Areas Of Lithuania Research Articles

Molecular Detection and Analysis of Trypanosoma (Megatrypanum) spp. Diversity in Tabanidae (Diptera) Collected in Lithuania.

Trypanosomatids from the Tabanidae family have not been studied in Lithuania in any detail. In this study, a nested PCR amplifying the DNA fragment coding the SSU rRNA was used to determine the Trypanosoma spp. prevalence and diversity in the Tabanidae family collected in Lithuania in 2018-2019. In total, 101 Tabanidae individuals were investigated from six areas in Lithuania, and 14 different species were identified. The overall positivity of Trypanosoma spp. DNA in tabanids was 50.5% (51/101). Tabanus maculicornis was the most abundant species and yielded the highest prevalence of trypanosomatids (84.62%, 22/26), while Hybomitra nitidifrons showed a high prevalence as well, reaching 77.8% (14/18). In flies of some species (Hybomitra lapponica and Hybomitra lurida), Trypanosoma was detected for the first time. Nine different haplotypes were detected as being distributed in different tabanid species. Analysis showed that most sequences obtained during our study were identical or extremely close to two major T. theileri subclades: TthI and TthII. Our data analysis suggests the presence of different Trypanosoma genotypes in the same tabanid species, meaning that different lineages of Trypanosoma could be more related to the vertebrate host and not the fly species. This is the first study of trypanosomatid parasites in tabanids from Lithuania, and our results are valuable in providing data on the diversity of these parasites in different Tabanidae species.

Optimizing Vaccination Strategies against African Swine Fever Using Spatial Data from Wild Boars in Lithuania.

African swine fever (ASF) is one of the most severe suid diseases, impacting the pig industry and wild suid populations. Once an ASF vaccine is available, identifying a sufficient density of vaccination fields will be crucial to achieve eradication success. In 2020-2023, we live-trapped and monitored 27 wild boars in different areas of Lithuania, in which the wild boars were fed at artificial stations. We built a simulation study to estimate the probability of a successful ASF vaccination as a function of different eco-epidemiological factors. The average 32-day home range size across all individuals was 16.2 km2 (SD = 16.9). The wild boars made frequent visits of short durations to the feeding sites rather than long visits interposed by long periods of absence. A feeding site density of 0.5/km2 corresponded to an expected vaccination rate of only 20%. The vaccination probability increased to about 75% when the feeding site density was 1.0/km2. Our results suggest that at least one vaccination field/km2 should be used when planning an ASF vaccination campaign to ensure that everyone in the population has at least 5-10 vaccination sites available inside the home range. Similar studies should be conducted in the other ecological contexts in which ASF is present today or will be present in the future, with the objective being to estimate a context-specific relationship between wild boar movement patterns and an optimal vaccination strategy.

Soil Data Cube and Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Generating National-Scale Topsoil Thematic Maps: A Case Study in Lithuanian Croplands

There is a growing realization among policymakers that in order to pave the way for the development of evidence-based conservation recommendations for policy, it is essential to improve the capacity for soil-health monitoring by adopting multidimensional and integrated approaches. However, the existing ready-to-use maps are characterized mainly by a coarse spatial resolution (>200 m) and information that is not up to date, making their use insufficient for the EU’s policy requirements, such as the common agricultural policy. This work, by utilizing the Soil Data Cube, which is a self-hosted custom tool, provides yearly estimations of soil thematic maps (e.g., exposed soil, soil organic carbon, clay content) covering all the agricultural area in Lithuania. The pipeline exploits various Earth observation data such as a time series of Sentinel-2 satellite imagery (2018–2022), the LUCAS (Land Use/Cover Area Frame Statistical Survey) topsoil database, the European Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) and artificial intelligence (AI) architectures to improve the prediction accuracy as well as the spatial resolution (10 m), enabling discrimination at the parcel level. Five different prediction models were tested with the convolutional neural network (CNN) model to achieve the best accuracy for both targeted indicators (SOC and clay) related to the R2 metric (0.51 for SOC and 0.57 for clay). The model predictions supported by the prediction uncertainties based on the PIR formula (average PIR 0.48 for SOC and 0.61 for clay) provide valuable information on the model’s interpretation and stability. The model application and the final predictions of the soil indicators were carried out based on national bare-soil-reflectance composite layers, generated by employing a pixel-based composite approach to the overlaid annual bare-soil maps and by using a combination of a series of vegetation indices such as NDVI, NBR2, and SCL. The findings of this work provide new insights for the generation of soil thematic maps on a large scale, leading to more efficient and sustainable soil management, supporting policymakers and the agri-food private sector.

