»Saum« (fringe) vegetation (Trifolio-Geranietea) in the Republic of Macedonia

The paper deals with the saum (fringe) vegetation of the Republic of Macedonia. Anew suballiance Lathyro laxiflori-Trifolienion velenovskyi suball. nova of the Geranion sanguinei Tx. in Müller 1962 (Origanetalia Müller 1962. Trifolio-Geranietea Müller 1962) is described as well as the following associations: the Lathyro laxiflori-Trifolietum balcanici ass. nova, the Chaemaecytiso heuffelii-Trifolietum medii ass. nova and the Trifolietum velenovskyi-alpestris ass. nova. Two communities were found and classified according to the deductive method within the Vicia varia community [Geranion sanguinei] and the Vicia tenuifolia community [Geranion sanguinei]

Climatic drivers of dry grassland phylogenetic diversity in the Republic of Macedonia - Online supplement

Climatic gradients can be used to predict the extent to which climate drives biodiversity and to which biodiversity may be affected by global climate changes. Climate and evolutionary history are linked by the ecological adaptations of species and the history of Earth’s climate. If so, phylogenetic diversity may be a good metric to estimate biodiversity. We aimed to test whether the phylogenetic diversity of Macedonian dry grasslands was related to climatic variables. We sampled 575 plots, identifying the species and building a phylogenetic tree for them. We calculated two metrics of phylogenetic diversity and regressed them against climatic variables. We also tested whether there were nodes in the tree responsible for the main observed spatial patterns of phylogenetic diversity. We found a strong signature of evolutionary history in species sorting across a gradient driven by climate in Macedonian dry grasslands. First, the amount of evolutionary history decreased towards drier and more seasonal climates, suggesting a phylogenetic niche conservatism. Second, there was an air temperature filter and a temperature seasonality filter, acting in opposite directions and leading to phylogenetic clustering. Third, there were few nodes in the phylogenetic tree with high degrees of allopatry, associated with clades that differed not only in their geographic distribution, but also in their climatic preferences. Macedonian dry grassland communities developed over centuries of traditional land use but are threatened nowadays by human activities. The use of phylogenetic approaches may lead to more effective conservation policies and help us preserve this highly diverse vegetation

Relation between boundaries of protected areas and the distribution of vulnerable natural habitats – a case study from Sharri National Park, SE Europe

A growing threat to areas designed to protect habitats with high biodiversity has been noticed. In order to assess the present level of threat, the correlation between the factual situation of natural habitats and the boundary of protected area was studied in the massif of Luboten, Sharri NP. 45 phytosociological relevès were made in the studied site, all habitat types were recorded and notes on presence of rare and endemic plant taxa were taken. It was noticed that within the massif of Luboten, Sharri NP, an endangered natural habitat of subalpine moist tall herbs is not covered within the strictly protected area. The Moesian hogweed tall herb communities with Cirsium appendiculatum Griseb., as the most distinctive plant species, are known to harbor several endemic and rare plant species. To further add conservation importance, in these habitats with narrow distribution and fragile environment, there is one South-European Orophilous plant species (Willemetia stipitata), as well as 12 Balkan endemic plant taxa. The corresponding recorded plant association is Doronico gigantei-Cirsietum appendiculati Horv. ex Quez. Based on the obtained data on the situation of this habitat, we highly suggest extending the strictly protected area for 0.56 km2 into the NW direction of the western slope

Blysmo compressi-Eriophoretum latifoliae ass. nova, a new association of the Caricion fuscae alliance from the Sharri Mountains

The sedge-moss vegetation of the moderately to low calcium-rich slightly acidic fens of the Caricion fuscae alliance depends on a very specific combination of ecological and climatic conditions to thrive. Until recently, the classification of this vegetation group was complicated by its rarity on the southern edges of its range in Europe. As part of a larger database of phytocenological relevés carried out in Mt. Luboten, we came across an interesting group of 15 relevés on fen vegetation sites. We were curious to know if this plant community was a previously known association or if it might represent something new within this alliance. We compiled a separate dataset at JUICE that includes four plant communities from this alliance, along with our 15 original releves. The classification was based on modified TWINSPAN and beta-flexible clustering as a numerical classification method, with OPTIMCLASS determining the appropriate number of clusters. Five associations were clearly delineated, with the four associations taken from the literature sources clearly grouped individually and a new, fifth association appearing as separate, with completely unique characteristics. This new association: Blysmo compressi-Eriophoretum latifoliae occurs at elevations of ~ 1650 m a.s.l. on NE and NW slopes of the mountain. With this work we offer the description of a new high-mountain fen association. These associations may play an important syntaxonomic role as more Balkan data become available on this alliance. The sedge-moss and fen vegetation in the Balkans is particularly rare and characterised by a very diverse and specific vegetation, so it rightly deserves more attention from vegetation scientists and conservation authorities

