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Утицај структуре шума и хемије земљишта на мраве, копнене пужеве и бубе у поплавним шумама Балкана: Испитивање богатства врста и преференција станишта
No full textForests in the lowlands have been altered by humans for a long time. The most influential disturbances in hardwood floodplain forests have been forest management and floods. We focused on the influence of the forest structure and soil chemistry on soil biota. The study was done in the floodplain forests of the Sava and Dunaj rivers in Serbia. Their biota was sampled through sieving the litter and soil. We found 20 invertebrate taxa with nearly 2,000 individuals. Ants, land snails, and beetles were analyzed in more detail. The species richness of land snails was associated with closed canopies and increasing magnesium and organic matter. The dominance of large oaks, a decreasing pH, and an increasing litter thickness favored ants, and beetles thrived near large trees. The study revealed different responses among taxonomic groups. The authors conclude that small-scale disturbances with most of the forest left untouched would positively influence the forest-litter community in the future. The patchy structure of lowland forests maintains a coexistence of organisms with contrasting demand
Variability of morphological leaf characteristics of different narrow-leaved ash half-sib lines
No full textAssessing the degree of variability is the starting point for determining the genetic potential of a
species in a particular area, which can be important for determining the strategy for the sustainable
use of the available gene pool or the basis for further breeding. This research aimed to determine the
variability of morphological leaf characteristics of one-year-old narrow-leaved ash seedlings in a
generative progeny test in the nursery of the Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade. Maternal
trees for seed collection were selected in the area of the Special nature reserve "Gornje Podunavlje"
in the northwest of Serbia. The analysis of variability of morphological leaf characteristics was
performed on 180 seedlings representing 18 half-sib lines. Up to 10 compound leaves were collected
from each seedling and three single leaflets were taken from each of the collected compound leaves.
Three morphological characteristics of the compound leaves and six morphological characteristics of
single leaflets were analyzed. The data obtained were processed in Statgraphics Centurion XVI and
Statistica 6.0 software. The results of descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, least
significant difference test, and cluster analysis are presented. The lowest mean values for most of the
characteristics analyzed were found in half-sib line 12 (5 out of 9 characteristics), and higher values in
line 5 (5 out of 9 characteristics). All differences among the half-sib lines were significant (p<0.05).
Based on the conducted research, a satisfactory degree of variability was found at the level of 18
narrow-leaved ash half-sib lines, which could be a starting point forthe sustainable use of the available
gene pool, the production of planting material, or further breeding of this species
Geochemical Distribution of Ni, Cr, and Co in the Main Soil Types of the Čemernica River Basin in Serbia (In a Serpentine Environment)
No full textThe origin and bioavailability of nickel (Ni), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co) have been assessed in the ˇ Cemernica River basin among the following soil types: Leptosol on serpentinite and Fluvisol, Vertisol, and Leptosol on sandstone. Alongside the impact of serpentine rocks, part of the region also displays significant anthropogenic activity. A sequential analysis following the modified BCRprocedure identified four fractions of heavy metals: F1—exchangeable and acid-soluble, F2— boundtoFeandMnoxides,F3—boundtoorganicmatter, andF4—residual. Theoverall content of Ni, Cr, and Co in the soil increases in the following order: Leptosol on sandstone, and Vertisol, Fluvisol, Leptosol on serpentinite. In most samples, the values exceed the maximum allowable concentrations in legal regulations, while in some samples, particularly in serpentine soils, they also exceed the remediation thresholds. The average contribution of nickel in the overall content decreases as follows: F4 >F2>F3>F1,chromiumasF4>F3>F2>F1,andcobaltinthe most samples as F2 > F4 > F1 >F3. The percentage of Ni, Cr, and Co in the fractions of different soil types is similar to that in serpentine soils, though the absolute contents vary significantly, indicating a common origin, which is mostly geochemical. According to the Risk Assessment Code, most samples exhibit a low bioavailability risk
Investigating Spatial Criteria for the Urban Landscape Assessment of Mass Housing Heritage: The Case of the Central Zone of New Belgrade
No full textThis study addressed problems related to the protection, reconstruction, and revitalisation of modern heritage, particularly the regeneration of mass housing estates built after WWII and facing the contemporary perils of urban decay and deterioration. It presented interdisciplinary research investigating the possibility of extending and complementing the heritage assessment methodology and broadening the scope of the criteria by including mass housing landscape values. Starting with a close reading of the key theoretical positions embedded in the conceptualisation and construction of New Belgrade, we investigated a set of holistic and time-based criteria, followed by contemporary methodologies for landscape quality assessment. The investigation was based on an urban landscape approach to heritage assessment and focuses on the Central Zone of New Belgrade, declared a heritage site in 2021. The interaction of the theoretical underpinnings of modern architecture and urban planning with urban landscape discourse, coupled with historically and theoretically relevant knowledge and data, resulted in an investigation of landscape-based criteria for further mass housing assessment. Finally, we presented the findings of the landscape quality assessment of the transformations of the Central Zone. This perspective could be used to extend the possibilities of this approach in order to (1) tackle the "thickness" of temporality related to (urban) landscapes; (2) rethink and redefine the applied heritage assessment approach; (3) open the assessment procedure to a wider range of stakeholders, particularly nonexperts and the local community; and (4) re-actualise the position and role of experts in the sense of communicating knowledge in a completely new context
