Eurasian eagle-owl Bubo bubo (Linnaeus, 1758) (Aves: Strigidae) in Eastern Serbia in the 21st century: Distribution, population size and density

The settlement of the territory of north-eastern Serbia by the representatives of the Co?ofeni culture began during the second half of the IV millennium, probably under the pressure of invading tribes from Euroasian steppe. This territory extended over Transylvania, Banat, Oltenia and Muntenia (Map 2). On the territory of Serbia they settled from the Djrerdap gorge up to the Mlava river to the west, and through Kucajske mountains, Bor, Zajecar and further to the south, up to Nis. Aspecific symbiosis occurred on the territory of Serbia between the Co?ofeni and the Kostolac cultures. According to the results of the latest project of re-identification, the number of Co?ofeni-Kostolac sites and settlements increased to 76. After all the sites were re-identified and georeferenced, with consideration of the surrounding landscape, hydrography, geomorphology of the terrain and the character of the ceramic production finds, we believe that there is a need for re-analyzing specific aspects of the cultural and geographic development not only of settlements, but of the entire Co?ofeni-Kostolac cultural phenomenon. In this paper we considered three archaeological sites in the Nisava valley, given that re-identification work over the past several years yielded new information (Bubanj-Staro Selo, Velika Humska cuka and Donja Vrezina). The topography of Co?ofeni-Kostolac settlements on the territory of north-eastern Serbia, the Serbian part of the Danube valley and its hinterland, is characterized by diversity of position (location above sea level and landscape placement), types of houses and economic survival. In the 70?s of the last century sites were identified that are located in very inaccessible terrain, which in particular cases has an slope incline of 45?, where the number of such settlements in the meantime increased to nine. They are represented by Kulmja Skjopuluji in Klokocevac and Pjatra Kosti in Crnajka (T. I/1-2; Map 1/9), followed by Vratna -Veliki most (T. I/ 7; Map 1/33), Bogovina-above a cave (T. I/ 4; Map 1/8), Jezero (T. I/ 3; Map 1/12), Kljanc (T. I/3; Map 1/11), Turija-Stenje (T. I/ 6; Map 1/22), Mokranjske stene-quarry (T. I/ 5; Map 1/39) and Bolvan (T. I/ 8; Map 1/66). These settlements have several other common elements, the most important being that each one of the elevated settlements is positioned on the rocky peak of a canyon, in places where smaller rivers or brooks flow into a larger river. We can suppose how the selection of such positions was of strategic importance, given that in the mountainous area of north-eastern Serbia the system of waterways and river valleys represents communicational links from prehistory to modern times. The second common characteristic of these settlements is the rocky massif which provided the foundation for their erection. The rock foundation in the majority of cases is of limestone origin and is well suited to artificial nivelation into terraces atop which surface structures could be built using wood covered with mud (Jezero, Kulmja Skjopuluji, Pjatra Kosti, Vratna, Bogovina). The third shared characteristic is that one or more caves are usually located in the immediate vicinity of settlements. An example of the symbiosis of cave and hill fort Co?ofeni-Kostolac settlements is the vicinity of the Zavojsko jezero near Majdanpek. So far two hill fort settlements, Jezero and Kljanc (T. I/3; Map 1/11-12), were identified in this area, built on limestone cliffs above the Mali Pek river. The Rajkova cave (Map 1/14), Paskova cave and Kapetanova cave (Map 1/13) are located in their immediate vicinity, in which the remains of anthropogenic activity were discovered. The Kapetanova cave provides stratigraphy of over 3 m high, which represents a rare case for Co?ofeni-Kostolac cultural sites. This fact does not only indicate its long-term use, but could provide the answer to the genesis and duration of this cultural phenomenon on the territory of the Serbian part of the Djerdap hinterland. The fourth shared characteristic which links these settlements is their dominant position in the landscape. Given that their position and appearance are readily visible from a considerable distance, they probably were not used for hiding, but for making their position prominent. We suppose that pastoral communities emphasized in this manner their control of mountain crosspass and roads, particularly in places where rivers exit narrow canyons in important communications paths to the Crni and Beli Timok, Pek and Danuber rivers. The other Co?ofeni-Kostolac type settlement on the territory of north-eastern Serbia is represented by settlements that are positioned on smaller hills or on gentle slopes that on the average range