Ziva FiserUniversity of Primorska | UP · Department of Biodiversity
Ziva Fiser
PhD in Biology, University of Ljubljana
About
36
Publications
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393
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Introduction
Additional affiliations
September 2008 - present
Publications
Publications (36)
We introduce the database of European vascular plant red lists, a compilation of red list categories designated to taxa during in-country conservation assessments. Version 1.0 of the database is a standalone static dataset with open access in an end-user friendly format. Its aim is to fulfil the objectives of European Cooperation in Science and Tec...
The diversity of vascular plant taxa in Europe is threatened. National red lists are valuable biodiversity conservation tools that provide us with information on the proximity of a taxon to extinction. However, there are still differences in the methods and implementation of these assessments across European countries, indicating gaps in conservati...
Range contraction and habitat fragmentation can cause biodiversity loss by creating conditions that directly or indirectly affect the survival of plant populations. Fragmented habitats can alter pollinator guilds and impact their behavior, which may result in pollen/pollinator limitation and selection for increased selfing as a mechanism for reprod...
The diversity of vascular plants in Europe is at risk, and the national Red Lists are crucial for understanding these threats. However, our study has shown that there are differences in how European countries assess and update these documents, revealing gaps in conservation efforts. We collected data from the most recent national Red Lists of vascu...
Long term survival of plant populations relies on successful reproductive cycle to obtain generation turnover. Focusing on plant species of conservation concern, we brought together a group of plant conservationists from different countries to assess whether the already available information on plant reproductive biology and autecology is adequate...
![Coefficients of inbreeding depression (after [67]) and outbreeding...](publication/373013092/figure/fig4/AS:11431281205626327@1700364631795/Coefficients-of-inbreeding-depression-after-67-and-outbreeding-depression-after_Q320.jpg)
Background:
Mating system is one of the major determinants of intra- and interspecific genetic structure, but may vary within and between plant populations. Our study model included all known populations of Moehringia tommasinii (Caryophyllaceae), a narrow endemic plant inhabiting rock crevices in the northwestern Adriatic, and some populations of...
This paper aims to shed light on distribution patterns and the relationship between species diversity and environmental heterogeneity of 17 Edraianthus taxa. We examined present and past distributions (Last Glacial Maximum) by applying ecological niche modelling. The environmental space occupied by the taxa was analysed using niche comparison metho...
Plant life history and functional characteristics play an important role in determining the invasive potential of plant species and have implications for management approaches. We studied the distribution of 24 alien plant taxa in a protected area in relation to different land-uses by applying ordination analyses and generalized linear models. Taxa...
In this study we examine the occurrence of plants and their symbolic, economic, and intrinsic values in Slovenian folk songs. We have analyzed songs published by the ethnologist Karel Štrekelj between 1895 and 1912. Of the 8686 songs studied, plants occur in 1246 (14%) of them. A total of 93 plant taxa were found, belonging to 48 plant families. Gr...
Even though plants represent an essential part of our lives offering exploitational, supporting and cultural services, we know very little about the biology of the rarest and most threatened plant species, and even less about their conservation status. Rapid changes in the environment and climate, today more pronounced than ever, affect their fitne...
We studied the site ecology of Salvia brachyodon (Lamiaceae), a narrow endemic of the eastern Adriatic, which is now restricted to only three sites, using the sigmatistic method and numerical analyses. Four floristically and ecologically well-defined groups of stands, representing different syntaxa, were identified, corresponding to the sampling si...
Za uspešno pridobivanje teoretičnega znanja in globlje razumevanje zgradbe in delovanja bioloških struktur ter pojavov je teoretični pouk bioloških predmetov na vseh stopnjah izobraževanja podprt s praktičnimi vajami. Na visokošolski stopnji so praktične vaje pri posameznih predmetih celo bolj ali manj enakovreden del predavanjem. Na študenta osred...
Classical and geometric morphometric analyses of floral characters of Salvia pratensis agg. were performed on populations from the E Adriatic area. Both types of analyses yielded congruent results, and three groups of populations, attributed to S. verbenaca, which served as an outgroup, S. saccardiana and S. pratensis (incl. S. bertolonii), were un...
Globally, the number of invasive alien species (IAS) continues to increase and management and policy responses typically need to be adopted before conclusive empirical evidence on their environmental and socioeconomic impacts are available. Consequently, numerous protocols exist for assessing IAS impacts and differ considerably in which evidence th...
A peer-reviewed open-access journal NeoBiota Rachel L. White et al. / NeoBiota 48: 45-69 (2019) 46 Abstract Globally, the number of invasive alien species (IAS) continues to increase and management and policy responses typically need to be adopted before conclusive empirical evidence on their environmental and socioeconomic impacts are available. C...
Ethnobotany is a multidisciplinary science studying the relationship between man and plants. This relationship can also be perceived through the study of oral and written traditions, that is, through folk tales, fables or folk songs. In this research, we wanted to find out how often plants occur Slovene love folk songs, which plant taxa are repre-...
There is no sign of saturation in accumulation of alien species (AS) introductions
worldwide, additionally the rate of spread for some species has also been shown to be
increasing. However, the challenges of gathering information on AS are recognized. Recent developments in citizen science (CS) provide an opportunity to improve data flow and
knowle...
Short or long-term ex situ conservation is becoming increasingly important in conservation of plants in today’s changing environments. One of the important steps in ex situ conservation is the collection and storage of seeds and the consequent establishment of seed germination protocols. Cerastium dinaricum (Caryophyllaceae) is an endemic, high ele...
Daphne blagayana is a small decumbent bush from the family Thymelaeaceae with a fragmented distribution range, comprising the Balkan Peninsula and the southern Romanian Carpathians. Due to its rarity it is protected by national legislation in almost all countries within its range. The aim of this work was to assess the plastid diversity of Daphne b...
