Bryophyte flora of the Uvac river gorge (Southwest Serbia)

In the examined area, 165 taxa were found and identified: 139 taxa from the class Bryopsida and 26 taxa from the class Marchantiopsida. Nine species are red-listed in Serbia. Material was collected from 62 localities, which were analyzed for similarity of chorological and ecological features using the Jaccard similarity index. Analysis of floristic elements and phytogeographic distribution showed that the greatest number of taxa are temperate elements with Holarctic distribution. Results of ecological analysis showed that in regard to the substratum aspect, terricolous, basophilous, and indifferent species were dominant. In relation to the ecological parameter humidity, most species were mesophilous. The majority of identified bryophytes were sciophilous taxa.

Growth rings width of bald cypress stems from two alluvial sites in Serbia

The paper shows the differences in growth rings width between bald cypress stems grown on two alluvial sites in Serbia - Veliko ratno ostrvo and Backa Palanka. Performing this anatomical research included falling of overall six trunks (3 from one and 3 from another location). After that, appropriate wood cross-sections were made and they served for making permanent anatomical preparations. Obtained results proved a big dependence between radial increment from one side and available water content together with nutrients content on the other side. It caused a very significant correlation between growth rings width and qualitative site features. Bearing on mind this fact, it was established that Veliko ratno ostrvo is more suitable for bald cypress growing. As for behavior of radial increment with ages, there are some differences between these locations, first of all because stems from Veliko ratno ostrvo still did not reach its culmination

Attitudes, Behaviour and Knowledge on Sexuality among Female Adolescents in Zagreb, Croatia

The aim of this study was to estimate the level of knowledge about sexuality, attitudes and sexual behaviour of female adolescents. The study included 194 female students, 117 from Medical High School (MHS) and 77 from General High School (GHS) in Zagreb. Data was collected using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire. In addition to items on personal data (age, parental education etc.), the participants were asked to define terms about sexuality (e.g. menstruation, puberty) the definitions of which are found in biology textbooks for the fifth and eighth grade of primary school. The aim of the third part of the survey was to collect information about attitudes and behaviour of female adolescents. The results showed a low level of knowledge in students of both schools. General High School students showed a higher level of knowledge than their Medical High School peers. One fifth of General High School students and 1/3 of Medical High School students were unable to define the term »menstruation«. The majority of adolescents talk about sexuality with their friends, 92.1% of General High School and 81.2% of Medical High School students. Almost 50% of students of both schools would like to talk about sexuality with their school doctor. 6.9% of Medical High School students had at least one sexual intercourse while none of the General High School students had been sexually active at the time of the survey. As the majority of students were not sexually active and results showed a rather low level of knowledge, this seems to be the ideal period for the implementation of educational programs aimed at increasing the level of knowledge, and thus preventing unwanted consequences (STD, pregnancy, abortion, infertility)

New localities of the subendemic species Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica in the Dinaric Alps

New localities of three subendemic species (Berberis croatica, Teucrium arduini and Micromeria croatica) have been found in the Dinaric Alps. Berberis croatica was found at ten new locations, nine of them in Croatia and one in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Teucrium arduini was found on Mt Učka, Mt Velebit, Mt Biokovo and Mt Sniježnica, at nine new locations while Micromeria croatica was found at four new locations, only on Mt Velebit

Morpho-anatomical differentiation of the Balkan endemic species Teucrium arduini L. (Lamiaceae)

Teucrium arduini L. is an endemic of the Mediteranean to sub-Mediterranean part of the Western Balkans. The ecological plasticity, i.e., inter-population differentiation, of the species Teucrium arduini was analyzed on the basis of morpho-anatomical variability of six populations from different types of vegetation, i.e., of rocky crevices, rocky ground, and a thermophilous forest in the eu-Mediterranean, sub-Mediterranean, and transitional sub-Mediterranean-Central-European climate zones. Univariant statistic analysis included 22 quantitative characters related to leaf and stem anatomy and morphology. In order to establish the variability and significance of morpho-anatomical differentiation, principal component analyses (PCA), multivariant analyses of variances (MANOVA), and discriminant components analysis (DCA) were done. The analyses of plants from these spatially separated populations confirmed that the species T. arduini belongs to the category of xerophytes with malacophyllous leaves

MORPHO-ANATOMICAL DIFFERENTIATION OF THE BALKAN ENDEMIC SPECIES TEUCRIUM ARDUINI L. (LAMIACEAE)

Abstract — Teucrium arduini L. is an endemic of the Mediteranean to sub-Mediterranean part of the Western Balkans. The ecological plasticity, i.e., inter-population differentiation, of the species Teucrium arduini was analyzed on the basis of morpho-anatomical variability of six populations from different types of vegetation, i.e., of rocky crevices, rocky ground, and a thermophilous forest in the eu-Mediterranean, sub-Mediterranean, and transitional sub-Mediterranean-Central-European climate zones. Univariant statistic analysis included 22 quantitative characters related to leaf and stem anatomy and morphology. In order to establish the variability and significance of morpho-anatomical differentiation, principal component analyses (PCA), multivariant analyses of variances (MANOVA), and discriminant components analysis (DCA) were done. The analyses of plants from these spatially separated populations confirmed that the species T. arduin

Essential oil composition of different parts of endemic species Seseli gracile Waldst. & Kit. (Apiaceae) from natural and cultivated conditions

The chemical composition of the essential oils of Seseli gracile Waldst. & Kit. from natural habitat (Đerdap Gorge, Serbia) and from cultivated plants (Belgrade, Serbia) were characterized. The essential oils of the root, aerial parts, inflorescence and fruit were analyzed by GC/MS and GC/FID. Monoterpene hydrocarbons were the main compounds in the essential oil of aerial parts (45.2–93.0 %), inflorescences (84.1 and 90.0 %) and fruit (85.0 %). Polyacetylenes (38.8 and 87.6 %) were dominant in the essential oil of root. The cluster analysis revealed that there were significant differences in the chemical composition of the S. gracile oils at different phenological stages. On the other hand, essential oils from the aerial parts from natural and cultivated plants showed quite uniform qualitative composition. The aerial parts essential oil from natural habitat contained higher content of para-cymene (mean values 17.3 vs. 6.5 %) and lower amounts of terpinolene (mean values 23.1 vs. 49.9 %). Also polyacetylene falcarinol was present only in the aerial parts samples from natural habitat. The essential oil of inflorescences from natural habitat contained higher concentration of terpinolene, quite similar amount of para- -cymene and lower content of α-pinene. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. 173021 Grant no. 173030