between 336 and 210 m above sea level. The only fortified hill fort settlement discovered so far, Coka lu Balas near Krivelj (Map 1/3) belongs to this group. The archaeological sites Velika Cuka i Neresnica (Map 1/23), Smiljkova glavica in Stubik (Map 1/31) and Cetace in Kovilovo (Map 1/38) are located on wide and flat, elevated plateaus that dominate up on river valleys. Judging by the considerable surface that they occupy, their position and surroundings for these two settlements, we can suppose that they could have been used for wintering places or points for gathering of flocks and shepherds during pauses between seasonal migrations. They are primarily characterized by the natural surroundings of smaller hills and larger river valleys, as well as the relatively low above sea level elevation on which they are located. Such ?seasonal stations or checkpoints? on which larger groups of shepherds could gather with their flocks during the winter months represented important locations in the lives of pastoral communities. During the warm summer period, homesteads with stable architecture are abandoned because of migrations into mountain areas, where favourable grazing areas area located. Certain groups of shepherds during autumn returned to these settlements en route to lowlands and river terraces, while other groups probably continued their journey to gathering centres in valleys near the Danube and the Timok rivers. The next type of settlement belongs to high, multi-layered settlements (Arija baba-Kosobrdo, Coka Kormaros, Field of Z. Brzanovic, Varzari and Smedovac-Grabar-Svracar) which represent sunbathed dominant positions, with a good view of the surrounding area, well suited to long-term occupation. Settlements on high elevations of this type are usually linked with landscapes that predominate in grazing areas and in which there are no large forests. The last type of Co?ofeni-Kostolac settlement is characteristic of lowland settlements positioned on river terraces. The settlements on the right bank of the Danube, around Kljuc (Kladovo- Brodoimpeks, Mala Vrbica, Zbradila-Fund, Korbovo- Obala, Vajuga-Pesak, Jakomirski potok estuary, Velesnica, Ljubic evac-river bank, Ljubicevac-Island, Brzi prun, Slatinska reka estuary, Knjepiste, Ruzenjka, Kusjak-Bordjej, Kusjak-Motel, Kusjak-Vrkalj), represented points at which shepherd?s flocks could remain for longer periods, waiting for favourable conditions for crossing to the other side of the river. This assumption is based on old maps predating the construction of the accumulation lake. These maps indicate that in the immediate vicinity of these settlements were located small sand islands linked to the river bank, pointing to shallows and crossing points. These sections of the river bank, during prolonged droughts or during cold winters, when ice was formed, could have been places where the river was crossed from one side to the other. Residential architecture cannot be precisely defined, given that the discovered remains of houses are very meagre and lack sufficient elements for reconstruction. The most recent excavations on the Bubanj-Staro Selo settlemant at Nis, indicate an identical type of architectural construction as discovered at Gomolava and Bordjej which represents structures that are characteristic for lowland areas. Houses in hill fort settlements built on artificial terraces have been mostly devastated by erosion, so that judging by the impressions of wooden structures and wattle and daub, as well as the remains of hearths, it can be asserted that these were residential structures. Numerous studies so far noted that based on the stylistic and typological characteristics of ceramics on archaeological sites in Timocka Krajina it is possible to distinguish between two phases of the Co?ofeni group, where the first is dominated by ornamental techniques of carving that are characteristic of the Co?ofeni group, and a later phase in which this style is mixed with the furchenstich, as well as other Kostolac cultural elements (furchenstich, certain types of ceramics, etc.). The fact is that the majority of Co?ofeni-Kostolac group sites in eastern Serbia have not been excavated, or have only been partially excavated, and that no vertical stratigraphy had been observed, where no stratigraphic relationship between stylistic-topological characteristics of older ceramics (Co?ofeni) and the more recent phase (Co?ofeni-Kostolac) have been established. These are mostly settlements in which ceramics were observed with elements both of the Kostolac and the Co?ofeni group, or only with elements of the Co?ofeni group, while settlements with only Kostolac ceramics have not been identified. Therefore, in Serbia it is only possible to distinguish between sites where furchenstich ornamentation has been observed and those where this type of ornamentation sti

