Mateja Germ

Mateja Germ
University of Ljubljana · Biotechnical faculty, Department of Biology

About

232
Publications
46,273
Reads
How we measure 'reads'
A 'read' is counted each time someone views a publication summary (such as the title, abstract, and list of authors), clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the full-text. Learn more
4,392
Citations

Publications

Publications (232)
Article
Full-text available
Ponds are important habitats for aquatic plants and other biota, particularly in regions where the quality of aquatic ecosystems is deteriorating or even disappearing. Ponds provide refuge for many species and serve as foraging places for others. The ponds studied are located in the Brdo Estate and are under special protection to maintain their edu...
Article
Full-text available
Rivers are spatially and temporally heterogeneous systems that are susceptible to changes due to anthropogenic influences. These can significantly alter water quality and river communities, including macrophytes, which are involved in nutrient cycling, energy flow and sedimentation processes, and provide habitats for other organisms. The presence,...
Research Proposal
Full-text available
We sincerely invite you to contribute a paper to our Special Issue “Aquatic Macrophytes and Pollutants: Interactions, Indicator Role, and Phytoremediation Possibilities” recently launched by the open access journal Water (ISSN 2073-4441, IF 3.4). Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 May 2024 For more information on the issue, please visit the...
Article
Full-text available
The presence, abundance, and distribution of aquatic macrophytes and their growth forms in the river Krka in Slovenia were studied. The studied slow‐flowing lowland River Krka is also called a »green river« since it is overgrown with macrophytes from its source to its outflow to the river Sava. The environmental parameters of the river ecosystem we...
Article
Full-text available
Aims: We introduce ReSurveyEurope — a new data source of resurveyed vegetation plots in Europe, compiled by a collaborative network of vegetation scientists. We describe the scope of this initiative, provide an overview of currently available data, governance, data contribution rules, and accessibility. In addition, we outline further steps, includ...
Article
Full-text available
The diversity of macrophytes and macroinvertebrates in small standing waters of different origins and characteristics was investigated. This survey covered 19 ponds in the Drava field in northeastern Slovenia. The influence of the macrophytes on the macroinvertebrates was investigated and the main environmental factors that had the most significant...
Article
Full-text available
We investigated the impact of the effluent from four constructed wetlands on the structure of the macro-invertebrate and macrophyte communities in the receiving watercourses including the river Pesnica and the Sejanci Stream and Pavlovci Stream in NE Slovenia. Macroinvertebrates and macrophytes were sampled on the sites upstream and downstream of t...
Article
Full-text available
Background Tartary buckwheat, Fagopyrum tataricum, is a pseudocereal crop with worldwide distribution and high nutritional value. However, the origin and domestication history of this crop remain to be elucidated. Results Here, by analyzing the population genomics of 567 accessions collected worldwide and reviewing historical documents, we find th...
Article
Full-text available
Balázs Deák 52 | Guillaume Decocq 53 | Iwona Dembicz 54 | Jürgen Dengler 55,56 | Valter Di Cecco 57 | Jan Dick 58 | Martin Diekmann 59 | Hartmut Dierschke 60, † | Thomas Dirnböck 61 | Inken Doerfler 62 | Jiří Doležal 63,64 | Ute Döring 65 | Tomasz Durak 66 | Ciara Dwyer 67 | Rasmus Ejrnaes 68 | Inna Ermakova 69 | Brigitta Erschbamer 70 | Giuliano F...
Presentation
Full-text available
It is well known that the biodiversity of freshwater ecosystems has suffered heavily decline in recent decades. Although, we are aware of these processes, further decreases in valuable ecosystems and the biodiversity therein are occurring in our neighbourhoods. Aquatic ecosystems are some of the fastest disappearing habitats on Earth. Various human...
Book
Full-text available
Inland wetlands are among the ecosystems disappearing with the highest rate, although they can offer numerous benefits to humans and their welfare. We have learned that wetlands are not just the treasures of biodiversity and a refuge for many threatened or vulnerable species but are also one of the best tools to mitigate the consequences of climate...
