The Balkan Peninsula is a geographical region under various large-scale climatic influences, one of the most significant being the Mediterranean Sea in the southwest and the continent in the northeast. The novelty of this study is that the border bet...
We investigated taxonomic and endemic richness, patterns of spatial distribution, cenotic and spatial diversification, and chorological and life form spectra of montane coniferous forests in the central part of the Balkan Peninsula. We collected info...
An extensive climatological and synoptic analysis of the winter cold spells that occurred in the Balkan Peninsula over a 59-year study period (1961–2019) is the aim of the present study. Winter cold spells (WCSPs hereafter) are defined as perio...
An exceptionally cold episode occurred in January 2017 over the Balkan Peninsula. Analysis of historical records showed that it was one of the coldest extreme episodes. Even though the low temperatures of January 2017 did not break previous low recor...
The interspecific relations that have been previously observed within the Stipa dasyphylla group are intricate and require further clarification. The aim of this study was to determine whether the specimens from Serbia deserve a separate taxonomic st...
The Balkan Peninsula is a biodiversity hotspot where topographic and habitat heterogeneity have shaped genetic differentiation. Polyploidization significantly contributes to diversification within plant lineages, including the allopolyploid complex o...
Thermal comfort assessments at local or micro-scales within urban areas can provide crucial insights for the urban adaptation strategies pertaining to climate-conscious urban planning and public health. However, the availability of long-term or mid-t...
The Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann 1824; Diptera, Tephritidae), is considered one of the most important pests, infesting more than 300 species of fresh fruit and vegetables worldwide. The medfly is an important invasi...
In order to better understand the Leontodon crispus group within L. sect. Asterothrix, we collected specimens belonging to this group during several journeys to the Apennines and the Balkan Peninsula, especially to Croatia, Albania, and Greece. In th...
The Balkan Peninsula represents an important center of plant diversity, exhibiting remarkable ecological heterogeneity that renders it an optimal region for studying the diversification patterns of complex taxa such as Teucrium montanum. In the Balka...
Fish are important elements of aquatic ecosystems. Their communities naturally follow the river continuum and have been well described in the western European freshwater watersheds. In regions of higher endemism, such as the Balkan Peninsula, the wid...
Although glacial landforms on the Balkan Peninsula have been studied since the 19th century, only scarce data are available about the extent of the former glaciations in the Central Balkan Peninsula, the transition zone between the Mediterranean and...
Wheat is one of the major crops throughout the Balkan peninsula of Europe. Specific harvest and binning dates can vary depending on the specific geographic region. Grain aeration, wherein ambient air is used at low-volume airflow rates to cool a grai...
With the rapid development of global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and their increasingly wide range of applications in atmospheric science, total electron content (TEC) data are widely used in the theoretical study of layer coupling related to...
Rana temporaria is one of the most widespread Palearctic brown frogs. We aimed to clarify distribution pattern of two main genetic clades in the understudied Balkan peninsula by using 16SrRNA and MT-CYTB sequences, already widely applied in analyses...
The Three-Toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus is a rare and endangered woodpecker on the Balkan Peninsula. Despite being widely distributed in Northern Europe, its distribution on the Balkan Peninsula is limited to high-altitude forest habitats, whe...
The genetic diversity and relationship between wild (Vitis vinifera L. subsp. sylvestris (Gmel.) Hegi and cultivated (V. vinifera L. subsp. vinifera) grapevine in the western Balkan region and Central Europe have not been studied together previously,...
Genome size (GS) is an important characteristic that may be helpful in delimitation of taxa, and multiple studies have shown correlations between intraspecific GS variation and morphological or environmental factors, as well as its geographical segre...
The genus Stachys is one of the largest genera of the Lamiaceae, and it comprises about 300 species. Some species are highly polymorphic, with a number of infraspecific taxa. The aim of the present review is to summarise the available knowledge on 10...
As the global energy sector is expected to experience a gradual shift towards renewable energy sources, access to special metals in known resources is of growing concern within the EU and at a worldwide scale. This is a review on the Fe–Ni ± Co-later...
Leaves play a central role in plant fitness, allowing efficient light capture, gas exchange and thermoregulation, ensuring optimal growing conditions for the plant. Phenotypic variability in leaf shape and size has been linked to environmental hetero...
Background: The Balkan Peninsula has served as an important migration corridor between Asia Minor and Europe throughout humankind’s history and a refugium during the Last Glacial Maximum. Past migrations such as the Neolithic expansion, Bronze...
Once a widespread and common species across the region of southeast Europe, the Griffon vulture is now confined to small and isolated populations across the Balkan Peninsula. The population from Serbia with 290 couples represents its biggest and most...
This study is the result of extensive investigations of leeches on the Balkan Peninsula. Our aim was to detect actual and potential (modeled) distributions of common Erpobdellidae species, and to identify their ecological differentiation with respect...
Ixodiphagus hookeri (Howard, 1907) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a hyperparasitic wasp that parasitizes hard ticks, has been documented in various parts of Europe; however, data on its presence in southeastern regions has been lacking. This study provid...
