Non-Native Invasive Species as Ecosystem Service Providers

Non-native or alien species present a range of threats to native ecosystems and human well-being. Many such species have selective advantages over native species, such as faster growth and reproduction rates, higher ecological tolerance, or more effective dispersal mechanisms. However, these species are often inadvertently demonised without sufficient awareness of the ecological principles—disturbance, niche and competition—that contribute to species dominance in an ecosystem. Non-native species can provide services useful to humans, particularly in facilitating many contemporary needs of modern civilisation. In the present paper, the available records on the influence of non-native invasive species and the relationship between services lost and new services acquired due to their presence will be discussed

Porečki botanički vrt, priča stara jedno stoljeće

Despite the story of the Poreč Botanic Garden being constantly featured in local monographs, books and in the lore of the local people, the history and circumstances that led to the establishment and decline of the Poreč Botanical Garden were never completely clarified. The aim of this research was to find records of its existence, determine the place and time of its origin, identify the persons responsible and explain the circumstances threatening the loss of the last remains of the garden. The result have shown that Poreč had a botanical garden a century ago, and point out the urgent need for its preservation and restoration.Iako se priča o porečkom botaničkom vrtu generacijama provlači kroz razne monografije, knjige i među lokalnim stanovništvom, povijest i činjenice koje su dovele do njegovog osnivanja i propadanja nisu nikad do kraja utvrđene. Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je naći dokaze o postojanju botaničkog vrta, utvrditi mjesto i vrijeme njegova nastanka, identificirati osobe zaslužne za njegovu realizaciju i objasniti događaje koji su doveli do njegova propadanja te koji danas prijete nestankom njegovih posljednjih ostataka. Rezultati našega istraživanja potvrdili su hipotezu da je u Poreču prije 100 godina doista postojao botanički vrt i ukazali na hitnu potrebu za očuvanjem i obnovom njegovih ostataka

Fruit Morphological Changes during Pit Hardening in Autochthonous Istrian Olive (Olea europaea L.) Cultivars

Endocarp lignification is important fruit growth phenophase since after its completion fruit starts with oil accumulation. The information about duration of endocarp lignification is important for timing of management practices, irrigation and pest control in oil cultivars, and fruit thinning in table cultivars to obtain uniform fruit weight and size. In this study, fruit length, width and weight of four Istrian autochthonous olive cultivars (‘Buža’, ‘Puntoža’, ‘Rošinjola’ and ‘Istarska bjelica’) were measured. Samples were taken from olive collection orchard of the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism in Poreč in equal growing conditions. The aim of the research was to define an olive fruit growth dynamics during pit hardening. Fruit weight in all cultivars was increasing during endocarp lignification (from 7th to 28th July). The highest percentage in the weight growth in the first week had cultivars ‘Buža’ (48.5%) and ‘Rošinjola’ (44.6%) while in the second week maximum was reached by cultivars ‘Puntoža’ (44.2%) and ‘Istarska bjelica’ (42%). The highest increase in total fruit mass was detected in ‘Puntoža’ (1.30 g) and the least at ‘Rošinjola’ (0.56 g). Maximum increase in length (L) and width (W) had ‘Puntoža’ (L: 7.13 mm; W: 4.23 mm) and the least ‘Istarska bjelica’ (L: 2.48 mm; W: 2.70 mm)

Effects of olive scale (Parlatoria oleae (Colvée)) attack on yield, quality and fatty acid profile of virgin olive oil

Olive scale (Parlatoria oleae (Colvée)) is a common pest in Mediterranean olive orchards which primarily causes damage on olive fruits. The quality of virgin olive oil is strongly related to the health status of the olive fruits from which is extracted. In this paper the effects of olive scale (Parlatoria oleae (Colvée)) attack on the oil yield, chemical and sensorial quality, as well as on the fatty acid profile of virgin olive oil were studied. Olive fruits (Olea europea L.) from Bova cultivar (Istria, Croatia) were collected and divided into different groups according to the presence or absence of infestation by the olive scale. Olive scale attack did not induce ripening process nor stimulate oil synthesis in the infested fruits. Healthy and infested fruit groups were processed separately to produce corresponding olive oils. As regards the oil acidity, the oil samples obtained from infested fruits had similar values as samples obtained from healthy fruits. However, olive scale attack led to slight oxidative deterioration of oil, but had no effect on sensory characteristics of obtained olive oils. Fatty acid profile was slightly affected by olive scale attack: an increase of linoleic (about 13 %) and palmitoleic acid (about 8 %), but a decrease of oleic (about 3 %) and stearic acid (about 4 %) in oils obtained from infested fruits was detected. Oleic to linoleic ratio was lower in oils obtained from infested fruits indicating its lower oxidative stability

