Species diversity and composition of small mammal communities in Goteniška gora (S Slovenia)

Although a considerable improvement in knowledge about small mammal fauna in Slovenia has been noted over the past 30 years, the group is still understudied. Here we present results of the nine-year trapping and information on abundance and community assemblage of small mammals of Goteniška gora, a mountain in southern Slovenia. Trappings were conducted every September from 2002 to 2010. Traps were set in different habitats, ranging from open-space meadows and stony karst areas to dense fir-beech forests (Abieti-Fagetum dinaricum). At least 12 different species constituted local communities, mostly resembling central European deciduous and mixed forest communities. Some representatives of Alpine small mammal communities and a Pleistocene relict were also present

Metal(II) Complexes of the Fluoroquinolone Fleroxacin: Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Profile

A series of complexes of divalent transition metals (Cu(II), Mn(II), Zn(II), Co(II) and Ni(II)) with the quinolone antibacterial agent fleroxacin, in the absence or presence of an α-diimine such as 2,2′-bipyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2′-bipyridylamine, were prepared and characterized. The complexes were characterized by various physicochemical and spectroscopic techniques and by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the complexes was studied against the bacterial strains Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis and Xanthomonas campestris and was higher than that of free quinolone. The affinity of the complexes for bovine and human serum albumin was studied by fluorescence emission spectroscopy and the determined binding constants showed tight and reversible binding to the albumins. The interaction of the complexes with calf-thymus DNA was studied by various techniques, which showed that intercalation was the most plausible mode of interaction

Long-distance dispersal connects Dinaric-Balkan and Alpine grey wolf (Canis lupus) populations

In the last two centuries, persecution and deforestation caused grey wolf Canis lupus populations in Europe to decline. Recently, their numbers started to recover although most populations still remain isolated from one another. This study presents the first documented evidence of the successful reconnection of the Dinaric-Balkan and the Alpine wolf populations via long distance dispersal and subsequent reproduction. A young male wolf radiocollared in the Dinaric Mountains in July 2011 travelled through Slovenia and Austria to the Italian Alps, where he settled in March 2012. During the 98 days of dispersal period the wolf has travelled a cumulative line distance of 1176 km crossing multiple anthropogenic and natural barriers, and successfully hunting wild prey until he settled 233 km straight line distance from its natal territory. Camera trapping, snow tracking and genetic evidence in the new territory confirmed pairing with a female wolf from the neighboring Alpine population. In the following year the pair has produced a first documented “mixed” litter between wolves from the Dinaric- Balkan and the Alpine wolf populations.This case study demonstrates the potential for the future merging of European wolf populations even in human-dominated landscapes and highlights the importance of transboundary cooperation in wolf research and management

Novel Organoruthenium(II) β‑Diketonates as Catalysts for Ortho Arylation via C–H Activation

Five different fluorinated β-diketone ligands in the presence of sodium methoxide easily react with the organoruthenium precursor [(η⁶-<i>p</i>-cymene)­Ru­(μ-Cl)­Cl]₂, generating neutral complexes <b>1</b>–<b>5</b> with typical “piano-stool” geometry. All synthesized compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR, X-ray diffraction, and other standard physicochemical methods. These isolated organoruthenium­(II) complexes are air-, moisture-, and UV-stable compounds and were tested for catalytic activity. It was found that these compounds are ready to use catalysts, which are efficient for direct arylation of 2-phenylpyridine. With the use of 4-bromoacetophenone as arylating reagent, these complexes show enhanced selectivity for monoarylated products. All reagents are commercially available and relatively inexpensive, which makes these catalysts generally available

Comparing patterns of human harvest and predation by Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx on European roe deer Capreolus capreolus in a temperate forest