Mammal Roadkills in Lithuanian Urban Areas: A 15-Year Study.

We investigated roadkills in urban areas in Lithuania from 2007 to 2022, including two periods with COVID-19 restrictions on people's movement. We analyzed the proportions of wild and domestic animals in roadkill, annual trends, the predominant species involved, and monthly changes during the restrictions. Urban roads were characterized by a low species diversity of roadkilled mammals, with roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) dominating. Total numbers increased exponentially during the study period. The proportion of domestic animals, 12.2%, significantly exceeded that on non-urban roads in the country. The proportion of domestic animals decreased from over 40% in 2007-2009 to 3.7-5.4% in 2020-2022, while the proportion of wild mammals increased from 36.1-39.6% to 89.9-90.6%, respectively. During the periods of COVID-19 restrictions, the number of roadkills in urban areas was significantly higher than expected based on long-term trends. Compared to 2019, the number of roadkilled roe deer in 2020-2021 almost doubled from 700 to 1281-1325 individuals. These anthropause effects were, however, temporary. The imbalance between the roadkill number and transport intensity might require new mitigation strategies to sustain mammal populations in urban areas, at least through improving driver awareness on the issue.

The Impact of Economic Growth and Urbanisation on Environmental Degradation in the Baltic States: An Extended Kaya Identity

The main aim of this article is to empirically examine the impact of economic growth and urbanisation on environmental degradation, as well as the existence of the environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) in three Baltic States (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia) from 2000 to 2020. The main Kaya identity and the extended urban Kaya identity models are applied within the analysis. The multiple regression analysis made it possible to assess the influence of urbanisation and other factors on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the studied countries, as well as test the hypothesis of the inverted U-shaped EKC. The main finding reveals that GDP per capita growth has the largest and increasing effect on GHG emissions in all three countries. It was also found that changes in population in urban areas in Lithuania and Latvia reduced the amount of GHG until 2020, while in Estonia, the growing urban population greatly contributed to increasing GHG emissions. As a result, processes related to urbanisation have not yet had a significant impact on environmental quality in Lithuania and Latvia. Meanwhile, in Estonia, this is a significant factor that policymakers need to focus on when solving environmental pollution reduction problems. The hypothesis of the EKC was mostly supported when analysing GHG emissions in Lithuania and Estonia and using GDP per capita as an indicator for economic growth. On the other hand, it was found that the impact of the urbanisation rate on GHG emissions is not curved, yet there is some evidence that in Estonia, a growing urbanisation rate is related to diminishing GHG emissions, according to the multiple regression analysis. The results of the study showed that policymakers should consider economic growth and, especially in Estonia, urbanisation when solving problems related to environmental degradation.

