Mihailo Grbic

Nature based solution for improving mental health and well-being in urban areas

Abstract The general disproportion of urban development and the socio‐economical crisis in Serbia, followed by a number of acute and chronic stressors, as well as years of accumulated trauma, prevented the parallel physical, mental and social adaptation of society as a whole. These trends certainly affected the quality of mental health and well‐being, particularly on the vulnerable urban population, increasing the absolute number of people with depression, stress and psychosomatic disorders. This study was pioneering in Serbia and was conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Forestry, the Institute of Mental Health and the Botanical Garden in Belgrade, in order to understand how spending time and performing horticulture therapy in specially designed urban green environments can improve mental health. The participants were psychiatric patients (n=30), users of the day hospital of the Institute who were randomly selected for the study, and the control group, assessed for depression, anxiety and stress before and after the intervention, using a DASS21 scale. During the intervention period the study group stayed in the Botanical garden and participated in a special programme of horticulture therapy. In order to exclude any possible “special treatment” or “placebo effect”, the control group was included in occupational art therapy while it continued to receive conventional therapy. The test results indicated that nature based therapy had a positive influence on the mental health and well‐being of the participants. Furthermore, the difference in the test results of the subscale stress before and after the intervention for the study group was F1.28 = 5.442 and p<;.05. According to socio demographic and clinical variables, the interesting trend was recorded on the subscale of anxiety showing that the male participants in the study group were more anxious, with the most pronounced inflection noted on this scale after treatment. The results of this study have shown that recuperation from stress, depression and anxiety was possible and much more complete when participants were involved in horticulture therapy as a nature‐based solution for improving mental health. HighlightsThe patients with stress‐related mental disorders were included in pioneering HT study in Serbia.The horticulture therapy was associated with reduction of the self‐rated levels of stress.We identify an interesting trend on anxiety subscale among male participants in the study group.Nature‐based therapy is recommended to psychiatric patients as a form of occupational or supportive therapy.The Jevremovac Botanical Garden was recognized as a setting for mental health promotion in Belgrade.

Asteretum lanceolati - xenospontaneous community on wet and riparian habitat.

Invasive species Aster lanceolatus grows on moist habitats on the whole territory of Serbia. In Belgrade, this species is recorded with a higher degree of presence at a number of localities. With the aim to investigate the community in which this species is dominant, the wide area of Serbia was researched, and 8 lo- calities on the territory of Belgrade were chosen for the analysis of the community. Floristic structure of the community was determined by the standard Braun-Blan- quet method (1964), phytogeographical analysis was performed according to Gajic (1980, 1984), and determination of life forms according to Raunkier (E l l e n b e r g , M u e l l e r- D o m b o i s , 1967). pH soil analysis and electric conductivity (EC) were performed at all investigated localities. It was established that the community dom- inates the moist habitats of Belgrade. It is composed of 104 species and among them Aster lanceolatus Willd., Cichorium intybus L., Agropyrum repens (L.) Beauv., Calystegia sepium (L.) R. Br., Cirsium arvense (L.) Scop., Symphytum officina - le L. and Rumex obtusifolius L. are the most frequent. In relation to life forms, the community has hemicriptophytes character, and in relation to phytogeography Eu- roasian and Middle Europaean floral elements are dominant, with a high presence of cosmopolitan and adventive floral elements. On the locialities Veliko Ratno os - trvo (island) and Makis, EC values point to the fact that the amount of nutrient in the soil is higher than at other localities.

Micropropagation of Endangered and Decorative Species Dianthus pinifolius Sibth. et Sm.

The aim of this study was to establish an efficient protocol for the in vitro propagation of the endangered, endemic and decorative species Dianthus pinifolius Sibth. et Sm. The effects of different concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and naphtalenacetic acid (NAA), and different explant types (single-node cuttings, terminal buds and shoot cuttings) on shoot multiplication were examined on Murashige and Skoog (MS) and half-strength MS media. The best results were obtained for shoot cuttings on the MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/L BAP and 0.1 mg/L NAA, achieving a maximum rate of regeneration (100%) and a total of 15.4 newly-developed shoots per explant. The highest rooting rate (96.7%) was obtained on MS medium containing 1 mg/L NAA, while the acclimatization of the microplants obtained to ex vitro conditions was successful (88.9%).

In vitro propagation of endangered Dianthus taxa

The review of recent researches regarding the in vitro culture of 30 endangered Dianthus taxa is presented in this paper. Various in vitro protocols developed for selected rare and threatened Dianthus taxa are analysed in order to provide a useful synthesis of the data obtained with the main principles, techniques and recommendations for futher research and practice. The recapitulated data presented in this review can be used as a tool for the micropropagation of other endangered Dianthus taxa, enabling their propagation and obtaining a sufficient amount of plants for reintroduction. In addition, the obtained results represent the basis for ex situ conservation of the investigated taxa, especially for medium-term and long-term conservation (cryopreservation). [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007]

Micropropagation of Achillea millefolium L. on half-strength MS medium and direct rooting and acclimatization of microshoots in hydroponic culture.

