Climate Change: Wildfire Impact

Every ecosystem is a complex organization of carefully mixed life forms; a dynamic and particularly sensible system. Consequently, their progressive decline may accelerate climate change and vice versa, influencing flora and fauna composition and distribution, resulting in the loss of biodiversity. Climate changes effects are the principal topics of this volume. Written by internationally renowned contributors, Biodiversity loss in a changing planet offers attractive study cases focused on biodiversity evaluations and provisions in several different ecosystems, analysing the current life condition of many life forms, and covering very different biogeographic zones of the planet

Baryscapus transversalis Graham (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) – NOVA VRSTA U FAUNI BOSNE I HERCEGOVINE\u27

Baryscapus transversalis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was established for first time as an egg hyperparasitoid of Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was reared from egg batches of pine processionary moth collected on Pinus nigra in the region of Boracko jezero. In laboratory conditions, 80 specimens of B. transversalis were reared during emerging period of 20 days between 3 and 22 November 2013. In the eggs of T. pityocampa, both males and females of B. transversalis developed, in sex ratio (♀♀:♂♂) 3:1.Baryscapus transversalis (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) je determiniran kao jajni hiperparazitoid Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae) u Bosni i Hercegovini. Uzgojen je iz jajnih legla borovog četnjaka prikupljenih s lokaliteta Boračko jezero (Konjic) i time postao nova vrsta u entomofauni Bosne i Hercegovine. U laboratorijskim uvjetima uzgojeno je 80 jedinki B. transversalis u razdoblju od 3. do 22. studenog 2013. godine. Iz jaja T. pityocampa razvili su se i mužjaci i ženke B. transversalis u odnosu (♀♀:♂♂) 3:1

Funding biodiversity protection in Central and Eastern Europe – a case study of Bosnia Herzegovina

Biodiversity conservation has drawn considerable attention as to where the funding is available in order for governments concerned with the conservation of biodiversity to fulfil their obligations. This paper examines if financing resources provided through Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in Bosnia Herzegovina could be supplemented with locally voluntary provided funding to lead to an appropriate protection level of threatened species. A study was conducted on a 1189 persons sample to establish the local population willingness to contribute to GEF sponsored biodiversity conservation projects. It was found that the local people are willing to contribute positively higher than the actual spending of the GEF and findings can be used to argue for more attention to preferences of the public in decision making on biodiversity protection activity and spending in Bosnia Herzegovina

Conservation gains through HCVF assessments in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania

This paper analyses the conservation gains through High Conservation Value Forest (HCVF) assessments in two South-East European countries (Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania). These are based on the review of the Draft Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) National Standards and HCVF Manuals and the results of the certification process of seven forest management units in the two countries. The review indicates that the application of Principle 9 (High Conservation Value Forests) and Criterion 6.4 of the FSC in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Romania was influenced by the size and nature of tenure (i.e., public or non-public land), rather than geographic location per se. The study also revealed that the assessment of HCVF has, for the first time, raised the question of conservation of cultural, historical and religious values as well as the sustainable management of those forests relevant for the basic needs of communities. These are values not currently covered at the present by the national conservation legislation in either of these two countries. Findings of this study in both countries demonstrates that there are certain conservation gains as a result of the HCVF assessment, especially related to ecosystem services, prevention of soil erosion and conservation of threatened, endangered and endemic species

Funding biodiversity protection in central and eastern Europe – a case study of Bosnia Herzegovina.

Biodiversity conservation has drawn considerable attention as to where the funding is available in order for governments concerned with the conservation of biodiversity to fulfil their obligations. This paper examines if financing resources provided through Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in Bosnia Herzegovina could be supplemented with locally voluntary provided funding to lead to an appropriate protection level of threatened species. A study was conducted on a 1189 persons sample to establish the local population willingness to contribute to GEF sponsored biodiversity conservation projects. It was found that the local people are willing to contribute positively higher than the actual spending of the GEF and findings can be used to argue for more attention to preferences of the public in decision making on biodiversity protection activity and spending in Bosnia Herzegovina

