ZLATICE (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) PLANINE FRUŠKE GORE (VOJVODINA, SJEVERNA SRBIJA), SA PREGLEDOM BILJAKA HRANITELJICA

Leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) have not been sufficiently studied in Serbia so far. The species of the family were investigated in a protected area – the Fruška Gora National Park (Vojvodina Province, Northern Serbia) over the period of 11 years (2001–2011). Mt. Fruška Gora is an isolated island mountain in the Pannonian Plain and is characterized by a complex assembly of forest, meadow, shrubby, grassland, cultivated land, wetland, and aquatic phytocenoses. At total of 99 chrysomelid species from 42 genera and 11 subfamilies were identified from the area. The data on nutritional preference of the found Chrysomelidae species and host plants are given by own observations in nature. Furthermore, economically important leaf beetle species (i.e., forest and crop pests) are identified and briefly discussed as well. The registered species can be classified into seven chorotypes of Holarctic and three chorotypes of Europe according to zoogeographical analysis.Zlatice (Chrysomelidae) za sada nisu dovoljno dobro proučene u Srbiji. Vrste ove obitelji istraživane su tijekom razdoblja od 11 godina (2001–2011) u zaštićenom području – Nacionalnom parku "Fruška gora". Planina Fruška gora je izolirana otočna planina u Panonskoj nizini, koju karakterizira kompleksni sklop šumskih, livadskih, žbunastih, travnatih, kultiviranih, močvarnih i vodenih fitocenoza. Kukci su prikupljeni sa 35 lokaliteta, odnosno različitih tipova staništa. Ukupno 99 vrsta zlatica iz 42 roda i 11 podobitelji identificirano je iz ovoga područja. Zajedno s rezultatima Grueva (1984, 1986), koji je vršio ranija istraživanja, fauna zlatica obuhvaća 135 vrsta iz 46 rodova i 11 podobitelji. Podobitelji Chrysomelinae i Alticinae obuhvaćaju najveći broj vrsta. Podaci o ishrani i biljkama hraniteljicama prikupljenih Chrysomelida dobiveni su na osnovi vlastitih zapažanja u prirodi. Zlatice su prikupljene sa 128 vrsta biljaka iz 84 roda i 26 obitelji. Većina je asocirana s biljkama klase Magnoliopsida. Gospodarski važne vrste zlatica (štetnici šuma i usjeva) identificirane su i kratko spomenute. Prema zoogeografskoj analizi registrirane vrste mogu se svrstati u sedam horotipova Holarktika i tri horotipa Europe. Velik broj vrsta ima široku distribuciju u Europi, ali su brojne i zapadnopalearktičke i euroazijske vrste. Zabilježeno je devet vrsta koje se tipično javljaju u brdsko-planinskim regijama

