Day 2 – 7th Congress of Ecologists

16 OCT

09:00 – 11:00 Parallel Sessions (Hall 1: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology; Hall 2: Hydrobiology, Water Management, and Monitoring / Ecosystem Services and Management of Natural Resources)

Parallel session I: Biodiversity and conservation biology (Hall 1)

09:00–09:15: Traditional knowledge in agricultural practices and specific uses of crop landraces in North Macedonia — Sonja Ivanovska
09:15–09:30: Phenotypic biodiversity of indigenous halotolerant bacteria associated with traditional macedonian beaten sheep cheese from the Shar Mountain ecosystem — Igor Pavlovski
09:30–09:45: Influence of plant species and ecological factors on the diversity of endophytic and epiphytic bacteria associated with medicinal plants in North Macedonia — Mihail Zhupan
09:45–10:00: Floristic monitoring of the population of Ramonda nathaliae Pančić & Petrović (Gesneriaceae) in the Zhelina Region — Sheval Memishi
10:00–10:15: Red books of flora of Serbia 1 (1999, 2026): changes, challenges and experiences — Gordana Tomović
10:15–10:30: Diversity, host associations, and ecological preferences of the genus Tuber in Turkey — Hasan Hüseyin Doğan
10:30–10:45: Phylogeny and phylogeography of Tuber brumale based on new molecular data from North Macedonia — Slavica Tofilovska
10:45–11:00: Diversity and distribution of macromycetes in the riparian vegetation of Lake Prespa, North Macedonia — Mitko Karadelev

Parallel session II: Hydrobiology, water management, and monitoring (HALL 2)

09:00–09:15: Implications for monitoring design of high-mountain mires in North Macedonia based on ecohydrological differentiation — Marija Chobanova
09:15–09:30: Impact of urban area and tributaries on the ecological status of the Vardar River in Skopje Region — Sheriban Ramani
09:30–09:45: Assessment of leachate quality and treatment feasibility at Drisla landfill, Skopje: A Multi-parameter approach — Mila Nikoloska
09:45–10:00: Dragonfly and damselfly assemblages along the river Bregalnica: responses to longitudinal habitat variation and hydromorphological disturbance — Despina Kitanova
10:00–10:15: Remote sensing-based assessment of lake surface and phytoplankton dynamics in transboundary Lake Prespa — Ivica Milevski

Parallel session II: Ecosystem services and management of natural resources (HALL 2)

10:15–10:45: Beyond Assessment: Translating Ecosystem Services into Real-World Decisions and Transformative Action — Panayotis Dimopoulos
10:45–11:00: Integrated assessment of ecosystem services in mountain and grassland ecosystems to support sustainable landscape management in North Macedonia — Katerina Atanasovska

11:00–11:30 Coffee break

11:30–12:30 Poster session I

12:30–13:30 Parallel Sessions (Hall 1: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology; Hall 2: Ecosystem Services and Management of Natural Resources)

Parallel session I: Biodiversity and conservation biology (Hall 1)

12:30–12:45: Composition, diversity and relationships of elements of the subterranean fauna of terrestrial isopods (Crustacea: Isopoda: Oniscidea) from North Macedonia — Ivo Karaman
12:45–13:00: Fifteen years later – a brief review of the distribution of recently established invasive alien true bugs in Bulgaria — Nikolay Simov
13:00–13:15: Scuttle fly (Diptera: Phoridae) communities on Vitosha Mountain (Bulgaria): Structure and dynamics in different habitats — Mario Langourov
13:15–13:30: Unraveling the identity of Bulgarian Osmoderma (Coleoptera: Cetoniidae): Species delimitation using museomics and DNA barcoding — Rumyana Kostova

Parallel session II: Ecosystem Services and Management of Natural Resources (Hall 2)

12:30–12:45: From local knowledge to conservation planning: Community mapping on Mountain Jablanica, North Macedonia — Igor Eftimovski
12:45–13:00: Physiological and biotechnological characterization of acetic acid bacteria isolated from wild medlar fruits in Shar Mountain National Park — Ana Nikolovska
13:00–13:15: Mapping fire risk zones in the Special Nature Reserve “Suva planina“ and their impact on tourism — Mihailo Mitić

13:30–15:00 Lunch break

15:00–16:00 Parallel Sessions (Hall 1: Biodiversity and Conservation Biology; Hall 2: Ecological Education)

Parallel session I: Biodiversity and conservation biology (Hall 1)

