Conservation and trade of wild edible mushrooms of Serbia - history, state of the art and perspectives

Wild edible mushrooms have received significant scientific and socio-economic attention in the last few decades, since they have become the subject of a booming trade business. Through last decades, Serbia, a small country positioned in the South East of Europe, has become a source country for extensive export of commercially important species of wild mushrooms. The data used for international analyses of national policy on mushroom protection and trade are cited usually from personal communications and therefore are not really reliable. Extensive investigations into diversity or ecology of macro fungi in Serbia have never been undertaken. The forestry sector, which is managing all forests in the country, has absolutely neglected its role in ecosystems while habitats of macro fungi have been permanently destroyed. There are only two legal acts that refer to mushroom protection directly and none aims to protect their habitats or diversity in practice. In this contribution, a comprehensive review of official data on research, conservation, socio-economic importance and legislation on wild edible mushrooms and truffles in Serbia was provided. Additionally, the application of existing legal acts on conservation of macro fungi and data on wild mushroom trade in the period between 1993-2016, during which time the trade control has been initiated was analysed. The currently valid system of conservation and trade control are discussed in the frame of protection of wild mushroom species and their habitats and measures for upgrading this system in order to meet the requirements of the sustainable use of natural resources in the socio-economic conditions of Serbia are proposed

Where do we stand on the knowledge of T. magnatum environments? Progress and new research hypotheses

Knowledge about the environments of T. magnatum has been consolidated in the 2000s, confirming the importance of microclimate and that of specific soil types that, in fact, restrict the areas of natural spread of the fungus. In recent years, investigations have focused on two distinct themes: on the one hand, mycorrhization techniques have been refined, leading to the commercial production of mycorrhized plants and the establishment of the first experimental truffle orchards; on the other hand, the hydrological aspects of natural truffle areas, previously left in the background, have begun to be studied. The first topic has yielded interesting results with the start of production in areas never reported as productive and promises to expand the territories in which to "cultivate" T. magnatum. The second line of investigation is providing insights into the need for specific water management of truffles - natural and cultivated - focused on soil water conservation. For the future, it will be necessary to work in depth on this aspect. The natural environments of T. magnatum are characterized by a great need for water, which we hypothesize can be managed at the scale of micro-hydrographic basin, since the exclusive use of irrigation practices adopted, for example, for T. melanosporum is not economically viable

Legal regulation of truffle sector in the Republic of Serbia

General Laws on nature protection of Serbia (competent Ministry for Nature Protection) passively regulate fungi by regulating protection of the environment, biodiversity, diversity of ecosystems or landscapes in the country, in a way that should meet the requirements of the EU legislation system. The direct regulation of issues related to truffles is found in Rulebook on the declaration and protection of strictly protected and protected wild species of plants, animals and mushrooms and Decision on the determination of goods for which import, export, or transit requires the obtainment of certain documents. The truffle species included in these two documents are Tuber magnatum, Tuber aestivum and Tuber macrosporum. The Law on Forests, issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry directly treats mushrooms in two articles, one forbids collection of any secondary forest products, unless stated differently by that same Law, while other allows collection of secondary forest products only upon approval of the forest manager. It is not stated how these two articles were correlated with Rulebook and Decision of Law on nature Protection that refer to wild mushrooms including truffles. Apart from legal regulation in the commercial sense, there is absolutely no in purpose legal protection of the areas and ecosystems where truffles naturally occur. Without adequate protection of forest ecosystems that contain truffle species, there is a risk of losing these commercially important species. Establishment of truffle plantations is not regulated by any legal act, why the amendment of existing legislation is necessery in order to enable the developement of the entire truffles sector in the country

Supplementary data for the article: Popović-Djordjević, J.; Marjanović, Ž. S.; Gršić, N.; Adžić, T.; Popović, B.; Bogosavljević, J.; Brčeski, I. Essential Elements as a Distinguishing Factor between Mycorrhizal Potentials of Two Cohabiting Truffle Species in Riparian Forest Habitat in Serbia. Chemistry and Biodiversity 2019, 16 (4). https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.201800693

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1002/cbdv.201800693]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2920]Related to accepted version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/2921

Impact of plastic pollution on soil biological activity in white truffle habitats in the large river plains in Serbia

