Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is a developing country facing extensive land degradation. BiH exists as a decentralized state, where all land (e.g., agricultural and forest soils) and water resources are under exclusive jurisdiction of two entities and one district, rather than state-level legislation. Complex land-related administration occurs between entities that function independently from each other. The lack of coordination among entities frequently leads to political conflicts over land and limited data exchange which may further exacerbate current land degradation. This article investigates (a) stakeholders' perception of land degradation under complex institutional and policy structures; and (b) the current state of land degradation, with a focus on soil erosion as one important indicator of land degradation across the region. As a consequence of the Civil War that took place in BiH between 1992 and 1995, limited data on soil erosion and land status present additional challenges to those seeking to avoid, reduce, and reverse land degradation. Stakeholders reported that the existence of a policy framework as important to addressing land degradation, but not sufficient if implementation is weak. Decision makers reported that the existing policy frameworks are satisfactory, which was in contrast to other stakeholders. Reliable data are crucial for land degradation assessments and development of strategies and policy frameworks, but also better knowledge and awareness of stakeholder perceptions would foster their implementation. In summary, complex institutional structures underpin the weak communication and cooperation among institutions and stakeholders, which presents significant challenges for sustainable land management in post-conflict societies.

Comparison of twelve conifer species (Abies alba, A. concolor, A. nordmanniana, A. pinsapo, Cedrus atlantica, C. deodara, Picea abies, P. omorika, P. pungens, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Taxus baccata, and Pinus nigra) in the sense of needle morpho-anatomy and pollen morpho-physiology, in correlation to air pollution, was performed for the first time. Analyzed properties of species were also compared with literature sources. Listed conifers were investigated in five Belgrade parks, characterised by different degrees of air pollution, especially CO2. Their rank, I-V, was performed from non-polluted to heavily-polluted parks. Ranking in the sense of needle morpho-anatomy and pollen morpho-physiology did not match expected ones, but park V remained the worst for many analyzed species. Trees with shorter needles had greater stomatal density, which was particularly prominent in A. alba, A. nordmanniana, P. abies, P. omorika, P. nigra and T. baccata. The pollen grains of C. atlantica and T. baccata were the most sensitive to air pollution. In some analyzed species distance of particular trees close to the heavy traffic also was in correlation with needle dimensions (P.

IzvodUltrabazične stijene (serpentiniti i peridotiti) zauzimaju značajnu površinu u dijelu unutrašnjih Dinarida i imaju svoje specifičnosti koje se reflektuju na karakter zemljišnog pokrivača. Istraživanja su vršena u privrednoj jedinici (PJ) "Donja Velika Usora", "Teslićko" šumskoprivredno područje. Teren je izraženog nagiba karakterističan za ultramafite i sastoji se od oštrih grebena i strmih padina sa velikim brojem slivova. Područje ima tipičnu umjereno kontinentalnu klimu, uz manjak vode tokom ljetnih mjeseci. Rasprostranjene su šume kitnjaka i običnog graba, bazifilne šume borova, te šume bukve i jele. Otvoreno je ukupno šest pedoloških profila, na različitim ekspozicijama pri čemu je izvršeno proučavanje spoljašnje i unutrašnje morfologije, uz izdvajanje osnovnih genetičkih horizonata. Prema Škorić et al. (1985), izdvojena su tri tipa: ranker, eutrično smeđe i ilimerizovano zemljište. Ekološko proizvodna vrijednost izdvojenih tipova je uglavnom uslovljena karakterom matičnog supstrata, ali se ne smije zanemariti uticaj klime i reljefa. Ranker pruža kserotermofilne uslove za razvoj vegetacije usljed male dubine, visoke skeletnosti i vodopropustljivosti. Eutrično smeđe zemljište je inače visoko produktivno, ali je taj potencijal znatno umanjen na serpentinitima usljed visoke skeletnosti i lakše teksture. Luvisol pruža najpovoljnije uslove za razvoj šumskih zajednica. Ovo je veoma duboko, strukturirano i teksturno diferencirano zemljište. Sadržaj skeleta se povećava sa dubinom što povoljno utiče na vodno-vazdušni režim jer nema zastoja vode u glinovitijim partijama profila i omogućava prodiranje korijena biljaka u najdublje slojeve. Cilj rada je analiza osobina zemljišta na serpentinitima i definisanje njihovog ekološko-proizvodnog potencijala kao osnove za održivo upravljanje šumskim ekosistemima "Teslićkog" šumskoprivrednog područja.

Various biotic and abiotic factors are the cause of the decline of coniferous forests throughout Europe. Trees weakened by unfavorable weather conditions create an ideal environment for a possible outbreak of bark beetles. The damage caused by bark beetles costs billions of dollars worldwide every year. Extreme climate events are responsible for the enormous forest losses in Tara National Park in the last ten years, leading to a massive bark beetle infestation. The understanding of the diversity and role of mites as biological control agents is still insufficient. In this study, we summarize the current knowledge on the diversity of mites associated with Ips typographus L. in Europe and provide information on the diversity of these mites in Serbia. Paraleius leontonychus, Uroobovella ipidis, Dendrolaelaps quadrisetus, Histiostoma piceae, and Trichouropoda polytricha were detected for the first time in Serbia. Moreover, the occurrence of Paraleius leontonychus represents the southernmost occurrence of this species.

Wildfires are an important driver of land degradation, with detrimental impacts on soil properties, usually leading to decreasing soil fertility and erosion, which affect vegetation recovery. This study investigates the long-term impact of wildfires on topsoil horizons and vegetation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where land degradation is causing significant economic and ecological losses. Ten years after a wildfire, 12 plots were installed in areas affected by low- and medium-severity fire, and in unburned areas. Morphological, physical and chemical soil properties were explored on each plot, together with vegetation cover (number and cover of species). Soil organic matter, carbon, nitrogen and available phosphorus contents in medium- and low-severity fire affected plots are approximately half of those recorded in unburned plots, showing detrimental long-term impacts on soil fertility. Soil cation exchange capacity, pH and available potassium did not show significant differences between fire- and non-fire-affected plots. The number of plant species in medium-severity fire-affected plots is significantly lower than in low-severity and unburned plots. Differentiated plant groups are led by herbaceous (ground-breaking and weed) species. This study shows that wildfires can have long-term impacts on topsoil horizons and vegetation in limestone areas, threatening the sustainability of forest ecosystems.