the research starting base, a three-axis CNC woodworking machine was used. The developed methodology is proposed for programming, simulation, postprocessing, and machining by woodworking machine. This flexible programming method integrates the standard programming based on CAD, CAD/CAM systems, and STEP-NC protocol through different output files, enabling data interoperability during the realization of the machining tasks. The control system for the machine is configured based on the open-architecture software LinuxCNC to verify the flexible programming method and the results obtained. Programming verification was realized by simulation on a configured virtual machine in different programming environments and finally on a virtual machine integrated with the control system. The results obtained from the study were evaluated comparatively
Identifying drivers of non-stationary climate-growth relationships of European beech
No full textThe future performance of the widely abundant European beech ( Fagus sylvatica L.) across its ecological amplitude is uncertain. Although beech is considered drought -sensitive and thus negatively affected by drought events, scientific evidence indicating increasing drought vulnerability under climate change on a cross -regional scale remains elusive. While evaluating changes in climate sensitivity of secondary growth offers a promising avenue, studies from productive, closed -canopy forests suffer from knowledge gaps, especially regarding the natural variability of climate sensitivity and how it relates to radial growth as an indicator of tree vitality. Since beech is sensitive to drought, we in this study use a drought index as a climate variable to account for the combined effects of temperature and water availability and explore how the drought sensitivity of secondary growth varies temporally in dependence on growth variability, growth trends, and climatic water availability across the species ' ecological amplitude. Our results show that drought sensitivity is highly variable and non -stationary, though consistently higher at dry sites compared to moist sites. Increasing drought sensitivity can largely be explained by increasing climatic aridity, especially as it is exacerbated by climate change and trees ' rank progression within forest communities, as (co -)dominant trees are more sensitive to extra -canopy climatic conditions than trees embedded in understories. However, during the driest periods of the 20th century, growth showed clear signs of being decoupled from climate. This may indicate fundamental changes in system behavior and be early -warning signals of decreasing drought tolerance. The multiple significant interaction terms in our model elucidate the complexity of European beech 's drought sensitivity, which needs to be taken into consideration when assessing this species ' response to climate change
Fluvial processes and landforms as indicators in torrential flood hazard assessment
No full textTorrential flood hazard assessment is always a challenge, especially if the aim is to do it on the level of the
whole watershed. When there are no required data available, there are traces in nature, morphological indicators, that show
the extent of previous floods, in period longer then instrumental period. Therefore, in this paper we deal with fluvial and
slope both erosional and accumulation processes and landforms, which doubtlessly indicate torrential flood prone areas.
We have selected eight indicators and grouped them into three segments: erosional process, morphometric characteristics
of watershed, and accumulation processes and landforms. Selected indicators serve for fluvial processes determination
and therefore could be used for proper water and flood risk management. The research was done in three middle-sized
watersheds in Serbia which belong to the Velika Morava River basin, showing that integrative approach is necessary for
rational watershed management, meaning for selection of measures for torrential flood hazard mitigation
Praćenje stanja vlažnosti u slivu korišćenjem dijagrama marginalnih raspodela dnevnih protoka
No full textPraćenje stanja vlažnosti u slivu predstavlja jedan od osnovnih zadataka operativne hidrologije.