Traditionally, taxonomic identification has relied upon morphological characters. In the last two decades, molecular tools based on DNA sequences of short standardised gene fragments, termed DNA barcodes, have been developed for species discrimination. The most common DNA barcode used in animals is a fragment of the cytochrome c oxidase (COI) mitoc...
Karst meadows belonging to the class Festuco-Brometea are regarded as species-rich habitats of
national and European importance. Biodiversity in these areas is relatively high, but unlike most
other semi-natural habitat types, it is highly influenced and facilitated by human activities. In the
present study we document the presence and estimate abu...
This paper contributes to the knowledge of the flora of the surroundings of Brestovica near Komen in the south-western part of Slovenia. The inventory of 321 taxa recorded during six days of fieldwork is given, together with a commentary on some interesting findings (Bidens subalternans, Bidens bipinnata, Carthamus lanatus, Clematis flammula, Himan...
The leaf anatomy of Mallotus and Hancea (both subtribe Rottlerinae, tribe Acalypheae) and Blumeodendron (tribe Pycnocomeae) from Euphorbiaceae sensu stricto (subfamily Acalyphoideae) was studied in detail on the basis of 84 specimens belonging to 71 species. Some leaf anatomical features do not show much variation; almost all species have a relativ...
Until recently, the determination of taxa has been based on the use of morphological characteristics. Recent development of molecular tools suggests the possibility of fast and reliable taxonomic identification through DNA barcoding. Such determination is based on the use of short and standardized sections of DNA that contain sufficient information...
Daphne blagayana Freyer (fam. Thymelaeaceae), a small evergreen bush, is a tertiary relict with a fragmented distribution range in the Balkan Peninsula. The species has been protected in Slovenia (as well as in some other countries) since 1898 and is classified as vulnerable in the Red Data List of Threatened Vascular Plants in Slovenia. It grows o...
Mallotus s.str. is a monophyletic, large, palaeotropical genus in the family Euphorbiaceae. We investigated the phylogeny of the genus in order to (1) determine the evolutionary relationships within the Mallotus s.str. clade; (2) assess whether the six sections as circumscribed in the traditional classification reflect clades and evaluate the chara...
Mallotus s.str. is a monophyletic, large, palaeotropical genus in the family Euphorbiaceae. We investigated the phylogeny of the genus in order to (1) determine the evolutionary relationships within the Mallotus s.str. clade; (2) assess whether the six sections as circumscribed in the traditional classification reflect clades and evaluate the chara...
The article discusses Akebia quinata, a new alien species for the Slovenian flora. The authors provide a description of the species and its locality, and discuss its invasive potential, as in 2008, the species was recognized by the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organization as emerging invader in Europe. The authors also discuss the o...
A recent phylogenetic study based on DNA sequence data detected a well-supported clade of a number of Mallotus species together with the genus Cordemoya. This clade is distinct from the large Mallotus s.s. clade. In this paper, Cordemoya (formerly monotypic with C. integrifolia from the Mascarene Islands) is expanded with sixteen additional species...
Questions
Questions (9)
I am looking for any references about different pollen sizes and their viability within the same flower / anther? One of our study species has pollen grains of two distinct sizes - "normal" ones and very small ones. We first thought that smaller ones were aborted / non developed grains, but when testing pollen viability with DAB several small grains become dark (thus viable), and some remain light. Anyone has similar experience?
We tested germination of a herbaceous species from the Caryophyllaceae family and mechanical damage (small scar in testa) significantly improved germination, but seedlings are showing anomalous growth, such as root hairs forming on cotyledons, seedlings without roots... Surprisingly, many of those survived the first month or two.
Any experience/references about that?
Thanks in advance!
We are looking for an alternative automatic particle counter as Coulter Counter is said to be currently unavailable in Europe.
It seems that Elzone (Micromeritics) could be an alternative. Any experience with it or any other counters?
Thank you in advance!
I am trying to extract and count all pollen grains from one anther. Does anyone have any protocols that can be used?
Hello, I am trying to germinate pollen from a Brassicacae species and germinability is very low (different percentage of sucrose + H3BO3 + KNO3 + MgSO4 + Ca(NO3)), while DAB test showed almost 100% viability. The few grains that germinated have a strange pollen tube (see picture). I was advised to use a different growth medium. Any ideas?
I'm trying to use DAB to visualise viable pollen grains. However, DAB tablets (SIGMAFAST tablets to prepare 1 ml solution) don't dissolve and small particles are still visible. I have no experience with DAB, the protocol says to add 1 ml ultrapure water and vortex until dissolved. Moreover, when I stain pollen with this solution, I don't see any major change in colour. Any suggestions?
Hello everyone,
Is there an easy way to prepare the input file for PERMUT (http://www.pierroton.inra.fr/genetics/labo/Software/Permut) ?
I have 21 populations composed of 3-6 individuals (more or less identical), 13 polymorphic sites, 14 haplotypes...
I don't really understand the instructions and any help would be appreciated (also examples of input files...). Thank you!
I am using dominant markers (AFLP) to assess the genetic diversity of a plant. I don´t have reliable information about the mating system, so I´d like to estimate gene diversity assuming both Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and total inbreeding. POPGENE is supposed to do that, but when I do the analysis with the assumption of HWE or total inbreeding i get exactly the same results. What I am doing wrong?
I am facing many problems with AFLP. I extracted DNA with phenol:chloroform and my samples seem to be contaminated with RNA (260/280 ratios are above 2 and there is a smear on agarose gel). Should I be trying to remove RNA from my samples or it doesn't have an effect on AFLP?
