ЖИВОТНА СРЕДИНА, ПРОСТОРНО ПЛАНИРАЊЕ И ОДРЖИВИ РАЗВОЈ

Ambient air quality in the Republic of Srpska, in the light of the new directive in the European Union

2024-04-10T13:51:19+02:00

Air pollution is a major problem for the environment and human health. As a component of the environment (the Earth’s sphere), air, that is, the atmosphere, represents the basis of life on Earth. The composition of the air is mostly unchanged, except in the case of air pollution, which represents one of the significant environmental problems of modern times. In the past, pollution was caused by natural sources, while today the source of pollution is mostly of an anthropogenic character. Air pollution with basic and specific pollutants is present, especially in the areas of larger and industrial cities. The sources of pollutants in the air are numerous, and pollutants are found in all places where people live. In addition to air pollution of ambient air, it is also necessary to point out air pollution in closed spaces, especially work environments. Areas of increased pollution, with high concentrations of pollution, can have a negative impact on the population and lead to unwanted health problems. In recent decades, the high level of air pollution has been particularly pronounced, both at the global level and in the Republic of Srpska. Air pollution requires the involvement of society as a whole in solving this problem. The proposed revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive will set interim European Union (EU) air quality standards for 2030, more closely aligned with World Health Organization guidelines, while putting the EU on a path to achieve zero air pollution by 2050 at the latest in synergy with climate and climate neutrality. The aforementioned Directive has significant improvements, but it will not completely solve the problem of air pollution or reduce to a greater extent the consequences of air pollution on the health of citizens. Air pollution cannot be solved quickly. The implementation of the new revised directive will be a challenge for the EU, and when all provisions of the directive are transposed into the national legislation of the Republic of Srpska, the application of all provisions will be very demanding and complex, with a number of problems in its application.

Allochthonous plants of the Ramsar site „Bardača Wetland“ (Republic of Srpska)

2024-04-10T13:45:53+02:00

Allochthonous plants are those plantsthat have been intentionally or unintentionally introduced to a specific area, where they are not naturally distributed. A special group of allochthonous plants consists of allochthonous (alien) invasive species. The term allochthonous invasive species refers to allochthonous species whose introduction or spread has been found to threaten or adversely impact upon biodiversity and related ecosystem services. Ramsar site “Bardača Wetland” is located in the northern part of Republic of Srpska (Bosnia and Herzegovina). It is bordered from the north by the river Sava, from the west by the river Matura, from the east by the river Vrbas, while the southern border is near the Osorna-BornaLjevčanica canal. This area has functioned as a fishpond since the beginning of the 20th century, and it was declared as Ramsar site in 2007. Also, “Bardača Wetland” is on the list of Important Bird Areas. The aim of this work is to present a list of allochthonous plants based on a review of the available literature and field research in the Ramsar site “Bardača Wetland”. A total of 34 taxa of allochthonous plants were recorded in the Ramsarsite “Bardača Wetland”, and the newly recorded forthe researched area are Echinocystis lobata and Phytolacca americana. Considering the geographical position of the Ramsar site “Bardača Wetland”, as well as the possible negative consequences of climate change, our results represent the basis for future research on the distribution and potential spread of allochthonous species.

Biochemical response of maize plants to short-term flooding

2024-04-10T13:40:02+02:00

n recent decades in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a flood has been one of the main causes of crop yield loss. On the other hand, the percentage of maize production in the total crops is 71%. Therefore, examining the impact of floods on maize plants is extremely important for understanding the mechanisms of adaptive responses and the selection of resistant hybrids. Although, flood leadsto anaerobic conditions for plant growth, it induces the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plant cells. ROS oxidatively damage cellular macromolecules and may ultimately lead to cell death. In order to protect themselves from ROS, plants activate antioxidant metabolism (enzymatic antioxidants: superoxide dismutase, (SOD), catalase (CAT) and Class III peroxidases (POX) and non-enzymatic antioxidants such as phenolic compounds (PhOH)). The aim of our work was to examine the biochemical response of two maize hybrids (ZP 555 and ZP 606) to flood induced by the partial submergence of plants for 72 h. Changes in oxidative (H2 O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA)) parameters and antioxidants (SOD, CAT, POX and PhOH) were monitored during the duration of the flood, as well as differences in the response of hybrids. The results showed that changes in the concentration of oxidative parameters were insignificant between treated and control plants in both hybrids, indicating a strong response of antioxidant metabolism. However, differences were observed in the antioxidant metabolism response of hybrids: ZP 606 had a stronger enzymatic response, while hybrid ZP 555 had a stronger non-enzymatic response. Even though our results showed that both hybrids tolerate short-term flooding, in order to characterize them as flood-tolerant hybrids, additional research is needed that includes different developmentalstages of plants and different duration of flooding.