15:00–15:15: New taxonomic and molecular data on the terrestrial gastropods of Vietnam obtained during Bulgarian expeditions in 2018, 2023 and 2025 — Ivaylo Dedov
15:15–15:30: Cryptic pollinators? Assessing plant-visitation patterns of Polistes dominula and Vespula germanica across contrasting European climatic zones using open-access biodiversity data — Kiril Arsovski
15:30–15:45: Microplastic pollution in Serbian freshwater ecosystems: FTIR-Based analysis of Rana temporaria tadpoles — Rastko Ajtić
15:45–16:00: Amphibian and reptile real estate: Habitat associations and spatial patterns in North Macedonia — Bogoljub Sterijovski

Parallel session II: Ecological education (Hall 2)

15:00–15:30: Systemic integration of environmental and climate change education — Bore Pucoski
15:30–15:45: Biodiversity monitoring and local ecological knowledge as tools for climate change adaptation in semi-arid ecosystems: Evidence from Karamoja, Uganda — Ismael Ocen
15:45–16:00: Communication as a governance mechanism in conservation project delivery: A qualitative study of selected IUCN-supported projects in Albania and North Macedonia — Iris Klosi

16:00–18:00: Educational programme for children (Hall 2)

16:00–17:00 Poster session II with coffee break

17:00–19:15 Biodiversity and Conservation Biology (Hall 1)

17:00–17:15: Overview of twenty years of herepetological research on Golem Grad Island — Ljiljana Tomović
17:15–17:30: The White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) population in Macedonia – results from the 2024 national census — Slave Nakev
17:30–17:45: On the road to recovery: How an Egyptian Vulture reinforcement programme is successfully supplementing the Balkan breeding population — Victoria Saravia-Mullin
17:45–18:00: Long-term breeding population trends of six herons, pygmy cormorant, spoonbill and glossy ibis in lakes Prespa: 1968-2025 — Giorgos Catsadorakis
18:00–18:15: GPS tracking reveals that nocturnal feeding is common in Dalmatian pelicans Pelecanus crispus: first results — Olga Alexandrou
18:15–18:30: How effectively can a common habitat suitability modelling framework identify suitable habitat for forest bird species that differ in ecology, rarity and quantity/quality of available occurrence data? — Metodija Velevski
18:30–18:45: Wintering Waterbird Monitoring on Lake Ohrid – Macedonian part in the period 2010-2017: Abundance, Community Composition and Conservation Implications — Danka Uzunova
18:45–19:00: ptici.mk: a citizen-science bird recording platform for North Macedonia, with sampling-event and occurrence datasets for GBIF — Aleksej Anovski
19:00–19:15: Towards a national atlas, population estimates and conservation priorities for birds of North Macedonia — Metodija Velevski

POSTER SESSION I — 11:30–12:30 (16th October, Friday)

Air, water, and soil pollution

Chromium-tolerant bacteria from Jugohrom: Comparative Cr(III)/Cr(VI) assessment — Sofija Kostandinovska
Heavy metal accumulation in tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) Infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes A4: Implications for phytoremediation of contaminated soils — Angela Nedelkovska
Regulation of zinc content in Glomeris hexasticha Brandt, 1833 (Myriapoda, Diplopoda, Glomerida) through fecal excretion after consumption of zinc oxide treated leaf litter — Jelena Milovanović
Validation of a modified Egner–Riehm–Domingo (AL) method for determination of plant-available phosphorus in soil — Aleksandar Piperevski
Environmental assessment of macro- and potentially toxic elements in agricultural soils of the Bitola region — Bojana Dimovska Gonovska
Heavy metals in the Vardar River: Influence of Skopje and its tributaries — Sheriban Ramani
Low-cost passive approaches for monitoring organic air pollutants in Skopje: personal PDMS samplers and pine needles — Aleksandra Gjerasimovska, Veronika Gijovska
Screening of volatile and semi-volatile organic contaminants in Macedonian surface waters: Occurrence, spatial profiles, and ecological risk assessment — Ivona Sofronievska
Menthol-based deep eutectic solvent as a greener extraction medium for organochlorine pesticides from human hair — Sandra Shterjova

