Abstract

A seed bank is a collection of plant seeds stored under appropriate

conditions in which seeds are periodically checked for their germination ability – viability

of seeds. Botanic gardens have been issuing lists of seeds ( Index seminum )

for several centuries. This old tradition has also encouraged the formation of botanic

gardens seed banks. University Botanic Gardens Ljubljana actively works on plant

diversity conservation. In 2013, the Garden participated in the collection of seeds for

the Millennium Seed Bank in order to contribute to a faster achievement of the goal

of seed banking of 25 % of the total world flora. For this reason, in 2013, seeds of 59

target plant species of Slovenian flora (already selected before for routine collection)

and seeds of 24 other randomly selected plant species for the Millennium Seed Bank

were collected.

Keywords

seed bank, ex-situ conservation, in-situ conservation, Slovenia, en dangered plants

Abstract

We conducted a phytosociological study of dwarf pine stands on torrential

fans and glacial material (moraine, till) in cirques of several Alpine valleys

(Tolminka, Možnica) and on steep, shady erosion slopes (Struje above the Zadlaščica

valley) in the belt of montane beech forests in the Julian Alps. Based on comparisons

with similar communities in northern Italy we classified these stands into the associa tion

Amelanchiero-Pinetum mugo and into the new geographical variant with Rhamnus

fallax . Floristically slightly similar dwarf pine stands in the altimontane and subalpine

belts on sunny slopes of the Tolmin-Bohinj Mts. are classified into the new variant

Rhodothamno-Pinetum mugo typicum var. Genista radiata .

Keywords

phytosociology, synsystematics, Amelanchiero-Pinetum mugo , Rhodothamno-Pinetum mugo , Natura 2000, Julian Alps, Slovenia

Abstract

Current study is preliminary research of centipedes (Chilopoda) assemblies

in Slovenian frost hollows. With two sampling methods in three series (June,

August and November) in year 2010, 834 individuals were caught and indentified to

30 species. Most collected species had middle Europe distribution, 6 species were

endemic for southeast Alps and northwest Balkan region, 3 of them are probably new

for science. Five species had paleartic distribution. Maximum number of species found

in one location was 28. Average density of centipedes was from 218 ind./m 2 to 552

ind./m 2 . The alfa diversity of the centipede assemblies is medium compared to other

locations in Dinaric part of Slovenia and evidently higher compare to other European

forest. The same applies for average density and species richness. Overall centipede

assemblies were more similar in one location during the season than to assemblies

from different locations in the same month.

Keywords

Chilopoda, frost hollow, assemblies, seasonal characteristic, Dinaric region

Abstract

The skull is a complex structure that has frequently been studied for the patterns of morphological integration and modularity. The ventral side of the skull can be divided into two functional modules, the neurocranium composed of the braincase, eyes and ears, and the viscerocranium composed of the jaw apparatus. The aim of this study was to test the ventral cranium of the European ground squirrel Spermophilus citellus (Linnaeus, 1766) for this partitioning as sciurid skull is believed to be highly integrated without clear divisions into subunits. Additionally, I compared the degree of modularity between juveniles and adults. Hypothesized modularity was tested on 159 (43 juveniles and 116 adults) skulls by applying geometric morphometric method based on Escoufier RV coefficient. In adults, the results yielded strong support to the hypothesis that the viscerocranium and neurocranium are separate modules. In juveniles, two-module organization of the skull was also confirmed, but the hypothesized modules were much more integrated with each other. Although allometry can be a strong integrating factor, it had very little influence on the hypothesized modularity of the S. citellus skull. A permutation test for the difference in the degree of modularity between juveniles and adults was marginally significant. The change in the strength of integration between the viscerocranium and neurocranium in the S. citellus skull during ontogeny, with the higher level of modularity in adults than in juveniles, is probably a consequence of the transition from suckling to gnawing of food and greater specialisation of the two functional modules.

Keywords

neurocranium, viscerocranium, ontogeny, allometry, Escoufier RV, morphological integration, geometric morphometrics

Abstract

The manuscript discusses the applicability of self-administered monitoring

of respiratory function in asthma patients in order to discern between negative

health effects of different air pollutants on respiratory function. Thirteen asthma patients

measured their respiratory function twice daily over a one month winter period. They

used PEF-meters to monitor peak expiratory flow (PEF; L/min) and forced expiratory

volume in the first second of expiration (FEV 1 ; L). Subjects’ vital capacity (VC; L) was

measured in a laboratory setting at the end of the measuring period. Respiratory data

were evaluated in respect to the ambient concentrations of NO 2 , NOx , SO 2 , O 3 , and

PM 10 , which were monitored during the same period. The concentrations of some air

pollutants (PM 10 and NO x ) exceeded the critical levels on several days during the study.

PEF-meter data (PEF, FEV 1 and FEV 1 /VC), however, did not respond significantly to

the ambient conditions (P>0.05). The results speak against the use of self-administered

PEF-meter monitoring for the recognition and investigation of air pollutant related

negative health effects. Limitations and delimitations of the method are presented.

Keywords

respiratory function; asthma; self-administered respiratory monitoring, particulate matter; PM 10 ; PEF; FEV 1