Southeastern Serbia Research Articles

Where Did Vessels Come from? A Study of Pottery Provenance from the Site of Velika Humska Čuka, Serbia.

The archaeological materials from the Velika Humska Čuka site on the northern fringe of the Niš Basin in southeastern Serbia were analyzed to reveal the provenance of ceramics and other artifacts. This study focused on the elemental analysis of 61 samples, including local clay pits, potsherds, and whole vessels. Samples were chosen based on stylistic and typological characteristics to distinguish local and "foreign" pottery. Elemental analysis was conducted using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry, complemented by principal component analysis (PCA) for data interpretation. Results indicated that the majority of pottery samples, over 80%, were produced using local clay from deposits near the site. However, approximately 20% of the analyzed vessels were made using clay from deposits near the Bubanj site, 8 km south of Velika Humska Čuka. A vessel on a hollow high foot combining stylistic elements of the Bubanj-Hum I group and Early Eneolithic Pannonian groups was made of clay not sourced from any identified local deposits, suggesting its non-local origin. While the predominance of local materials suggests self-sufficient production, the use of non-local clays and stylistic influences highlights long-distance connections and exchanges. The study emphasizes the importance of Velika Humska Čuka in understanding the development of ceramic traditions and the cultural dynamics of the Early Eneolithic in the Central Balkans.

Prospects for Sustainable Tourism in Mountain Protected Areas: A Case Study of Southeastern Serbia

Prospects for Sustainable Tourism in Mountain Protected Areas: A Case Study of Southeastern Serbia

Ethnopharmacological survey of Rosa L. species from the Vlasina plateau (southeastern Serbia): Comparative phytochemical and pharmacological screening of R. canina, R. corymbifera, and R. dumalis

Ethnopharmacological survey of Rosa L. species from the Vlasina plateau (southeastern Serbia): Comparative phytochemical and pharmacological screening of R. canina, R. corymbifera, and R. dumalis

First insights into the Mesolithic settlement of Southern Serbia

Despite extensive research and excavations across the central Balkans, Early Holocene sites have so far been documented only in the Iron Gates region – for which there are several possible explanations. Some scholars argue that the apparent lack of Mesolithic sites is due to inadequate research efforts in the region, while others suggest that the ecological conditions in the central Balkans during the Early Holocene may not have been favourable to the subsistence of hunter-gatherer communities. Contrary to previous beliefs, recent investigations of caves in eastern Serbia have revealed that humans inhabited the region during the Mesolithic. Traces of settlement of Mesolithic groups, dating back to the 7th millennium cal BC and employing comparable technology and economic practices to Mesolithic communities in other parts of the Balkan Peninsula, have been documented at the Pešterija Cave, situated south of Pirot in southeastern Serbia. The fact that the site is located relatively close to the oldest Neolithic sites in the Iron Gates and northwest Bulgaria, and is potentially contemporaneous with them, offers a completely new perspective on the transition from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic in this part of the Balkans.

Study of Hyssop Essential Oil from Southeastern Serbia.

The aim of the present study was a chemical, microbiological and statistics analysis of Hyssopus officinalis L. subsp. aristatus (Godr.) Nyman essential oil during different stages of development from three natural populations of plant collected in southeastern Serbia. In addition, using statistical tools, we also tried to explain the effect of dominant components' content on antimicrobial activity. Oxygenated monoterpenes were the most abundant compound class in the H. officinalis oil during examined phenological stages (27.32-92.25 %). The four most abundant essential oil components are eucalyptol, cis-pinocamphone, β-pinene and β-ocimene. H. officinalis essential oils demonstrated minimum inhibitory concentrations and minimum microbicidal concentrations values from 2.4 to 160 mg/mL. Maximum antimicrobial activity, in total, was recorded in November, after the flowering stage. The percentage of dominant compounds of essential oils, eucalyptol, and cis-pinocamphone, affects essential oils' antibacterial activity. The essential oil with most closely matched research criteria was extracted from a plant in Kravlje village.

Fast and economic method for chlorpropham residues screening in potato peel

Fast and economic method for chlorpropham residues screening in potato peel

The Impact of Extreme Hydrological Events on Drinking Water Quality in Rural Areas – Case Study South-eastern Serbia

The Impact of Extreme Hydrological Events on Drinking Water Quality in Rural Areas – Case Study South-eastern Serbia

Marsupials (Herpetotheriids) from the late Palaeogene of south-east Serbia

Three marsupial species are present in Palaeogene assemblages from south-eastern Serbia, Amphiperatherium minutum (Aymard, 1846), A. exile (Gervais, 1848–1852) and a species of Peratherium Aymard, 1850. These species are common in the late Eocene and early Oligocene of Western and Central Europe and their presence in South-Eastern Europe indicate that by the end of the Eocene, the eastwards dispersal of these marsupial species was already a fact. The presence of the same marsupial species in Serbia and in Western Europe is surprising, as the difference in composition between the Serbian and Western European rodent faunas indicates a limited faunal exchange between these areas in the late Eocene and early Oligocene. In marsupials, the stylar shelf of the upper molars shows a large morphological variation. A lesser-known variation is the presence of a transverse crista in the stylar shelf. These occur in various marsupial species, but so far were not known to be present in Amphiperatherium minutum. In our opinion, the large morphological variation of the stylar shelf is thus better not used to define a new species.