Article
Full-text available
In alpine Lake Bohinj, which is an LTER site and a part of the national park, the occurrence and depth distribution of submerged and emerged aquatic macrophytes were analyzed. Nine submerged and one emergent macrophyte taxa were found in the lake: Myriophyllum spicatum, Chara virgata, Chara aspera, Potamogeton lucens, Potamogeton alpinus, Potamoget...
Article
Full-text available
Inland wetlands are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems on Earth and have one of the highest rates of decline in surface and biodiversity [...]
Article
Silicon is an element widely distributed on the earth’s crust. It can ameliorate stress in plants grown in unfavorable conditions. Barley is an important cereal used as a staple food. In our experiment, barley was grown on a floating hydroponics system in a greenhouse. Plants were stabilized in pots containing rockwool. Half of the plants were spra...
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.), originating in the Himalayan area, is cultivated in central Asia and northern, central, and eastern Europe. Tartary buckwheat grain and sprouts are rich in flavonoid metabolites rutin and quercetin. The synthesis of flavonoids in plants is accelerated by UV-B solar radiation to protect the plant...
Article
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is an ancient crop with a world wide distribution. Due to its excellent nutritional quality and high economic and ecological value, common buckwheat is becoming increasingly important throughout the world. The availability of a high-quality reference genome sequence and population genomic data will acc...
Article
Full-text available
The grains of three barley varieties were milled and sieved to obtain respective milling fractions with a content of beta-glucans (b-G) from 1.4 to 10.7%. The enriched fraction obtained by the extraction and precipitation contained 24.7% of b-G. The differences between the ratio of stable C carbon isotopes were established. Milling fractions with c...
Article
Full-text available
Najas marina is the dominant macrophyte species in Velenjsko jezero. It appeared in the lake in 1997 and soon prevailed over the species Myriophyllum spicatum L. and Potamogeton crispus L., which used to be the two most abundant species in the lake in the past. The physicochemical and geomorphological characteristics of the lake are discussed in re...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Alpine Lake Bohinj is the largest natural lake in Slovenia. It is lo-cated in the Triglav National Park, which provides protection and limits ac-tivities in its catchment area. In the present study, we determined the aquatic macrophyte richness in Lake Bohinj and the trace metal content of Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd, Co, Mn, Fe, Zn, Hg, and Ni in macrophyte an...
Article
Full-text available
The structure of phytobenthic diatom communities was studied to reveal differences between natural and channelized river sections in Slovenia. As part of the national monitoring of surface waters, samples of phytobenthos were collected at 85 sites throughout the country according to standard protocols. At the same time, basic environmental paramete...
Article
Full-text available
The karstic River Rak has been the subject of various ecological studies over several years due to the large gradient of morphological characteristics and diverse macrophyte communities in its riverbed. The abundance and presence of macrophytes has been monitored annually by students of Biotechnical faculty, University of Ljubljana during field wor...
Article
Full-text available
Metals stored in sediments of lakes can bioaccumulate through the food chain, posing a risk to the environment and human health. Alpine lakes are supposed to be less affected by pollution than lowland lakes and are vulnerable to any changes and impacts in their catchment areas because of their remote position and ultra-oligotrophic character. There...
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) originates in mountain regions of Western China, and is cultivated in China, Bhutan, Northern India, Nepal, and Central Europe. The content of flavonoids in Tartary buckwheat grain and groats is much higher than in common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench), and depends on ecological conditions, s...
Chapter
Combined abiotic stress in plants is the concurrent existence of two or more adverse environmental stresses that hampers the plant development and growth. Owing to continuously changing climate, combined stress conditions are more often present in the fields and have gained importance to maintain contemporary agriculture. Despite their significance...
Article
Full-text available
In Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum), the edible parts are mainly grain and sprouts. Tartary buckwheat contains protecting substances, which make it possible for plants to survive on high altitudes and under strong natural ultraviolet radiation. The diversity and high content of phenolic substances are important for Tartary buckwheat to grow...
Article
Full-text available
The contribution discusses macrophyte communities in natural and man-made waterbodies lo-cated on the active floodplain along the Drava river (Slovenia). We presumed that these different types of wetlands host a great number of macrophyte species, but this diversity may be affected by the presence of alien invasive species Elodea canadensis and E....
