1. A forgotten rodent from the Garden of Eden : what really happened to the long-tailed nesokia rat in the Mesopotamian marshes?Boris Kryštufek, Omar F. Al-Sheikhly, Javier Lazaro, Mukhtar K. Haba, Rainer Hutterer, Sayed B. Mousavi, Danijel Ivajnšič, 2021, original scientific article Keywords: field survey, habitat destruction, habitat modelling, Iraq, Nesokia bunnii, threatened species Published in DKUM: 14.02.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 0
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2. Environmental factors influencing the distribution of habitat types in the highlands of the Kamnik - Savinja AlpsSonja Škornik, Igor Paušič, Tone Novak, Franc Janžekovič, Danijel Ivajnšič, Mihaela Tostovršnik, Peter Kozel, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: In this work, we investigated the relationship between habitat types (HTs) and selected environmental factors in the highlands at altitudes of 1800–2558 m in the Kamnik-Savinja (KS) Alps in Slovenia. For 275 sampling sites, we identified seven HTs in their typical form and 11 ecotones, and provided field and modelled data for 14 environmental factors. HTs-environment relationships were analysed using multivariate ordination methods. In addition, binomial generalised linear mixed models were applied to reveal the influence of environmental factors on the occurrence of most frequent HTs in the study area [Outer Alpine Pinus mugo scrub (EUNIS code F2.4/Natura 2000 code 4070*), Southern rusty sedge grasslands (E4.413/6170), Cushion sedge carpets (E4.433/6170) and Fine calcareous screes (H2.43/8120)]. Results showed that certain modelled data (e.g. average annual air temperature) combined with field measurements (e.g. inclination, soil surface and soil moisture) can be effective predictors of most representative HTs in the study area, and thus useful for further refining of monitoring. Our study contributes to the knowledge and understanding of the relationships between environmental conditions and the occurrence of highland HTs in KS Alps, which probably concerns a great part of the Alpine highlands. Such knowledge is essential for assessing credible long-term conservation planning. Keywords: Alpine habitat types, multivariate analysis, Pinus mugo, alpine and subalpine calcareous grasslands, Natura 2000, Slovenia Published in DKUM: 10.12.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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3. Factors influencing habitat selection of three cryptobenthic clingfish species in the shallow North Adriatic SeaDomen Trkov, Danijel Ivajnšič, Marcelo Kovačić, Lovrenc Lipej, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Cryptobenthic fishes were often overlooked in the past due to their cryptic lifestyle, so knowledge of their ecology is still incomplete. One of the most poorly studied taxa of fishes in the Mediterranean Sea is clingfish. In this paper we examine the habitat preferences of three clingfish species (Lepadogaster lepadogaster, L. candolii, and Apletodon incognitus) occurring in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic). The results show that all three species have a cryptic lifestyle and are well-segregated based on their depth distribution and macro- and microhabitat preferences. L. lepadogaster inhabits shallow waters of the lower mediolittoral and upper infralittoral, where it occurs on rocky bottoms under stones. L. candolii similarly occurs in the rocky infralittoral under stones, but below the lower distribution limit of L. lepadogaster, and in seagrass meadows, where it occupies empty seashells. Such hiding places in seagrass meadows are also occupied by A. incognitus, which mostly occurs below the lower distribution limit of L. candolii. Despite the overlap of depth and macrohabitat, the probability of individuals of two species encountering each other or competing in the same habitat is low when the depth range is combined with the microhabitat preferences of these species. Keywords: cryptobenthic fish, clingfish, habitat selection, depth distribution, Lepadogaster lepadogaster, Lepadogaster candolii, Apletodon incognitus Published in DKUM: 18.10.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 3
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4. Benchmarking plant diversity of Palaearctic grasslands and other open habitatsIdoia Biurrun, Remigiusz Pielech, Iwona Dembicz, François Gillet, Łukasz Kozub, Corrado Marcenò, Triin Reitalu, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Riccardo Guarino, Milan Chytrý, Nataša Pipenbaher, Sonja Škornik, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: Aims: Understanding fine-grain diversity patterns across large spatial extents is fundamental for macroecological research and biodiversity conservation. Using the GrassPlot database, we provide benchmarks of fine-grain richness values of Palaearctic open habitats for vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and complete vegetation (i.e., the sum of the former three groups).
