Elez Krasniqi

The Association Stipeto-Convolvuletum Compacti ASS. Nova in Kosovo

The Association Stipeto-Convolvuletum Compacti ASS. Nova in Kosovo Serpentine vegetation of Kosovo represents a diversity which has not been sufficiently explored, yet. Kosovos serpentine is spread in different parts of Kosovo at the altitudes of 400-2100 m. Large complexes with serpentine are found in the north of Kosovo, but the southern part of Kosovo is also rich in serpentine rocks and in endemic species. Using the principles and methods of the Zürich-Montpellier School we have explored the serpentine flora and vegetation of Gurana, an area in the south-east of Kosovo near the border with the Republic of Macedonia. This area has not been sufficiently researched because of the militarized border areas. During the research of these fields, we found species that were not present on the other serpentines of Kosovo. The species Convolvulus compactus Boiss. (syn. Convolvulus cochlearis) and Stipa mayeri dominate this terrain and create stands that we have classified as the association Stipeto-Convolvuletum compacti ass. nova. This association was researched during 2007-2010. Based on the results obtained and comparing them with the results of other authors, we have arrived at the conclusion that we are dealing with a new association which we called Stipeto-Convolvuletum compacti ass. nova. Vegetacija Kosova na serpentinitu je posebnost, ki do sedaj še ni bila zadovoljivo raziskana. Serpentinit je na Kosovu razširjen na različnih območjih na nadmorskih višini od 400 do 2100 metrov. Večje površine najdemo na severu Kosova, vendar je tudi južni del bogat s serpentinitom in endemičnimi vrstami. Z züriško-montpelliersko metodo smo preučili floro in vegetacijo na serpentinitu pri vasi Gurana v jugovzhodnem delu Kosova ob meji z Republiko Makedonijo. To območje do sedaj ni bilo dobro raziskano zaradi vojaške navzočnosti na obmejnem območju. Na tem delu smo našli vrste, ki jih ne najdemo na drugih območjih s serpentinitom na Kosovu. Vrsti Convolvulus compactus Boiss. (sin. Convolvulus cochlearis) in Stipa mayeri prevladujeta na teh območjih in gradita sestoje, ki smo jih uvrstili v asociacijo Stipeto-Convolvuletum compacti ass. nova. Raziskovali smo v letih od 2007 do 2010. Na podlagi dobljenih rezultatov in s primerjavo z drugimi avtorji smo prišli do zaključka, da lahko te sestoje uvrstimo v novo asociacijo, ki smo jo poimenovali Stipeto-Convolvuletum compacti ass. nova.

The Association Hyperico-Euphorbietum Glabriflorae Rexhepi 1978 in the Serpentine Terrains of Drenica Mountain

The Association Hyperico-Euphorbietum Glabriflorae Rexhepi 1978 in the Serpentine Terrains of Drenica Mountain In the territory of Kosovo there are many serpentine mountain massifs. The largest complexes are found in the valley of the Ibër River, and the same are continued in a discontinuous chain through Koznica and Golesh to the southwest of the territory of Kosovo. Vegetation on the serpentine bedrock is rich in rare species and communities, which cannot be found in the Balkans and Europe. The communities appearing on the serpentine bedrock are characteristic and important for science. They are endemic due to the presence of endemic species in their species composition. Drenica Mountain (1051 m) is part of the Central Kosovo Mountains. These terrains are situated in the central part of Kosovo, between Çiçavica, Kosovo plain (Golesh), Llapusha, the Carraleva Mountains and the Anadrini region. A considerable part of these areas consists of serpentine bedrock, which is covered by interesting flora and vegetation. In the vegetation of Drenica Mountain 10 communities have been identified. Two of them are found on serpentine bedrock: ass. Hyperico-Euphorbietum glabriflorae and ass. Potentillo-Fumanetum bonapartei. These communities belong to the open space, and are also located in other parts of Kosovo, but only on serpentine bedrock. On Drenica Mountain there are two localities where these two communities appear. In this paper we focus in particular on ass. Hyperico-Euphorbietum glabriflorae Na Kosovu so številni gorski masivi iz serpentinita. Največje površine so v dolini reke Ibër. Nadaljujejo se v prekinjeni verigi skozi Koznico in Golesh proti jugozahodnem delu Kosova. Vegetacija na serpentinitu je bogata z redkimi vrstami in združbami, ki ne uspevajo nikjer drugje na Balkanu in v Evropi. Te združbe na serpentinitu so pomembne, ker vsebujejo endemične vrste. Drenica (1051 m) je del osrednjega gorovja na Kosovu. To območje se nahaja v osrednjem delu Kosova, med kraji Çiçavica, Golesh, Llapusha, gorovjem Carraleva in območjem Anadrini. Precejšen del območja je na serpentinitu. V vegetaciji gore Drenica je najdenih deset združb. Dve sta na serpentinitu: asociacija Hyperico-Euphorbietum glabriflorae in asociacija Potentillo-Fumanetum bonapartei. Najdemo ju na odprtih rastiščih. Na Drenici sta dve najdiščiteh dveh združb. V članku je predstavljena predvsem asociacija Hyperico-Euphorbietum glabriflorae

Effects of cold-stratification, gibberellic acid and potassium nitrate on seed germination of yellow gentian ( Gentiana lutea L.)

The purpose of this study was to show the effect of cold-stratification, gibberellic acid and potassium nitrate on seed germination of yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea L.). The seeds of natural yellow gentian populations of the Albanian Alps (Kosovo) were collected in September 2010. Seeds placed in filter paper (plastic bag) and in mixture of sand-soil were cold-stratified (2±1°C) for 72 days. The effect of different concentrations of gibberellic acid (250, 500 and 1000 ppm GA3) and potassium nitrate (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% KNO 3 ) in final germination percentage (FGP), mean germination time (MGT) and germination index (GI) in non-stratified and stratified seeds were examined. Seeds stratified in filter paper and treated with 1000 ppm GA3 and 0.1% KNO 3 showed significantly higher percentage of germination (FGP and GI), while seeds stratified in mixture of sand-soil showed the highest values of FGP and GI in treatments with 500 ppm GA 3 and different concentrations of KNO 3 . The cold-stratification and GA 3 treatments of yellow gentian seeds are suitable for the higher percentage of germinations. Key words: Gentiana lutea L., cold-stratification, seeds, germination, gibberellic acid (GA 3 ), potassium nitrate (KNO 3 ).

Conservation assessment of the endemic plants from Kosovo

Abstract Sixteen endemic plant taxa were selected from Kosovo, according to the IUCN standards and for each taxon the risk assessment and threat category has been assigned. The taxa were compared with their previous status from fifteen years ago. From sixteen plant taxa, which were included in this work, four are Balkan endemics, whereas, eight of them are local endemics and four of the taxa are stenoendemics. Six of the taxa are grown exclusively on serpentine soils, five of them on limestone substrate, four of them in carbonate substrate, yet only one in silicate substrate. The work has been done based on the standard working methodologies of the IUCN (Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria – Version 8.1). The most threatened plant taxa is Solenanthus krasniqii – which after its observance has only 20 mature individuals. As a result of the wild collection of the medicinal and aromatic plants, from the local population, Sideritis scardica is about to be completely go extinct. The aim of this study was to assess the state of endemics in the threats possessed to them during the previous times, present and predicting the trends for the upcoming years.