Worldwide forest surveys reveal forty-three new species in Phytophthora major Clade 2 with fundamental implications for the evolution and biogeography of the genus and global plant biosecurity
No full textDuring 25 surveys of global Phytophthora diversity, conducted between 1998 and 2020, 43 new species were detected in natural ecosystems and, occasionally, in nurseries and outplantings in Europe, Southeast and East Asia and the Americas. Based on a multigene phylogeny of nine nuclear and four mitochondrial gene regions they were assigned to five of the six known subclades, 2a-c, e and f, of Phytophthora major Clade 2 and the new subclade 2g. The evolutionary history of the Clade appears to have involved the pre-Gondwanan divergence of three extant subclades, 2c, 2e and 2f, all having disjunct natural distributions on separate continents and comprising species with a soilborne and aquatic lifestyle and, in addition, a few partially aerial species in Clade 2c; and the post-Gondwanan evolution of subclades 2a and 2g in Southeast/East Asia and 2b in South America, respectively, from their common ancestor. Species in Clade 2g are soilborne whereas Clade 2b comprises both soil-inhabiting and aerial species. Clade 2a has evolved further towards an aerial lifestyle comprising only species which are predominantly or partially airborne. Based on high nuclear heterozygosity levels ca. 38 % of the taxa in Clades 2a and 2b could be some form of hybrid, and the hybridity may be favoured by an A1/A2 breeding system and an aerial life style. Circumstantial evidence suggests the now 93 described species and informally designated taxa in Clade 2 result from both allopatric non-adaptive and sympatric adaptive radiations. They represent most morphological and physiological characters, breeding systems, lifestyles and forms of host specialism found across the Phytophthora clades as a whole, demonstrating the strong biological cohesiveness of the genus. The finding of 43 previously unknown species from a single Phytophthora clade highlight a critical lack of information on the scale of the unknown pathogen threats to forests and natural ecosystems, underlining the risk of basing plant biosecurity protocols mainly on lists of named organisms. More surveys in natural ecosystems of yet unsurveyed regions in Africa, Asia, Central and South America are needed to unveil the full diversity of the clade and the factors driving diversity, speciation and adaptation in Phytophthora
Diversity of MHC class II DRB alleles in the Northern chamois genus Rupicapra
No full textMajor histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes are commonly used markers for monitoring adaptive genetic and evolutionary potential of species. In this study, we investigated genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB locus in the chamois genus Rupicapra by using next-generation sequencing. Sequencing of 102 samples led to the identification of 25 alleles, 11 of which are novel. The high ratio of the relative rates of nonsynonymous to synonymous mutations (dN/dS) suggests a signal of positive selection on this locus. We analyzed patterns of genetic variation within and among 2 subspecies of Northern Chamois and compared them to previously published studies using neutral markers to provide a basis for assessing the effects of demographic processes. Our analyses have shown that alleles are likely to be maintained by balancing selection in different populations with similar frequencies and that this mechanism also works in small, isolated populations that are strongly affected by genetic drift. In this study on the chamois genus Rupicapra, researchers explored genetic variation of the MHC class II DRB locus using next-generation sequencing. The research highlights a strong signal of positive selection at this locus, indicated by the high dN/dS ratio. The study also revealed that balancing selection maintains alleles across different chamois populations, including those that are small and isolated, emphasizing the evolutionary significance of this genetic mechanism. Graphical Abstrac
Impact of microplastic pollution on forest soil ecosystems in three largest alluvial plains in Serbia
No full textMicroplastic (MP) pollution is recognized as one of the biggest environmental problems due to multiple
direct and indirect negative impacts on the environment. Existing research indicate that the presence of MP
in the soil affects the organic matter cycle and the energy flow of terrestrial ecosystems, thus also the global
production of CO2, climate, plant communities, crop production and biodiversity. There are even fewer
studies dealing with the impact of MP on forest soil ecosystems. One of the first researches of the MP in the
soil on the territory of Serbia is currently underway and is being carried out within the project Evaluation of
the Microplastic in the Soils of Serbia - EMIPLAST - SoS. The research aimed to access the impact of MP on
soil’s main chemical, physical and biological properties by comparing polluted and non-polluted forest sites
in the three largest alluvial plains in Serbia – Danube, Sava and Morava. Statistically significantly higher
values of electrical conductivity and pH were measured in samples from polluted localities compared to
unpolluted ones; while C, N and CEC were measured significantly higher in samples from unpolluted sites.
Particles > 0.02 mm were significantly higher in all samples from polluted sites compared to non-polluted.