The rehabilitation and release of injured or ill raptors and owls is widespread. The overall aim of this intervention is the successful reintroduction of the bird into the wild population. Though many injuries are treatable, it is thought that vision-impaired birds have no change of survival and their release is refused. Here we report a case study and give a description of the rehabilitation and subsequent release of an injured Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo). The bird was found with an injured eye and a paralysed wing in the district of Soest, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. While the paralysis healed, the bird stayed blind in one eye. Nevertheless it was released with a radio-transmitter. The female Eagle Owl could be followed by radio-telemetry for more than half a year after release, by visual and acoustic skills for a full year after release. Although the female was only two years old, it paired successful with a partner, and raised a brood with three offspring. No differences in the behaviour compared to non-handicapped birds could be detected. This one-eyed Eagle Owl demonstrates not only survival, but also successful reproduction following reintegration into the wild population. However, low intraspecific competition in the area might have contributed to the reproductive success of the owl.

This study investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of aridity indices to determine climatic conditions in regions of southern and eastern Serbia in the period 1961-2022. We used the mean monthly and annual air temperature and precipitation data obtained from nine meteorological stations in the study area. Three indices were used to quantify aridity: the de Martonne aridity index, the Emberger index and the Pinna combinative index. Calculations are carried out on an annual scale for all the indices mentioned. The results show large territorial differences in the de Martonne aridity index, which distinguishes between two climate types on an annual basis. The Emberger index is characterized by humid climate types for all meteorological stations in the area. The Pinna combinative index also indicates humid conditions in the entire area, although the annual values of the index vary considerably. There was no change in the trend of aridity in the study area during the period of investigation. The spatial distribution was determined via the inverse distance weighting interpolated method. The Mann-Kendall test indicated that the aridity trends at all the meteorological stations were not statistically significant.

Connectivity assessments typically rely on resistance surfaces derived from habitat models, assuming that higher-quality habitat facilitates movement. This assumption remains largely untested though, and it is unlikely that the same environmental factors determine both animal movements and habitat selection, potentially biasing connectivity assessments. We evaluated how much connectivity assessments differ when based on resistance surfaces from habitat versus movement models. In addition, we tested how sensitive connectivity assessments are with respect to the parameterization of the movement models. We parameterized maximum entropy models to predict habitat suitability, and step selection functions to derive movement models for brown bear (Ursus arctos) in the northeastern Carpathians. We compared spatial patterns and distributions of resistance values derived from those models, and locations and characteristics of potential movement corridors. Brown bears preferred areas with high forest cover, close to forest edges, high topographic complexity, and with low human pressure in both habitat and movement models. However, resistance surfaces derived from the habitat models based on predictors measured at broad and medium scales tended to underestimate connectivity, as they predicted substantially higher resistance values for most of the study area, including corridors. Our findings highlighted that connectivity assessments should be based on movement information if available, rather than generic habitat models. However, the parameterization of movement models is important, because the type of movement events considered, and the sampling method of environmental covariates can greatly affect connectivity assessments, and hence the predicted corridors.