Virgin status assessment of Plješevica Forest in Bosnia - Herzegovina

Virgin forests are relatively rare in the European temperate zone. This is due to the continuous use of forest historically and to increasing high population densities. Virgin forests are forest where the structure and dynamics have developed entirely under natural conditions, without any human interference or influence. This article assesses the Plješevica forest in Bosnia Herzegovina to establish whether it can be classified as virgin forest. The structure and components of the forest were assessed in a 1 ha sample plot and four 400m2 quadrats. The values of the biodiversity indexes (as defined by Shannon and Weaver, Krebs and Meyer), species richness and evenness, the distribution of the different stand development stages and the proportion of dead wood lead to the conclusion that Plješevica forest presents a set of structural and dynamic characteristics close to the ones typical for virgin forests in Europe, so in order to maintain its status as such, in the meantime it should undergo a protection management programme

Comparison of structure, regeneration and dead wood in virgin forest remnant and managed forest on Grmecˇ Mountain in Western Bosnia

This paper compares the forest structure, regeneration and distribution of dead wood in a virgin forest remnant and a close-to-nature managed beech–conifer mixture situated on Grmecˇ Mountain inWestern Bosnia. The investigations were carried out in a 1 ha permanent sample plot and 35 circular plots (20m radius) in the virgin forest and in 17 circular plots (25m radius) in managed forests. The number of trees in the managed forest was significantly ( p ¼ 0.05) higher than that in virgin forest and the distribution of the number of trees per diameter classes had a decreasing trend, but with a different shape in the virgin forest compared to the managed stands. In the lower diameter classes, the stock volume recorded in virgin forest was half of that in the managed forest, whilst for higher diameter classes the cumulated volume of the growing stock was almost double in virgin forest. The young crops had a significantly lower presence in the virgin forest and a larger volume of dead wood was identified in the virgin forest than in managed stands. The study results are important in assessing the consequences of close-to-nature management on the forest structure and regeneration when compared to the condition in virgin forests

Virgin Status Assessment of Plješevica Forest in Bosnia - Herzegovina

Virgin forests are relatively rare in the European temperate zone. This is due to the continuous use of forest historically and to increasinghigh population densities. Virgin forests are forest where the structure and dynamics have developed entirely under natural conditions,without any human interference or influence. This article assesses the Plješevica forest in Bosnia Herzegovina to establish whether it canbe classified as virgin forest. The structure and components of the forest were assessed in a 1 ha sample plot and four 400m2 quadrats. Thevalues of the biodiversity indexes (as defined by Shannon and Weaver, Krebs and Meyer), species richness and evenness, the distributionof the different stand development stages and the proportion of dead wood lead to the conclusion that Plješevica forest presents a set ofstructural and dynamic characteristics close to the ones typical for virgin forests in Europe, so in order to maintain its status as such, in themeantime it should undergo a protection management programme

Spread and potential host range of the invasive oak lace bug [Corythucha arcuata (Say, 1832) - Heteroptera: Tingidae] in Eurasia

International audienceThe North American oak lace bug feeds on leaves of 'white oaks" in its native range. In Europe, it was first discovered in northern Italy in 2000. In recent years, it has subsequently spread rapidly and population outbreaks have been observed in several European countries. In the present study, we summarize the steps of its expansion. To predict its potential host range, we checked 48 oak species in 20 sentinel gardens in seven countries between 2013 and 2018. In total, 27 oak species were recorded as suitable hosts; 13 of them are globally new ones, 23 out of the 29 in section Quercus (similar to white oaks, an intrageneric taxonomic unit within genus Quercus), including Asian oaks, native to Japan, Korea and China, and four out of five in section Cerris (another intrageneric unit of the same genus), were accepted as hosts. None of the species in section Lobatae (red oaks) or in the Ilex group was accepted. Host records were also collected in forest stands of 10 countries. We found 11 oak species that were infested. Outbreak populations were most commonly found on Quercus robur, Quercus frainetto, Quercus petraea and Quercus cerris, comprising widespread and outstandingly important oaks species in Europe. Based on our findings, we conclude that suitable hosts for oak lace bug are present in most of Europe and Asia. This means that a lack of hosts will likely not restrict further range expansion