Genetic and morphological analyses of long-eared bats from Northern Ossetia and other Caucasian localities revealed that the sister clade of Plecotus auritus discovered in the Eastern Alps (SPITZENBERGER et al., 2001) and described as a new species by Spitzenberger (SPITZENBERGER et al., 2002) (Plecotus microdontus) and by KIEFER & VEITH (2002) (Plecotus alpinus) is conspecific with Plecotus macrobullaris Kuzyakin, 1965, described as a subspecies of P. auritus, from the vicinity of Vladikavkaz. The valid name for this species therefore is Plecotus macrobullaris. P. macrobullaris also occurs in central and eastern Turkey. Morphological as well as genetic analyses differentiate between an eastern and a western group within P. macrobullaris. From a morphological comparison of specimens of P. macrobullaris specimens with the type specimens of Plecotus wardi from Kashmir we conclude that macrobullaris is not conspecific with wardi.
Key words: Vespertilionidae,
Plecotus,
mitochondrial control region, morphological characters, Caucasus, Asia
Minor, Alps, Northern Italy, taxonomy, nomenclature
In 2002 specimens of Eptesicus nilssonii and Vespertilio murinus were caught in mist-nets in mixed forests of spruce, fir and beech in two localities on Mt Velebit. These are the first records in Croatia for 130 years for E. nilssonii, and for 68 years for V. murinus. Considering all the available data from Croatia and neighbouring countries, we discuss the possible status of these species in the mountain area of the Dinaric Alps. Although all the new findings were males caught in the migratory period (August and September) which indicates the possibility of hibernation in the karstic area of the Dinaric mountains, we do not exclude the possible existence of resident populations.
Key words: Bats, Eptesicus
nilssonii, Vespertilio murinus, Mt Velebit., Croatia
The paper presents the ornithofauna of the carp fish-ponds of Konèanica and the surroundings. The research was conducted between the spring of 1985 and the autumn of 2001 The material comprises data on the registration and counting of individual species throughout the year. The investigation covered resident birds, summer visitors, winter visitors, passage migrants, regular vagrants and irregular vagrants. During approximately 3000 working hours, 170 bird species were recorded, of which there were 98 (57.6%) species of breeding birds. The fish-ponds and the surrounding area are included in the migration routes of many bird species, particularly of the Anseriformes and Charadriformes. The European Threat Status is given for all the recorded species. Economic activities (agriculture, forestry, hunting), ongoing inside and outside the area of the fish-ponds, endanger the ornithofauna to a certain extent. The Konèanica fish-ponds and the surrounding area are an exceptionally valuable ornithological locality, and as a result, should be proclaimed a protected area.
Key words: birds, the Konèanica
fish-ponds, upper Ilova river area, Croatia
This paper presents a study of major and trace element distribution and an evaluation of their environmental geochemical aspects in the surface sediments of Vrana Lake and the topsoil within its catchment area. The concentrations of 22 elements were determined in 30 lake sediment samples and 60 topsoil samples covering the lake catchment area and the whole island of Cres. The element to Al ratios fall into three main groups: the group of elements that show no difference in ratios in soils and lake sediments: Ni, Co, Mn, Th, Zn, Ba, Ti, K, V, Na, and H; elements that are enriched in the sediments: Ca, Sr, Cd, Pb, Ba and Mg; and elements that are depleted in the lake sediments: Cu, P, Fe, Cr, and La. Long-range air pollution is probably the main reason why the content of metals, especially lead, is increased in the lake sediments, although a local source, from road transport, as indicated by soil data from the catchment area, could also be an important source of Pb. Some pollutants in the soils of the catchment area, such as Cu and Hg from agro-chemical sources, were not determined in elevated concentrations in the lake sediments. Comparison of element/Al indexes from this study with the other studies of surface materials in the region show mutually similar sources, with loess and flysch as two geochemical end-members.
Key words: trace element distribution, lake sediments, soils, lead, normalization, atmospheric deposition