Hydrobiology, water management, and monitoring

Characterising inflows to Prespa Lake using hydrochemical and isotopic tracers — Daniela Zaec
Integrated monitoring of the ecological condition of the Belica River — Edita Zekjirovikj
Anthropogenic influence on the water quality of Lake Ohrid — Lence Lokoska
Assessment of Anthropogenic Impacts on Water Quality in the Littoral Zones of Lakes Ohrid and Prespa — Elizabeta Veljanoska Sarafiloska
Hepatic lesions in black barbel (Barbus balcanicus) as indicators of anthropogenic pollution in the Lepenec River — Filip Petrovski
Nuclear abnormalities as bioindicators to assess the effects of pollution in Barbus balcanicus from Lepenec River — Marija Jakimovska
Distribution and current status of the freshwater shrimp Atyaephyra thyamisensis (Decapoda: Atyidae) in Lake Prespa: New findings — Sandra Slaveska
Ecological and reproductive characteristics of Cobitis vardarensis Karaman, 1928 from Lake Dojran — Marija Jakimovska
Melanoides tuberculata (O. F. Müller, 1774) in Serbia and the Balkans: Distribution, ecological preferences and potential risk to spring ecosystems — Miloš Bukatarević
Reproductive health and intersex occurrence in black barbell population of the Lepenec River — Filip Petrovski
Cyanobacterial community of Sava Lake during a two-year period — Nataša Jovanović
Diatom community structure and increasing trophic values in the limnocrene spring Zelenci — Anastasija Videska
From diatom data in the Sava River Basin of Bosnia and Herzegovina to biological metrics: The Oskova River as a case study of municipal and mining-related pressures — Jasmina Kamberović
Functional organization of phytoplankton communities in three Serbian lowland rivers: insights from long-term monitoring — Nataša Jovanović
Pelagic Rotifera in Lakes Ohrid and Prespa: Seasonal shifts and vertical patterns during 2025–2026 — Orhideja Tasevska

Biodiversity and conservation biology

Bat buccal cell nuclear abnormalities as non-invasive biomarkers for ecotoxicological assessment — Sara Arsenijević
Bat species activity in Serbian agricultural landscapes: the role of proximity to protected areas and linear elements — Ana Graovac
Conservation importance of caves in the Uvac Special Nature Reserve as bat hibernation sites — Marija Jovanović
Data on mammal species presence in the Demir Kapija area and surroundings, North Macedonia — Elena Tsingarska
Preliminary investigation of the endoparasite fauna in the Balkan Lynx (Lynx lynx balcanicus) — Aleksandar Pavlov
Seasonal patterns in population structure and body condition of Miniopterus schreibersii in Bogovina Cave, Serbia — Sara Arsenijević
The Macedonian Pepper – historical pathways, regional traditions, and conservation of local diversity — Sonja Ivanovska
Microbial biodiversity of spontaneously fermented corn silage from three agricultural regions of North Macedonia — Vase Kolaroska
Discovery of Epipactis exilis P. Delforge (Orchidaceae) in Southeastern Serbia: New distribution records and habitat characteristics — Boris Radak
Ecological differentiation and evolutionary relationships of two recently described Balkan endemic species, Euphorbia balcanica and Euphorbia skopjensis — Angela Sharović Ivanova
Floristic assessment and conservation value of Belchishko Blato (North Macedonia) — Cvetanka Stojchevska
Floristic studies of the Malesija region and the Black Drim River valley (Republic of North Macedonia) — Angelina Stojkoska
From historical records to current populations: distribution and conservation assessment of Sternbergia colchiciflora Waldst. & Kit. (Amaryllidaceae) in Serbia — Bojana Bokić
Undiscovered gems of the Pešter Plateau — Melisa Curić

Ecosystem services and management of natural resources

Stakeholder perceptions of ecosystem services and management priorities in Shar Planina — Katerina Atanasovska
Using DNA metabarcoding to assess mowing impacts on grassland arthropod communities — Sara Strah

Ecological education

From Classroom to Nature: The Experiential Learning Network as a Model for Advancing Science Education in North Macedonia — Elena Minova Atanasova

POSTER SESSION II — 16:00–17:00 (16th October, Friday)