ZLATICE (COLEOPTERA: CHRYSOMELIDAE) PLANINE FRUŠKE GORE (VOJVODINA, SJEVERNA SRBIJA), SA PREGLEDOM BILJAKA HRANITELJICA

Leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) have not been sufficiently studied in Serbia so far. The species of the family were investigated in a protected area – the Fruška Gora National Park (Vojvodina Province, Northern Serbia) over the period of 11 years (2001–2011). Mt. Fruška Gora is an isolated island mountain in the Pannonian Plain and is characterized by a complex assembly of forest, meadow, shrubby, grassland, cultivated land, wetland, and aquatic phytocenoses. At total of 99 chrysomelid species from 42 genera and 11 subfamilies were identified from the area. The data on nutritional preference of the found Chrysomelidae species and host plants are given by own observations in nature. Furthermore, economically important leaf beetle species (i.e., forest and crop pests) are identified and briefly discussed as well. The registered species can be classified into seven chorotypes of Holarctic and three chorotypes of Europe according to zoogeographical analysis.Zlatice (Chrysomelidae) za sada nisu dovoljno dobro proučene u Srbiji. Vrste ove obitelji istraživane su tijekom razdoblja od 11 godina (2001–2011) u zaštićenom području – Nacionalnom parku "Fruška gora". Planina Fruška gora je izolirana otočna planina u Panonskoj nizini, koju karakterizira kompleksni sklop šumskih, livadskih, žbunastih, travnatih, kultiviranih, močvarnih i vodenih fitocenoza. Kukci su prikupljeni sa 35 lokaliteta, odnosno različitih tipova staništa. Ukupno 99 vrsta zlatica iz 42 roda i 11 podobitelji identificirano je iz ovoga područja. Zajedno s rezultatima Grueva (1984, 1986), koji je vršio ranija istraživanja, fauna zlatica obuhvaća 135 vrsta iz 46 rodova i 11 podobitelji. Podobitelji Chrysomelinae i Alticinae obuhvaćaju najveći broj vrsta. Podaci o ishrani i biljkama hraniteljicama prikupljenih Chrysomelida dobiveni su na osnovi vlastitih zapažanja u prirodi. Zlatice su prikupljene sa 128 vrsta biljaka iz 84 roda i 26 obitelji. Većina je asocirana s biljkama klase Magnoliopsida. Gospodarski važne vrste zlatica (štetnici šuma i usjeva) identificirane su i kratko spomenute. Prema zoogeografskoj analizi registrirane vrste mogu se svrstati u sedam horotipova Holarktika i tri horotipa Europe. Velik broj vrsta ima široku distribuciju u Europi, ali su brojne i zapadnopalearktičke i euroazijske vrste. Zabilježeno je devet vrsta koje se tipično javljaju u brdsko-planinskim regijama