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) and common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) are adapted to growing in harsh conditions of high altitudes. Ultraviolet radiation at high altitudes strongly impacts plant growth and development. Under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, protecting substances are synthesized in plants. Th...
Article
Full-text available
Boron (B) is a crucial microelement for several biological processes in plants; however, it becomes hazardous when present in excess in the soil. B toxicity adversely affects the wheat yield all around the world, particularly in the arid and semiarid regions. Aegilops, the nearest wild wheat relatives, could be an efficient source to develop B toxi...
Article
Full-text available
Molecular oxygen and carbon dioxide may be limited for aquatic plants, but they have various mechanisms for acquiring these gases from the atmosphere, soil, or metabolic processes. The most common adaptations of aquatic plants involve various aerenchymatic structures, which occur in various organs, and enable the throughflow of gases. These gases c...
Article
The karst is a geographically and geologically highly dynamic area strongly dependent on water activity. This includes intermittent water bodies which have a specific impact on nearby environment. Sessile organisms such as plants have to adapt to extreme changes in water availability. Their presence, distribution and abundance can therefore serve a...
Article
Full-text available
Environmental conditions at different elevations are harsher at higher elevations and impose constraints upon plants. The response of common and Tartary buckwheats to environmental conditions at elevations between 300 and 1180 m above sea level (asl) was studied. In common buckwheat, grown at the highest elevation, there was an increased investment...
Article
Full-text available
This study was undertaken to determine the effect of potassium silicate (K2SiO3) on the physiological and growth characteristics and elemental composition of barley plants. Hydroponically grown barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) var. Wilma was exposed to four different levels of Si in the form of K2SiO3 at concentrations of 0 (Si0), 0.5 (Si0.5), 1 (Si1) o...
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) is grown in eastern and central Asia (the Himalayan regions of China, Nepal, Bhutan and India) and in central and eastern Europe (Luxemburg, Germany, Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina). It is known for its high concentration of rutin and other phenolic metabolites. Besides the grain, the other above...
Article
Drought stress during the ripening phenological period has adverse effects on pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) fruit productivity, characteristics and composition, depending on the drought severity and specific cultivar. This fact underlines the importance of understanding the physiological and biochemical responses of pomegranate under drought str...
Article
Full-text available
The aim of this study was to reveal the changes of macrophyte community over time and along the course of the Ižica River. In 1996, 2000, and 2016, we surveyed the distribution and abundance of macrophyte species in the lowland Ižica River, which originates in the town of Ig and then flows through an agricultural landscape. We calculated the River...
Article
Full-text available
Macrophytes have a capacity to absorb elements from the water and sediment and some species can be bio-indicators of pollution. The uptake of 12 metals by Nuphar lutea from 56 water bodies was studied to evaluate its bioaccumulation potential and bioindication suitability. Study sites were grouped in three types: urban, agricultural and semi-natura...
Article
Full-text available
Due to climate change, plants are being more adversely affected by heatwaves, floods, droughts, and increased temperatures and UV radiation. This review focuses on enhanced UV-B radiation and drought, and mitigation of their adverse effects through silicon addition. Studies on UV-B stress and addition of silicon or silicon nanoparticles have been r...
Article
Full-text available
The absorption of selenium (Se) from water by Lemna minor L. and the influence of different concentrations and forms of Se on its biochemical and morphological characteristics were studied. Plants were exposed to various concentrations of Se: 1 mg Se L−1, 2 mg Se L−1 and 5 mg Se L−1 in sodium selenite and sodium selenate solutions and in a combinat...
Article
Full-text available
(1) Background: Cucumbers are highly sensitive to drought and UV-B radiation, which may also act synergistically. Silicon is a beneficial element for plants, as it can alleviate negative effects of different environmental constraints. Studies revealed that fertilisation of cucumbers with silicon showed a variety of positive effects, which increased...
Article
Full-text available
Vitexin is an apigenin flavone glucoside with known biological functions. This research reported the effects of initial temperature treatments of Tartary buckwheat flour mixture with water and time of methanol extraction from the cooked doughs on the amount of extractable vitexin. The mixtures of flour and water were initially hydrothermally treate...