Changed environmental conditions have an effect on the decomposition by soil microorganisms. Estimates
of potentially mineralizable carbon and mineralization rate are statistically significantly higher at polluted
sites compared to unpolluted ones in all three alluvial plains. These results support the viewpoints that can
be found in the literature, namely that the presence of MP in the soil affects the cycle of organic carbon and
CO2 emissions. Also, differences in estimates between polluted and unpolluted forest sites indicate that
microbial communities may be using MP particles as an additional food source. In order to establish the
level of the impact of MP on soil properties and microbial activity in the longer term, the study is ongoing.100 years SOIL SCIENCE past achievements and future challenge
Phenological patterns of Fraxinus ornus L. flowering in the context of ecosystem services preservation in urban forests: a case study of Košutnjak, Belgrade, Serbia
No full textIn light of the rapid and unpredictable urban expansion posing significant challenges for humanity, urban forests are increasingly recognised for their role in climate change adaptation in the coming decades. This study focuses on Fraxinus ornus (manna ash) within the urban forest of Košutnjak in Belgrade, summarising the results of an 18−year phenological study (2007−2024). The study evaluates flowering patterns of manna ash across various soil types, exposures, altitudes, and slopes, alongside an analysis of soil characteristics in observed populations. Observations were conducted at three distinct sites within native populations of downy oak and large−leaved downy oak and Turkey oak, large−leaved downy oak and manna ash. Phenological changes were documented by recording key events every other day and converting these dates into days of the year across the three populations. For the first time for manna ash in a temperate continental climate, the accumulated chilling hours necessary for bud break were determined by summing chilling hours from 1 November 2006 until the first bud break in 2007, with this procedure repeated annually for each of the 17 subsequent research years. Additionally, the accumulated heat sums required for key phenological events were calculated using daily maximum and mini− mum air temperatures and temperature threshold for each of the 18 years of research. Results revealed an earlier beginning of flowering by more than two weeks in the Košutnjak urban forest, with notable variability in key phenological events influenced by climatic parameters. Despite this variability, flowering and fruiting occurred regularly, with abundant yields every second or third year. Sexual dimorphism was observed consistently across all analysed populations, with a male− to−hermaphrodite ratio of 49:51% in the study area. The study confirms the vigour and high reproductive capacity of indigenous Fraxinus ornus populations, as well as their tolerance to high temperatures and moisture deficiency. Projections suggest an expanding range of distribution for manna ash in the coming decades, highlighting its value as an adaptive and ornamental species. The findings underscore its importance for maintaining ecosystem services, supporting nature−based solutions, and promoting sustainable management and restoration of urban forests, with significant benefits for biodiversity and human well−being
Characterization of anthagonism of fungi Epicoccum nigrum and Diaporthe eres
No full textFungus Diaporthe eres represents a pathogen that occurs on a large number of hosts in
forestry. In order to create strategies for reduction of damages and use of ecologically justified
measures of protection of this insufficiently studied complex of species, in vitro research of
antagonistic activity of Epicoccum nigrum was carried out. The study of antagonism of
Epicoccum nigrum and Diaporthe eres included dual cultures method. The measurement of
diameter of cultures, determining of the appearance of the mycelium and the way of cultures’
reaction was carried out after 14 days. The results showed that the growth of Diaporthe eres
mycelia in cultures with Epicoccum nigrum was statistically significantly smaller compared to
control cultures. The cultures of Diaporthe eres were inhibited, whereby there was no
overgrowth of mycelia of Diaporthe eres with mycelia of Epiccocum nigrum, which indicates
that the antagonism was primarily reflected in the prevention of growth. The growth of
Epicoccum nigrum was also statistically significantly smaller compared to control cultures, as
well as Diaporthe eres, which indicates that the antagonism was not absolutely pronounced,
and that for more pronounced inhibition of Diaporthe eres a larger quantity of mycelia is
needed. Part of the cultures of Epicoccum nigrum showed forming of red pigment during
reaction with the cultures of Diaporthe eres, indicating that there could be further research of
its part in the antagonism process. On the other hand, clear forming of the pigment of
Diaporthe eres was not recorded in dual cultures compared to control cultures. The obtained
results enable the development of practical application of Epicoccum nigrum
Institutional and actor-oriented factors influencing timber legality in selected Western Balkan countries: Multiple case study of Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and the Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
No full textThis paper investigates timber legality issues in the Western Balkans by examining the transposition of national policy frameworks in five Western Balkan countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, and the Republic of Srpska, BH) with the European Union Timber Regulation (EUTR) requirements. The study uses a multipleembedded case study design to investigate national policies and regulations on preventing and tackling illegal logging and those dealing with the trade in timber and timber products. A qualitative content analysis of retrieved documents was conducted to check the extent to which EUTR requirements are covered. Interviews with 36 key actors across selected countries were conducted to analyse their perceptions of the EUTR and the recently approved European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), focusing on awareness, transparency, information flow, resources, and challenges of ensuring timber legality. The study also distinguished institutional and actor-oriented factors influencing the transposition of EUTR and forthcoming EUDR requirements into national policies and forest management practices. The contribution offers a comparative gap analysis of EU requirements' incorporation within targeted countries' national policy frameworks and an overview of common and opposing perceptions on timber legality and legitimate forestry practices among key stakeholders in five Western Balkan countries