Chrysomelidae fauna (Coleoptera) of Obedska bara and Mt. Fruška gora

Familija Chrysomelidae u svetu obuhvata preko 35000 vrsta, a od toga preko 400 vrsta živi u Srbiji. Ovo je jedna od najbrojnijih grupa insekata u našoj zemlji. Gotovo se sve vrste u stadijumu larve i imaga hrane biljkama. Veliki je broj ekonomski značajnih vrsta. Medjutim, i pored velikog značaja u prirodi i za čoveka i velike brojnosti ova grupa je u Srbiji veoma slabo istražena. Zbog toga pravo stanje faune Chrysomelidae u našoj zemlji još uvek nije dovoljno poznato. Analizirana je fauna ove grupe na prostoru Vojvodine, u oblasti Srema na dve različite fizičko-geografske celine – Obedskoj bari i Fruškoj gori. Obedska bara je vlažno stanište, napušteni meandar reke Save koji se nalazi u jugoistočnom delu Srema. Fruška gora je planinski venac koji dominira u reljefu Vojvodine i nalazi se u severnom delu Srema. Ova dva šira lokaliteta su izabrana zbog raznovrsnosti staništa i kompleksnih biocenoloških odlika. Različiti elementi flore koji se javljaju na ova dva lokaliteta omogućavaju formiranje različitih zajednica herbivornih insekata, a izmedju ostalog utiču i na kompoziciju vrsta Chrysomelidae. Istraživanja su sprovedena u periodu od 2001-2010. godine na velikom broju užih lokaliteta – 15 različitih tipova staništa na Obedskoj bari i preko 35 užih lokaliteta na Fruškoj gori. Konstatovano je ukupno 100 vrsta iz 36 rodova i 10 podfamilija Chrysomelidae. Prikupljene su vrste iz 10 podfamilija – Alticinae, Cassidinae, Chrysomelinae, Clytrinae, Criocerinae, Cryptocephalinae, Donaciinae, Eumolpinae, Galerucinae i Orsodacninae. Iz podfamilije Alticinae prikupljeno je 28 vrsta iz 10 rodova. U okviru Cassidinae zabeleženo je 10 vrsta iz 3 roda. Chrysomelinae su zastupljene sa 22 vrste iz 8 rodova. Podfamilija Clytrinae na ispitivanim lokalitetima obuhvata 12 vrsta iz 5 rodova. Criocerinae su zastupljene sa 5 vrsta iz 3 roda. Iz podfamilije Cryptocephalinae je prikupljeno 13 vrsta iz 2 roda. Podfamilije Donaciinae i Eumolpinae su prisutne sa po jednom vrstom iz jednog roda. Galerucinae obuhvataju 7 vrsta iz 3 roda. Orsodacninae su zastupljene sa jednom vrstom iz jednog roda. Na Obedskoj bari je zabeleženo prisustvo 56 vrsta iz 25 rodova i 9 podfamilija, a na Fruškoj gori 73 vrste iz 31 roda i 9 podfamilija. Chrysomelidae su sakupljene sa ukupno 144 vrste biljaka iz 109 rodova i 33 familije (27 familija Magnoliopsida i 6 familija Liliopsida). Za sve vrste u radu su prikazane i njihove biljke hraniteljke. Najveći broj hrizomelida je sakupljen sa biljaka koje pripadaju velikim familijama, kao što su Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae i Rosaceae. U ishrani Chrysomelidae Obedske bare i Fruške gore dominiraju zeljaste biljke. Mada se neke vrste hrane listovima, stabljikama i korenjem Poaceae, veliki broj Chrysomelidae koristi polen biljaka ove familije kao dopunski vid ishrane. Salicaceae su omiljena hrana brojnih vrsta podfamilija Clytrinae i nekih Alticinae i Chrysomelinae. Veliki broj Alticinae se hrani biljkama familije Brassicaceae.U okviru faunističke obrade materijala za svaku vrstu je dato njeno geografsko rasprostranjenje u Evropi i u svetu. Na osnovu opšte geografske distribucije, vrste su rasporedjene u odgovarajuće horotipove Holarktika i Evrope. Većina vrsta obradjenih u ovoj studiji ima široko rasprostranjenje. Palearktičkom horotipu pripada 23% prikupljenih vrsta, a evropskom horotipu 66% vrsta. Na nivou vrsta nisu konstatovani endemiti, ali brojne podvrste imaju ograničene areale u oblasti Balkanskog poluostrva, dok su neke vezane isključivo za Srbiju.Neke vrste Chrysomelidae imaju odredjeni ekonomski značaj. Taj značaj se uglavnom ogleda kroz štete koje pričinjavaju biljnim kulturama. Mnoge od njih su utvrdjene na Obedskoj bari i Fruškoj gori. U disertaciji izdvojene su vrste koje se tretiraju kao štetočine u šumarstvu i poljoprivredi. Korišćenje Chrysomelidae u svrhu biološke borbe protiv štetnih vrsta biljaka (korova) je trenutno aktuelna tema u svetu. Ispitan je potencijal domaćih vrsta i mogućnosti realizacije istraživanja u našoj zemlji u budućnosti.Family Chrysomelidae includes over 35 000 species in the world, of which over 400 species live in Serbia. This is one of the most numerous groups of insects in our country. Almost all species in the larval and imago stage eat plants. There is a large number of economically important species. However, despite the great importance to nature and man and the great abundance, this group in Serbia is very poorly examined. Therefore, the true state of Chrysomelidae fauna in our country is still not well known.The fauna of this group was analyzed in Vojvodina, in the area of Srem in the two different physical-geographical units - Obedska bara and Fruška gora. Obedska bara is moist habitat, an abandoned meander of the river Sava, which is located in the southeastern part of Srem. Fruška gora is a mountain range which dominates the landscape of Vojvodina and is located in the northern part of Srem. The two larger sites were chosen because of the diversity of habitats and complex biocenosis features. Different elements of the flora that occur at these two sites allow the formation of different communities of herbivorous insects, and among other things, affect the composition of species of Chrysomelidae.The surveys were conducted in the period 2001-2010 on the large number of narrower sites - 15 different types of habitats in Obedska bara and over 35 more specific sites on Fruška gora. A total of 100 species from 36 genera and 10 subfamilies of Chrysomelidae were ascertained. Species were collected from 10 subfamilies - Alticinae, Cassidinae, Chrysomelinae, Clytrinae, Criocerinae, Cryptocephalinae, Donaciinae, Eumolpinae, Galerucinae and Orsodacninae. From the subfamily Alticinae 28 species from 10 genera were collected. Within Cassidinae 10 species from three genera were recorded. Chrysomelinae are represented with 22 species in eight genera. Subfamily Clytrinae includes 12 species from 5 genera on the tested sites. Criocerinae are represented by five species from three genera. From Cryptocephalinae subfamily 13 species were collected from two genera. Subfamilies Donaciinae and Eumolpinae are present with one species from one genus each. Galerucinae include seven species from three genera. Orsodacninae are represented with one species of a genus. The presence of 56 species from 25 genera and 9 subfamilies was recorded in Obedska bara, and 73 species from 31 genera and 9 subfamilies on Fruška gora.Chrysomelidae are collected from a total of 144 plant species from 109 genera and 33 families (27 families of Magnoliopsida and 6 families of Liliopsida). Feeding plants for all species are presented in the dissertation. The largest number of chrysomelidae was collected from plants that belong to large families such as Lamiaceae, Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Rosaceae. Herbaceous plants dominate the nutrition of Chrysomelidae of Obedska bara and Fruška gora. Although some species feed on leaves, stems and roots of Poaceae, a large number of Chrysomelidae use pollen of the family as a supplemental form of nutrition. Salicaceae are the favourite food of many species of the Clytrinae subfamilies and some Alticinae and Chrysomelinae. A large number of Alticinae feed on the plants of the family Brassicaceae.Within the faunistic material processing for each species is given its geographical distribution in Europe and worldwide. Based on the general geographical distribution, the species are distributed in the appropriate chorotypes of Holarctic and Europe. Most species processed in this study have broad distribution. Palaearctic chorotype belongs to 23% of collected species, and 66% of the species belong to the European chorotype. Endemic species are not ascertained, but a number of subspecies have limited ranges in the area of the Balkan Peninsula, and some are related solely to Serbia.Some species of Chrysomelidae have certain economic importance. This importance is mainly reflected in damages they make to crops. Many of them are ascertained in Obedska bara and Fruška gora. In the dissertation, species that are treated as pests in forestry and agriculture are singled out. The use of Chrysomelidae for biological pest control (weeds) is currently topical in the world. The potential of the local species is examined, as well as the possibilities of the realization of researches in our country in the future