The in vitro antioxidative and cytotoxic effects of selected Salvia species water extracts

The current paper presents antioxidant and cytotoxic activities and total phenolic and flavonoid content of the selected species of genus Salvia (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Macedonia (S. jurisicii Kosanin, S. amplexicaulis Lam., S. ringens Sibth. & Sm.) and Libya (S. fruticosa Mill. and S. lanigera Poir.). Crude water extracts, obtained from aerial parts, were yielded from 6.50 to 14.32%. Total phenolic content was the highest in water extracts of S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens (226.30 and 189.01 mg GAE/g, respectively), while the flavonoids were the most abundant in S. jurisicii extract (32.36 mg QE/g). Antioxidant activities of extracts were measured using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts showed the strongest antioxidant activity, measured using DPPH (14.21 and 23.44 mu g/mL, respectively) and ABTS assays (2.91 and 2.42 mg AAE/g, respectively). In FRAP assay, S. amplexicaulis and S. fruticosa extracts exhibited strongest activity (1406.73 and 1191.51 mu mol Fe(II)/g). Water extract of S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens performed the strongest cytotoxic activity against K562 cells (151.07 and 173.06 mu g/mL, respectively). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens water extracts could be considered as possible source of antioxidant and cytotoxic agents

The in vitro antioxidative and cytotoxic effects of selected Salvia species water extracts

The current paper presents antioxidant and cytotoxic activities and total phenolic and flavonoid content of the selected species of genus Salvia (Lamiaceae) growing wild in Macedonia (S. jurisicii Košanin, S. amplexicaulis Lam., S. ringens Sibth. & Sm.) and Libya (S. fruticosa Mill. and S. lanigera Poir.). Crude water extracts, obtained from aerial parts, were yielded from 6.50 to 14.32%. Total phenolic content was the highest in water extracts of S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens (226.30 and 189.01 mg GAE/g, respectively), while the flavonoids were the most abundant in S. jurisicii extract (32.36 mg QE/g). Antioxidant activities of extracts were measured using DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays. S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts showed the strongest antioxidant activity, measured using DPPH (14.21 and 23.44 μg/mL, respectively) and ABTS assays (2.91 and 2.42 mg AAE/g, respectively). In FRAP assay, S. amplexicaulis and S. fruticosa extracts exhibited strongest activity (1406.73 and 1191.51 µmol Fe(II)/g). Water extract of S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens performed the strongest cytotoxic activity against K562 cells (151.07 and 173.06 μg/mL, respectively). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens water extracts could be considered as possible source of antioxidant and cytotoxic agents

Polyphenolic content and biological activities of post-distillation waste of three sage species from the Republic of Macedonia

This research was aimed at investigating polyphenolic content, antioxidant and anti-neurodegenerative activities of post-distillation waste extracts of Macedonian Salvia amplexicaulis, S. jurisicii and S. ringens, for the first time. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents varied in a broad range (3.92-146.49 mg GAE/g and 7.11-67.51 mg QE/g, respectively), with the highest values obtained for S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts. Certain S. amplexicaulis and S. ringens extracts neutralized more than 80% of DPPH radicals at the highest concentration, while S. amplexicaulis extracts showed up to ≈50% inhibition of b-carotene oxidation in b-carotene/linoleic acid assay. Post-distillation waste extracts inhibited acetylcholinesterase (25.94-38.15%) and tyrosinase (18.84-59.52%), with the strongest inhibition of S. amplexicaulis extracts. The obtained results suggest that post-distillation waste of tested species, especially of S. amplexicaulis, show antioxidant and anti-neurodegenerative activities and could be considered as potential raw material rich in polyphenols

Secondary metabolites of three endemic Centaurea L. species

The aerial parts of three endemic Centaurea L. species, namely C. tomorosii Micevski, C. soskae Hayek and C. galicicae Micevski, afforded the sesquiterpene lactone cnicin (1) and seven flavonoids: apigenin (2), isokaempferide (3), hispidulin (4), eupatorin (5), cirsimaritin (6), santoflavone (7) and salvigenin (8). The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by UV, H-1-NMR and C-13-NMR spectroscopy and HR-ESI-MS spectrometry. H-1-NMR spectroscopy was used as a method for the quantitative analysis of cnicin