Location: Palaearctic biogeographic realm.
Methods: We used 126,524 plots of eight standard grain sizes from the GrassPlot database: 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000 m2 and calculated the mean richness and standard deviations, as well as maximum, minimum, median, and first and third quartiles for each combination of grain size, taxonomic group, biome, region, vegetation type and phytosociological class.
Results: Patterns of plant diversity in vegetation types and biomes differ across grain sizes and taxonomic groups. Overall, secondary (mostly semi-natural) grasslands and natural grasslands are the richest vegetation type. The open-access file ”GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks” and the web tool “GrassPlot Diversity Explorer” are now available online (https://edgg.org/databases/GrasslandDiversityExplorer) and provide more insights into species richness patterns in the Palaearctic open habitats.
Conclusions: The GrassPlot Diversity Benchmarks provide high-quality data on species richness in open habitat types across the Palaearctic. These benchmark data can be used in vegetation ecology, macroecology, biodiversity conservation and data quality checking. While the amount of data in the underlying GrassPlot database and their spatial coverage are smaller than in other extensive vegetation-plot databases, species recordings in GrassPlot are on average more complete, making it a valuable complementary data source in macroecology. Keywords: benchmark, bryophyte, fine-grain biodiversity, grassland, GrassPlot Diversity Explorer, lichen, open habitat, Palaearctic, scale dependence, species–area relationship, vascular plant, vegetation plot Published in DKUM: 07.08.2024; Views: 88; Downloads: 8
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5. Presence of alien Prunus serotina and Impatiens parviflora in lowland forest fragments in NE SloveniaMirjana Šipek, Eva Horvat, Ivana Vitasović Kosić, Nina Šajna, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: Temperate alluvial, riparian and lowland forests are the European forests with the greatest presence of invasive alien plants. Consequently, identifying the environmental conditions for and other drivers behind the establishment of invasive species in natural forest communities is crucial for understanding the invasibility of these habitats. We focused on fragments (patches) of Illyrian oak-hornbeam forest in NE Slovenia, which are the least studied in this regard. Because alien phanerophytes and therophytes are significantly over-represented compared to native plantsin lowland forests, we selected two representative invasives: the phanerophyte Prunus serotina and the therophyte Impatiens parviflora. By using logistic regression models on vegetation surveys, environmental data based on Ellenberg´s indicator values, and patch metrics, we identified patch characteristics explaining the presence of each species. Moreover, we included human impact in the models. We reveal significant characteristics differentiating P. serotina from I. parviflora. We also show that the perimeterarea ratio and soil nutrients of the forest patches correlate significantly with the presence of P. serotina, while human disturbance correlates significantly with the presence of I. parviflora. Our results and a similar approach for other invasive plant species can be applied to assess habitat invasibility on potential and species’ current geographic distribution, as well as to develop management plans. Keywords: biological invasions, forest fragmentation, landscape metrics, habitat characteristics, human presence, anthropogenic factors, neophytes, Slovenia Published in DKUM: 12.07.2024; Views: 136; Downloads: 11
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6. From individuals to populations : how homo- and heterospecific interactions influence habitat selection in a sit-and-wait predatorVesna Klokočovnik, Tadeja Bantan, Dušan Devetak, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Species have different requirements for the habitat in which they live, depending on various biotic and abiotic factors. For sedentary predators such as antlion larvae, both factors are essential. In this study, we examined the preferred habitat choice concerning two abiotic factors, i.e., substrate and illumination, in two pit-building antlions, Euroleon nostras and Myrmeleon formicarius, to determine whether choice changes during con- or heterospecific interactions. Both