The aim of this study was to determine the possibility of micropropagation of the medicinal plant A. millefolium on half-strength MS medium and ex vitro rooting and acclimatization of the obtained microshoots in hydroculture in order to establish an efficient production method. Two explant types were used: basal and terminal cuttings, and better results were achieved when terminal cuttings were used. The development of shoots in the multiplication phase was successful with a regeneration percentage of 100%. Ex vitro rooting in a modified Hoagland nutrient solution was successful (83%), but the percentage of in vitro rooting on half-strength MS medium without hormones was higher (95%). However, bearing in mind that mass production of A. millefolium is more efficient when the phase of in vitro rooting is excluded, this method could be recommended for commercial propagation of this medicinal plant. It is necessary to conduct additional research in order to optimize the composition, EC and pH value of the hydroponic nutrient solution. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007]

Effect of explant type on the rooting and acclimatization of Dianthus serotinus Waldst. & Kit.

The effect of the concentration of MS salts and explant type on D. serotinus rooting and acclimatization was investigated in order to optimize a protocol for the micropropagation of this species. The obtained results showed that explant type as well as the concentration of MS salts had a significant effect on rooting, and the highest rooting rate (85-86,7%) was achieved when culturing single-node cuttings and terminal buds on a half-strength MS medium supplemented with 0,5 mgL-1 NAA. Nevertheless, mean number of roots per explant was higher on the MS media (15,3-18,6) than on the half-strength MS media (11,8-13,4). The best acclimatization rate was obtained in a 4:1 mixture of peat and sand (83,3-86,7%). The explant type from which in vitro plantlets developed had no effect on the acclimatization rate. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007]

Effects of the time of cuttings collection and IBA concentration on the rooting of softwood cuttings from elite trees of Cornelian cherry (Cornus mas L.) in Belgrade area.

In this study, the effect of concentration of indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) (powder dip), cutting type as well as the time of taking cuttings on the rooting of softwood cuttings of cornelian cherry was examined. Four types of cuttings were used: basal cuttings, terminal cuttings, basal cuttings with 2-year-old wood and terminal cuttings with 2-year-old wood. The obtained results showed that IBA concentration, cutting type and time of collecting have significant effect on rooting. The best results were obtained using 1% IBA and cuttings collected in the second term (in mid-July) had a higher rooting percentage. Terminal cuttings treated with 1% IBA (powder dip) should be used for optimum results. In that case the rooting percentage was very high (over 90%) in both terms of cuttings collection. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 43007: Istraživanje klimatskih promena na životnu sredinu: pracenje uticaja, adaptacija i ublažavanje]

Quick-dip and contact method of cutting rooting of Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.) K. Koch as an alternative non-invasive species

Two methods of rooting of Zelkova softwood cuttings were analyzed: (1) quick-dip method and (2) contact method - the thin polyethylene film (20 mm) laid directly over the cuttings during the rooting process. The control for contact method was a low tunnel with a thick polyethylene film. One group of cuttings in the contact method was treated with quick-dip (IBA 2,500 μg•mL-1, carrier-ethyl alcohol) during 5 sec, and the other group was treated with water solution of IBA (50 μg•mL-1) in 24-hour treatment. The third group was control - untreated cuttings. The same groups of cuttings were also used in low tunnels. The number and length of primary and secondary roots were measured on rooted cuttings. The results of all treatments show that contact method in combination with water solution of IBA was the best with 92% of rooted cuttings. No significant differences were obtained between this treatment and quick-dip + contact method (85.3%). Rooting of cuttings under low tunnel was significantly lower. In general, contact method was better than low tunnel, disregarding the carrier used. These results recommend the almost unknown contact method in nursery propagation of Zelkova, as an alternative, non-invasive species for the conditions in Serbia.

Public attitude in the City of Belgrade towards invasive alien plant species.

Biological invasions are seen as a major threat to biodiversity at a global level, while the number of new invasions is increasing at an alarming rate. Raising the awareness of the public, academic world and policy makers about the dangers caused by invasive species, is essential for the creation of the support needed to implement and coordinate the policies necessary to address this problem. The aim of this study is to determine the level of local public awareness of the existence of these plant species, examine the public attitude towards alien invasive plant species and willingness to get involved in the prevention of their spreading. The survey was conducted in four nurseries on the territory of the City of Belgrade and the investigation dealt only with alien invasive woody plant species. Thirty customers were questioned in each of the four nurseries. The results show that local public is uninformed on the issue of invasive plant species. It is necessary to constantly and intensively raise their awareness of this issue, as well as the awareness of harmful consequences that may occur due to the uncontrolled spreading of alien invasive species. This refers not only to the population that visits the nurseries and buys the plants there and to those employed in plant production and selling, but also to the whole local public and decision makers.

Influence of partial serotiny of Aleppo pine, Italian, and Arizona cypress on seed germination

The usability of seeds for the production of seedlings, as well as the utilisation potential of seeds for natural regeneration was assessed by the comparative analysis of seed germination from the cones of different ages of three species with partial serotiny (P. halepensis Mill., Cupressus sempervirens L., Cupressus arizonica Greene). In cypress, serotiny is not so expressed as to be a reserve for extraordinary situations (fire). Fouryearold Aleppo pine cones should be collected for production purposes. Serotinous cones up to ten years old are efficient for natural regeneration of Aleppo pine forest after fire.