The importance of forest ecosystems for the environment

2024-04-10T13:54:04+02:00

Forest ecosystems are of key importance for the preservation of the environment. The interaction of all elements of the habitat with the biological characteristics of tree species has a key influence on the creation of specific characteristics of forest ecosystems. Forests affect numerous environmental factors because they mitigate fluctuations in air temperature, create a more favorable temperature regime in the soil, absorb precipitation, slow down surface runoff, extend the period of water infiltration, mitigate pluvial soil erosion, prevent the negative effects of wind, etc. General utility functions (ecological and social), i.e. ecosystem services of forests are gaining more and more influence in general social relations towards the environment. Climate changes accompanied by extremes and climate change have numerous negative implicationsfor the environment. They can be significantly mitigated by increasing forest coverage, preserving and protecting forests because trees absorb carbon dioxide in the course of a basic physiological process and thus reduce its content in the atmosphere. Forests absorb dust particles, sulfur dioxide, release (produce) oxygen, bind carbon dioxide, and release phytoncides. The layers of the forest mat and the surface horizons of the forest soil of coniferous forests are large acceptors of heavy metals. Degradation of forests, reduction of forest cover along with current climate changes cause numerous risks and uncertainties (drought, stormy winds, fires, etc.) which negatively reflect on the sustainable development of natural resources, i.e. on the balance in the biosphere, reduction in the volume of biomass production and endangerment of the environment. For the environment, the general utility functions of forests related to touristrecreational, health, water protection, historical, cultural and other values are particularly important. The need to increase forest coverage, protect and restore forests, although it originates more than 200 years ago, is fully justified due to the consequences of continuous global warming, greater demands for the exploitation of fossil fuels, as well asthe constant endangerment of basic environmental factors. Even more than ever, we all need to act, as individuals, families and communities at local, national and international levelsto ensure that forests and people can survive together and preserve this planet for future generations. Knowledge about the role of forests in the environment and the connection with ecosystems and climate change today offers numerous opportunities. Irrational management, disruption of the sustainable development of forests and the decline of the overall values and functions of forests causes the general conditions of the environment to be threatened. The complexity of the relationship between forest ecosystems and the environment needs to be viewed from multiple aspects and understood through an ecological, economic and social interconnected system.

Use of satellite images to monitor climate change and manage consequences

2024-04-10T13:48:29+02:00

Human civilization lives in a time of evident climate changes. The intensity of changes is becoming more and more pronounced, which is noticeable through the appearance of increasingly pronounced precipitation and temperature extremes, floods, droughts, fires, degradation of forest areas, agricultural land, etc. In the scientific community, great efforts are being made to identify climate change in terms of parameterization and modeling, with the aim of monitoring and prediction. In addition, significant efforts are being made to develop models and systems for managing the consequences of climate change. Modern approaches for monitoring and managing the consequences of climate change are unthinkable without the use ofremote sensing andsatellite imagery.Withthehelpofsatellite images, inrealtime, a significant volume of parameters is collected, with the processing and analysis of which it is possible to effectively monitor climate changes, as well as manage their consequences. This paper provides an overview of modern achievements in the field of remote sensing and satellite technologies in the domain of their application for monitoring climate change and managing its consequences.