species preferred medium sand grains, i.e., 230-540 μm but differed in their choice of illumination. E. nostras preferred shade, while M. formicarius chose the illuminated part of the container. However, the choice changed, especially for M. formicarius during interactions with another individual. Abiotic factors took precedence over biotic factors in the choice of E. nostras when interactions were involved. M. formicarius avoided interactions and built pits in less suitable conditions when suitable locations were already occupied. The results can be applied to the species' natural habitat and life traits. We can confirm that E. nostras is a more competitive species when it comes to providing the most suitable abiotic conditions in the habitat for pit construction. Keywords: antlion larvae, granulation, habitat choice, light, shade Published in DKUM: 21.06.2024; Views: 172; Downloads: 26
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7. Coastal fish fauna in the Cystoseira s.l. algal belts : experiences from the Northern Adriatic SeaLovrenc Lipej, Danijel Ivajnšič, Valentina Pitacco, Domen Trkov, Borut Mavrič, Martina Orlando-Bonaca, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Cystoseira s.l. forests are recognised as important habitats which host diverse coastal fish assemblages. Many fish species use such habitats as feeding, breeding, and nursery grounds. Since the coastal fish community depends on the availability of dense macroalgal belts, the decline of these habitats in the Mediterranean Sea also affects the density of coastal fish species. We studied the coastal fish assemblage in Cystoseira s.l. forests in three consecutive years 2019–2021 in the Gulf of Trieste (Adriatic Sea). Data on coastal fish fauna were collected by visual counts conducted by SCUBA diving. Data on algal cover and habitat types were obtained by recording with a video camera. Similarities and differences in the fish community were analysed in terms of habitat and substrate preferences. A total of 34 species were recorded in Cystoseira forests. The results of the present study show that the different algal cover and associated depth gradient have different effects on the fish assemblage in coastal waters, affecting species composition and abundance. For many species, particularly labrids and sea breams, there is a decreasing temporal trend in frequency of occurrence and density. However, fish community trends can be used as a good “proxy” to evaluate the algal belt status. Our results indicate that rapid conservation and restoration actions are needed to stem the decline of Cystoseira s.l. forests. Keywords: Cystoseira s.l. forests, fish assemblage, fish biodiversity, habitat preference, macroalgal belt, Mediterranean Sea Published in DKUM: 19.04.2024; Views: 239; Downloads: 12
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8. Krono-biološka aktivnost gamsa (Rupicapra rupicapra) na Donački gori in Reseniku : magistrsko deloMaja Galun, 2024, master's thesis Abstract: Časovni vzorci aktivnosti predstavljajo pomemben vidik biologije neke živalske vrste. Razumevanje krono-biološke aktivnosti živali je pomembno za uspešno načrtovanje ukrepov za ohranjanje biodiverzitete, vendar pa predstavlja kvantificiranje obnašanja prostoživečih živali poseben izziv. Kamere za snemanje divjadi so postale precej popularna neinvazivna raziskovalna metoda, ki se uporablja za študije najrazličnejših vidikov vedenja živali. V magistrski nalogi smo s pomočjo snemanja v naravnem okolju proučevali vzorce aktivnosti gamsa (Rupicapra rupicapra) na dveh raziskovalnih območjih v vzhodni Sloveniji, Donački gori in Reseniku. Območji predstavljata netipični habitat za proučevano vrsto in se med seboj razlikujeta po intenzivnosti antropogenih motenj. Ugotovili smo, da aktivnost vrste na proučevanih območjih sledi krepuskularnemu vzorcu, z značilnimi viški aktivnosti v jutranjem in večernem času in v nobenem delu dneva ne upade popolnoma. Zanimalo nas je tudi, kako se vzorec aktivnosti vrste spreminja tekom lunarnega cikla. Ugotovili smo, da splošna aktivnost gamsa kaže bi-modalno porazdelitev v lunarnem ciklu, pri čemer se oba vrhova pojavljata v obdobju naraščajoče lune, en vrh se pojavi relativno zgodaj po mlaju (prazni luni), drugi, izrazitejši, pa tik pred polno luno. Lunarni cikel ni imel značilnega vpliva na splošno aktivnost gamsa, smo pa ta vpliv zabeležili pri nočni aktivnosti. Ta je bila kontrastno z dnevno aktivnostjo najbolj intenzivna v času tik pred polno luno. Čeprav so na pridobljenih posnetkih prevladovala posamična opazovanja, smo dobili vpogled tudi v socialne lastnosti populacije. Na Donački gori smo zabeležili manjše skupine (2-5 osebkov) kot na Reseniku (največja skupina je štela 10 osebkov). Rezultati podajajo prvi vpogled v krono-biologijo gamsa (Rupicapra rupicapra) na omenjenih raziskovalnih območjih in hkrati izpostavljajo vprašanja, ki bi jih bilo za boljše razumevanje časovne dinamike vrste še potrebno raziskati v prihodnje. Keywords: krono-biologija, gams (Rupicapra rupicapra), gozdni habitat, sledilne kamere, ritem aktivnosti Published in DKUM: 14.02.2024; Views: 409; Downloads: 34