Despite considerable natural resources and a favourable geographical location, all indicators of population trends show declining tendencies, which were indicated much earlier than they were recognized as a demographic problem. The aim of the article is to explore the dynamics and intensity of population change in Eastern Serbia, but without analytical approaches to the components of population dynamics. The chosen temporal and spatial coverage of the research is in accordance with the methodological approach, which provides for the application of the comparative-statistical method to as many spatial units as possible, in order to determine the spatial dispersion of the indicators of population growth. The data sources in this research are censuses, and the presented indicators of population growth were derived according to the methodology of demographic research. The obtained results show a weak increase in the population of Eastern Serbia from 1948 to 1961, since then the values of the growth indicators stagnate for a short time and then decrease continuously. In the whole observation period from 1948-2011, the growth index shows a 21% decrease in the population of Eastern Serbia. The average annual growth rates of the population in Eastern Serbia were lower than the average annual growth rates of the total population of Central Serbia in all intermediate census periods until 2011, and this difference is even more pronounced if the City of Nis is excluded from the total population of Eastern Serbia. Although the dynamics of population growth in Eastern Serbia in the period 1948-2011 is characterized by linearity (either in the form of increase or decrease), it is striking that not all parts of the country participate equally. Only 4 municipalities and the City of Nis recorded an increase in population, while in the other 20 municipalities the population decreased. In 10 municipalities depopulation was already recorded in 1953-1961.

This article offers an ethnographic exploration of the Vlachs in the Branicevo region of Serbia. The Vlachs rarely exist anywhere as a distinct ethnic group due to their permanent assimilation with other ethnic groups. The thing that has always been linked to the folklore of the Vlachs and still attracts a large number of people to come and visit some remote parts of Eastern Serbia is definitely a certain mystery which represents the essential part of the culture of this nation. Instances of Vlach magic can be seen in the Timok area, all over Eastern Serbia and across its borders. Vlach magic is a miracle or is miraculous, when looking at how long it has been present, its unique rituals, beliefs, shamans and spells. Vlach culture intertwined with pagan customs and interesting rituals, makes the municipalities in Eastern Serbia mysterious places in modern 21st century Europe, because the Vlachs are a mostly closed (endogamous) population which do not blend with people of other nationalities.

A pool of data already existing about D-loop, i.e., the Control Region (CR) haplotypes of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) of brown trout, Salmo trutta Linnaeus, 1758, tentative Adriatic trout Salmo farioides Karaman, 1938, and tentative Macedonian trout, Salmo macedonicus (Karaman, 1924), and their reconstructed phylogeography makes a good starting point for resolving their evolutionary history. That includes the dating of particular events in it. The events have hitherto been dated using the method of a molecular clock. Various calibrations were applied for the mutation rate, owing to the incongruence between the time of divergence that various authors notified and general knowledge about events in geological history and the periods in which they occurred in the Mediterranean region. Since geological history events were mandatory for setting the scene for the evolutionary history of brown trout, the incongruence between them has questioned the molecular clock calibration’s validity. From results about both the phylogeography and phylogenetic relations between native haplotypes (both partial and whole CR sequences) and the population genetics that characterized particular populations, we calculated the time of divergence between haplotypes in the regions of the western part of the Balkans: Iron Gate broader area in eastern Serbia, continental Montenegro and south-eastern Serbia. The distinct status of adjacent populations was verified by frequencies of microsatellites’ alleles and the STRUCTURE analysis that examined the significance of differences between them. In particular, we examined the populations that were clearly separated either by physical barriers, such as a waterfall in eastern Serbia (e.g., the upper and lower River Rečka supplemented by nearby rivers Vratna and Zamna), or by underground drops in Montenegro (e.g., upper and lower River Zeta, and rivers Nožica and lower River Mrtvica as isolated counterparts). We used the so far most common substitution rate of 1% in a million years’ (MY) period. The divergence times we obtained were compared to the events known for the region from available geological history data. There was a fairly good congruence between the dating obtained by the molecular clock method and that by geological history where the advanced, i.e., modern haplotypes, were concerned. In contrast, the congruence was worse for dating of divergence when more ancient haplotypes were in question, being much better if the mutational rate would be decreased to lower rates. That supported results both from the Rate Correlation Test about the independence of evolutionary rates in different lineages of brown trout, and from the Molecular Clock Test, which revealed that the evolutionary rate throughout the phylogenetic tree is not equal. That implies a difference in the speed of evolution in them, which was likely slower and faster, in the ancient, pre-Pleistocene haplotypes and the advanced, Pleistocene ones, respectively. The setting of the variable, or non-linear (i.e., logarithmic) speed of evolving seems helpful, since the early cladogenesis with the dominance of mutations was most likely combined afterwards with the acting of other evolutionary mechanisms, especially of genetic drift in populations that passed through the bottleneck episodes of the abrupt decrease in population size during the unfavourable periods of their evolutionary history.

