Invasive plant species (IAS), with their numerous negative ecological, health, and economic impacts, represent one of the greatest conservation challenges in the world. Reducing the negative impacts and potentially exploiting the biomass of these plant species can significantly contribute to sustainable management, protect biodiversity, and create a healthy environment. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional potential, phytochemical status, and antioxidant capacity of nine alien invasive plant species: Abutilon theophrasti, Amaranthus retroflexus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia, Datura stramonium, Erigeron annuus, Galinsoga ciliata, Reynoutria japonica, Solidago gigantea, and Sorghum halepense. Multivariate statistical methods such as cluster and PCA were performed to determine possible connections and correlations among selected IAS depending on the phytochemical content. According to the obtained results, R. japonica was notable with the highest content of vitamin C (38.46 mg/100 g FW); while E. annuus (1365.92 mg GAE/100 g FW) showed the highest values of total polyphenolic compounds. A. retroflexus was characterized by the highest content of total chlorophylls (0.26 mg/g) and antioxidant capacity (2221.97 µmol TE/kg). Therefore, it can be concluded that the selected IAS represent nutrient-rich plant material with significant potential for the recovering of bioactive compounds.

Little is known about the best management systems for seed production of Italian ryegrass. The main objective of this study was to determine the influence of management systems on the first-year seed crop grown under various nitrogen fertilization (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha⁻¹). Management systems of single-purpose crops were with (SeedPGR-crop) and without (Seed-crop) plant growth regulator application. The dual-purpose crops incorporated early spring forage cut during stem elongation (EF-seed-crop) and late cut at the onset of heading (LF-seed-crop) followed by seed harvest. Compared to the single-purpose crops, the dual purpose-crops shattered much less seeds but still yielded less because their plants had lower number of visible nodes on stems, shorter ears, fewer spikelets per ear, fewer flowers per spikelet in various ear sections and lighter seeds. Despite similar lodging incidence, the SeedPGR-crop produced relatively small, but significantly larger seed yield than the Seed-crop because plants in the SeedPGR-crop had shorter stems with fewer vegetative tillers, and shattered seeds slightly less. Nitrogen fertilization consistently improved seed yields in all management systems regardless of associated increases in lodging and seed shedding. These yield increments were mainly associated with the increased number of early- and late-formed reproductive tillers, and partly due to improved number of florets per spikelet and slightly heavier seed in early-formed reproductive ears. In spite of larger seed losses through shattering, the single-purpose crops largely out-yielded and had higher seed germination than the dual-purpose crops at all nitrogen fertilization rates, with maximized yields produced in the SeedPGR-crop.

Uz sve funkcije koje imaju zelene površine, školski vrt ima još i edukativnu ulogu. Nekad je bio vezan uz škole u ruralnom području, dok danas postoje brojne potvrde o njegovoj važnosti u obrazovnom procesu bez obzira radi li se o ruralnom ili urbanom okruženju. Gradska četvrt Sesvete cijelim je svojim područjem smještena izvan granica grada Zagreba kao naselja. Zauzima čak četvrtinu njegovog ukupnog prostora na sjeveroistoku grada. Još prije nekoliko desetljeća najveći je dio tog prostora obilježavao izrazito ruralni način života, elementi kojega su i danas jasno vidljivi u većini ovdašnjih naselja. Industrijalizacija i s njom povezano doseljavanje tisuća novih stanovnika ponajprije su, već sredinom šezdesetih godina prošlog stoljeća, potaknuli brzu urbanizaciju tada još malih Sesveta i drugih tadašnjih samostalnih naselja. Na cijelom području postoje 4 gradske i 5 privatnih predškolskih ustanova te osam osnovnih škola. Neke od tih institucija imaju vrt koji je uključen u obrazovni program sa svrhom razvoja pozitivnih psihofizičkih osobina kod učenika. Cilj rada bio je istražiti postojanje vrtova uz odgojno-obrazovne institucije (predškolske TIP 1 i osnovnoškolske TIP 2) na području gradske četvrti Sesvete, identificirati biljne svojte prema kategorijama (jedno- i dvogodišnje cvjetne vrste, trajnice i geofiti, grmlje, drveće i penjačice); procijeniti uređenost vrtova i njihovu usklađenost s tradicijom i prostorom u kojem se nalaze. U vrtovima TIP 1 zabilježeno je ukupno 97 svojti (44 jedno- i dvogodišnje, 12 trajnica i geofita, 15 grmova i 26 stabala), a u vrtovima TIP 2 ukupno 40 svojti (8 jedno- i dvogodišnje, 7 trajnica i geofita, 19 grmova i 6 stabala). Osim jednog vrtića, niti jedna od istraživanih odgojno-obrazovnih institucija na području gradske četvrti Sesvete niju imala vrt uključen u odgojno-obrazovni rad.

