Sonja Skornik

• PhD
• Professor (Associate) at University of Maribor

In this study, we examined floristic and functional composition of Nardus grassland of the highlands of NE Slovenia. The data-set included 55 relevés, 59 plant species, and 17 plant functional traits (PFT). The TWINSPAN classification resulted in two plant communities; calcifuge species (G1_oligotr) and another group of species characteristic of me...

European semi-natural grasslands maintained through traditional practices are among the most species-rich plant communities within the present-day rural landscape. However, land use change has caused a drastic decline in grassland area. In European agricultural policy, agri-environmental schemes (AES) have been introduced to preserve, enhance and r...

The effectiveness of four grassland-specific agri-environment measures (AEM), implemented in the frame of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) in the period 2007–2013 in Slovenia was studied. We questioned whether the measures – “extensive grassland maintenance”; “preservation of special grassland habitats”; “preservation of...

Extensive grasslands (EG) are among the most endangered European habitats and successful preservation of grassland biodiversity is not only dependent on agri-environmental schemes but also on the intention and decision by grassland owners to maintain EG in the interest of biodiversity. With rural children being the future landowners of EG, their at...

Decisions made by grassland owners are crucial for the conservation of extensive grasslands (EGs); however, the predispositions determining how adults decide to act in certain situations are developed during childhood. Children are future decision-makers and potential grassland owners; therefore, the factors that form and affect their attitudes tow...

In a rapidly changing environment, habitat loss and fragmentation have primarily led to a decline in the numbers of numerous plant species. We compared the genetic variability of two small, isolated populations of Linnaea borealis L. with three populations from the core distribution area in the boreal region. The results show three main clusters, e...

We would like to welcome manuscripts on grassland-related topics, including: species taxonomy and biology, ecology, biodiversity, syntaxonomy, conservation and management of any type of grassland vegetation. Submis-sions should be focused on vegetation or plant-related as-pects, though interdisciplinary approaches incorporating zoological or pedolo...

European semi-dry grasslands are habitats of high conservation value. Therefore, research into the mechanisms of community assembly is important for their effective management. Using data from 76 vegetation plots of calcareous and acidic semi-dry grasslands in continental Slovenia, the author analysed the composition of plant traits, focusing on le...

Due of the potential of species to determine ecosystem properties, it is important to understand how species abundance influences community assembly. Using vegetation surveys on 35 dry grasslands in north-east Slovenia, we defined dominant (8) and subordinate (61) plant species. They were compared on 14 traits to test for differences in community-w...

The book deals with semi-natural grasslands, which in Slovenia and in Europe represent a species-rich, strongly declining vegetation and at the same time are a relic of the traditional agricultural landscape. In the introduction, the historical development and importance of semi-natural grasslands are presented. Due to the drastic decline of their...

In a rapidly changing environment, because of habitat loss and fragmentation, many plant species have become rare. We investigate genetic variability between two small isolated populations of twinflower from the Eastern Alps and three population from the core Boreal distributional range. The results revealed three main clusters, exemplars from the...

V obdobju digitalne preobrazbe družbe na pomenu pridobivajo tudi informacijske tehnologije. Sem sodijo geografski informacijski sistemi, ki povezujejo lokacijske podatke z vsemi vrstami opisnih informacij, in s tem zagotavljajo osnovo za kartiranje in prostorsko analizo. Slednja se dandanes uporablja tako v znanosti kot v industriji. S pomočjo tovr...

The human population is increasing. The ongoing urbanization process, in conjunction with climate change, is causing larger environmental footprints. Consequently, quality of life in urban systems worldwide is under immense pressure. Here, the seasonal characteristics of Maribor’s urban thermal environment were studied from the perspectives of surf...

Aims Understanding fine-grain diversity patterns across large spatial extents is fundamental for macroecological research and biodiversity conservation. Using the GrassPlot database, we provide benchmarks of fine-grain richness values of Palaearctic open habitats for vascular plants, bryophytes, lichens and complete vegetation (i.e., the sum of the...

In this work, we investigated the relationship between habitat types (HTs) and selected environmental factors in the highlands at altitudes of 1800–2558 m in the Kamnik-Savinja (KS) Alps in Slovenia. For 275 sampling sites, we identified seven HTs in their typical form and 11 ecotones, and provided field and modelled data for 14 environmental facto...

Agri-environmental measures are a well-established model of financial incentives in the EU's common agricultural policy for managing in ways that reduce negative environmental impacts. The paper presents the basic models of agri-environmental measures for biodiversity conservation: classical model of measures to implement a particular agricultural...

Pojav mestnega toplotnega otoka (MTO) je posledica antropogenega spreminjanja prostora ter lokalnih podnebnih razmer. Večina študij o MTO obravnava velika metropolitanska območja. Podatki kažejo da je jakost pojava MTO lahko velika tudi v malih urbanih sistemih. V študiji smo se osredotočili na jakost pojava MTO v luči povprečnih, maksimalnih in mi...