Sustainable Waste Management for Clean and Safe Environments in the Recreation and Tourism Sector: A Case Study of Lithuania, Turkey and Morocco

Due to intensive tourism and increasing demand for recreational activities, people produce more waste. In this context, the aim of this research is to determine the opinions of experts working in tourism and recreation areas in Lithuania, Turkey and Morocco with respect to waste management problems. Interviews were held in Turkey, Lithuania and Morocco in order to determine the attitudes of experts about recreational activities with respect to a clean environment and sustainability. A semistructured interview form was used for interviews with forest operators and other experts. The sample group consisted of 24 experts from Turkey, Lithuania and Morocco. The prominent results of the interviews conducted in the three countries regarding waste and sustainable waste management can be listed as follows: intensive waste production caused by participants, inadequate legal regulation, insufficient recycling, damage to the environment and natural structures, inadequate control and inspections, lack of education and awareness activities, an insufficient number of personnel and insufficient infrastructure. Sustainable waste management strategies, such as reducing waste generation, improving waste collection and disposal methods, and promoting recycling and composting, can help to mitigate these negative impacts.

Modernist Heritage versus Contested Legacy: The Case of “Radio City”

The industrial legacy of the Soviet period in Lithuania has become an object of social tension. Even though the industrial heritage of the Soviet period is not directly related to the crimes of the occupying authorities, the conversion of industrial objects in the historical parts of cities or of buildings with symbolic significance is contentious among members of the public. For this reason, the conversion of industrial areas in Lithuania has become not only an economic challenge, but also a problem of adaptating to society’s needs, changing society’s attitude toward this type of heritage, and organically integrating that heritage into the city structure. The “Radio City” conversion project is being developed in the context of this social tension but has become an example of adaptation in harmony with the architectural heritage that occupies a dominant position on the block, which is located in one of the historically formed residential districts of Kaunas city.

The 20-Year Trends in Caries and Associated Determinants among Adults in Post-Soviet Lithuania: Repeated Cross-Sectional Studies

Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the 20-year trend in dental caries and associated determinants among adults in Lithuania after the country restored its independence. Material and Methods: Data from two cross-sectional national surveys included samples of 35–44-year-olds (adults) and 65–74-year-olds (early elderly). The 1997/1998 survey (first survey) recruited a stratified random sample of 569 individuals from 10 selected areas in Lithuania (response rate 52%), and the 2017/2019 survey (second survey) recruited a stratified random sample of 723 individuals from 5 biggest Lithuanian cities and one randomly selected peri-urban/rural area from each of 10 Lithuanian counties (response rate 53%). The information about the social (sex, residence, education) and behavioral (toothbrushing frequency, use of fluoridated toothpaste, and last dental visit) determinants was collected via self-reports using the World Health Organization (WHO) Oral Health Questionnaire for Adults questions. Information about the fluoride level in the drinking water was retrieved from the water suppliers. Dental caries was recorded at the surface level following the WHO criteria by two calibrated examiners, one at each of the national surveys. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used. Results: According to multivariable negative binomial regression analysis, in adults, 67% lower DS scores (IRR 0.33, 95% CI 0.26–0.42) and in early elderly 47% lower DS scores (IRR 0.53, 95% CI 0.38–0.74) were observed in the second survey. Adults in the second survey (vs. first survey) had 62% lower MT scores (IRR 0.38, 95% CI 0.32–0.46), and the early elderly had 19% lower MT scores (IRR 0.81, 95% CI 0.72–0.92). Adults in the second survey had 21% lower DMFT scores (IRR 0.79, 95% CI 0.73–0.85). The changes in behavioral determinants were observed over the 20-year period. Conclusion: An improvement in dental health during the 20-year period, mainly related to reduction in untreated caries and missing teeth, was observed in adults and early elderly. However, early elderly still had high numbers of missing teeth. The decrease in total caries experience during the 20 years was significant only in adults. Our findings support an urgent need to design and implement national oral health promotion and prevention programs with increased focus on oral self-care and fluoridated toothpaste use.

Lithuanian ethnologist Petras Kalnius - 75

Petras Kalnius participated in ethnographic expeditions in almost all districts of Lithuania, also in the Punsk-Seinai region in Poland. In the latter, as in many areas of Lithuania, he led expeditionary groups. From the beginning of his work at the institute, he was directed to urban ethnographic research.