Protection of hydrological heritage sites of Serbia: Problems and perspectives

Protection of hydrological heritage sites, water protection segment, is an integral part of nature con¬servation. Today it is the basic theme of the hydrological heritage, the new field of hydrology and geo¬heritage, which, by exploring and evaluating hydrological diversity of a particular area and identifying representative water phenomena, sets their preservation and protection as one of the utmost objec¬tives. Two main problems in the protection of water phenomena in Serbia are: inadequate attitude of the individual and society, as a result of poor knowledge of the characteristics and values of waters, and the ever–present need for men to use them (as resources). Lack of understanding, in the profession¬al sphere, the value and importance of water phenomena in the natural system – as a result of a firmly based biocentrism in nature conservation, lack of hydrologic group within the geoheritage and a small number of interested professionals are some of the associated problems that limit the activities in this field. Specific problems – from the lack of organized and synchronized scientific research to the lack of a database on the hydrological heritage sites, are somewhat common to other segments of the na¬ture conservation of Serbia. There are three possible directions of the future actions on the protection of hydrological heritage sites of Serbia: complete protection, protection with utilisation for the needs of tourism and protection with utilisation for the needs of water management. The most complex task of hydrological heritage will just be to combine the preservation and protection with tourism and wa¬ter management, because it is diverse and often conflicting industries about. A possible solution to this problem is illustrated through the idea of water reserves

