1. Dealing with the complexity of effective population size in conservation practiceAncuta Cotovelea Fedorca, Joachim Mergeay, Adejoke O. Akinyele, Tamer Albayrak, Iris Biebach, Alice Brambilla, Pamela Burger, Elena Bužan, Ino Čurik, Roberta Gargiulo, Marjana Westergren, 2024, pregledni znanstveni članek Opis: Effective population size (Ne) is one of the most important parameters in evolutionary biology, as it is linked to the long-term survival capability of species. Therefore, Ne greatly interests conservation geneticists, but it is also very relevant to policymakers, managers, and conservation practitioners. Molecular methods to estimate Ne rely on various assumptions, including no immigration, panmixia, random sampling, absence of spatial genetic structure, and/or mutation-drift equilibrium. Species are, however, often characterized by fragmented populations under changing environmental conditions and anthropogenic pressure. Therefore, the estimation methods' assumptions are seldom addressed and rarely met, possibly leading to biased and inaccurate Ne estimates. To address the challenges associated with estimating Ne for conservation purposes, the COST Action 18134, Genomic Biodiversity Knowledge for Resilient Ecosystems (G-BiKE), organized an international workshop that met in August 2022 in Brașov, Romania. The overarching goal was to operationalize the current knowledge of Ne estimation methods for conservation practitioners and decision-makers. We set out to identify datasets to evaluate the sensitivity of Ne estimation methods to violations of underlying assumptions and to develop data analysis strategies that addressed pressing issues in biodiversity monitoring and conservation. Referring to a comprehensive body of scientific work on Ne, this meeting report is not intended to be exhaustive but rather to present approaches, workshop findings, and a collection of papers that serve as fruits of those efforts. We aimed to provide insights and opportunities to help bridge the gap between scientific research and conservation practice. Ključne besede: Ne, effective population size, inbreeding Objavljeno v RUP: 04.02.2026; Ogledov: 138; Prenosov: 0
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3. Population genomics and the environmental drivers of population structure in a cosmopolitan marine predator, Tursiops truncatusDaniel M. Moore, André E. Moura, Ada Natoli, Elena Papale, Mónica A. Silva, Tilen Genov, Stefania Gaspari, Giuseppa Buscaino, Per Berggren, A. Rus Hoelzel, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The marine environment comprises vast regions without physical barriers to movement, making the understanding of population isolation and the evolution of diversity challenging. This is especially the case for highly mobile marine species. Here we investigate populations of the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) across the Mediterranean Sea and adjacent North Atlantic using high-resolution genomic markers (RADseq) and stable isotope analyses to better understand the evolution of population structure in this system. High-resolution genomic data and broad geographic sampling revealed patterns of structure not previously identified, and integration with stable isotope data suggests that prey choice varies across this region. Unexpected patterns included genetic and isotopic similarity between the North Atlantic and the region around Sicily (but not including the medially located Gulf of Cádiz and surrounding regions). The regional habitat within and beyond the Mediterranean Sea is structured with ocean frontal systems including thermal and halocline transitions, several of which show alignment with genetic transitions within our data. Our data help to distinguish among possible drivers of population differentiation for a marine predator that has the potential for long-distance dispersion. 1 Introduction Ključne besede: genomics, phylogeography, population structure, stable isotopes, Tursiops truncatus Objavljeno v RUP: 27.12.2025; Ogledov: 317; Prenosov: 0
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4. The Impact of Demographic Dynamics on Household Saving in Pre-COVID-19 South AfricaAfamefuna Emmanuel Nwogbo, Joel Hinaunye Eita, Sivan Chetty, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: This paper examines the effect of demographic dynamics on household saving in pre-COVID-19 South Africa, across all nine provinces of South Africa. The study used panel autoregressive distributed lag (PARDL) and Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality methods. The results revealed a longrun relationship between demographic dynamics and household saving in South Africa, showing that the White working age population had a significant effect on South Africa’s household saving in both the long-run and short-run, while the Black and Coloured working age population groups significantly impacted household saving only in the long-run. However, the Asian/Indian working age population had no effect on household saving in either the long run or short run. The Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality analysis revealed a bidirectional causality running between Asian/Indian, Black, and Coloured population groups and household saving, while a unidirectional causality was found running from the White population group to household saving.