Biodiversity and conservation biology

New chorological data on the northward spreading of xero-thermophilous plants in Serbia — Branko Jotić
Orchid diversity in Miločer park (Montenegro): floristic and conservation significance of a historic park — Boris Radak
Phorophyte type outweighs bark and tree characteristics in structuring epiphytic bryophyte diversity — Miloš Ilić
Polyphenolic and biogenic volatile organic compound profiles of endemic metallophyte plants from the Allchar mining area — Marinela Cvetanoska
Preliminary data on the rock vegetation of Suva Planina Mt., Southeastern Serbia — Jovana Stojanović
Reynoutria × bohemica in Mavrovo, North Macedonia: an early warning of an emerging invasive plant — Renata Custerevska
Functional equivalence in peat-reduced and peat-free growing media — Gordana Popsimonova
Determination of the cytotoxic activities of Cordyceps militaris (L.) Link on a549 lung cancer, c6 glioma cancer, and du-145 prostate cancer cell lines — Gulcin Tevlim
Macromycetes as indicators of forest ecosystem functioning and bBiodiversity in the coniferous forests of the Shar Mountain — Hasime Jashari
New site of Lactarius omphaliformis, endangered species on the Red List of Fungi in North Macedonia — Slavica Tofilovska
Second finding: “Pogonoloma macrorhizum” for Turkish mycota — Hakan Alli
Advancing eDNA-Based approaches in Europe: Opportunities for ecological research, biodiversity assessment and biomonitoring through eDNAEurope and eDNA4Policy — Jasmina Kamberović
An overlooked Natura 2000 species: The conservation potential of Theodoxus transversalis (Gastropoda: Cycloneritida: Neritidae) for designation of special areas of conservation (SACs) in North Macedonia — Valentina Slavevska-Stamenković
Butterfly diversity of Belchishko Blato Wetland, North Macedonia — Marija Chobanova
Composition and distribution of Fulgoromorpha (Hemiptera) on the island of Crete: preliminary results — Radost Angelova
Discovery of three new subanophthalmous species of the rove beetle genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst from the Shar Planina and Jakupica Mountains in North Macedonia (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae, Paederinae) — Aleksej Anovski
Diversity and conservation significance of beetle assemblages (Coleoptera) along riparian ecosystems of the Vardar River and the tributaries (North Macedonia) — Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska
Habitat types of above timberline ecosystems in the high mountains of Central Greece as habitats for Orthoptera species — Ilias Blanis
Hidden in collections: updated diversity and distribution of sawflies revealed through digitisation of the Sofia University Zoological collection (Bulgaria) — Muhammed Yumer Mohammed
Initial assessment of terrestrial invertebrate communities in newly exposed littoral habitats of Lake Prespa (North Macedonia) — Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska
Integrated studies of alien Hemiptera in urban areas of Bulgaria: preliminary results on diversity, distribution and monitoring — Ilia Gjonov
Negative impact of the invasive species Callinectes sapidus on native species in Albanian lagoons — Bledar Pepa
Phylogenetic placement of caddisfly species (Insecta: Trichoptera) from Shar Planina Mountain (North Macedonia) using mitochondrial mtCOI gene marker — Jelena Hinić
Population ecology and conservation dynamics of saproxylic beetles on Jablanica Mountain, North Macedonia — Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska
Preliminary assessment of the effects of submerged light spectrum (LED vs. CFL) on nocturnal insect attraction and mortality — Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska
Saproxylic beetle diversity in high conservation value forests of Mavrovo National Park — Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska
Spatial patterns of Trichoptera diversity and assemblage structure in the Shar Planina mountain (North Macedonia) — Jelena Hinić
Stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera) of Shar Planina Mountain (Republic of North Macedonia): Rarity and endemism — Ajten Rushiti-Dauti
Terrestrial beetles as indicators of habitat complexity and conservation value of Monospitovo Marsh, North Macedonia — Aleksandra Cvetkovska-Gjorgjievska
The Macedonian endemic snail Horatia macedonica (Kuščer, 1937) (Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae): New insights into its distribution, morphology and taxonomy — Valentina Slavevska Stamenković
The populations of Microcondylaea bonellii (Férussac 1827), Unionidae in Northwest Albania are facing rapid decline — Spase Shumka
Patterns of survival: A Capture–Mark–Recapture study of the Balkan Crested Newt — Viktorija Bosheska
Population assessment and seasonal dynamics of the Macedonian crested newt (Triturus macedonicus) and the Yellow-bellied toad (Bombina variegata) on Galichica Mountain — Filip Krsteski
Population characteristics of Hermann’s and Spur-thighed tortoises (Testudo hermanni, Testudo graeca, Testudinidae: Testudines) in syntopy — Edi Frcovski
Variation in growth and size within and among four tortoise populations possibly reflects adaptation — Dragan Arsovski
Birds of Nidže Mountain: evidence for designation as a Special Protection Area — Metodija Velevski
Birds of the Lower Vardar area: conservation importance of North Macedonia’s largest lowland riverine ecosystem — Metodija Velevski
Pelagonia: an exceptional farmland bird and raptor stronghold threatened by rapid changes in agricultural landscape — Metodija Velevski
Regional Avifauna Assessment Tool (RAAT): Integrating heterogeneous bird records into spatial, seasonal and conservation assessments — Metodija Velevski

Ecosystem services and management of natural resources

Inclusion of youth in the promotion, protection and sustainable use of native fruit varieties in Maleshevo — Jasminka Pashaliska Andonovska

Ecological education

A stewardship-based framework for science communication in socio-ecological systems — Kiril Arsovski