1. Occupancy of artificial shelters by European tree frog (Hyla arborea) in Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve : a non-invasive sampling method in ecologically sensitive habitatsMartin Senič, Matic Jančič, Jure Jugovic, Kevin Rečnik, Sara Zupan, Martina Lužnik, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Monitoring amphibians in non-breeding habitats is constrained by low detectability and potential disturbance to sensitive ecosystems. We tested the effectiveness of artificial shelters - PVC pipes - as a non-invasive method for monitoring the European tree frog (Hyla arborea) outside the breeding season in Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve (Koper, Slovenia). Over three years (2022–2024), we installed 40- and 50-mm diameter shelter pipes at 24 sites and conducted regular inspections. A total of 338 encounters of the focal species were recorded, with frogs of all sizes using the shelters. Overall shelter occupancy declined across years, possibly reflecting a combination of factors including reduced recruitment, vegetation changes, demographic fluctuations, and weather conditions. A statistically significant trend was observed, with narrower (40-mm) shelter pipes having 1.6 to 1.7 times more captures than wider (50-mm) ones, despite no significant difference in the body size of frogs occupying each type. By using PVC artificial shelters, we greatly enhanced the detectability of H. arborea in the Škocjanski zatok Nature Reserve compared to classical monitoring methods such as acoustic surveys or dip-netting. Importantly, a non-invasive approach using artificial shelters minimized the risk of disturbance to breeding and migratory birds, which is essential in areas with high avifaunal conservation value. Our results support the broader use of artificial shelters for monitoring arboreal amphibians in ecologically sensitive areas and suggest future research should explore finer-scale shelter design to improve detection and ecological interpretation across life stages.
Keywords: Hyla arborea, artificial shelters, PVC pipes, amphibian monitoring, protected areas
Published in RUP: 14.01.2026; Views: 25; Downloads: 2
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4. Gibanje in vedenje morskih zvezd : vpliv vrste, velikosti in podlage pri osmih vrstah morskih zvezd (Asteroidea, Echinodermata) iz slovenskega morjaManca Trdan, 2025, undergraduate thesis Keywords: Asteroidea, vedenje morskih zvezd, lokomotorni vzorci, slovensko morje, vpliv vrste in velikosti, diplomske naloge
Published in RUP: 07.10.2025; Views: 391; Downloads: 12
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5. Population structure and habitat connectivity of Phengaris teleius (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) in southern Slovenia : implications for conservation and landscape managementJure Jugovic, Ines Gorkič, Martina Lužnik, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: We studied the vulnerable Scarce Large Blue butterfly (Phengaris teleius) population in loosely connected wet grasslands in southern Slovenia. Our goal was to understand the distribution and demographic traits of this population within the Seasonal Lakes of Pivka Nature Park (KP PPJ). From 2021 to 2022, we mapped suitable habitat patches in KP PPJ with the larval host plant Sanguisorba officinalis and host ant Myrmica spp. Out of eight identified potential patches, five were inhabited for at least one year. Our dispersal model, using an inverse-power function, indicated that all but one suitable patch could be connected by migrations of at least 1% of either sex, suggesting a metapopulation structure. The clustered habitat distribution (nearest neighbour index = 0.14) highlights the role of each patch as a “stepping stone” within the system. We also assessed demographic parameters in a subset of three patches: Klenik, Kalec, and Zagorje. In 2021, mark-release-recapture estimated the populations in two inhabited patches (Klenik, Kalec) at 197 males (95% CI: 159–265) and 315 females (95% CI: 205–525), showing a female-biased sex ratio (males : females = 1 : 1.6). We recorded a relatively long average life span (4.4 and 8.4 days for males and females, respectively) and a weak protandry, however about three-quarters of the population was present simultaneously, mainly in the largest patch (Klenik: > 85%). Recorded demographic traits (female-biased sex ratio, long lifespan, simultaneous peaks of both sexes, and high dispersal) support the persistence of this metapopulation. However, conservation efforts and a denser network of suitable patches are crucial to maintain its viability at this range’s southern edge.
Keywords: butterfly, mark-release-recapture, demography, movement, metapopulation
Published in RUP: 23.09.2025; Views: 380; Downloads: 8
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8. Spatial distribution of Ixodes ricinus in forest habitats : a comparative study of the northern and southern slopes of Mount Slavnik, SloveniaJure Jugovic, Alenka Babič, Ana Kuhelj, Vladimir Ivović, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: While previous studies have examined the elevational limits of Ixodes ricinus in Central Europe, this study is the first to investigate the influence of slope orientation on tick distribution in Slovenia. Our results provide new insights into how two important microclimatic factors, temperature and humidity, vary between the northern and south- ern slopes, and how these differences affect the abundance of I. ricinus, a factor that has not been studied in this region before. We found that nymph density was highest on the southern slope at intermediate elevations (720 m) and increased with temperature. In contrast, fewer adult ticks were found on the southern slope compared to the northern slope, most of them at 720 m elevations. The significantly higher abundance of adult ticks on the northern slope is probably related to the cooler temperatures, higher relative humidity, denser ground vegetation and greater availability of hosts such as roe deer. Although these results are regionally specific, they contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the ecological factors influencing the distribution of I. ricinus in Central Europe.
Keywords: tick, elevational distribution, slope orientation, temperature, relative humidity
Published in RUP: 05.08.2025; Views: 405; Downloads: 5
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9. Morfometrijske značilnosti in diverziteta kačjih pastirjev v izbranih kalih brez in z zlatim koresljem (Carassius auratus) na območju Kraškega roba : zaključna nalogaPatricija Kostanjšek, 2025, undergraduate thesis Keywords: interakcija plenilec–plen, številčnost, morfološki odziv, Carassius auratus, pestrost kačjih pastirjev, Anax imperator, Sympetrum sanguineum, Sympetrum striolatum, Cordulia aenea
Published in RUP: 15.06.2025; Views: 674; Downloads: 23
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