The paper considers a melodic type which has been recognized in three regions in Serbia: as a melodic pattern for two spring songs in the region of Crnorecje (Eastern Serbia); in a strizbajska, a sluzbarska and in several wedding songs in the region of Presevo and Bujanovac (Southern Serbia); and in the old town of Prizren (Metohija region) where the same melodic type has been recorded as the first part of numerous wedding songs. These groups of variants are similar in the course of the melody, in their ritual function monophony and ceremonial character. They differ on the level of form, meter ornamentation and, partly, of metric organization (number of syllables) of the verse. The similarity of these melodies might be explained by the metanastic streams from the southern areas to the north. Migrations were permanent throughout the time of Turkish occupation (from the 15th century onwards). One of the oldest streams, which also led to the region of Crnorecje, had been formed in the regions of Kosovo and Metohija. The inhabitants from this region migrated both to the North - to different parts of North and East Serbia - and to the East - to the region of Presevo and Bujanovac. Also, the region of Presevo, together with two smaller river valleys (South Morava and Moravica), is considered to be a middle region between the two big river valleys of Morava and Vardar, significant as directions of migrations towards the North. It may be concluded that this melodic type was brought to the North by migrations as an important and still vital element of the old Southern Serbian ritual tradition. On the other hand, there is another group of variants within this melodic type diffused in other parts of Serbia, with the function of entertainment and in the physiognomy of the songs na bas - of newer rural Serbian vocal style. The trace of these variants should be investigated in the future.

Pleistocene fluvial deposits have a significant distribution in Serbia, especially in the riparian area of the Danube and Sava in the southern part of the Pannonian basin. In this region these sediments are almost universally overlain by younger Pleistocene or Holocene deposits, and their thickness varies from 10 to 40 meters. Deposits of similar characteristics, that could be correlated to the synchronous ones in southern Srem, form high terraces of the Danube valley system. Morphologically, these terraces are of erosional-accumulation character. Some pre-Quaternary deposits of different composition and age are situated beneath the Pleistocene fluvial deposits. Significant height differences among these deposits in the part of southern Srem connected to the high terraces of the Danube are the consequence of differential tectonic movements which were expressed in subsidence of the Panonnian basin, and in stagnation or uplifting in the river valleys.

SummaryThe Eurasian Griffon Vulture Gyps fulvus is a large Palearctic, Indohimalayan and Afrotropical Old-World vulture. The species’ range is vast, encompassing territories from the Pyrenees to the Himalayas. We reviewed and analysed a long-term data set for Griffon Vulture in the Balkans to estimate the change in its population size and range between 1980 and 2019. After a large historical decline, the Griffon Vulture population slightly increased in the last 39 years (λ = 1.02) and reached 445–565 pairs in 2019. We recorded a gradual increase of Griffon Vulture subpopulations in Serbia (λ = 1.08 ± 0.003), Bulgaria (λ = 1.08 ± 0.003) and Croatia (λ = 1.05 ± 0.005) and steep to a moderate decline of the species subpopulations in Greece (λ = 0.88 ± 0.005) and North Macedonia (λ = 0.94 ± 0.01). However, species range contracted to half of its former range in the same period. It occurred in 42 UTM squares in the 1980–1990 period and only 20 UTM squares between 2011 and 2019 and concentrated into three source subpopulations in Bulgaria, Serbia, and Croatia. Following reintroductions of the Griffon Vulture in Bulgaria, new colonies were formed at three novel localities after 2010. Regular movements of individuals between the different subpopulations exist nowadays. Therefore, preservation of both current and former core areas used for breeding and roosting is essential for species conservation in the region. However, the Griffon Vulture still faces severe threats and risk of local extinction. Various hazards such as poisoning, collision with energy infrastructure, disturbance and habitat alteration are depleting the status of the Balkan population and its full recovery. Further studies should analyse age-specific survival and mortality, recruitment, genetic relatedness, spatial use to inform the viability of this population in the future.