THE FEATURES OF BUSINESS DIGITIZATION DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS IN SELECTED ECONOMIES

Digitization increases operations efficiency, innovative processes, value creation and delivery in business activity. Many developed countries use digital transformation as one of the strategies for improving their enterprises operations. Business digitization highly depends on country financial investments to network physical infrastructure, relevant skills, various regulations, use and adoption of technologies. However, there are still large differences in business digitization across countries. The aim of the study is to perform a comparative analysis of business digitization development indicators in Lithuania and Bulgaria. The aim was reached by performing a theoretical justification of the concept of business digitization and to identify the main conditions and development indicators of business digitization, and by conducting a comparative evaluation study of business digitization development indexes and indicators. The overview of literature of business digitalization was conducted and it was found that the difference between Industry 4.0 and Industry 3.0 is that the latter was based on the global transition of specimen data from analogue to digital signals, and the Industry 4.0 develops on Industry 3.0. Also, it was found that the development of business digitalization is closely related to the country's level of digitalization, which depends on several conditions, such as: digitalization-related government decisions, regulation, communication infrastructure and availability, skills, financial incentives, and the use of technology. The research was conducted by comparing five dimensions of Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI) 2022 that are: Connectivity, Digital skills, Use of Internet, Integration of Digital Technology, Digital Public Service, and three dimensions of ICT Development Index (IDI) 2017 that are: Access, Usage and Skills. The results of DESI 2022 and IDI 2017 showed that Lithuania in both indexes ranks higher than Bulgaria, and the weakest area in Lithuania is DESI 2022 dimension of Connectivity. Thus, more targeted investments for the development of 5G network development and accessibility is needed for better adoption and development of intelligent technologies that are the future of all businesses, and society.

Latviešu valodas tautas celtniecības leksika Baltijas jūras piekrastē Latvijā un Lietuvā: reālijas jumts un tā daļu nosaukumi

Until now, little attention has been paid to studies of the Latvian language vocabulary on a thematic aspect at the Baltic Sea coast once inhabited by Curonians (Reķēna 1975; Kurzemniece 2008; Bušmane, Kagaine 2003; Bušmane 2004). The present article, using the descriptive method, provides an insight into the names denominating the roof of a traditionally crafted building and its parts (roof, chimney, gable, ridge, windboard, animal-shaped roof-end decorations, and cross-stacked wooden planks on the roof ridge) in the vocabulary of the three Latvian language communities (the Latvians of Kurzeme, Latvians of Palanga or on the border with Lithuania, and Latvians of Curonian split or Kursenieki) in Latvia and Lithuania. The vocabulary analysed in the sources of this article shows, firstly, the impact of Germanic languages (mostly German) in the territory under research, and secondly, the impact of the Lithuanian language in the mainly Latvian-speaking communities at the Curonian Spit and border areas in Lithuania (West-East direction of contacts). Thirdly, it is not possible to demonstrate fully the diversity and prevalence of denominations of the roof and its parts in the territory under research due to the lack of purposefully collected linguistic material related to artisanal building traditions.

Kohalikud tavad ja pühaduse poliitika Trakai järvestiku piirkonnas

The lakeland of Trakai is a historically, culturally, and ecologically meaningful place in Lithuania, an important realm of memory and symbol of national identity. In 1991 the historical national park of Trakai was established, bringing under its umbrella material and intangible qualities of the cultural landscape and spirit of this place. This article approaches components of the genius loci of Trakai, interpreting this concept through the lenses of the politics of the protected areas in Lithuania, asserting it was closely intertwined with an idea of sacrum, based on the aim to represent regional specifics and ethnic identity of the Lithuanian nation. Based on long-term personal observations of how values and regulations of the historical national park of Trakai evolved and were introduced in the local context in practice, a critical approach is applied concerning the separation of the local community from their decision-making about the symbolic or physical usage of their surroundings. Multiethnicity with the significant Slavic cultural element of Trakai is discussed as one of the reasons explaining why folkways of the local inhabitants were not equally involved in the whole picture of place identity, leaving the human component of the genius loci aside. The analytical line of the article focuses on the contradiction between the peculiarities of the local culture and national ideas, while the empirical presentation of the theme is set forth through the presentation of the four dimensions of sacrum: historical, cultural, ecological, and human.