Freshwater mussels are an endangered group of animals, especially in the water bodies of Central and Western Europe. Conservation priorities were established for many endangered freshwater mussel species in the last decade. Here, we present new data...
The aim of this paper is to analyze the effect of different degrees of mixing on the diversity structure in stands left to spontaneous development. The research included two communities of species endemic to the Balkan Peninsula—the Serbian spruce (P...
Common or English yew (Taxus baccata L., Taxaceae) is a conifer species, native to Europe, northern Africa, Asia Minor and Caucasus. It is a dioecious, wind-pollinated and animal-dispersed tree, known for its high-quality wood and medicinal propertie...
Thymus species play an important role in traditional medicine, food practices, and cultural heritage across the Balkan Peninsula, a region characterized by high floristic diversity and long-standing ethnobotanical traditions. This review provides a c...
The 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, therefor...
Montenegro, with approximately 3600 vascular plant taxa, represents one of the floristic diversity centers of the Balkan Peninsula and the Mediterranean region. According to our current knowledge, about 80 to 100 orchids, including species, subspecie...
The genetic structure and dispersal dynamics of reptile populations are profoundly influenced by natural processes and human activities. While natural dispersal is shaped by species’ characteristics and paleogeographical features, human-mediate...
One of the most common questions in hydrological modeling addresses the issue of input data resolution. Is the spatial analysis of the meteorological/climatological data adequate to ensure the description of simulated phenomena, e.g., the discharges...
A study of the phytochemical and molecular characteristics of ten Micromeria and six Clinopodium taxa (family Lamiaceae) distributed in the Balkan Peninsula was carried out. The phytochemicals detected in essential oils by gas chromatography, mass sp...
Studying current and future geographic distribution is essential for conserving endangered species such as the Boreal Owl and Eurasian Pygmy Owl. The main aim of this study was to determine the potential distribution of both species in the Balkan Pen...
A study of the trichomes types and distribution and pollen morphology was carried out in nine Micromeria taxa (M. cristata ssp. cristata, M. cristata ssp. kosaninii, M. croatica, M. graeca ssp. graeca, M. graeca ssp. fruticulosa, M. juliana, M. kerne...
Functional diversity is a key component of biodiversity that reflects various dimensions of ecosystem functioning and the roles organisms play within communities and ecosystems. It is widely used to understand how ecological processes influence bioti...
The present study investigates the leaf anatomical traits of representatives of Gentiana section Ciminalis in the Balkan Peninsula, focusing on the ecologically and geographically vicariant species Gentiana acaulis, G. clusii, and G. dinarica. These...
Ant nests’ relatively stable and long-lasting microhabitats present ideal living conditions for many uni- and multicellular organisms, whose relationships range from mutualistic to parasitic. Messor harvester ants inhabit arid and semi-arid ope...
Since the appearance of the novel coronavirus disease of 2019—COVID-19, various therapeutic approaches were attempted, with complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) taking an important place. The aim of this study was to investigate the use...
This is the first report on morpho-anatomical and phytochemical differentiation of 19 native populations representing different Pinus nigra J.F.Arnold subspecies (banatica (Borbás) Novák, dalmatica (Vis.) Franco, nigra, and pallasiana (...
Porphyry Cu–Au–Pd±Pt deposits are significant Au resources, but their Pd and Pt potential is still unknown. Elevated Pd, Pt (hundreds of ppb) and Au contents are associated with typical stockwork magnetite-bornite-chalcopyrite assemblages, at the cen...
In this work, we analyzed the morphology and genetic structure of Teucrium montanum, T. capitatum and their hybrid T. × rohlenae from three syntopic populations. A morphometric study showed that the parents and their hybrids exhibited continuou...
The Balkan mountain ranges are major hotspots of genetic diversity and endemism, yet many species remain poorly studied. One such species is Alyssum bosniacum, a narrow endemic of the Central Dinaric Alps. To fill this gap, we examined 143 individual...
Natural resources rich in polyphenols from plants belonging to the Asteraceae family remain largely unexplored. The main goal of this study was to characterize under-studied Asteraceae plants in terms of different bioactive compounds, antioxidant pot...
Cordulegaster heros is an endemic species for Central and Southeastern Europe and one of the species protected under the European Union’s Habitats Directive. To adequately protect this species and its habitats, it is of crucial importance to ha...
Bacterial spot of pepper and tomato is caused by at least three species of Xanthomonas, among them two pathovars of Xanthomonas euvesicatoria, which are responsible for significant yield losses on all continents. In order to trace back the spread of...
The volatile compounds of eight peach varieties (Prunus persica L.)—“Filina”, “Gergana”, “Ufo-4”, “July lady”, “Laskava”, “Flat Queen”, “Evmolpiya”, and “...
Due to climate extremes and limited natural resources, especially water, we can expect increased demand in the future for species that can better tolerate climate extremes such as drought. One potentially valuable horticultural species is the endemic...
Studies report the good potential of Pinus heldreichii (PIHE) and Pinus peuce (PIPE) for developing long chronologies from living trees and warn that the climate signal is weak in tree-ring widths of PIHE, and particularly PIPE. The goals of the stud...
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