Croatian Forest Research Institute

Šumski reprodukcijski materijal (ŠRM) ključan je u svim šumskouzgojnim aktivnostima. Međutim, klimatske promjene dovode do promjena u pogodnosti staništa za pojedine šumske vrste što otežava planiranje i provođenje šumskouzgojnih aktivnosti. Stoga, da bi uspješno planirali i provodili šumskouzgojne aktivnosti potreban je kvalitetan ŠRM, posebice visokokvalitetne šumske sadnice prilagođene uvjetima staništa. Kvaliteta šumskih sadnica može se utvrditi raznim morfološkim i fiziološkim svojstvima, međutim, najvažnija su ona koja omogućuju preživljenje i rast šumske sadnice u sadašnjim, ali i budućim uvjetima staništa. Cjelokupnim pregledom i analizom dostupnih publikacija uočava se nedostatak recentnih znanstvenih publikacija i aktivnije znanstveno-istraživačke djelatnosti na temu kvalitativnih svojstava šumskih sadnica. K tome, utvrđivanje kvalitete šumskih sadnica na temelju morfoloških i fizioloških svojstava prilikom stavljanja na tržište kod većine vrsta nije obuhvaćeno zakonskim okvirima, stoga je cilj ovog rad I.) utvrditi morfološka i fiziološka svojstva šumskih sadnica koja ukazuju na njihovu kvalitetu i II.) dati opće preporuke za rasadničku proizvodnju šumskih sadnica ususret klimatskim promjenama. Provedenim istraživanjem utvrđeno je da kvaliteta šumskih sadnica zahtjeva integraciju morfoloških i fizioloških svojstava, pri čemu su izdvojena ona najvažnija za preživljenje i rast sadnice na terenu. Od morfoloških svojstava izdvajaju se: visina, promjer stabljike, odnos visine i promjera stabljike, kvaliteta korijenskog sustava i odnos korijenskog sustava i izbojaka. Fiziološka svojstva su: otpornost na hladnoću, otpornost na sušu i stanje hranjiva u tkivu šumskih sadnica. Za svako svojstvo dan je opis njegove važnosti za preživljenje i rast sadnice na terenu te način njegova utvrđivanja. Ističe se važnost unaprijeđena proizvodnog programa rasadničke proizvodnje i potrebitost staništu prilagođenih šumskih sadnica ususret novim izazovima koji stoje pred šumarskim sektorom u Republici Hrvatskoj. Iako teško predvidive, klimatske promjene i ugroze su neizbježne, stoga je kvalitetan i raznolik proizvodni program rasadnika šumskih sadnica u Republici Hrvatskoj potrebniji nego ikad kako bi se povećala otpornost šumskih sastojina na trenutne i predstojeće ugroze. Proizvodni program treba prepoznati trenutne i predstojeće obaveze kao i međunarodna kretanja sadnog materijala, recentne znanstvene spoznaje, potrebe praktičnog šumarstva i ostalih grana privrede, predviđanje promjena u pogodnosti staništa za šumske vrste te pronalaženje suvremenih rješenja prilagodbe šuma na predstojeće ugroze i izazove.

Mastitis remains one of the most economically important diseases in dairy farming. The aim of this review was to discuss the main ideas, practical benefits, economic impacts, rules and regulations, and environmental aspects of selective dry cow therapy (SDCT) as a means for managing udder health and antibiotic use. Interest is increasing in antimicrobial resistance, environmental pollution, and stronger regulations on antibiotic use in food production, so SDCT has become even more relevant in modern dairy herd management. This method involves selectively treating only cows or quarters at a high risk of intramammary infections at dry-off, mainly based on somatic cell count, clinical history of mastitis, or bacterial culture results. Evidence shows that when used correctly, SDCT can significantly reduce antibiotic use without compromising udder health, particularly if used with internal teat sealants. Economic analyses have indicated that SDCT can cut antibiotic-related costs by up to 50% while keeping mastitis under control, if protocols are followed properly. Global policies, such as the European Green Deal and One Health initiatives, encourage targeted antibiotic use to improve both animal health and environmental conservation in dairy farming. However, challenges still remain in implementation, including the risk of under-treatment, the need for accurate diagnostic tools, and ensuring farmer compliance with selection protocols. Advanced developments in precision dairy farming, such as automated testing and AI-assisted decision-making, have improved the feasibility and success of SDCT in different herd management systems.

