1. Introgression among maternal lineages inferred from complete mitogenomes and molecular dating helps resolve phylogeography of European roe deerElena Bužan, Stefan Cidilko, Luka Duniš, Tilen Komel, Boštjan Pokorny, A. J. M. Hewison, Anna Korzekwa, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Background The European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is one of the most widespread ungulates in Europe, with a phylogeographic structure mainly shaped by Pleistocene glacial cycles and secondary contacts with the Siberian roe deer (C. pygargus). Methods We sequenced 52 complete mitogenomes of C. capreolus from Slovenia, Poland and France, and combined them with 24 publicly available sequences of C. capreolus and C. pygargus, yielding an alignment of 76 genomes representing 59 haplotypes (42 from C. capreolus and 17 from C. pygargus). Phylogeographic structure was assessed using a median-joining network, and divergence times were estimated using a time-calibrated Bayesian phylogeny based on mitochondrial coding regions, incorporating published ancient C. pygargus mitogenomes. We additionally screened mitochondrial protein-coding genes for selection. Results The haplotype network recovered the three major European roe deer clades (Eastern, Central, and Western) and detected Central-clade haplotypes in France. Two Polish haplotypes (Cp9 and Cp10), detected in C. capreolus, clustered within the C. pygargus mitochondrial lineage, supporting mitochondrial introgression. Time-calibrated phylogenies placed introgressed haplotypes within established C. pygargus lineages. Selection analyses provided limited evidence for episodic positive selection restricted to a small number of codons. Conclusions Whole mitogenomes improve resolution of roe deer phylogeography and reveal introgressed maternal lineages, while time-calibrated phylogenies and selection tests add evolutionary context for interpreting mtDNA diversity in genus Capreolus.
Keywords: mitogenome, introgression, Bayesian molecular dating, Roe deer, phylogeography
Published in RUP: 15.07.2026; Views: 201; Downloads: 12
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2. First insight into genetic diversity of two sympatric marten species between the Alps and Adriatic islandsElena Bužan, Luka Duniš, Tilen Komel, Boštjan Pokorny, Carlos Rodríguez Fernandes, Zoran Marčić, Magda Sindičić, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Closely related species occupying the same geographical area may exhibit markedly different genetic patterns due to differences in evolutionary history, ecology and behaviour. In this study, a population genetics approach is applied to investigate the genetic structure, diversity, and connectivity of two sympatric carnivore species, i.e., the European pine marten (Martes martes) and the stone marten (Martes foina) in Croatia and Slovenia. We analysed mitochondrial DNA sequences for both species (28 pine marten and 104 stone marten samples, respectively) and additionally investigated nuclear microsatellite markers for 182 stone martens. For stone marten, we found a significant genetic structuring, with pronounced differentiation between island and mainland populations, and a further substructure within the mainland. But no significant isolation by distance was detected (Mantel test, p = 0.15), indicating that differentiation is primarily shaped by island–mainland separation and other geographical discontinuities rather than by distance alone. In contrast, pine marten exhib- ited moderate haplotype diversity and limited spatial resolution due to the smaller sample size. These contrasting patterns underscore species-specific responses to natural geographical barriers and highlight the need to tailor management strategies accordingly.
Keywords: population genetics, martens, haplotype, microsatellites
Published in RUP: 20.05.2026; Views: 395; Downloads: 12
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3. A new wildlife monitoring app in Slovenia : a pilot evaluation of data quality and useŽiga Velkavrh, Luka Duniš, Boštjan Pokorny, Hubert Potočnik, Elena Bužan, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Wildlife monitoring is crucial for successful conservation and management of wildlife populations. To support modern wildlife monitoring approaches in Slovenia, we developed SRNA, a nationwide citizen science appli- cation that collects additional metadata on several terrestrial vertebrate species. The app is designed for two groups of citizen scientists, hunters and other nature observers. To foster learning, it features a photo-based wildlife identification quiz and species identification guides. This pilot study evaluated app use and data quality with two aims: (1) to assess users’ ability to identify wildlife species from photos, focusing on taxa expected to be challenging to identify, and to test whether identification accuracy varies across mammal groups; (2) to analyse wildlife observation data submitted through SRNA. Users were successful in identifying several distinctive species but had some difficulty distinguishing between certain mustelids, and between golden jackal and grey wolf, indicating priorities for targeted educational campaigns. Biology-related educational background facilitated identification of mustelids and, to a lesser extent, canids. In its first year, SRNA collected 1633 observations via 742 reports, predominantly of European roe deer. Hunters and nature observers contributed complementary data: differences were observed not only in the number of reported species and amount of data they provided, but also in reporting patterns across biogeo- graphic regions, reporting rates, and the average delay time between encounters and submissions. This study demonstrates that SRNA provides promising complementary data for wildlife monitoring, but also highlights data quality limitations (biases and verification issues) that must be taken into account when using SRNA data.
Keywords: application for wildlife monitoring, citizen science, mammals, Slovenia, SRNA app, Wildlife identification quiz
Published in RUP: 08.04.2026; Views: 583; Downloads: 14
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5. Ocena invazivnega potenciala tujerodnih sesalcev v Sloveniji z uporabo orodja TAS-ISK : zaključna nalogaAnja Nabergoj, 2025, undergraduate thesis Keywords: tujerodni sesalci, invazivne vrste, invazivni potencial, ocena tveganja, TAS-ISK, Slovenija, podnebne spremembe, biotska raznovrstnost, zaključne naloge
Published in RUP: 06.09.2025; Views: 1016; Downloads: 21
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6. To be, or not to be, a non-native species in non-English languages : gauging terminological consensus amongst invasion biologistsLorenzo Vilizzi, Marina Piria, Dariusz Pietraszewski, Baran Yoğurtçuoğlu, David Almeida, Zainab Al-Wazzan, Usman Atique, Angela Boggero, Luka Duniš, Philippe Goulletquer, 2025, review article Abstract: In invasion biology, terminological frameworks contribute to the improvement of effective communication among scientists, stakeholders, and policy-makers. This is important not only for informing policy decisions but also for engaging the broader public in understanding the risks associated with biological invasions. Meanwhile, the role of non-English languages in advancing knowledge in invasion biology has gained momentum in recent years. Building on the seminal contributions in this scientific discipline by Professor Gordon H. Copp, this paper examines the provision of three key terms defining species invasiveness in 28 non-English languages. We first define the three non-redundant terms “non-native species”, “established species”, and “invasive species”. Through a comparative analysis of the equivalent of these terms in the 28 non-English languages, as contributed by our panel of invasion biologists and native speakers, with those in a reference review paper, and following the diffusion-of-English versus ecology-of-language paradigms, we identify discrepancies and nuances reflecting the dynamic nature of terminology in invasion biology. While some languages showed consensus in terminology, others differed due to either the avoidance of a culturally or politically laden term for “non-native” or the achievement of greater precision in meaning. Our findings highlight the requirement for clear and precise terminology in invasion biology and suggest the adoption of multidisciplinary approaches to reach consensus and facilitate communication amongst scientists, policy-makers, and the general public in a globally interconnected and rapidly changing world. This will enhance international collaboration and accelerate knowledge exchange, leading to more effective management of biological invasions.
Keywords: established species, invasive species, diffusion-of-English, ecology-of-language
Published in RUP: 11.06.2025; Views: 1172; Downloads: 55
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