Development of Land Cover Naturalness in Lithuania on the Edge of the 21st Century: Trends and Driving Factors

Landscape naturalness is an important indicator for supporting sustainable development-driven policies and suggesting associated decisions in land management. This study used CORINE Land Cover data to estimate the changes in land cover naturalness in Lithuania since 1995. All the land cover types were ranked according to naturalness level, ranging from purely anthropogenic to natural landscapes. Spatial patterns of the increase or decline in landscape naturalness were investigated at the level of municipalities. Then, publicly available geographic data were mobilised to explain the reasons behind the trends observed. A minor increase in land cover naturalness in the whole area of Lithuania was observed; however, this increase was statistically insignificant. Nevertheless, statistically significant clusters with both increasing and decreasing levels of land cover naturalness were identified when moving to the level of municipalities. The trends in the development of landscape naturalness were associated with the specificity of agricultural and forestry activities in the municipalities. The suitability of lands for agriculture due to soil, terrain, current land use specifics, and related drivers, such as the availability of land reclamation installations and the intensity of land use, were the main drivers for the declining level of land cover naturalness, usually concentrated in northern and central Lithuania. The land cover naturalness did increase in less suitable areas for agriculture, i.e., in the more forested southeastern municipalities. The study emphasised the need for a systematic and spatially explicit monitoring of the land cover patterns and their changes as well as elaborated proposals for land management policies over the next decade, which were mostly in the line with current European Union and national strategies.

The Origin of Late Roman Period–Post-Migration Period Lithuanian Horses

In this paper, we present the 87Sr/86Sr data of 13 samples from horses from six Lithuanian burial sites dating from the 3rd to the 7th C AD. Alongside these data, we also publish the bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr data of 15 Lithuanian archaeological sites, based on 41 animals which enabled the construction of a reliable baseline for the Southeast Baltic area. The 87Sr/86Sr values partially confirmed the hypothesis that the unusually large horses found in Late Roman Period to Post-Migration Period burials are of non-local origin. Of the three non-local horses identified, two were among the largest specimens. However, the overlap of bioavailable 87Sr/86Sr data across different European regions does not permit us to establish whether the non-local horses originated from other areas in Lithuania or from more distant regions. With regards to the 87Sr/86Sr data, the place of origin of the non-local horses could be Southern Sweden. This encourages discussions on the possible directions of migration and compels us to rethink the current models that posit South and Central Europe as the main sources of migration. The results of the 87Sr/86Sr, δ13C, and δ15N analyses demonstrate that horses buried in the same cemetery had different mobility and feeding patterns. Differences could be due to the different function and sex of the horses as well as the lifestyle of their owners. The most sedentary horses were pregnant mares, while the extremely high δ15N of three horses may reflect additional fodder and probably a better diet.

Measuring Peripherality and Accessibility for Lithuanian Regional Policy

Regional policy is a very dynamic and broad concept. As we can see from Lithuanian regional policy, regions can be formed very flexibly, using different spatial areas (counties as well as municipalities). This is justified by the main purpose of regional policy – dealing with social and economic inequality. The aim of the Government is, therefore, to identify the remote territories and to divert certain assistance in time. The Government, however, uses short-handed instruments, namely economic indicators, for the revealing of problem areas in Lithuania. The article argues that this is not enough: peripherality and accessibility indicators could be calculated for Lithuanian regions. Calculations of data using the formulas presented quite clear picture and tendencies of territorial development. They proved the existence of poor development axes and good development nucleus. The trend towards institutional development of 6 potential regions in Lithuania could be envisaged.