Article
Full-text available
Phytobenthic diatoms and macrophyte communities respond differently to stressors in aquatic environments. For the assessment of the ecological status of rivers in Slovenia, we use several indices, including the River Macrophyte Index (RMI) and Trophic index (TI) based on macrophyte and phytobenthic diatoms communities, respectively. In the present...
Article
Full-text available
The present research aimed to determine the diversity of macrophyte taxa in the Ljubljanica River and its relationship with environmental parameters. In each of the 19 river sections, the presence and abundance of plant taxa were recorded, and basic physical and chemical parameters were measured. Additionally, selected environmental parameters were...
Article
Full-text available
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is a valuable source of proteins, B vitamins, manganese, tryptophan, phytochemicals with an antioxidant effect, and the natural flavonoid rutin. Due to its composition, buckwheat supports the human immune system, regulates blood cholesterol, and is suitable for patients with diabetes or celiac disease....
Article
Full-text available
Vitexin is an apigenin flavone glucoside with known biological functions. This research reported the effects of initial temperature treatments of Tartary buckwheat flour mixture with water and time of methanol extraction from the cooked doughs on the amount of extractable vitexin. The mixtures of flour and water were initially hydrothermally treate...
Article
Common buckwheat and Tartary buckwheat were grown in Slovenia outdoors at different elevations – 300 m, 600 m and 1180 m a.s.l. Both species were foliarly treated with selenium twice (in the vegetative phase and in the flowering phase). The effects of Se treatment and different growing locations on selected biochemical, physiological and anatomical...
Article
Full-text available
Rivers and streams are heterogenous ecosystems that host a great number of vascular plant communities. The territory of Slovenia is highly diverse regarding geomorphologic, geologic, climatic, and edaphic conditions. We presumed that environmental variability will also affect the distribution of hygrophilous vascular plants in running waters and co...
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) originates in mountain areas of western China, and it is mainly cultivated in China, Bhutan, northern India, Nepal, and central Europe. Tartary buckwheat shows greater cold resistance than common buckwheat, and has traits for drought tolerance. Buckwheat can provide health benefits due to its contents...
Article
Full-text available
The Danube is the second-longest river in Europe that is subjected to various man-made alterations, including those related to hydro-power plants. We surveyed and analyzed the presence and abundance of macrophytes in the main channel from 2582 river kilometers (rkm) to 171 rkm. We also assessed selected habitat parameters in the sampled river stret...
Article
Full-text available
Background Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is a nutritionally balanced and flavonoid-rich crop plant that has been in cultivation for 4000 years and is now grown globally. Despite its nutraceutical and agricultural value, the characterization of its genetics and its domestication history is limited. Results Here, we report a comprehensive...
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) and common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) are important sources of proteins with balanced amino-acid compositions, and thus of high nutritional value. The polyphenols naturally present in Tartary buckwheat and common buckwheat lower the true digestibility of the proteins. Digestion-resis...
Article
Full-text available
The interactions between the uptake of selenium (as selenite and selenate) and iodine (as iodate and iodide) by red chicory (Cichorium intybus L. var. foliosum Hegi) and their effects on selected morphological and physiological characteristics were investigated. Seedlings were transplanted to the field, and at the onset of head formation, the plant...
Article
Full-text available
This study investigated the effects of initial temperature treatments of gluten-free doughs made from Tartary buckwheat flour, and time of methanol extraction from the cooked doughs of neochlorogenic acid, an important polyphenol metabolite. The doughs were hydrothermally treated from 25 • C to 95 • C, cooked at 95 • C for 20 min, and extracted usi...
Article
Full-text available
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn.) are sources of many bioactive compounds, such as rutin, quercetin, emodin, fagopyrin and other (poly)phenolics. In damaged or milled grain under wet conditions, most of the rutin in common and Tartary buckwheat is degraded to quercetin by rutin-d...
Article
Full-text available
Krajinski park Rakov Škocjan je dolina ob reki Rak z mnogimi kraškimi pojavi. V vsakem letnem času kaže drugačno podobo, vedno lepo, presenetljivo in edinstveno. Rakov Škocjan je vključen tudi v omrežje območij Natura 2000 in je del Notranjskega regijskega parka. V dolini se vije reka Rak, kraška ponikalnica, ki teče na površju od Malega do Velikeg...