The impact of plastic pollution on forest soil biota is an emerging research area. There are knowledge gaps on a forest microbiome composition and activity as effected by wild waste deposition in forest ecosystems located on white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico) habitat areas. Particles of plastic materials decompose into micro-plastic particles and are responsible for many changes in the soil physicochemical characteristics, including porosity, enzymatic activities, microbial activities, plant growth. One of the first investigations of plastic and microplastic (MP) in the soil on the territory of Serbia is currently underway and is being carried out within the project "Evaluation of the Microplastic in the Soils of Serbia - EMIPLAST - SoS". The research sites are located on the alluvial plains of the largest rivers in Serbia, which are the habitats of the white truffle. Forest sites visibly polluted and non-polluted by plastic materials were sampled and analysed for soil main chemical, physical and biological properties. Potentially mineralizable soil organic carbon was measured in a long-term incubation of soil samples with sequential measurement of the emitted CO2 flax by alkali trap method. Preliminary results showed that some soil properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, total C and N, CEC and mechanical composition are significantly affected by the presence of plastic materials. Generally, polluted sites showed elevated microbial respiration and the rates of C mineralization. For the Danube and Morava River basin the differences were significant, while for the Sava river basin the difference wasn’t significant. In order to establish the level of the negative impact of microplastics on soil properties and microbial activity in the longer term, the study is ongoing

ASSESSMENT OF PLASTIC POLLUTION OF THE SOIL ENVIRONMENT

Plastic pollution is fast becoming a serious global environmental problem with the increase in plastic waste over recent decades. One of the first investigations of plastic and microplastic (MP) in the soil on the territory of Serbia is currently underway and is being carried out within the project "Evaluation of the microplastic in the Soils of Serbia – EMIPLAST – SoS" funded by the Science Fund of the Republic of Serbia. The aim of the research is to reveal the impact of the presence of plastic materials on soil’s main chemical, physical and biological properties. The examination of the impact of MP on the soil is being carried out through a comparative analysis of samples from localities that are and are not exposed to MP pollution. Sampling was done in three seasonal repetitions in the 2022 and will be done in the same way in 2023 in all selected plots. Microbial respiration is measured from all samples using the alkaline trap method as an indicator of microbial activity. The parameters related to the soil structure are not variable in such a short time frame, which is why they were determined at the beginning and will be determined at the end of the experimental period: mechanical composition, volumetric mass, specific mass, porosity, aggregate stability and organic matter content. Soil parameters that may affect aggregate stability such as pH, electrical conductivity and total carbon content, as well as soil nutritional status (N, P2O5, K2O, Cu, Zn, Mn and CaCO3) were determined. These parameters are used to characterize the soil at the research sites. Preliminary results showed that some soil properties are significantly affected by the presence of plastic materials. In order to establish the level of the negative impact of microplastics on soil properties and microbial activity in the longer term, the study is ongoing

Environmental and biological specificities of the lowland alluvial soils in Central Serbia

Lowlands of Central Serbia are mostly covered by alluvial soils, while the natural vegetation types are various alluvial forests differentiated by the distance from the river bad (dynamics of soil water potential regimes) and gradients of soil structure, nutrient availability and soil pH (Marjanovic et al 2020). These forests have been heavily exploited for timber throughout the human history, but what has remained still represent significant hotspots of above and belowground biodiversity. The rare specificity of these ecosystems is the high diversity of truffles, fungi producing belowground fruiting bodies, among which the most prised white Piedmont truffle holds a special attention (Bragato and Marjanovic, 2016). In order to describe these special habitats of Balkan Peninsula, we have conducted various experiments, mostly concentrated on soils that support the fructification of this ecologically and economically important species. In this contribution we will summarize results on soil structure, soil water content dynamics, nutrient availability, seasonality of soil processes as well as seasonality of root associated mycobiomes of selected alluvial forests. We focus on connecting the fructification of white truffle to different soil factors (Marjanovic et al 2015), as well as on defining the differentiation factors that have been shaping root associated mycobiomes (Marjanovic et al 2020). The contribution was set to uncover as many soil traits as possible to reveal the answer to the question of what are the ideal conditions of soil/vegetation /climate combination that is suitable for such specific fungal communities.https://wcss.speak.co.uk/ Link ka projektu https://www.imsi.bg.ac.rs/en/evaluation-of-the-microplastic-in-the-soils-of-serbia-emiplast-sos-2