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9. Izbira habitata evropskega bobra, Castor fiber (Linnaeus, 1758) glede na abiotske in biotske dejavnike na Goričkem : magistrsko deloLaura Kološa, 2023, master's thesis Abstract: Evropski bober je v Sloveniji in po večini Evrope veljal za izumrlo vrsto, ohranilo se je le nekaj populacij. Po številnih reintrodukcijah po Evropi in uveljavitvi varnostnih ukrepov se je bober vrnil. Sprva je poselil optimalnejše habitate, s povečanjem populacije pa je bil prisiljen poseliti tudi manj ugodne habitate. Do sedaj še ni bilo dobro raziskano, kateri dejavniki v okolju vplivajo na to, da bober izbere nek habitat za svoj teritorij ali ne. V okviru
magistrskega dela smo za območje Goričkega na 83-ih naključno izbranih popisnih ploskvah popisali 15 abiotskih in biotskih dejavnikov. Izbrali smo ekološke dejavnike, za katere predvidevamo, da vplivajo na izbiro določene lokacije bobrovega bivanja. Ugotovili smo, da so najpomembnejši dejavniki globina vode (optimalno več kot 40 cm) in premer vodnega telesa (optimalno več kot 4 m). Kot neugodna se je izkazala globina vode, nižja od 15 cm. Višina in naklon brežine vodnega telesa sta manj pomembna, saj bober živi tudi v vodah s strmimi in z visokimi brežinami, pri čemer je bil največkrat odsoten, ko je naklon brežine
presegal 60°. Bober ima raje brežine, nižje od dveh metrov, kot neugodne pa štejemo brežine, višje od štirih metrov. Pomemben dejavnik je tudi kopenski habitat ob vodnem telesu. Pri polovici primerov so na Goričkem to bile njive. Čeprav bober v določenem delu leta na njive zahaja po hrano, je gozd z naravno zeliščno vegetacijo pomembnejši vir bobrove prehrane. To je lahko ključen dejavnik naselitve določene lokalitete. Na osnovi rezultatov lahko zaključimo, da na Goričkem še obstajajo lokalitete s primernimi ekološkimi dejavniki, ki bobru omogočajo preživetje. Keywords: evropski bober, Castor fiber, habitat, ekološke spremenljivke, Goričko Published in DKUM: 13.07.2023; Views: 527; Downloads: 75
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10. Contrasting responses of alien and ancient forest indicator plant species to fragmentation process in the temperate lowland forestsMirjana Šipek, Lado Kutnar, Aleksander Marinšek, Nina Šajna, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: Fragmentation is one of the major threats to biodiversity. In a fragmented landscape, forest specialists are losing suitable forest habitats with specific site and microclimate conditions, which results in their local extinction. Conversely, the invasion of alien species is facilitated by open forest areas and increased boundaries between forest fragments and adjacent land. We studied the effect of fragmentation in terms of fragment size impact on overall plant species richness and on selected ecologically important groups' richness, composition, and diversity. We surveyed vegetation in the interior of 47 fragments of various sizes and one unfragmented reference forest. Our results reveal that the effect of fragmentation is complex and differs for studied plant groups. Decreasing fragment size negatively affects the overall plant richness and richness of native and ancient forest indicator plants as well as their diversity, while the effect is positive for alien plants. The highest proportion of ancient forest indicator plant species and the lowest proportion of alien plants in the unfragmented forest underline the great conservation value of forest fragments. At the same time, our results reveal that large and diverse forest ecosystems are susceptible to biological invasions as well. Keywords: forest fragment, indicator plants, invasion, diversity, habitat modification, habitat conservation Published in DKUM: 12.07.2023; Views: 313; Downloads: 46
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