The Significance of SKABAPUTRA in the Socio-cultural Space of the Lithuanian-Latvian Borderland

The aim of the article is to investigate the significance of the traditional Latvian dish – skabaputra (Latvian skābputra – sour porridge made from barley groats and curdled milk) – in the socio-cultural space of the Lithuanian-Latvian borderland in various periods. The research is based on the empirical material collected by the author in several stages (between 2008 and 2019) in the municipalities of Lithuanian-Latvian borderland. The methods applied in this research were quantitative content analysis, case analysis, interpretative, and comparative methods.
 Skabaputra can be considered a traditional dish of the Lithuanian-Latvian border region, which was widely established here at the end of the 19th century and was an important part of the dietary culture of Lithuanian Latvians and border Lithuanians until the middle of the 20th century. The history of this dish is closely related to the ethnic and social processes that took place and are still taking place in the Lithuanian-Latvian borderland. Skabaputra came to this border area together with Latvian emigrants as well as with Lithuanians migrating on both sides of the border or Lithuanian re-emigrants from Latvia. The inclusion of this dish in the Lithuanian menu is related to the processes of acculturation and assimilation as well as to social processes – the accumulation of cultural capital in order to achieve a higher social status. At the end of the 19th century – in the middle of the 20th century, the skabaputra performed an important function of an ethnic marker. This dish did not correspond to the dietary habits of some Lithuanians and was used to create nicknames for Latvians. Other Lithuanians also considered skabaputra as a social marker, as for them, eating the dish meant an opportunity to change their status in the social hierarchy. During this period, skabaputra also performed the function of an ethnic link – it helped to consolidate part of the residents of the Lithuanian-Latvian borderland into a single community, and the dish also became a local marker, separating the residents of the border area from the residents of other areas of Lithuania. From the second half of the 20th century, we can record the decline of the skabaputra tradition, which coincided with the assimilation processes of the Latvian ethnic minority, leading to a decrease in the prestige of Latvian culture on the Lithuanian-Latvian border and in the importance of Latvian cultural attributes for social status. In the 2020s of the 21st century, we can observe the “rebirth” and “revival” of the skabaputra, which coincides with the regionalist movement and the construction of local identities taking place on the Lithuanian-Latvian border. Skabaputra becomes an important attribute that supports not only the ethnic identity of Lithuanian Latvians, but generally establishes the distinctiveness of all Lithuanian-Latvian borderland residents. Due to the development of the Lithuanian-Latvian borderland tourism industry, the modern skabaputra claims to once again become an important summer dish of the residents of the border region and an important local and regional marker.

HOW FEMALE DIFFER IN DECISION MAKING FOR PERSONAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY

Abstract. This study investigates Lithuanian females’ personal investment peculiarities in line with Australia’s case analysis and application as a good practice method. Based on many publicly available research females tend to have less knowledge about finances in general and particularly investment processes; hence, it leads to their lack of interest into investing and the possibility of poor money management. This issue might be solved by investigating why it appears first and adopting the practical example from countries with developed investment market. In the case of comparison of personal investment strategies among Lithuanian and Australian females the two sets of questionnaires have been used to collect the data for further analysis. The main findings revealed by the survey were, that women in Australia had a higher financial literacy level, invested more often, and chose broader variety of investment instruments compared to Lithuanian females. Moreover, the significant discovery of the article disclosed that Lithuanian females chose not to invest due to the lack of additional funds and the shortage of financial knowledge. The main limitation occurred during the research was the lack of the available data on personal investment topic in Lithuania’s official statistic sources such as The Lithuanian Department of Statistics. The results of the research contribute towards improving Lithuanian female personal finance and investment areas and could be applied to further studies or used for the education program dedicated to financial literacy among women in Lithuania creation. Furthermore, this article creates an original value to personal finance, investment, and financial literacy areas in Lithuania by introducing an idea to not only conduct more studies in these fields, but also to use comparative analysis and good practice method from the countries that demonstrates high achievements in personal finance and gender equality areas. Keywords: personal investment management, female investment, financial literacy, investor’s profile, investing, investment options, investment strategies. JEL Classification G51, G53 Formulas: 1; fig.: 5; tabl.: 1; bibl.: 15.