Invasive Bruchid species Bruchidius siliquastri Delobel, 2007 and Megabruchidius tonkineus (Pic, 1914) (Insecta: Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) new in the fauna of Serbia: Review of the distribution, biology and host plants

Two invasive bruchid species - Bruchidius siliquastri Delobel, 2007 and Megabruchidius tonkineus (Pic, 1914) - found on Mt. Fruška Gora during 2011 and 2012 were recorded for the first time in Serbian fauna. Originating from Asia, these beetles were accidentally introduced into Europe. Data on their introduction into Serbia, distribution, biology and host plant associations are presented and discussed

APPLICATION OF THE WATER QUALITY INDEX IN THE TIMOK RIVER BASIN (SERBIA)

The paper presents an analysis of water pollution carried out on the basis of the combined physico-chemical Serbian Water Quality Index (WQI) in the Timok River basin. The analysis covers various parameters (oxygen saturation, Five-Day Biochemical Oxygen Demand or BOD5, ammonium ion concentration, pH value, Water Total Nitrogen or WTN, Total Suspended Solids or TSS, orthophosphate concentration, electrical conductivity, temperature and the fecal coliform bacteria parameter) the values of which were calculated for four hydrological stations within the basin. The data obtained at each measurement station were averaged using the annual arithmetic average mean. The annual WQI values were calculated for a twenty-five year period (1990–2014) and they were in the range between 12 and 92, which means that the quality of water varied, ranging from “very bad” to “excellent”. The obtained results were interpreted and the watercourse quality was assessed using the comparison of water quality indicators according to the Serbian Classification of Surface Waters and the WQI method. The worst water quality was recorded in the Borska Reka River. Certain SWQI values are the result of water quality changes caused by wastewater from human settlements, industrial facilities, agricultural sources and illegal waste disposal sites in the basin

Late antique domus in Skelani (Municipium Malvesiatium)

During June and July 2014, at the site of Zadružni Dom in Skelani, archaeological investigations of the late antique building were carried out, whose rooms were first discovered in the course of archaeological excavations in 2008. The building has a rectangular base, of a northeast-southwest orientation, with the discovered part measuring 20.90 x 30.90 m. What is distinguishable within the asymmetrical base is an entrance, along with eleven rooms, two of which have apses, and a peristyle, i.e. an inner courtyard with a roofed corridor surrounding it which connects all the rooms of the building. During the archaeological excavations, entrance thresholds and extremely well preserved mortar floors with mortar skirting were noted in most rooms, along with traces of fresco painting on the walls and mosaic floors, executed in the opus tesselatum technique, observed in several rooms, the peristyle and the encompassing corridor. The discovered mosaic fragments are decorated with geometric motifs in the form of a swastika, a Solomon’s knot, a square, a rhomboid, overlapping circles, etc. and floral motifs of ivy and petals, as well as a double braid motif. Small but, unfortunately, fragmented pieces of a mosaic with a figural representation were discovered in the central part of the peristyle, while the mosaic in room K was decorated with a motif portraying the winged head of Medusa. Two construction phases were noted, an older and a younger, with the walls, which were two Roman feet wide and built from dressed stone, and the older mortar floor belonging to the older construction phase, and the second, younger construction phase comprising mosaics, fresco painting, the younger mortar floor and two furnaces. Contemplating the planimetry of the building, one gets the impression of the rooms being divided between two parts - public and private, whereby the public part of the building would be located near the main entrance hall and would comprise rooms A, B, C, D and F, with mortar floors and traces of fresco painting on the walls. The other, possibly private, part of the building would include five rooms G, H, I, J and K and the inner courtyard. Rooms I, J and K had floor and wall heating, while rooms G and H had an arched apse and possibly functioned as a reception hall and/or a stibadium. The hallway with mosaics, which flanks the inner courtyard, was most likely roofed. Traces of burning in the north-western corridor testify to the destruction of the building in a fire. Based on the architectural elements and the traces of fresco painting and mosaics in the building at the site of Zadružni Dom in Skelani, it can be deduced that this is a late antique building which can roughly be dated to the period between the end of the 3rd and the mid-4th century AD, and whose lavish decoration implies that it was owned by an affluent resident of Skelani from the aforementioned period