Dandanes več kot polovica ljudi živi v ubranih sistemih. Posledično se širijo pozidane površine, ki s svojimi lastnostmi ustvarjajo učinek mestnega toplotnega otoka, ki velja za enega izmed najbolj značilnih pojavov urbane gradnje in antropogenih aktivnosti. Pojav se zaradi globalnih podnebnih sprememb značilno krepi, kar dodatno vpliva na psihološ...

Zagotavljanje zadostne produktivnosti je gonilo gospodarskega razvoja. Le-ta pa v prostoru s časom pušča značilen odtis zaradi različnih gospodarskih sistemov, ki so posledica različnih političnih ideologij. Za oceno vpliva politično-gospodarskih sistemov na prostor potrebujemo njegovo »inicialno stanje«: homogeno kulturno krajino, ki si jo delijo...

The agri-environment measures (KOPOP) are intended to preserve and promote special agricultural practices that contribute to preserving biodiversity and landscape, protect water resources, and contribute to mitigation and adaptation to climate change through adaptation of farming. Current studies show that the integration of agricultural holdings i...

report of the 16th EGC

Kmetijsko-okoljska-podnebna plačila (KOPOP) so namenjena ohranjanju in spodbujanju nadstandardnih kmetijskih praks, ki prispevajo k ohranjanju biotske raznovrstnosti in krajine, varovanju vodnih virov, ter s prilagoditvijo kmetovanja prispevajo k blaženju in prilagajanju podnebnim spremembam. Aktualne študije kažejo, da je vpetost kmetijskih gospod...

GrassPlot is a collaborative vegetation-plot database organised by the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG) and listed in the Global Index of Vegetation-Plot Databases (GIVD ID EU-00-003). GrassPlot collects plot records (relevés) from grasslands and other open habitats of the Palaearctic biogeographic realm. It focuses on precisely delimited plots...

In this study, we investigated plant communities in relation to site-specific morphological properties and sediment structure on gravel bars along the middle Drava River in Slovenia. We sampled 143 plots of 5 × 5 m using species cover-abundance estimates. In addition, we considered the following habitat physical variables: elevation above the water...

In nature conservation, providing new, advanced knowledge of protected habitats and biota often requires extensive sampling, which contradicts the main goal of minimizing damage and disturbance. How to avoid this innate collision was the main concern in our study. Highland habitats are suitable for addressing this problem, since they are relatively...

There is a general decline of grasslands across Europe due to habitat loss and degradation. Ensuring plant dispersal thus becomes a key process for preserving grassland patches in all scales. We examined diaspore dispersal by sheep epizoochory in the pastures of the North Adriatic Karst (NW Slovenia) and determined the qualitative and quantitative...

Over time, grassland use has changed from traditional (extensive) to intensive agricultural management, a change which has caused biodiversity loss in the European grassland area. To save Europe's biodiversity, the most important measure was the establishment of the Natura 2000 network. Goričko Landscape Park in Slovenia is in Natura 2000 to preser...

In the present study we sampled vegetation, plant functional traits and environmental properties to investigate the functional composition of gravel bar vegetation along the middle Drava River in Slovenia in relation to various abiotic controls. Our analysis of the species-traits data resulted in six plant functional types (FTs) which may coexist w...

Recently, two approaches to account for ecological differences in community composition have been developed: one based on trait differences (functional diversity) and another based on evolutionary history (phylogenetic diversity). Combining them allows an integrated view of processes structuring communities. The North Adriatic Karst is covered by s...

Physiognomically similar meadows from two different regions, the Dinaric and the Central European, that occur in similar environments and have been subjected to relatively uniform management regimes were compared in order to test for signifi cant differences in fl oristic diversity, community-weighted mean (CWM) and functional diversity (FD). We fo...

Agricultural landscape, as a result of human interference and management, has drastically changed in the last 180 years within the area. The process of land abandonment is the most evident, along with overgrowing of grasslands, field fragmentation and spreading of urban surfaces. The changes are explained with drastically changed socio-economic dri...

Dynamic alluvial landscapes offer many possibilities to study primary succession processes on newly developed habitats. However, within the Central European environmental conditions, where watercourses and their riparian spaces are under severe anthropogenic pressures - water regulation, deforestation, lowering of groundwater – natural processes ar...

Dynamic alluvial landscapes offer many possibilities to study primary succession processes on newly developed habitats. However, within the Central European environmental conditions, where watercourses and their riparian spaces are under severe anthropogenic pressures — water regulation, deforestation, lowering of groundwater — natural processes ar...

European dry grasslands formed of the Festuco-Brometea type are among the most diverse plant communities within agricultural landscapes. We examined floristic composition, functional trait structure and threatened species occurrence in grasslands of this type from in two distinct biogeographic regions, Dinaric (NW Balkan) and the Central European....