Plant Products for Musculoskeletal, Respiratory, Circulatory, and Genitourinary Disorders in Eastern and South-Eastern Serbia – Folk Uses Comparison with Official Recommendations

Plant Products for Musculoskeletal, Respiratory, Circulatory, and Genitourinary Disorders in Eastern and South-Eastern Serbia – Folk Uses Comparison with Official Recommendations

Tradicionalno lečenje neuroloških stanja lekovitim biljem u Pirotskom okrugu (Srbija)

This study provides a comprehensive ethnobotanical analysis of the traditional utilization of plants for neurological conditions in the Pirot District (southeastern Serbia). The research methodology involved the interviews with local communities in four municipalities: Pirot, Bela Palanka, Babušnica, and Dimitrovgrad. Тhe most common reports were the uses of Melissa officinalis, Mentha x piperita, Thymus spp., and Tilia cordata for sedation. The following plant species were mentioned against headache: Achillea millefoloium, Allium ursinum, Mentha x piperita, Rosmarinus officinalis, Salvia officinalis, and Thymus spp. The plant species Galium verum and Urtica dioica were mentioned against fainting. The respondents mentioned the use of Crataegus monogyna, Foeniculum vulgare, and Melissa officinalis against cerebral atherosclerosis (sclerosis). The only report against Parkinson’s disease is the use of the plant species Geranium macrorhizum.

Development of geospatial passability maps: A multi-criteria analysis approach

This research presents a comprehensive analysis of the production of terrain passability maps in southeastern Serbia, employing a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) analysis. The study integrates various geographical and infrastructural aspects, assigning coefficients to each input parameter, including rivers, roads, rails, CORINE Land Cover (CLC), soil, slope, and the Topographic Ruggedness Index (TRI). The introduction of the TRI marks an innovative advancement in terrain analysis and passability. By comparing wet and dry periods, the study provides critical insights into the dynamic nature of terrain passability, with implications for transportation planning and emergency response. The research's innovative approach and detailed examination set it apart, offering valuable contributions to scholarly comprehension and practical applications. The findings underscore the potential for interdisciplinary collaboration and the broad impact of geographic information systems (GIS) and terrain analysis in addressing real-world challenges. Future research may explore additional factors influencing terrain passability and expand the geographical scope of the study.

Antibakterijska aktivnost etarskih ulja odabranih lekovitih biljaka na izazivače respiratornih infekcija u pedijatrijskoj populaciji

Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are the most common infectious diseases today and are the reason for as many as 75% of prescribed antibiotics in the world. For this reason, ARI is responsible for the emergence of bacterial resistance to the most commonly used antibiotics. The paper aimed to examine the potential antibacterial activities of the essential oil of medicinal plants Lavandula angustifolia Mill., Mentha spicata L., Chamomilla recutita (L.) Raushert, Salvia officinalis L., Urtica dioica L., from the region of southeastern Serbia, on bacteria associated with respiratory infections in the pediatric population. Relevant, dichotomous keys were used to determine the plant material. The extraction of the essential oil was performed with a Clevenger-type apparatus, while the antibacterial activity was examined with an aromatogram, using the disk-diffusion method. Statistical analysis was performed with a one-factor ANOVA test. The use of essential oils can be an alternative solution to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. In our research, the oil of Salvia officinalis L. showed the strongest inhibitory effect against Moraxella sp., while the oil of Chamomilla Recutita (L.) Raushert showed the weakest effect against Haemophilus sp. In general, the essential oil of Chamomilla recutita (L.) Raushert showed the weakest effect against all isolated pathogens. The essential oil of the investigated plants can be used as a potential source of natural antibacterial compounds. Because of all the above, it is necessary to further investigate and identify the biologically active compounds of the investigated plants.

Traditional uses of plants in human and ethnoveterinary medicine on Mt. Rujan (southeastern Serbia)

Traditional uses of plants in human and ethnoveterinary medicine on Mt. Rujan (southeastern Serbia)

Environmental sensitivity assessment and land degradation in southeastern Serbia: application of modified MEDALUS model.

