Variability of the needle essential oils of Pinus heldreichii from different populations in Montenegro and Serbia

The essential-oil compositions of Pinus heldreichii Christ. from Montenegro and Serbia are reported at the population level. Whitebark pine is a sub-endemic high-mountain Balkan pine relict of an anthropogenically reduced area, with large morphological diversity and insufficiently clear taxonomic position. In the pine-needle terpene profile from three populations from Montenegro, and one from Serbia, 101 compounds were detected, 72 of which could be identified (Table 3). The dominant constituents are limonene (26.3%), alpha-pinene (17.5%), germacrene D (13.5%), and beta-caryophyllene (10.4%), comprising ca. 67.7% of the essential oil. Medium-to-high contents (0.5-10%) of the following 16 additional components were found: beta-pinene, beta-myrcene, alpha-humulene, delta-cadinene, alpha-muurolene, (E)-hex-2-enal, beta-gurjunene, gamma-muurolene, isopimarol, camphene, gamma-cadinene, aromadendrene, beta-bisabolene, trans-beta-farnesene, alpha-cadinene, and (Z)-hex-3-en-1-ol. The similarity of the populations and the within-population variability was visualized by principle-component analysis (PCA) of eleven selected terpenes in 97 tree samples. Cluster and genetic analyses suggest closest connection between the two spatially most-distant populations I (Montenegro) and IV (Serbia). Based on the profile of the main sesquiterpene components, the studied populations from Montenegro and Serbia are more similar to the populations from Greece and the Central Balkan peninsula (Bosnia and Serbia-Kosovo) than to those on the furthest eastern margin of their natural range (Bulgaria).     

JP-3 gene polymorphism in a healthy population of Serbia and Montenegro

Expansions of CTG repeats inJP-3 gene are associated with a phenotype similar to Huntington disease. These expansions are the cause of Huntington disease like-2 (HDL-2) phenotype. CTG repeats inJP-3 gene are polymorphic in healthy population. Analyses of CTG repeat polymorphism ofJP-3 gene in various healthy populations could help in estimating the population at risk for developing HDL-2. CTG repeat polymorphism ofJP-3 gene was analysed in healthy population of Serbia and Montenegro. Study included 198 unrelated subjects. Analyses ofJP-3 locus were performed using PCR and sequencing. Six differentJP-3 alleles were obtained and they were in the range of 11 to 18 CTG repeats showing a bimodal distribution, with peaks at 14 and 16. Results show that the distribution ofJP-3 alleles in population of Serbia and Montenegro is consistent with distributions in other analysed populations. The absence of alleles with more then 18 CTG repeats suggests that HDL-2 is very rare in the populations of Serbia and Montenegro.     

Bryophyte Red List of Serbia and Montenegro

The bryophyte Red List of Serbia and Montenegro comprises 254 species (212 mosses and 42 liverworts). Serbia and Montenegro have 39.50% of threatened bryoflora. One moss species is considered as extinct (Encalypta serbica Katic). In the threatened categories there are 20 critically endangered (CR), 35 endangered (EN) and 100 vulnerable (VU) bryophyte species. Seventy-two species are considered to be of low risk, and 36 are too data deficient to place them in any category, but potentially with further investigation will enter one of the threat categories in the Red List.     

Human giardiasis in Serbia: asymptomatic vs symptomatic infection

Despite the public health importance of giardiasis in all of Europe, reliable data on the incidence and prevalence in Western Balkan Countries (Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro and FYR Macedonia) are scarce, and the relative contribution of waterborne and food-borne, or person-to-person and/or animal-to-person, transmission of human giardiasis is not yet clear. To provide baseline data for the estimation of the public health risk caused by Giardia, we here review the information available on the epidemiological characteristics of asymptomatic and symptomatic human infection in Serbia. Although asymptomatic cases of Giardia represent a major proportion of the total cases of infection, high rates of Giardia infection were found in both asymptomatic and symptomatic populations. No waterborne outbreaks of giardiasis have been reported, and it thus seems that giardiasis mostly occurs sporadically in our milieu. Under such circumstances, control measures to reduce the high prevalence of giardiasis in Serbia have focused on person-to-person transmission, encouraging proper hygiene, but for more targeted intervention measures, studies to identify other risk factors for asymptomatic and symptomatic infections are needed.     