BackgroundBirds are major hosts for many tick species (Acari: Ixodidae, Argasidae), and their role is especially important in transporting ticks over large distances along their seasonal migratory routes. Accordingly, most studies across Europe focus on the importance of avian hosts in tick dispersal, and less emphasis is laid on resident birds and their role in supporting tick life cycles. Eurasian eagle owls (Bubo bubo) exemplify the latter, but all the few studies on their tick infestation were carried out in Western Europe and even those did not involve a large sample size and did not assess infestation prevalence in natural habitats.MethodsIn this study, 320 ixodid ticks were collected from nestlings of Eurasian eagle owls during the period 2018–2020 in Bulgaria in south-eastern Europe. These ticks were analysed morphologically, and selected specimens molecularly based on cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene. The effects of environmental and habitat-related conditions and of the species of prey eaten by eagle owls on tick infestation were also evaluated.ResultsThe majority of ticks were identified as adults of Rhipicephalus turanicus (n = 296). In addition, 15 Hyalomma marginatum (three males, 11 nymphs and a larva), one female of Haemaphysalis erinacei and of Ha. punctata, and a nymph of Ixodes ricinus were found. Among R. turanicus, two distinct morphotypes were observed, but they do not form a monophyletic clade in the phylogenetic tree based on the mitochondrial gene cox1. We found a positive correlation between the total number of ticks on nestlings from a particular nest and the number of medium-sized to large prey mammals brought to the nestling owls. Also, the most important predictor for tick abundance was the effect of the extent of arable land (negative), while forests and grasslands contributed less, with no effect observed in case of urbanized areas and watercourses.ConclusionsThe intensity of tick infestation can be high on nestling Eurasian eagle owls (mean intensity 16.59 ticks/nestling). In this study, five different tick species were recorded, among which R. turanicus dominated. Two male morphotypes of this tick species were found, but their morphological differences were not reflected by genetic diversity or phylogenetic clustering. The most important factor determining tick abundance was the land-use structure.Graphical

The article explores lexical and ritual-magical parallels from two ritual spheres - native and funeral-commemorative - on the basis of field material collected by the authors in two different archaic regions: Slavic and Romanesque. Important fragments from both spheres of ritual, accompanying the beginning and end of a person's life, are considered on the basis of information gleaned from the Russian Old Believers in Romania (Dobruja) and the Vlachs (Romanians) in eastern Serbia (the vicinity of Zajecar). Lexical, etymological, phraseological and paremiological data are involved to confirm the position on the correlation in the traditional folk consciousness of the moments of birth and death of a person. When analyzing the Russian tradition in Romania and the Vlach tradition in Eastern Serbia, the authors also turn to a wider cultural and linguistic background, drawing on material from various Slavic languages (Serbian, Bulgarian, Slovak, etc.), Romanian and, more broadly, Indo-European.

The changes and oscillations in air temperature during the second half of the 20th and in the early 21st century, have become one of the major concerns of almost all scientific disciplines. Such changes are noticeable both at the local and global level. The objective of this paper is to point out that the changes of this climate element can also be detected at the local level. The research underlying this paper is, in terms of territory, limited to the Sokobanja basin in Eastern Serbia. The analysis relies on the data on air temperature for the period 1946-2012 taken from the Meteorological weather station located in Sokobanja. The obtained data were processed in line with the recommendations of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The evidenced statistically significant changes in air temperature were examined using the following statistical tests: Pettit test, Standard Normal Homogeneity test, Buishand range test, and von Neumann test.