Human harvest is the most important mortality factor for wild ungulates in Europe and can affect several aspects of ungulate biology. There is a growing concern about possible negative side-effects of human harvest. To better understand differences between human and natural mortality we compared the extent, age and sex structure, nutritional condition, spatial and temporal distribution of human harvest and natural predation by the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx on the European roe deer Capreolus capreolus, the most abundant wild ungulate in Europe. Compared to the human harvest, lynx were less likely to kill fawns and yearlings than adults, and among adult deer lynx were more likely to kill females. Proportion of roe deer with fat-depleted bone marrow was higher among lynx prey than among harvested animals. Average lynx kill rate was estimated to 47.8 roe deer / year and lynx predation was considerably lower than the human harvest in the same area. While human harvest increased with higher roe deer density, lynx predation was similar across the gradient of roe deer densities. Comparison with other countries indicated that differences between human harvest and natural mortality of ungulates vary considerably in different parts of Europe. Variation in hunting practices and, even more importantly, carnivore predation may have an important role in buffering unwanted side-effects of harvest of wild ungulates

Novel Organoruthenium(II) β‑Diketonates as Catalysts for Ortho Arylation via C–H Activation

Five different fluorinated β-diketone ligands in the presence of sodium methoxide easily react with the organoruthenium precursor [(η⁶-<i>p</i>-cymene)­Ru­(μ-Cl)­Cl]₂, generating neutral complexes <b>1</b>–<b>5</b> with typical “piano-stool” geometry. All synthesized compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR, X-ray diffraction, and other standard physicochemical methods. These isolated organoruthenium­(II) complexes are air-, moisture-, and UV-stable compounds and were tested for catalytic activity. It was found that these compounds are ready to use catalysts, which are efficient for direct arylation of 2-phenylpyridine. With the use of 4-bromoacetophenone as arylating reagent, these complexes show enhanced selectivity for monoarylated products. All reagents are commercially available and relatively inexpensive, which makes these catalysts generally available

Novel Organoruthenium(II) β‑Diketonates as Catalysts for Ortho Arylation via C–H Activation

Five different fluorinated β-diketone ligands in the presence of sodium methoxide easily react with the organoruthenium precursor [(η⁶-<i>p</i>-cymene)­Ru­(μ-Cl)­Cl]₂, generating neutral complexes <b>1</b>–<b>5</b> with typical “piano-stool” geometry. All synthesized compounds were characterized by multinuclear NMR, X-ray diffraction, and other standard physicochemical methods. These isolated organoruthenium­(II) complexes are air-, moisture-, and UV-stable compounds and were tested for catalytic activity. It was found that these compounds are ready to use catalysts, which are efficient for direct arylation of 2-phenylpyridine. With the use of 4-bromoacetophenone as arylating reagent, these complexes show enhanced selectivity for monoarylated products. All reagents are commercially available and relatively inexpensive, which makes these catalysts generally available

Wolf genetic diversity compared across Europe using the yardstick method

Abstract Integrating data across studies with traditional microsatellite genetic markers requires careful calibration and represents an obstacle for investigation of wide-ranging species where populations require transboundary management. We used the “yardstick” method to compare results published across Europe since 2002 and new wolf (Canis lupus) genetic profiles from the Carpathian Mountains in Central Europe and the Dinaric Mountains in Southeastern Europe, with the latter as our reference population. We compared each population with Dinaric wolves, considering only shared markers (range 4–17). For each population, we calculated standard genetic diversity indices plus calibrated heterozygosity (Hec) and allelic richness (Ac). Hec and Ac in Dinaric (0.704 and 9.394) and Carpathian wolves (0.695 and 7.023) were comparable to those observed in other large and mid-sized European populations, but smaller than those of northeastern Europe. Major discrepancies in marker choices among some studies made comparisons more difficult. However, the yardstick method, including the new measures of Hec and Ac, provided a direct comparison of genetic diversity values among wolf populations and an intuitive interpretation of the results. The yardstick method thus permitted the integration of diverse sources of publicly available microsatellite data for spatiotemporal genetic monitoring of evolutionary potential