Collapsing health care in Serbia and Montenegro.

Serbia and Montenegro together form the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. As well as the Serb majority this includes the mixed province of Vojvodina, the mainly Albanian population in Kosovo, and the large Muslim minority in Sandzak. Since the start of war in 1991 the attention and sympathies of the world have focused on Bosnia and Croatia. The United Nations imposed economic sanctions on the federal republic in 1992, although in theory medical supplies and aid are exempt. The economy has now collapsed under the triple burden of war, loss of trade between the republics, and UN sanctions. A major public health catastrophe is unfolding in the federal republic.     

Morphogenetic variability and handedness in Montenegro and Serbia

This study tries to establish correlations between the types of handedness and several morphophysiological characteristics, controlled by one or a small number of genes with alternative dominant recessive manifestation. The population-genetic homozygosity degree study includes the analysis of the presence, distribution and individual traits combination in left-handed and right-handed persons. It was conducted at three localities in two states, Serbia (SRB) and Montenegro (MNE). Our hypothesis is that a possible genetic load due to increased recessive homozygosity, being a potential population-genetic parameter of left-handedness manifestation, may cause some change in other morpho-physiological characters. The average proportion of 23 studied homozygously-recessive characters (HRC’s) was similar among observed left-handed individuals in the studied localities. It varied from 10.5 ± 0.4 in Serbia to 10.7 ± 0.3 in MNE. The differences were somewhat bigger among right-handed persons, varying from 8.7 ± 0.3 in MNE to 9.1 ± 0.3 HRC’s in Serbia. However, in all localities the average homozygosity was significantly higher among left-handed school children. The number of HRC’s among 400 individuals varied from 2 to 16 among right-handed and from 4 to 19 among left-handed persons. There were no differences in scholar scores between left-handed and right-handed children, although small differences were found between two state samples.     

Non-marine Ostracoda (Crustacea) of Banat district in Serbia

In order to enrich the knowledge on ostracods in Serbia, field work was carried out in the central and southern part of the Banat district during 2002 and 2003. Samples from the collection of the Institute of Zoology, Faculty of Biology in Belgrade were also examined. Altogether, 133 samples were investigated. In this research, 23 ostracod species were found. Most of them have a Palaearctic distribution. Ilyocypris decipiens, Bradleycypris obliqua and Tanycypris pellucida are new to the faunas of Serbia and Montenegro, as is the subfamily Cypricercinae. Three species were found again after several decades, including a new and stabile population of Candona natronophila Petkovski, 1969 . The most frequent species were Cypridopsis vidua and Physocypria kraepelini. Statistical analysis of ostracod communities and their relations to measured ecological variables is also given.     

Polymorphism of mtDNA regions in brown hare (Lepus europaeus) populations from Vojvodina (Serbia and Montenegro)

It is well known that there is heterogeneity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) within and among natural populations of same species. The polymorphism level of particular regions of mtDNA gives valuable results in detection of population genetic structure. The aim of this paper was to detect polymorphism of three mtDNA regions: cytochrome oxidase I (COI), Control region, and 12S/16S rRNA, by the mtDNA RFLP-PCR method, in three Lepus europaeus populations from Vojvodina province (Serbia and Montenegro). Polymorphism was detected within the two regions, COI and Control region, while 12S/16S rRNA region was monomorphic in all 77 individuals. Eight haplotypes were detected in the brown hare population in Vojvodina, and three were unique for the Srem brown hare population.     

The Pleistocene subterranean volesTerricola (Rodentia) of Serbia and Montenegro

A general morphometrical analysis of the M₁ was conducted to identify the subterranean vole species found in Upper Pleistocene localities from Serbia and Montenegro, and to clarify the systematic position and the phylogenetic relationships between the different species in the Balkans. From the different localities studied, we can assign one population toMicrotus (Terricola) thomasi and the others to theM. (T.) subterraneus group. This study suggests thatM. (T.) grafi can be considered as a chronological sub-species ofM. (T.) subterraneus or as a different but phylogenetically very close species.     