An Exploration of the Possibilities of Current Mental Health Services to Tackle Transgenerational Effects of Parental Mental Illnesses on Offspring Adjustment in Lithuania.

The topic of mental health and mental disorders is very sensitive and delicate in families and the society. Stigma is one of the main reasons for little help-seeking for mental disorders. Transgenerational effects of mental disorders is the utmost sensitive theme that brings difficulties for service organization and research. By emphasizing the importance of the effects of parental mental illnesses on the health of offspring and their adjustment, together with sharing the international experience between professionals, both the administration of services and society could provide opportunities for further positive change in this little-studied but utmost actual field. There is still a lack of appropriate long term systematic programs and ways to overcome complex organizational challenges. Sharing international experience and research could help find ways that best fit the situations in each country. After a descriptive analysis of the current system of mental health services in Lithuania, opportunities were sought to meet the needs of children and adolescents whose parents have mental disorders by ensuring their healthy psychosocial development. Child and adolescent psychiatry services are a more favorable and less stigmatized area in Lithuania than adult psychiatry, so assistance and specialized programs for children of parents with mental health problems could be organized using the country's relatively well-developed network of child and adolescent psychiatric and pediatric services. For such a small country with limited resources, there could be a possibility to use and strengthen the existing network of services together with finding opportunities for mixed models of financing and cooperation with non-governmental initiatives and organizations. A unique network of primary mental health outpatient centers that provide services for adults and children/adolescents could serve as a reasonable basis for the systematic implementation of specialized programs and initiatives in this field. This network is still not adequately used in the organization of mental health prevention, early intervention, and complex treatment services for the children of parents with mental illness.

The Evaluation and Conservation of Plant Genetic Resources Collected in Lithuania

The present work compiles the results of three-year expeditions organized between 2011 and 2013 aimed at plant crop collection in the area of Lithuania, an Eastern European country. Accessions of fruit trees, vegetables, cereals, forage, industrial, fibrous, medical, and spice crops as well as accompanying segetal plants were collected in 5 ethnographic regions of Lithuania. In total, 1010 samples of seeds, bulbs, and plant grafts were obtained. The majority of the collected samples belonged to the Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Solanaceae, Alliaceae, and Rosaceae families. The accessions were described and deposited in the long-term storage in Lithuanian and Polish Gene Banks. Almost all collected cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, and oat plants were morphologically characterized in field experiments. Cucurbita pepo accessions showed high morphological diversity, while limited diversity of cucumber accessions was observed. Oat plants were characterized by high morphological diversity and resistance to diseases present in some of the investigated accessions. Further characterization of collected apple trees and other accessions is underway. Obtaining germplasm in the area of Lithuania fulfills a gap in current plant crop collections. Collected material could be valuable for pre-breeding evaluation and further breeding programs as well as the study of genetic diversity.

Principles of „The Normative Dictionary of the Polish Place Names from the area of Lithuania“

The aim of the article is to elaborate on the principles of the online edition of The Normative Dictionary of the Polish Place Names from the area of Lithuania. This is a normative dictionary. It contains Polish equivalents of contemporary Lithuanian place names from the area of Lithuania, their declination, adjectives and names of residents. The dictionary contains names of districts, towns and villages, counting over 20 residents from Vilnius, Šalčininkai, Trakai, Švenčionys and Širvintos regions. The dictionary includes names from the Vilnius area inhabited by numerous Polish minority, and selected names from different parts of Lithuania, important in terms of history, culture and society (e.g. from the area of Lauda and the vicinity of Kaunas). The article outlines the structure of the dictionary, looks into difficulties encountered in its development and supplements this study with a brief description of the Dictionary and of the present state of work on it.