Based on results obtained during 2000–2018 by field research, polls of colleagues, and OSINT analysis, features of distribution of the greater mole rat Spalax microphthalmus in the eastern forest steppe of Ukraine were considered. The studied part of the species’ range is unique and represents the northern range edge of the entire Spalacidae family and of European steppe faunal assemblages in general. In total, data on 146 record localities were amassed, including 13 localities in the fragmented and 133 in the continuous part of the range. The offshoots of the Central Russian Upland in the valley of the Psel river (east of Sumy Oblast) are the sites with the highest density of settlements, while the species’ type biotopes are steppe balka slopes. The abundance of the greater mole rat decreased from the east to the west, and its colonies are the most fragmented along the Dnipro River. The species occurs in steppe and meadow habitats of an area of at least 20–50 ha. Analysis of the current and former distribution of the greater mole rat revealed that the species range contracts from the west; earlier it was a common species in different regions of the Middle Dnipro Area (including Kyiv city), but the current range edge runs along the line connecting Buryn – Nedryhailiv – Lokhvytsia – Myrhorod – Hadiach – Zinkiv – Zaliznychne. Isolated settlements exist in adjacent territories, particularly in Ichnia Raion of Chernihiv Oblast, and Lubny, Khorol, and Kobeliaky Raions of Poltava Oblast. The study showed that the species’ range contracted by two times to 35,000 km2 for the last 100 years, which includes only 430,000 ha of suitable habitats (15% of the range), allowing the existence here of 86,000–215,000 individuals. In fact, the species remained only in habitats that have been minimally affected by arable farming and other forms of active agricultural use. Besides, the species shows a clear confinement to habitats located near human settlements such as untilled lands, pastures with moderate grazing, waste and neglected lands, which constitute a separate group of transformed and semi-natural habitats. Formally, this allows the greater mole rat to be considered as a synanthropic species, because its inhabited biotopes, beside the zone of offshoots of the Central Russian Upland, have remained only near villages and along roads. The species also has an important biocoenotic role due to its burrowing activity and as prey of predatory birds (e.g., of the long-legged buzzard and Eurasian eagle owl) and mammals. The feeding period of the offspring of these predators generally coincides with the aboveground activity of mole rats, which lasts during May–July with a peak in June. Aboveground activity is mainly related to the resettlement of mole rats to new sites and dispersal of the young, due to which they became victims of predators.

A rapid change in soil chemistry caused by long-term acidic deposition directly and indirectly disturbs natural habitats and ecosystem functions. The aim of this paper was to analyse long-term depositions of sulphur and nitrogen, their relationship with the soil’s chemical properties, and areas currently/potentially at risk of ecosystem degradation. Models recommended by the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) were applied. Critical Loads calculations were derived for acidification, eutrophication and biodiversity using the VSD model. Changes in plant diversity and soil properties of beech forests and highland grasslands were simulated using the VSD\(+\)PROPS model based on future air pollution and RCP 4.0 climate scenarios. The results showed areas and biological receptors with varying degrees of vulnerability and susceptibility to air pollutants, as well as identifying areas that are adversely affected by the long-term deposition of sulphur and nitrogen. Mountain forests and high mountain grasslands developed on shallow soils exhibit the highest levels of sensitivity to acidic pollutants and climate change in Eastern Serbia. To provide a background for interpreting the results of the comparative analysis on air pollution and climate change effects at regional level, process-based and spatial distribution modelling were used. Estimated critical loads on both a regional and local level indicate ecosystems’ sensitivity and potential risk of degradation, providing a good basis for planning emission reduction on a regional level and evolving adaptive management measures in situ.KeywordsSoil acidificationAir pollutionCritical loadsClimate changeBiodiversity