Antiplatelet Drugs Use in Pregnancy—Review of the Current Practice and Future Implications

When clinicians opt for antithrombotic therapy to manage or prevent thrombotic complications during pregnancy, it is imperative to consider the unique physiological state of the pregnant woman’s body, which can influence the pharmacokinetics of the drug, its ability to traverse the placental barrier, and its potential teratogenic effects on the fetus. While the efficacy and safety of aspirin during pregnancy have been relatively well-established through numerous clinical studies, understanding the effects of newer, more potent antiplatelet agents has primarily stemmed from individual clinical case reports necessitating immediate administration of potent antiplatelet therapy during pregnancy. This review consolidates the collective experiences of clinicians confronting novel thrombotic complications during pregnancy, often requiring the use of dual antiplatelet therapy. The utilization of potent antiplatelet therapy carries inherent risks of bleeding, posing threats to both the pregnant woman and the fetus, as well as the potential for teratogenic effects on the fetus. In the absence of official guidelines regarding the use of potent antiplatelet drugs in pregnancy, a plethora of cases have demonstrated the feasibility of preventing recurrent thrombotic complications, mitigating bleeding risks, and successfully managing pregnancies, frequently culminating in cesarean deliveries, through meticulous selection and dosing of antiplatelet medications

The Impact of Soil Microplastic on Insect Diversity and Plastic Decomposition by Insects

Plastic has been recognized as one of the leading pollutants of all ecosystems. This question has been rarely raised in Serbia, although there is a significant problem with the disposal of communal and agricultural waste. Many wild landfills have been created in past decades in forests near the plasticulture practicing areas and rivers. Plastic materials are degraded by the influence of UV light and various environmental factors, creating smaller particles called microplastics, which are recognized as significantly dangerous to ecosystems. Alluvial planes have been the most endangered due to the horizontal and vertical fluvial activities of the nearby rivers. The influence of soil microplastics on insect communities has not been widely considered and that is why the project EMIPLAST-SoS has been created to investigate insect communities in polluted and unpolluted alluvial soils in Serbia. We compare them in forest and agricultural ecosystems on similar alluvial soils in three locations near three largest rivers in Serbia. Preliminary results from one-season sampling are considered. During the project the influence of the different seasons effects will be investigated. Additionally, we have investigated the rate of plastic decomposition by five insect species in lab conditions (Plodia interpunctella Hubner, Tenebrio molitor L., Zophobas morio Fabr., Achroia grisella Fabr. and Galleria mellonela L.). G. mellonela expressed the highest and the most diverse decomposition of different plastic sources like plastic bags, sponges and styrofoam. The analyses of the obtained plastic residues are still underway

Tuber balkanicum – new taxon defined by molecular, ecological and biogeographical methods

Truffle diversity of Balkan Peninsula does not stop to surprise the scientific community with three new species from the melanosporum clade described in last year's (Mereny et al 2017, Milenković at al 2015, Slavova et al 2023). Out of large set of ITS sequences, Mereny at al. (2017) described T. cryptobrumale as connected to Pannonian region, but two other genetically quite distinctive populations were not distinguished as species. In this contribution, we have analyzed larger set of sequences and their habitats and detected strong connection between specimens with specific ITS/LSU region variants to ecologically specific habitats of Balkan peninsula. Soils and vegetation where these specimens have been detected rather resemble descriptions of T. melanosporum sites in Italy, while habitats of T. cryptobrumale resemble those of T. magnatum. Additionally, we have detected numerous populations of T. melanosporum in the coastal regions of Croatia, while this species has never been officially detected eastern from Dinaric alps in Balkan peninsula. We hypothesize that T. melanosporum could never overcome low temperatures of high and long Dinaric massive and is therefore localized in the western Mediterranean regions. This could be the reason why the melanosporum clade has been highly diversifying in Balkan regions. Moreover, the genetic variant widely distributed all over Europe and described as “T. brumale” has never been detected in the Balkans. Therefore, we propose that ecologically and genetically specific taxon that is widespread only in Balkan peninsula (and to some extent northwards) should be recognized as a different species - Tuber balkanicum