Many invasive alien plants are introduced as ornamental species. Ornamental horticulture is recognised as one of the main pathways for the introduction of invasive alien plants (IAP) worldwide. To address this issue, the LIFE OrnamentalIAS project, co-financed by EU LIFE program, MNVP Slovenia and FZOEU Croatia, has approached the problem at multiple levels. Prevention is the cheapest and most effective strategy; therefore, one of the project’s main objectives is to reduce the introduction of ornamental IAP into natural environments from gardens and parks. This is being achieved through the development of black (are causing concern, not recommended), orange (use with caution), and white (recommended) lists of ornamental plant species in Slovenia and Croatia. These lists were developed through an extensive, multi-stage process based on cooperation and consensus among stakeholders. The first step involved analysing the current state of ornamental IAP available on the market, as well as assessing their occurrence in gardens and parks. This resulted in a list of 2.481 taxa recorded in trade. Subsequently, the invasiveness of 300 selected species (those most frequently offered by ornamental plant suppliers) was assessed by Slovenian and Croatian botanical experts. They suggested 33 species for the black list and 174 species for the orange list. In Slovenia, the white list consists exclusively of native plant species, whereas in Croatia it is defined as a list of alien species that do not pose an ecological risk. The harmonisation of the lists folowed through 12 stakeholder workshops. The stakeholders were horticultural professionals, architects, landscape architects, nursery representatives, municipalities, biologists, conservationists, ministries, agricultural advisors, foresters, and NGOs. Eight workshops were held in Slovenia and four in Croatia. The introductory workshop was conducted online, enabling cross-border participation. Following five thematic workshops in Slovenia involved a specific stakeholder group: architects and landscape architects; conservationists and botanists; horticultural professionals and plant suppliers; governmental representatives; and municipal authorities. architects and landscape architects; conservationists and botanists; horticultural professionals and plant suppliers; governmental representatives; and municipal authorities. These workshops were followed by a joint workshop with all stakeholders aimed at reconciling stakeholder perspectives. As a result, a harmonised list of 12 invasive ornamental species was agreed upon by full consensus among stakeholders in Slovenia, representing a significant achievement of the project. Following the introductary workshop four thematic workshops held in Croatia brought together a significant number of experts who, through group work, analysed and harmonised a proposal for a list of ornamental alien plant species. Through a series of workshops, species were jointly classified into black and orange lists, and recommendations based on cross-sectoral cooperation were formulated. The proposal developed by Croatian experts included five species for the black list and fourteen species for the orange list. The final workshop in a hybrid format aimed to present the results from both countries and to confirm the final lists in Slovenia. Although differences exist in national legislation, policies, and perceptions of IAP between Slovenia and Croatia, four ornamental species appear on the black lists of both countries. Stakeholder involvement proved to be crucial, as participants demonstrated strong ownership of the lists. Even after the final workshop, stakeholders actively recommend avoiding black-listed species and promoting the responsible use of species on the orange list. Additionally, the lists have attracted considerable media attention. Future project activities include the development of a code of conduct aimed at strengthening long-term commitment to the sustainable and responsible use of ornamental plants, thereby supporting the prevention of further plant invasions.

Inventarizacija samonikle flore na području grada Zaprešića ~ Inventory of wild flora in the town of Zaprešić

Urban flora is represented by plants deliberately planted and by plants established by themselves. Opportunities for spontaneous establishment are scarce, especially for trees and other woody species and particularly if their establishment should begin from seeds What is more, urban plants can be of native or alien origin and successful spontaneous alien plants can represent a potentially invasive group of plants. We investigated the spontaneous occurrence of woody plants in urban green infrastructure of parks and urban hedges. We studied 15 urban parks in 3 European cities Ljubljana, Maribor (Slovenia), and Zagreb (Croatia) to detect possible spontaneous establishment. A total of 131 woody plant species were recorded, of which 59% were native. The highest species richness was found in the largest parks, however, park size explained only 18% of the variation in richness, whereas the variety of micro-locations had greater explanatory power. Notably, 14 invasive and 17 potentially invasive species were identified. We recognized urban hedges as a potential safe site for the establishment of woody plants outside parks. Urban hedges form urban green infrastructure, which can connect urban and peri-urban areas and in some landscapes even natural areas. In 100 urban hedges in Maribor we recorded 70 woody species from 29 families, with 63% being alien and 10% locally invasive, while 95% of the recorded alien species originated from ornamental plantings. Urban hedge characteristics significantly influenced the richness and composition of spontaneous woody plants, which further changed along the urban-rural gradient. Our results confirmed that urban parks can act as major sources of potential plant invasions, while the urban hedges can act as pathways for the spread of invasive alien woody species, underscoring the need for regular monitoring and timely management interventions.