Umesto merenja i simulacije brojnih parametara koji utiču na uslove vlažnosti, kao što su padavine, vlažnost
zemljišta i slično, ili dijagrama pokazatelja stanja vlažnosti, u radu je prikazana mogućnost korišćenja dijagrama
marginalnih raspodela dnevnih protoka. Dijagrami su konstruisani na osnovu dnevnih protoka u periodu 1961-
2020. godina i za dva potperioda: 1961-1990. i 1991-2020. godina, na deset stanica osmatračke mreže površinskih
voda Republičkog hidrometeorološkog zavoda Srbije. U okviru dijagrama definisano je pet zona uslova vlažnosti
koje opisuju opseg malih, srednjih i velikih voda. Prikazani su primeri osmotrenih godišnjih hidrograma nanetih
na dijagrame marginalnih raspodela dnevnih protoka konstruisanih za oba potperioda. Analizirane su razlike u
stanju vlažnosti koje se javljaju u zavisnosti od potperioda za koji su definisane zone. Ukazano je na potrebu da se
dijagrami marginalnih raspodela, tj. zone uslova vlažnosti, periodično ažuriraju, da bi se koristili za praćenje stanja
vlažnosti u slivu
Genetic diversity of Quercus petraea, Quercus frainetto, Quercus pubescens, Quercus cerris in Serbia – a review
No full textAlongside the Iberian and Italian peninsulas, the Balkan Peninsula is considered a genetic hotspot for
many oak species. As part of the central and western Balkan region, Serbia is home to six species and
five subspecies from the section Quercus and one species from the section Cerris. Due to frequent
interspecific hybridization, speciation within these sections is questionable. In many forest ecosystems
in Serbia, Q. petraea, Q. frainetto, Q. pubescens, and Q. cerris occur sympatrically or in very close
distribution ranges. Most of these forests are of coppice origin, which could potentially reduce the
overall genetic diversity. However, due to hybridization, high levels of diversity are anticipated. In this
paper, we have reviewed the available studies on the genetic diversity of these four oaks in Serbia and
addressed the research gaps and future opportunities. Among these species, sessile oak is the most
studied, whereas the other three species have been researched significantly less. The majority of
available studies focus on morphological characteristics, primarily of leaves, followed by acorns and
seedlings. These studies mostly revealed a high degree of diversity in the studied
populations/individuals. The variability of morphometric traits, such as the size and shape of leaves,
results from the complex interaction between genotype and environmental factors (e.g., soil types,
exposure, and elevation), although it is clear which leaf morphotype belongs to which species,
regardless of their sympatric occurrence. Molecular diversity is less studied, but the available data
show high levels of heterozygosity for both cpDNA and nDNA molecular markers. Summarizing all the
available literature, a high degree of genetic diversity is emphasized among studied genotypes,
indicating the potential for breeding and improving the quality of planting material. Thus, the greatest
weakness and deficiency of the available studies on genetic characterization of oak species in Serbia
is the lack of a comprehensive study
Attitudes of Serbian hunters toward large carnivores
No full textSerbian hunting legislation recognizes five autochthonous large carnivore species, of which the wolf
(Canis lupus), jackal (Canis aureus), and fox (Vulpes vulpes) are managed as game species. The other
two species, the bear (Ursus arctos) and lynx (Lynx lynx), are strictly protected. Official data on wildlife
abundance indicate that the number of large carnivore species in Serbia is increasing, although bear and
lynx populations are notably below their habitat potentials. The conservation and management of large
carnivores heavily depend on coexistence with humans, particularly on attitudes toward their presence and
tolerance for potential damages caused by these species. In this study, we collected national-level attitudes
of serbian hunters toward several large carnivore species to identify their potential support for conservation
efforts. The response rate was 86%, with a total of 335 hunters participating out of 390 selected for
the survey. Results indicate a mixed attitude toward different species. The bear and wolf received the
most positive responses from hunters, with 54% and 53%, respectively. The lynx is favored by 47% of
respondents, in contrast to the jackal, which is favored by only 5% of hunters. Although the majority of
hunters are willing to support conservation efforts for the bear and lynx, it is uncertain if they are aware
of all the challenges involved. Two-thirds of hunters are satisfied with the wolf’s abundance, while 15%
would like to increase its numbers, compared to 2% of respondents who would like to see more jackals and
9% who are satisfied with the current status. Findings suggest that serbian hunters base their attitudes
toward large carnivores on various factors but, in general, would support the conservation of charismatic
species such as the bear, lynx, and wolf
Identification of relict, rare, and endangered forest tree species in Ðerdap National Park as a basis for the genepool conservation
No full textÐerdap National Park is the largest of five national parks in Serbia,
which covers a total area of 63,786.48 ha, in the northeastern part of
country, on the border with Romania. It is characterized by rich biodiversity and a distinct relict character. This research aimed to identify
relict, rare, endangered, and vulnerable forest tree species in Ðerdap
National Park, assess the degree of their endangerment, and propose
measures for the conservation of available genepool. The research was
conducted in selected localities with a protection regime of the first degree. By terrain reconnaissance, a total of 17 identified forest tree species
belong to the categories of relict (Juglans regia, Celtis australis, Corylus colurna, Ilex aquifolium, Taxus baccata), rare and endangered (Acer
platanoides, Alnus glutinosa, Fraxinus excelsior, Malus sylvestris, Quercus pubescens, Ulmus glabra, Ulmus laevis, Ulmus minor) or vulnerable
species (Prunus avium, Pyrus pyraster, Populus tremula, Sorbus torminalis
)
in Serbia. Among the relict species, the particularly important is the
population of Ilex aquifolium, a strictly protected evergreen species in
the territory of the Republic of Serbia, which was recorded only in the
nature reserve ‘Šomrda,’ the northernmost site of this species in Serbia.