This paper aims to improve the methodology and results accuracy of MEDALUS model for assessing land degradation sensitivity through the application of different data detail levels and by introducing the application of Ellenberg indices in metrics related to vegetation drought sensitivity assessment. For that purpose, the MEDALUS model was applied at 2 levels of detail. Level I (municipality level) implied the use of available large-scale databases and level II (watershed) contains more detailed information about vegetation used in the calculation of the VQI and MQI factors (Fig. S6). The comparison was made using data based on CORINE Land Cover (2012) and forest inventory data, complemented with object-based classification. Results showed that data based on forest inventory data with the application of Ellenberg's indices and object-based classification have one class more, critical (C1 and C2) and that the percentage distribution of classes is different in both quantitative (area size of class sensitivity) and qualitative (aggregation and dispersion of sensitivity classes). The use of data from Forest Management Plans and the application of Ellenberg's indices affect the quality of the results and find its application in the model, especially if these results are used for monitoring and land area management on fine scales. Remote sensed data images (Sentinel-2B) were introduced into the methodology as a very important environmental monitoring tool and model results validation.

Ethnobotanical Investigation of Plants Used for Respiratory Tract Infections in Pirot District (Southeastern Serbia)

Ethnobotanical Investigation of Plants Used for Respiratory Tract Infections in Pirot District (Southeastern Serbia)

Traditional uses of medicinal plants in Pirot District (southeastern Serbia)

Traditional uses of medicinal plants in Pirot District (southeastern Serbia)

Improving Forest Detection Using Machine Learning and Remote Sensing: A Case Study in Southeastern Serbia

Vegetation plays an active role in ecosystem dynamics, and monitoring its patterns and changes is vital for effective environmental resource management. This study explores the possibility of machine learning techniques and remote sensing data to improve the accuracy of forest detection. The research focuses on the southeastern part of the Republic of Serbia as a case study area, using Sentinel-2 multispectral bands. The study employs publicly accessible satellite data and incorporates different vegetation indices to improve classification accuracy. The main objective is to examine the practicability of expanding the input parameters for forest detection using a machine learning approach. The classification process is performed by employing support vector machines (SVM) algorithm and utilising the SVM module in the scikit-learn package. The results demonstrate that including vegetation indices alongside the multispectral bands significantly improves the accuracy of vegetation detection. A comprehensive assessment reveals an overall classification accuracy of up to 99.01% when the selected vegetation indices (MCARI, RENDVI, NDI45, GNDVI, NDII) are combined with the Sentinel-2 bands. This research highlights the potential of machine learning and remote sensing in forest detection and monitoring. The findings underscore the importance of incorporating vegetation indices to enhance classification accuracy using the Python programming language. The study’s outcomes provide valuable insights for environmental resource management and decision-making processes, particularly in regions with diverse forest ecosystems.

РОМАНИЗМИ У СТОЧАРСКОЈ ТЕРМИНОЛОГИЈИ ЈУГОИСТОЧНЕ СРБИЈЕ

The paper presents words of Romance origin in the livestock terminology of Southeastern Serbia. The assembly was cut from 39 questionnaires filled out locally, as well as from the available speech dictionaries of Southeastern Serbia. Most of the observed romanisms can be found in the Pastirski rečnik jugoistične Srbije compiled by Nedelko R. Bogdanovic (SDZb LXVI/2, 2019) based on the same sources, and these romanisms in pastoral terminology (bešika, brabonjak, mazga, murg-, sugare, čutura, štrkalj), as a rule, belong to an older lexical layer of borrowings from Balkan Latin and are known to other Balkan peoples. Later borrowings from Romance languages (galop, karijer, silaža, bazeni, infrakt, vertinar) mainly relate to a new intensive method of animal husbandry and speak of a younger cultural influence from western Europe. Nevertheless, when viewed as a whole, Romanisms are mainly associated with extensive animal husbandry and relate mainly to sheep breeding.

A treatise about reliability in dating events of evolutionary history of brown trout Salmo cf. trutta (Actinopterygii) at Western Balkans: Impassable barriers, isolation of populations and assistance of geological timeframe

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.

POČETAK RAZVOJA ZDRAVSTVA U PIROTSKOM OKRUGU

The article represents a descriptive study on the development of health- care in southeastern Serbia and the Pirot District. The data were collected through the analysis of the existing literature and historiographic sources. The results have shown that the health culture in the Pirot District at the end of the 19th century did not differ from the situation that existed on the territory of the Principality of Serbia. In the Pirot District, as well as in other parts of the Balkans, folk medicine was used almost until the middle of the 20th century. Traditional knowledge and methods of treatment were mostly transmit- ted orally and were often very close to witchcraft, quackery and phytotherapy. However, there are some written medical documents as well. The oldest preserved medical record in Ponišavlje is the Pirotska lekaruša, created at the end of the 18th century. Pirot became a part of the Principality of Serbia at the end of the 19th century. At the same time, with the arrival of the first foreign doctors and the opening of the first hospitals and farmacies, organized healthcare began. In terms of healthcare, Pirot has come a long way from a town where residents were exposed to constant life-threatening illnesses due to low medical knowledge and culture to a city with organized healthcare and educated doctors. The foreign doctors raised the health awareness of the people, dealt with the eradication of many infectious diseases that in the past mowed down the population, and worked as military doctors in wars and health educators in peace.