BIODIVERSITY OVERVIEW OF SODA PANS IN THE VOJVODINA REGION (SERBIA)

Due to their specific physical and chemical properties of water and soil soda pans of the Vojvodina region represent a unique type of habitats. Salinity is a major structuring factor which strongly affects species richness. Many halotolerant, alkalotolerant and halophilic organisms, together with numerous eurytopic elements inhabit these kinds of ecosystems. In this review we tried to compile the biodiversity information from various literature sources and give the best representation of what can be expected to be found in these shallow, temporary and intermittent aquatic environments. Only a few groups of organisms are fairly well studied, while many others are insufficiently investigated or the knowledge of them is lacking altogether. Best investigated are certain groups of algae and birds. Bacterial communities, as well as many invertebrate groups, are poorly studied or not investigated at all. Characteristic elements of flora and fauna, together with growing anthropogenic pressures make soda pans prime targets for protection

Application of TBI index in the ecological status assessment of the shallow eolian Lake Ludaš (Serbia)

Shallow saline lakes are unique habitats, highly susceptible to negative effects of climate change and adverse anthropogenic activities Recently, several indices, including a trait based index ( have been developed for the assessment of their ecological status The TBI index is calculated as a ratio of traits (diatom groups) that indicate good or excellent ecological conditions (motile species with small cell size and more elongated valves) and traits that are related to degraded ecological status (low and high profile ecological guilds and planktic life form) We tested the applicability of the TBI index in Lake Luda š that was originally an alkaline saline lake Epiphytic diatoms together with water samples for chemical analyses, were collected in June 2019 at the southern part of the lake where a dense population of Ceratophylum demersum was observed A total of 35 diatom taxa were identified in this hyposaline lake The highest number of species belonged to the genus Nitzschia Typical sodic water taxa for this part of the Pannonian Plain, such as Nitzschia austriaca Navicula veneta and N wiesneri were not observed Instead, species characteristic for disturbed saline habitats, for example Navicula wendlingii and Tabularia fasciculata, were recorded In Lake Luda š functional groups of diatoms connected with high conductivity reached only one third of the total abundance On the other hand, a higher percentage of low and high profile guilds and planktic diatoms were recorded Consequently, the TBI index indicated the low ecological status of Lake Luda š and confirmed the negative effect of a disturbed hydrological regime10th International Shallow Lakes Conference, Towards a landscape ecology of shallow lakes, virtual format, March 1st to 5th 2021

Past studies and potential measures for rehabilitation of the shallow lake (Lake Ludas)

Lake Ludaš has been under a strong anthropogenic influence for a very long time, so the history of fruitful scientific investigation was very often connected with the evaluation of a human impact and potential rehabilitation measures. Unfortunately, attempts to improve the lake's natural status remain more in the field of theoretical models than concrete practical solutions. Aiming to better understand the potential of different rehabilitation measures for Lake Ludaš, we combined our ecological analyses (unpublished results) and the literature survey. The continuous massive cyanobacterial bloom and the formation of a thick sediment layer rich in different organic and inorganic pollutants represent two major challenges in the lake's rehabilitation. The unknown ecological role of invasive species that have already colonised Lake Ludaš will make the attempts to improve conditions in the lake even more challenging. The reduction of nutrient load, changes in the intensity and directions of water circulation, as well as top sediment layer removal in the lake, are measures under consideration for several decades. But their combination, order of implementation and possibilities of successful execution are still under debate. However, there is no doubt that the restoration of a natural hydrological regime should be a key step in the rehabilitation of Lake Ludaš