Kulturna krajina, ki je rezultat človekovega poseganja v naravo in njenega urejanja, se je na območju Movraškega Krasa in na bližnjih flišnih predelih slovenske Istre v zadnjih 180 letih korenito spremenila. Izstopajoč je proces zaraščanja kot posledica deagrarizacije, drobljenje in zmanjševanje njivskih površin, zaraščanje travnikov in pašnikov, p...

Probably due to its phytogeographic position, the grasslands in the North Adriatic Karst are among the richest grasslands in the world and harbour the highest small-scale density of plant species found in terrestrial habitats. Different moisture and soil conditions determine distinct vegetation types, such as meadows, composed by mesophyllous plant...

Could tests of proportionality for functionally defined guilds provide a rapid means of revealing potential mechanisms of co-existence in species-rich meadow communities? A species-rich meadow in Slovenia. Species presence/absence was recorded in 830 contiguous 0.2 m × 0.2 m quadrats arranged in a rectangular transect. Evidence for guild proportion...

In the present study, we investigated plant communities with Yellow Oat Grass (Trisetum flavescens (L.) Pb.) in the submontane and montane regions of Slovenia. In 2005-2007 ninety-one relevés were collected by using the standard procedure of the Braun-Blanquet approach. Relevés were analysed with multivariate analysis and classified within two asso...

Two Umbelliferous tall herbs – Laserpitium siler and Grafia golaka tend to form monodominant stands in the montane belt of the North Adriatic Karst after grassland abandonment. The germination and development of shade-tolerant species of further successional stages could be facilitated by favorable climatic conditions, measured in the canopy, but c...

In the present study, we compared the species richness and the floristic and functional composition of two types of extensively managed, species rich dry grasslands (class Festuco-Brometea) from the North Adriatic Karst: karst pastures (alliance Satureion subspicatae) and karst meadows (alliance Scorzonerion villose). Karst pastures are characteriz...

In the present study, we compared the species richness and the floristic and functional composition of two types of extensively managed, species rich dry grasslands (class Festuco-Brometea) from the North Adriatic Karst: karst pastures (alliance Satureion subspicatae) and karst meadows (alliance Scorzonerion villose). Karst pastures are characteriz...

We studied the effects of sheep grazing intensity and abandonment on plant species richness and composition, plant life forms and the productivity of North Adriatic Karst pastures. The experimental sites were under controlled grazing regimes (heavy, moderate, light and abandonment) for 10 years. Data were collected during one season; plant species...

Desiccated seeds were used in order to evaluate qualitatively and quantitatively the weed vegetation present in traditional Central-European agricultural landscape of the second half of the 19th century. More than seven thousand seeds were excavated from 100 kg of loam, chaff and straw that had been used as building material of cob cottages in NE S...

In the present study, we investigated the species richness and species composition in relation to light and management regime in remnants of wooded meadows within the riparian forests along the middle Drava River in Slovenia. 41 plots of still managed and, at different time periods (<5yrs, 5–15yrs, >15yrs), abandoned riparian wooded meadows (RWM) w...

We report about successful winter survival of a tropical plant Pistia stratiotes in a natural thermal stream Topla in Slovenia in temperate climate zone in central Europe. Only 2 years after its first occurrence in 2001 P. stratiotes managed to cover most of the water body where the thermal springs cause an elevated temperature (>17 °C year round)....

Halophyte vegetation of Slovenian sedimentary seacoast was studied according to Braun-Blanquet method. 140 collected relevés were analysed by cluster analysis and five main clusters were separated. Relevés from the first, fourth and fifth clusters were further elaborated in this study. The Juncus maritimus-dominated tall rush saltmarshes of the cla...

Vegetation of the silicicolous grasslands of the highlands of NorthEastern Slovenia has been sampled with standard Braun-Blanquet procedure. All the 102 collected relevés have been classified within the order Nar-detalia Oberd. ex Preising 1949. The association Homogyno alpinae-Nardetum Mráz 1956 (all. Nardo-Agrostion tenuis Sillinger 1933) has bee...

Pulsatilla grandis is a rare and endangered species in Central Europe. A field experiment was set up to test the effects of disturbances on its germination and survival rates after artificial seeding. Disturbances were simulated by the following treatments: burning, hoeing, and removal of vegetation. The germination percentage decreased rapidly wit...

Pulsatilla grandis is a rare and endangered species in Central Europe. A field experiment was set up to test the effects of disturbances on its germination and survival rates after artificial seeding. Disturbances were Simulated by the following treatments: burning, hoeing, and removal of vegetation. The germination percentage decreased rapidly wit...

We present a dry grassland vegetation of the Brometalia erecti Koch 1926 order (class Festuco-Brometea) in Goričko, north-easternmost part of Slovenia. Due to the acid, non-carbonate geological bedrock, these grasslands rather differ from other Slovenian dry and semi-dry grasslands of this order. On the basis of comparison of the collected relevés...