The genetic structure of Balkan populations of Drosophila subobscura

Although Drosophila subobscura has been a model organism for European and American population geneticists, little information is available on the genetic structure of its natural populations. In this paper we report the estimates of some population parameters. We have used data from lethal allelism tests in four Balkan populations (Kamariste, Djerdap and Petnica in Serbia and Zanjic in Montenegro). In all populations, lethal genes were found to have a deleterious effect on heterozygotes. The N(e) values varied greatly from 370 (Petnica) to 19413 (Kamariste), depending on the habitat conditions and some environmental factors. Finally, gene flow between the Balkan populations was detected by the estimates of N(m) (from 4.68 in Petnica to 106.2 in Kamariste) and m (from 0.0041 in Djerdap to 0.0126 in Petnica). These results agree with those obtained in a previous study where the frequencies of allelism between populations were greater than predicted by independently arising lethal genes.     

Sinergasilus polycolpus, a new copepod species in the ichthyoparasitofauna of Serbia and Montenegro

The parasitic copepod Sinergasilus polycolpus was identified on the gills of bighead carp Aristichthys nobilis from 2 localities (Kladovo and Slankamen) in the Serbian part of the River Danube. This parasite is species-specific for 2 Chinese carp, the bighead carp and the silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix. It was accidentally introduced into Serbia and Montenegro together with fry of these herbivorous carp intended for aquaculture and control of phytoplankton blooms. There is no record in the available literature of this parasite for European freshwaters. Our identification of S. polycolpus signals the possible spread of the infectious disease sinergasilosis in natural freshwaters and in fishponds, similar to bothriocephalosis, caused by Bothriocephalus opsariichthydis, which was introduced with the fry of various herbivorous species from the Amour River basin (USSR) into almost all countries throughout the world.     

Frequency of the ΔF508 deletion and G551D,R553X and G542X mutations in Yugoslav CF patients

Summary A study was undertaken to find the frequency of the F508 deletion and those of the G551D, R553X and G524X mutations among the mainly Slavic population of Serbia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, and Montenegro and compare the frequencies determined with those in other European populations. The F508 mutation was found to account for about 70% of CF genes in central Jugoslavia, where its frequency is significantly higher than elsewhere in Southern European populations.     

Diversity of saproxylic bryophytes in old‐growth and managed beech forests in the central Balkans

Abstract

The diversity of saproxylic bryophyte species in beech forest stands from the wide region of the central Balkans (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro) was studied, and this study is the first of such a type in SE Europe. Comparison of preserved old‐growth and managed forests were made. Bryophyte species diversity is higher in primeval forest stands where the spectra of dead wood in various decaying stages of its dynamics are present. The ecological group of epixylic specialists is predominant among the bryophytes recorded. Threatened bryophyte species occur in old‐growth beech stands. The dead wood as habitat together with some other factors are extremely important for the surviving of epixylic bryophyte; so these species can be used as bioindicator bryophyte species of old‐growth or managed and structured forest ecosystems.     

Genetic diversity and morphological variability in the Balkan endemic Campanula secundiflora s.l. (Campanulaceae)

We reconstructed the relationships among populations of Campanula secundiflora s.l. and closely related and geographically close populations of C. austroadriatica and C. versicolor. Based on analyses of microsatellite DNA data, the investigated populations have high overall genetic diversity and abundant allelic variation over seven investigated loci. Bayesian model‐based clustering identified four clearly differentiated genetic groups of populations. The genetic differentiation was reflected by morphological differentiation, allowing us to propose a new taxonomic treatment of the constituents of C. secundiflora s.l. The populations distributed in south‐western Serbia and north‐eastern Montenegro were included in C. secundiflora. A new species, C ampanula montenegrina sp. nov. , distributed in the continental part of Montenegro and the northern part of Albania is described. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2016, 180 , 64–88.     