Many forest owners and professionals recognize global change and increasing forest disturbances as pressing challenges but have yet to implement adaptation options to counteract the impacts on their forests. The ecological effectiveness of these options is context-dependent, influenced by site conditions and the quality of implementation. In addition, the socio-economic context can support or impede the implementation of adaptation options. To assess the relevance of implementation barriers and how they are perceived, we surveyed over 800 forest owners and professionals across Europe. Adaptation options that were perceived as effective were also more likely to be applied. Owing to its low evidence of effectiveness and conflicts with other management objectives, non-management was largely regarded as a non-viable adaptation option. Overall, respondents rated the importance of most implementation barriers as low to moderate. However, for certain adaptation options, specific barriers were perceived as particularly relevant. Forest owners and professionals with experience in practicing forest adaptation regarded potential barriers as less constraining than other groups of participants. More timber production-oriented owners and professionals identified economic issues as particularly constraining. To facilitate implementation of adaptation, participants suggested improved communication, more education, more flexible legislation and simpler access to financial support. Different specific site and management contexts complicate the development of general recommendations. Therefore, local science-practice collaborations and platforms to share experiences regarding adaptation options could promote the adaptive capacity of forest owners and professionals. • Forest owners and professionals require more information and training on adaptation. • More operational flexibility is needed to support forest adaptation. • Timber-oriented managers perceive stronger economic barriers to adaptation. • Multifunctional forest managers report fewer adaptation constraints. • Adaptation policies should address funding, capacity building, and legal reforms.

Although nanotechnology is increasingly applied in plant tissue culture in many parts of Europe, its use in the Balkans remains limited, revealing a regional gap with untapped potential for advancing in vitro propagation and preservation of woody plant species. Building upon a recently published regional review covering 2001–2024, which analyzed in vitro biotechnology progress in nine Balkan countries, this paper introduces the concept of a “nano gap”, referring to the limited connection between existing nanotechnology research potential and its use in in vitro woody plant biotechnology. In Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Albania, significant progress has been made in optimizing micropropagation and in vitro conservation strategies by introducing temporary immersion systems, synthetic seed technology, adapting genotype-specific sterilization and multiplication protocols, and modifying established cryopreservation methods for regional woody species. However, the integration of nanotechnology into these systems remains largely unexplored. To date, there are no published results or validated applications for nano-enhanced media or nanoscale delivery systems for micropropagation and in vitro conservation of woody species. The limited integration of nanotechnology may be due to insufficient funding, lack of specialized infrastructure, and limited interdisciplinary expertise. Nevertheless, many Balkan countries possess growing capacities in nano-applications within agriculture and environmental sciences and are ready to advance toward interdisciplinary research and innovation. By mapping both scientific readiness and structural barriers, this review provides a strategic framework for bridging the “nano gap” and offers a novel regional perspective with broader implications for European research policy, sustainable agriculture, biodiversity preservation, and green innovation.

Forest management and tree felling in the stand change the structural characteristics, which causes changes in the microclimate conditions. The microclimate is a key in sustainable forest management because soil temperature and moisture regimes regulate nutrient cycling in forest ecosystems. The aim of this research was to determine the changes in air and soil temperatures in pedunculate oak forest stands in different stages of shelterwood that stimulate natural regeneration. The research was conducted in pedunculated oak forests in Spačva area. The microclimatic parameters were measured in a mature old forest stand without shelterwood cutting and in stands with preparatory cut, seed cut, and final cut. The intensity of shelterwood had an impact on the amplitudes and values of air and soil temperatures. The highest average air temperature was in the stand with a preparatory cut. Extreme values of air and soil temperatures were measured in the stands with a final cut. The highest air and soil temperature amplitudes were in the stand with a final cut, with the exception of most of the winter, when the highest soil temperature amplitude was in the stand with a seed cut. The highest number of icy, cold, and hot days was in the stand with a final cut. SARIMA models establish that the difference between microclimatic parameters is not accidental.