Ključne besede: demographics, working age population, aged/elderly population, life-cycle hypothesis, household saving, panel ARDL, Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel causality Objavljeno v RUP: 18.12.2025; Ogledov: 178; Prenosov: 0
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5. First EST-SSRs of Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don (Asteraceae) revealed insights into the genetic diversity and population structure in CorsicaPetra Gabrovšek, Matjaž Hladnik, Dunja Bandelj, Zala Jenko Pražnikar, Saša Kenig, Félix Tomi, Marc Gibernau, Slavko Brana, Alenka Baruca Arbeiter, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Helichrysum italicum (Roth) G. Don (Asteraceae) is a valuable medicinal and aromatic plant native to a variety of habitats across the Mediterranean region. However, genetic studies of this morphologically diverse species have been limited by the scarcity of species-specific DNA markers. To address this limitation, we generated the first de novo transcriptome assembly comprising 24,806 transcripts from young shoots containing leaves and flowers, developed EST-SSR markers, and evaluated their utility in population genetic analysis. Seventy-eight primer pairs were designed, of which 23 showed successful amplification, polymorphism, and transferability to Helichrysum litoreum Guss. and Helichrysum arenarium (L.) Moench. A subset of 12 EST-SSRs was used to genotype 270 individuals from 12 natural populations of H. italicum in Corsica (France), along with one outgroup population from Croatia. The polymorphic information content ranged from 0.250 to 0.796, and Shannon’s information index ranged from 0.588 to 1.843, indicating the markers’ suitability for popu- lation genetic studies. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that 15% of the total genetic variation was attributable to differences among populations. Discriminant analysis of principal components and Bayesian clustering in STRUCTURE identified distinct popu- lation clusters corresponding to geographic locations. Notably, the southernmost coastal populations were clearly differentiated from the others. Ključne besede: Helichrysum italicum, immortelle, de novo transcriptome, genic microsatellite markers, EST-SSRs, population study, Corsica, Mediterranean Basin Objavljeno v RUP: 17.12.2025; Ogledov: 272; Prenosov: 7
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6. Variations in the population structure of Phlebotomine sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae) in relation to the presence of potential dog hostsVladimir Ivović, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The seasonal and circadian population dynamics of Phlebotomine sandflies depend on many environmental factors, especially temperature and humidity. However, the factors that influence fluctuations in species composition are more uncertain. During the regular monitoring of arthropod vectors in the Slovenian coastal region, an interesting change in the population dynamics of these insects was observed, depending on the presence or absence of domestic dogs. To investigate the changes in species composition, we set traps for adult flies at two different locations (Medljan and Cetore) in the Coastal-Karst region (Izola, Slovenia). The collections were carried out in June and July 2017 and 2018. In total, 632 specimens of four species (Phlebotomus papatasi, P. neglectus, P. perniciosus and P. mascittii) were collected in the study area in both years. The females of all sandfly species were examined for the presence of Leishmania parasites in both years, but no Leishmania DNA was detected. The relocation of hunting dogs as potential reservoir hosts from Cetore to another location in early 2018 significantly changed the species composition of the sandflies. Two species, P. neglectus and P. perniciosus, were no longer present at this site. Changes in the species composition and population dynamics of phlebotomine sandflies are probably related to the presence or absence of the Leishmania reservoir host. Ključne besede: Phlebotomine sandflies, population dynamics, dogs Objavljeno v RUP: 07.08.2025; Ogledov: 453; Prenosov: 3
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7. Dual-task gait analysis : combined cognitive–motor demands most severely impact walking patterns and joint kinematicsNenad Nedović, Slavica Mutavdžin Krneta, Stevan Jovanović, Danilo Vujičić, Žiga Kozinc, Dmitry Skvortsov, 2025, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Cognitive tasks significantly influence automated acts, such as walking. This study included 41 healthy individuals, who were over 65 years of age. We examined dual-task effects on the spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters of gait in older adults during four tasks carried out in single-task, cognitive, motor, and combined cognitive–motor conditions. An analysis of walking according to spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters was performed using an inertial movement analysis system. The combined task showed the most significant impairments, with substantially reduced gait speed (p < 0.001, r = −0.80), shorter stride length (p < 0.001, r = −0.82), and decreased hip flexion (p < 0.001, r = −0.80) compared to single-task walking. Cognitive tasks alone significantly affected gait speed (p = 0.001) and stride length (p = 0.001), while motor tasks showed minimal effects. The combined task also significantly increased double-support time (p < 0.001) and reduced single-support time (p = 0.001), indicating compensatory walking strategies. These findings demonstrate that concurrent cognitive–motor demands disproportionately impair gait, suggesting that clinical assessments should prioritize combined-task evaluation. The observed kinematic and spatiotemporal changes highlight the profound interdependence between cognitive function and automatic locomotor control during walking. It is likely that dual-task gait analysis may offer clinical utility for the early detection of cognitive–motor deficits. Ključne besede: spatiotemporal parameters, gait deterioration, aging population Objavljeno v RUP: 30.06.2025; Ogledov: 716; Prenosov: 3
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9. Populacijska dinamika polipov uhatega klobučnjaka (Aurelia aurita s.l.) : vpogled z vidika modeliranjaSara Hočevar, 2016, magistrsko delo Ključne besede: polyps, aurelia aurita, population dynamics, polyp density, density-dependent effects, density-independent effects, modelling, carrying capacity, growth rate Objavljeno v RUP: 19.07.2021; Ogledov: 3329; Prenosov: 27
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10. First insights into the population genetic structure and heterozygosity-fitness relationship in roe deer inhabiting the area between the Alps and Dinaric mountainsElena Bužan, Urška Gerič, Sandra Potušek, Katarina Flajšman, Boštjan Pokorny, 2020, izvirni znanstveni članek Ključne besede: Capreolus capreolus, microsatellites, population structure, heterozygosity, fragmentation, body mass, reproductive potential Objavljeno v RUP: 07.12.2020; Ogledov: 3085; Prenosov: 39
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