Human Y‐chromosome short tandem repeats: A tale of acculturation and migrations as mechanisms for the diffusion of agriculture in the Balkan Peninsula

Southeastern Europe and, particularly, the Balkan Peninsula are especially useful when studying the mechanisms responsible for generating the current distribution of Paleolithic and Neolithic genetic signals observed throughout Europe. In this study, 404 individuals from Montenegro and 179 individuals from Serbia were typed for 17 Y‐STR loci and compared across 9 Y‐STR loci to geographically targeted previously published collections to ascertain the phylogenetic relationships of populations within the Balkan Peninsula and beyond. We aim to provide information on whether groups in the region represent an amalgamation of Paleolithic and Neolithic genetic substrata, or whether acculturation has played a critical role in the spread of agriculture. We have found genetic markers of Middle Eastern, south Asian and European descent in the area, however, admixture analyses indicate that over 80% of the Balkan gene pool is of European descent. Altogether, our data support the view that the diffusion of agriculture into the Balkan region was mostly a cultural phenomenon although some genetic infiltration from Africa, the Levant, the Caucasus, and the Near East has occurred. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Chemotaxonomy of Serbian Teucrium species inferred from essential oil chemical composition: the case of Teucrium scordium L. ssp. scordioides

The volatile constituents of Teucrium scordium L. ssp. scordioides, T. polium, and T. montanum, obtained by hydrodistillation, were investigated by GC-FID and GC/MS analyses. A total of 296 constituents were identified, representing 89.8-98.4% of the oil compositions. The oils of T. polium and T. montanum consisted mainly of sesquiterpenes (64.3 and 72.7%, resp.), with germacrene D (4; 31.0%) and δ-cadinene (10; 8.1%) as the main constituents, respectively. In contrast, the monoterpene menthofuran (1; 11.9%) predominated in the oil of T. scordium ssp. scordioides, and this clearly distinguished this species from the other Teucrium taxa investigated up to date. The chemistry of the volatiles of eight Teucrium taxa from Serbia and Montenegro were compared using multivariate statistical analysis, and this provided chemotaxonomically important conclusions.     

Superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and germin-like protein activity in plasma membranes and apoplast of maize roots

Summary. The analysis of plasma membranes from maize roots by native gel electrophoresis revealed the existence of Mn-containing 120 kDa and CuZn-containing 70, 40, and 15 kDa superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoform activities. Isoelectric focusing of the plasma membranes differentiated anionic SOD isoforms with a pI of about 5 and cationic SOD isoforms at pI 8.6. Solubilization of the plasma membrane proteins further separated the cationic SOD into pI 8.6, 8.2, 8.4, and 7.2 isoforms. Double staining for both SOD and peroxidase activities showed an overlap of these activities only in the case of the high-molecular-mass (ca. 120 kDa) isoforms. High-temperature treatments demonstrated that the 120 kDa isoform was active even at 100 °C, indicating that it was a germin-like protein with superoxide-dismutating activity, different from the peroxidase with a similar molecular mass and the lower-molecular-mass CuZn-containing superoxide dismutases. These results are compared to those obtained from whole-tissue extract and apoplastic fluid. Correspondence and reprints: Maize Research Institute, POB 89-Zemun, 11081 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro.     

A new cytochrome b phylogroup of the common vole (Microtus arvalis) endemic to the Balkans and its implications for the evolutionary history of the species

The phylogeographic architecture of the common vole, Microtus arvalis, has been well‐studied using mitochondrial DNA and used to test hypotheses relating to glacial refugia. The distribution of the five described cytochrome b (cyt b) lineages in Europe west of Russia has been interpreted as a consequence of postglacial expansion from both southern and central European refugia. A recently proposed competing model suggests that the ‘cradle’ of the M. arvalis lineages is in western central Europe from where they dispersed in different directions after the Last Glacial Maximum. In the present study, we report a new cyt b lineage of the common vole from the Balkans that is not closely related to any other lineage and whose presence might help resolve these issues of glacial refugia. The Balkan phylogroup occurs along the southern distributional border of M. arvalis in central and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, and eastern Serbia. Further north and west in Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia, common voles belong to the previously‐described Eastern lineage, whereas both lineages are sympatric in one site in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Balkan phylogroup most reasonably occupied a glacial refugium already known for various Balkan endemic species, in contrast to the recently proposed model. South‐east Europe is an absolutely crucial area for understanding the postglacial colonization history of small mammals in Europe and the present study adds to the very few previous detailed phylogeographic studies of this region. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 100 , 788–796.