Coppicing has been neglected in recent decades leaving gaps in knowledge on silvicultural interventions, especially the long-term effects on coppices of South-East Europe. Thus, our work aims to define the long-term effects of thinning in sessile oak (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) sub-mountainous thermophilic low coppices in the Croatian Dinarides. The experiment includes two localities with thinning plots and control plots. Thinning was done in 2002 with 17.71% of wood volume removed in the European beech coppice and 26.09% in the sessile oak coppice. 1276 trees were marked, measured (DBH, tree height, number of stems per stump) and assessed for vitality, origin and six silvicultural features revealing tree quality. Descriptive statistics for all variables, RMANOVA for DBH and height and for continuous variables mean+-+ standard deviation for categorical frequency and relative frequency variables were carried out. The results show a statistically significant positive long-term effect of thinning on tree growth, stem and crown features and support findings that thinning, by increasing growth and quality, is a necessary intervention in European beech and sessile oak low coppices. The recent economic crisis, the sudden increase in energy prices, and the increased demand for assorted wood products have initiated higher interest in coppices in Croatia.

Bioeconomy is becoming a more interesting field for investments in the Republic of Croatia, especially in its small regions and local administrative units. Vukovar-Srijem county is one such unit in eastern Croatia with noticeable potential for development in a circular, carbon-neutral, and sustainable bioeconomy. Due to the nature potential represented by one of the largest forest reservoirs in Europe-Spačva basin, forestry is one of the most important county branches. Aiming to provide more inputs on the wood biomass management, the study on the biomass flow of Vukovar-Srijem county was conducted in 2020 by collecting data from local stakeholders and official reports. The study results have shown that Vukovar-Srijem county has the potential to increase the efficiency level of biomass use, but specific actions on the value-chain strengthening, finalisation of wood products, and innovative ecosystem establishment are still needed. The results highlight the predominant use of sawdust for heating purposes in the VSC region, suggesting potential for optimizing its utilization towards a circular, carbon-neutral, and sustainable bioeconomy, thus offering novel insights for future research and initiatives aiming to maximize economic and environmental benefits from wood biomass residues.

Forests are increasingly affected by global change. Building resilient forests requires – amongst others - leveraging the wealth of knowledge from existing ground-based, field inventory and monitoring programs as well as Earth Observation systems to better assess the status, detect changes, understand processes, predict future dynamics, and guide forest management. A proposal from the European Commission for a new forest monitoring framework at the European level aims in this direction but lacks the integration of some crucial and readily available resources and infrastructures. For this reason, the proposal risks to be a missed opportunity rather than a step forward. Here we provide suggestions to help reconciling the proposal with its objectives and a more comprehensive monitoring vision.

European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) is characterized by inter-annual cycles of seed production (masting), with synchronized high seed production between sites in some years. The importance of both seed quantity and quality monitoring stems from its role in sustaining the ecological balance, promoting biodiversity, and ensuring the long-term viability of forest ecosystems. This study aimed to (1) describe seed production from 2015 to 2022, (2) identify the potential factors that could affect the yield appearance and seed quantity, and (3) compare the quality of beechnuts from different crop years in Croatia. At each of the six forest seed objects located in the area of forest administrations Bjelovar, Karlovac, Ogulin, Požega, and Delnice, we selected 5 trees for seed collection. Seeds were collected with large PVC nets covering total projection area of the tree crowns. Seed quality testing was performed according to the International Rules for Seed Testing (ISTA Rules). Our results indicate a consistent biennial beechnut cycle. The crop was completely absent in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2020, while 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022 were fruitful years. Weather plays a key role in triggering masting. We found that beechnut production is influenced by summer weather conditions (from June to August) in the previous two years. Abundance of beechnut production varies on an annual level, population level and on individual trees. Factors that partially explain the variability in yield are tree height and crown size. No significant differences in viability were found across different years and sites, though the results should be approached with caution due to limited sample representation. The study identified a positive correlation between seed weight and viability, as well as the impact of precipitation on moisture content. The results emphasize the need for continued monitoring and further research to understand the factors influencing beechnut production and quality, crucial for sustainable forest management in the face of climate change.