Article
Full-text available
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) is a robust plant with high resistance to different environmental constraints. It contains high levels of calcium oxalate (CaOx) druse crystals, although their role remains obscure. The objective was to examine the effects of water shortage on plant biomass partition and leaf traits and formation of Ca...
Article
Full-text available
The elements selenium (Se) and iodine (I) are both crucial for the normal functioning of the thyroid. Biofortification with these elements is particularly feasible in areas where they show a deficit. Iodine and selenium can have positive effects on different plants when applied at the correct concentrations. The effects of their simultaneous additi...
Article
Silicon is a potential biostimulant that has been used to enhance the yield and quality of plant products. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of soluble silicon on the growth characteristics and bioactive compounds content of common and Tartary buckwheat. The silicon was applied with three different doses such as low, medium, and high three...
Article
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and Tartary buckwheat (F. tataricum Gaertn.) samples were used in milling, sieving and analysing experiments. Flavonoids were analysed in buckwheat samples, in milling and sieving fractions and after the contact of flour particles with water, to simulate conditions in dough. In Tartary buckwheat, there...
Article
Buckwheat became a pan-Eurasian crop, when it expanded via Himalaya to Europe. Common buckwheat is one of the oldest domesticated crops in Asia, while Tartary buckwheat is still thriving as a wild or weedy plant. Buckwheat belongs to dicotyledonous crops that can tolerate poor soils and extreme environment conditions. Buckwheat grows on high elevat...
Article
Plants need at least 14 elements for normal functioning. Selenium (Se) is on the list of beneficial elements for plants, since it has many positive effects in a propriate concentrations. Iodine (I) is not yet classified on that list since there are not enough studies about the effect of I on plants. Selenium in plants may cause a delay of senescenc...
Article
Full-text available
Common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench, CB) and Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum (L.) Gaertn., TB) are used in human nutrition. The idea to screen in the haploid phase for genes affecting low amylose concentration opens the possibility for the effective search of low amylose (waxy) genotypes in CB populations. Self-pollinated homozygou...
Article
Kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea L. var. gongylodes L.) was biofortified with selenium (Se), as selenite and selenate, and iodine (I), as iodide and iodate, and their combinations through foliar spraying, to study absorption of these elements by the plants, separately and in combination. The effects on selected physiological and morphological traits and...
Article
Full-text available
The Rak River is a karst watercourse that has been studied for presence and abundance of macrophytes for many years due to its large gradient in the morphological characteristics of the river bed. In the end of the June, during the annual field work for students, we surveyed macrophytes in the river. Their abundance was estimated using a five degre...
Article
Full-text available
Here we summarise the outcomes on biochemical response and growth of buckwheat with respect to UV radiation, drought and selenium, as well as their interactions. Buckwheats are taxonomically and morphologically very diverse. They have been subjected to more or less intensive breeding, which results in higher susceptibility to environmental constrai...
Article
Full-text available
BACKGROUND The biofortification of crops can counteract human diseases, including selenium (Se) and iodine (I) deficiencies in the diet. Little is known about the effects of combinations of Se and I on microgreens and seeds, or on their accumulation in these tissues. The present study aimed to evaluate Se (SeO3²⁻, SeO4²⁻) and I (I⁻, IO3⁻) biofortif...
Article
Full-text available
Lake Bohinj is a Long-term Ecological Research (LTER) site. This contribution discusses the environmental factors that define the macrophyte community of Lake Bohinj and explains the observed long-term trends in the species present and their abundance and depth distributions from 1996 to 2016. These macrophyte parameters are related to water qualit...
Article
The aim was to determine conditions under which rutin can be retained during production of Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) dough. Tartary buckwheat flour was hydrothermally treated by mixing with water at 25, 40, 60, 80 and 95 °C, with unprocessed Tartary buckwheat flour as control. With hydrothermal treatments at 25, 40 and 60 °C, most of...
Article
Full-text available
Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn) is becoming more and more popular due to its health benefits for humans. It contains important fibres, vitamins, certain minerals and antioxidants asrutin. Sprouts are a hot trend in the food production and nutrition. Enrichment of sprouts with iodine (I) and selenium (Se) may prevent endemic deficienc...