Phenological stages of olive trees

Proučavanje fenofaza dio je znanosti koju nazivamo fenologijom. Fenologija je znanost koja istražuje pojave bioloških ciklusa i njihovu povezanost sa klimom. Pojava fenofaza kod biljaka iste vrste, osim o klimatskim faktorima u velikoj mjeri ovisi i o sorti. Identifikacija sorti u današnje vrijeme pouzdano se vrši molekularnim tehnikama, no praćenje fenofaza ipak ostaje važno za određivanje optimalnog trenutka primjene pojedinih agrotehničkih zahvata. Fenološki stadiji određuju se prema definiranim skalama. Službena skala Međunarodnog savjeta za masline i maslinovo ulje je skala po Colbrantu i Fabreu, a Europske organizacije za zaštitu bilja je BBCH skala. Fenološka mjerenja nam pomažu u boljem razumijevanju klimatske varijabilnosti, a biljke su pouzdani mjerni instrument uz čiju pomoć sa sigurnošću možemo uočiti klimatske promjene u svijetu. U kolekcijskom nasadu maslina Instituta za poljoprivredu i turizam u Poreču prate se fenofaze autohtonih i nekih introduciranih sorti maslina.Phenological growth stages is a part of a complex science called phenology. Phenology is searching the appearance of biological cycles and their connection with climate. The appearance of phenological growth stages for plants of the same species depends on climatic factors, but also on variety. Varietal identification is nowadays performed mostly by molecular techniques, phenological science is however important for determining the optimal moments for application of singular agrotechnical interventions. The official scale of International Olive Oil Council is Colbrant and Fabre scale, and of European Plant Protection Organization is BBCH scale. Phenological measures help us in a better understanding of climatic variations, and plants are a reliable instrument for individuation of global climatic changes. In the collection of the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism Poreč, phenological growth stages are researched on autochthonous and some introduced olive varieties

Designation of origine and geographical indication of olives and olive oils in Croatia

Europsko i svjetsko tržište prehrambenih proizvoda zasićeno je novim proizvodima koji međusobno konkuriraju kakvoćom i cijenom. Nespecifični proizvodi nisu u mogućnosti nositi se s oštrom konkurencijom sličnih proizvoda, a potrošači su često nesigurni u kakvoću onoga što kupuju. Zbog toga se javila potreba za zaštitom proizvoda visoke kakvoće i specifičnih karakteristika. U tu svrhu EU je 1992. godine stvorila sustave: PDO (Protected Designation of Origin odnosno Oznaka izvornosti), PGI (Protected Geographical Indication odnosno Oznaka zemljopisnog podrijetla) i TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed odnosno Oznaka „tradicionalni ugled“). Od 2005. godine proizvođačima u Hrvatskoj omogućena je ista zaštita za proizvode koje imaju i proizvođači u zemljama EU, čime se podiže razina konkurentnosti domaće proizvodnje i prepoznatljivost domaćih proizvoda. Cilj ovog rada bio je pojasniti mogućnosti zaštite maslinovog ulja i stolnih maslina, te iznošenjem praktičnih primjera dati doprinos u bržem integriranju Hrvatske u europsko i svjetsko tržište proizvoda od maslina.European and world market of foodstuffs is glutted with new products competing by quality and price. Non specific products are not able to deal with a sharp competition among similar products, and consumers are often uncertain about the quality of purchased goods. Therefore the EU created in 1992 three types of food quality system: PDO (Protected Designation of Origin), PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) and TSG (Traditional Speciality Guaranteed). From 2005 Croatian producers have the same possibility of protecting their products as the EU producers, raising the competitiveness and identity of domestic production and products. The aim of the present paper was to clarify the possibilities for olive oil and table oil protection, as well as to give a contribution to faster integration of Croatia in to European and world olive products market by giving practical examples

Utjecaj različitih postupaka maceracije na slobodne i vezane spojeve sortne arome vina od sorte Vitis vinifera L. cv. Malvazija istarska bijela

During a two-year study, the effect of different grape mash maceration treatments (skin contact at 20 °C for 10, 20 and 30 h) and cryomaceration (skin contact at 7 °C for 10, 20 and 30 h) on the concentration of free and bound monoterpenes and total phenols in Malvazija istarska wine (the most spread white wine variety in Istria) was monitored. Monoterpenic alcohols linalool, a-terpineol, citronellol, nerol and geraniol were determined by gas chromatography after isolation on octadecylsilica (C18) sorbent and elution with pentane/dichlorometane ratio of 2:1, while total phenols were determined spectrophotometrically with Folin-Ciocalteau reagent. Sensory evaluation of wines was performed using the Buxbaum method. The obtained results show that linalool and geraniol are the most abundant monoterpenes in Malvazija istarska, and that grape mash maceration treatments cause significant increase of free and bound monoterpene concentrations compared to those in control treatment wine obtained without maceration. The content of phenols, which are subject to oxidation, was found to be significantly lower in wines produced by cryomaceration treatments, while in those produced by maceration at 20 °C the concentration of total phenols increased proportionally with the duration of maceration, negatively influencing wine quality by causing higher colour intensity and bitter taste.Tijekom dvogodišnjeg istraživanja praćen je utjecaj različitih postupaka klasične maceracije masulja pri 20 °C (10, 20 i 30 sati) i hladne maceracije pri 7 °C (10, 20 i 30 sati) na koncentraciju slobodnih i vezanih monoterpena, te ukupnih fenola u vinima istarske Malvazije. Monoterpenski alkoholi linalol, α-terpineol, citronelol, nerol i geraniol određeni su metodom plinske kromatografije prethodnom ekstrakcijom na sorbensu oktadecilsilicijevom dioksidu (C18) uporabom otapala pentan:diklormetan (2:1), a ukupni fenoli spektrofotometrijski s Folin–Ciocalteu reagensom. Analizirana su vina senzorski ocijenjena Buxbaum metodom. Iz dobivenih se rezultata vidi da je najviše linalola i geraniola u vinu istarske Malvazije (najraširenije bijele vinske sorte u Istri), a postupcima maceracije masulja značajno se povećava koncentracija slobodnih i vezanih monoterpena u usporedbi s kontrolnim uzorkom vina dobivenog bez maceracije. Koncentracija oksidaciji podložnih fenola kudikamo je manja u vinima proizvedenim hladnom maceracijom, dok u postupcima maceracije na 20 °C proporcionalno raste koncentracija ukupnih fenola koji negativno utječu na kakvoću vina, uzrokujući jači intezitet boje i gorčinu okusa