It is also significant to conserve the genepool of two relicts: a typical
Mediterranean species Celtis australis and a very rare coniferous species
Taxus baccata. The measures of active in situ conservation and monitoring of individual genotypes or groups of trees have been defined, and
an assessment of the variability of genepool using morphological and
molecular markers was proposed
Forest adaptation strategies to climate change under socio-, economic and ecological uncertainties - a case study from Serbia
No full text: In the German-Serbian bilateral research cooperation project ANKLIWA-DS, we
showcase how we tackle to overcome major “science gaps” to develop and implement adaptation
strategies to climate change focusing on beech and oak forest management. Deviating from
business-as-usual forest management requires extensive knowledge and scientific data on several
levels regarding species suitability, profitability and social demands etc. A combination of site
mapping, dendrochronological field measurements, inventory data and the calibration of forest
growth simulators is leading to maps of productivity and dynamic tree species distribution. Risk and
uncertainties in productivity, tree species suitability and distribution are analysed applying scenarios
of climate change. Economic evaluation and optimization of simulation outputs is conducted.
Intensive communication with stakeholder accompanies the project aiming at a better understanding
on demands, needs and possibilities on both sides. Policy instruments are developed for the
governance and implementation of smart climate change strategies in Serbia based on multi-level
stakeholder analyses, expert interviews and surveys ("Climate Smart Forestry"). After a thorough
risk evaluation, developed action alternatives combined with adequate policy programs are assessed
that not only provide ecologically feasible and economically efficient but also socially acceptable
and thus “robust” adaptation strategies under climate change
Prunus spinosa l. in peri-urban environments under climate change conditions: vulnerability and adaptability
No full textThis study aims to analyze the impact of climatic variables on the fruiting of blackthorn
(Prunus spinosa L.), a species which serves as both a food source and a habitat, offering
birds shelter and providing other species with refuge from predators. Accordingly,
blackthorn fruiting was recorded through field research in the peri-urban green
infrastructure of Belgrade over 18 consecutive years. Urban edges are often the sites of
expanding artificial surfaces, habitat fragmentation, and complex land-use transitions,
including agricultural intensification and abandonment, which collectively increase
pressures on residual semi-natural ecosystems. The integration of floristic sampling,
phenological observations, landscape measures, and climatic variables allowed for an
exploration of landscapes where blackthorn is successfully incorporated into semi-natural
ecosystem remnants within a peri-urban context. The results obtained indicate that the
phenological patterns of blackthorn, in response to climate change, demonstrate both
adaptability and vulnerability to extreme climatic events during the flowering phase. In
2024, flowering began 6 days earlier than the earliest recorded start date and 43 days
earlier than the latest start recorded over the previous 17 years. Regarding the fruiting
(phonological) pattern, the average fruit maturation period was 288 days, while in 2024 it
occurred 61 days earlier. The statistical significance of earlier fruit maturation and
reduced accumulated heat requirements for fruit ripening was confirmed, revealing that
as temperatures rise, key phenological events occur earlier with reduced heat
accumulation, indicating a dependency on climatic parameters. Understanding the
mechanism of phenological patterns is crucial for promoting effective environmental
management practices and biodiversity conservation. The study also contributes to the
potential application of its findings in designing green spaces in other peri-urban regions,
supporting the sustainable development of complex peripheral landscapes by integrating
blackthorn into green infrastructure planning