Impact of climate changes on water resources in the Republic of Srpska

2024-04-10T13:43:46+02:00

Global warming, in addition to population growth and intensive industrialization, represents one of the most significant pressures on water resources worldwide. The most significant impacts of climate change that directly affect water resources are changes in the distribution of precipitation and snow cover, as well as increased frequency of floods and droughts. Analyzes of average annual temperatures in the last 60 years have shown thatthe trend of increasing average annual airtemperature in the territory of the Republic of Srpska already exists, and precipitation regimes have also changed. The period after the year 2000 is characterized by alternations of very or extremely dry years and years in which extreme floods were recorded. In order to determine the impact of climate change on water resourcesin the Republic of Srpska, a comparison of the average annual and monthly flows of watercourses for the period from 1960 to the present day was made, depending on the available data for individual watercourses. After 1980, rivers Bosna, Vrbas and Vrbanja are characterized by reduced water content. They have lower values of the average annual flow with significantly larger oscillations compared to the previous period. In the northwest of the Republic of Srpska, the situation is different: the rivers Una and Sana have significant variations in their average annual flow, with the fact that comparing the average for twenty-year periods, the river Una has a higher annual flow after 2000, while no change was recorded in the river Sana. Extreme phenomena caused by climate change do not only affect the availability of water and its quantity, but to a considerable extent also lead to the deterioration of water quality. Droughts and floods have catastrophic consequences not only for aquatic biocenoses, but also for entire affected ecosystems.

Climate change and the environment - trends and possible consequences

2024-04-10T13:33:08+02:00

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of modern humanity. It is evident that climate change during the last two decades have affected our areas very intensively. This mainly refers to the increase in air temperature throughout the year, but also in all seasons. The increase in air temperatures during the winter caused a smaller number of days with the appearance of snow, but also days when the snow cover remains on the ground. In addition, climate change has caused and disrupted the normal distribution of precipitation in the form of rain in the territory of the Republic of Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as in the region of Southeastern Europe. It is interesting that over the past two decades, the number of days without precipitation has increased, as well as the number of days with intense precipitation. This is precisely what caused the increasingly frequent and intense occurrence of droughts as well as river, torrential and urban floods in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Unfortunately, the consequences for the population, their lives, infrastructure and property are increasing. Climate models indicate that in Europe, temperature and precipitation trends in the 21st century will continue in the same direction as during the second half of the 20th century. This means that the temperature will continue to rise the most in the winter season in Northern Europe, and during the summer season in Southern Europe. On the other hand, precipitation shows greater regional and seasonal variability, with the precipitation increasing inNorthernEurope anddecreasing inSouthern Europe.Also, based on previous research, an increase in extreme events in Europe is projected, especially in the form of heat waves, droughts and intense rainfall. There is an evident tendency to increase the number of heat waves and intense precipitation based on climate models. Such trends and changes point to a serious problem of more frequent and intense occurrences of drought and water deficit, and to the need for more significant integration of climate change into planning and strategic documents. Certainly, future research is also necessary, where it is necessary to include projections of climate indices, especially temperature extremes and intense precipitation that can cause the occurrence of fluvial and torrential floods.

Impact of climate changes on pests in agriculture

2024-04-10T13:56:36+02:00

The occurrence, number, and dynamics of the spread of pests in agriculture are largely determined by environmental factors, primarily air and soil temperature, rainfall, length of frost-free period, and soil moisture. Climate change is undeniable and is manifested, among other things, in an increase in the temperature of land and oceans, an increase in extreme weather conditions, and an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, a rise in sea level, an increase in the melting of ice, and a decline in glaciers. These climate changes affect, among other things, affect on the socio-economic development, migration and displacement, terrestrial and marine ecosystems as a food production security. An increase in temperature can have an impact on accelerating the development of pests, as the sum of temperatures is reached more quickly depending on the number of days required for a particular life stage of pests to occur („number of degree-days“). This may cause the range of pests already present to expand to higher elevations and latitudes, increase the number of generations during the year, increase the number of pests, or cause them to appear earlier during the year. Changing conditions during overwintering can be a critical factor in pest population dynamics. The aim of the study was to calculate the sum of active temperatures - GDD (growing degree days) above 10°C for Banja Luka, Bijeljina, Doboj, Sokolac and Bileća for the period from 1981 to 1990 and for the period from 2012 to 2021. The sum of active temperatures was calculated using the average method. The results show that in the last decade there was a statistically significant increase in the sum of active temperatures for the monthly periods July 1, August 1, September 1, and October 1 compared to the period 1981 to 1990. This statistical significance was not observed for the period from June 1 to 30 for Bijeljina, Doboj and Sokolac and for Bileća until June 1.