before posting to the right topic

[marika.solo]

2024

Anderwald D, Sławski M, Zadworny T, Zawadzki G. Are Current Protection Methods Ensuring the Safe Emancipation of Young Black Storks? Telemetry Study of Space Use by Black Storks (Ciconia nigra) in the Early Post-Breeding Period.

https://www.mdpi.com/2802532

very interesting data

5. Conclusions
The use of telemetry to study BSs in the post-breeding period provided new information on the pattern of young birds’ independence. It was possible to determine the basic parameters of breeding phenology, such as the age of making the first flight attempts at an average of 65 days and the final departure from the nest at an average of 87 days. The use of space during this period was analyzed. The birds make the greatest use of a 500 m radius around the nest. In this zone, the birds refine their flying skills, explore the surroundings, and gradually become independent. The immediate vicinity of the nest and selected roosts are crucial.
...
The results confirm the validity of the establishment of protection zones of 500 m around nests and the need to maintain them from the start of the breeding season in March until the end of August.

[marika.solo]

2021

The abundance, reproductive success and apparent survival in the Estonian black stork population in 1991–2020.

(translation without corrections yet)

The most important result of this work is the accurate description of the extent of the decline in the Black-stork's numbers/population and the main cause/reason of this decline - high mortality of juveniles and higher mortality of females than male birds. The high mortality is probably due to the low condition of the young birds, which in turn is mainly due to a lack of food. The lack of food is not so much a problem in the early breeding period, because the Estonian Black-storks have the same size of broods as in the southern populations. Chicks may be in poorer condition due to lack of food in the late breeding period or after fledging, when many watercourses are already dry, indicating the negative effects of drought. In addition to food shortages, diseases, parasites and environmental toxins such as mercury and DDT can also have an impact. Certainly, the latter factors need further investigation.
Väli, Ü., Nellis, R., Kaldma, K., Vainu, O. & Sellis, U. Must-toonekure arvukus, sigimisedukus ja ellujäämus Eestis aastatel 1991–2020
(https://www.eoy.ee/hirundo/files/Vali-et-al-2021.pdf)

Kokkuvõte
Käesoleva töö tähtsaim tulemus on must-toonekure arvukuse languse ulatuse täpne kirjeldamine ning selle peamise põhjuse – noorlindude kõrge suremuse tõestamine, samuti on emaslindude suremus kõrgem kui isaslindudel. Tõenäoliselt tuleneb kõrge suremus noorlindude madalast konditsioonist, mis omakorda tuleneb eeskätt toidupuudusest. Toidupuudus ei kimbuta niivõrd pesitsuse algusperioodil, sest Eesti must-toonekurgede pesakonnad on sama suured kui lõunapoolsetes asurkondades. Pojad võivad toidupuuduse tõttu kehve-
masse konditsiooni jääda pesitsuse lõpuperioodil või pärast lennuvõimestumist, kui paljud vooluveekogud on juba kuivad, see viitab kuivenduse negatiivsele mõjule. Lisaks toidupuudusele võivad mõju avaldada ka haigused, parasiidid ning keskkonnamürgid, näiteks elav-
hõbe ja DDT. Kindlasti vajavad viimati mainitud tegurid edasisi lisauuringuid.

[marika.solo]

2026

The Role of Urban Floodplain Wetlands in Supporting Biodiversity and Enhancing Resilience in Belgrade, Serbia
Dušan Nikolić*, Stefan Skorić, Gorčin Cvijanović, Marko Raković, Daliborka Stanković, Draženko Rajković, Marija Smederevac-Lalić
1 University of Belgrade – Institute for Multidisciplinary Research, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia
* Corresponding author: dusan@imsi.rs

Urban wetlands provide a wide range of ecosystem services that are essential for maintaining biodiversity and improving
environmental quality in rapidly expanding cities. These ecosystems contribute to water purification, shoreline stabilization,
carbon sequestration, and flood regulation, while also supporting diverse plant and animal communities (Eder et al., 2025).
However, ongoing urbanization and infrastructure development frequently result in the degradation or loss of wetland habitats,
which reduces ecosystem functioning and negatively affects human well-being (Hein et al., 2016). Consequently, the integration
of wetlands into urban planning is increasingly recognized as an effective nature-based solution for enhancing climate resilience
and promoting sustainable urban development (Aghaloo et al., 2024). Despite growing awareness of these issues, Serbia still lacks
a comprehensive and well-developed framework for the systematic assessment of biodiversity and ecosystem services (Stanković
& Batrićević, 2023).
Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, represents a unique case among European cities due to its location at the confluence of two major
rivers, the Danube and the Sava. This geographical setting has enabled the preservation of several floodplain habitats within the
urban landscape, including the foreland of the left bank of the Danube, the wetland Bara Reva, and natural river islands such as
Veliko Ratno Ostrvo. Historically, this region formed part of the extensive floodplain between the Danube and the Tamiš rivers,
known as Pančevački Rit, which was largely drained during the twentieth century as a consequence of rapid urban expansion and
land reclamation (Šabić et al., 2018). Across the Danube basin, floodplain ecosystems have been substantially reduced over recent
decades, with estimated losses exceeding 70% (Hein et al., 2016), suggesting that similar pressures affect floodplain habitats in
the Belgrade metropolitan area.
Despite these trends, the foreland between the flood protection embankment and the Danube River retains a relatively natural
hydrological regime and functions as an important ecological corridor composed of wetlands, floodplain forests, side channels,
and shallow aquatic habitats. Periodic flooding maintains a mosaic of environmental conditions that support high biodiversity and
provide critical spawning and nursery habitats for numerous fish species, including Common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Common
bream (Abramis brama), Northern pike (Esox lucius), and European catfish (Silurus glanis) (Sekulić et al., 2024). In addition, these
wetlands support a rich avifauna, with approximately 160 recorded bird species – the internationally recognized Important Bird
Area (IBA), including endangered species such as the White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), Black Stork (Ciconia nigra), and
Ferruginous Duck (Aythya nyroca) (BirdLife International, 2026). The area also supports diverse amphibian, reptile, and mammal
communities, including the Green frog (Pelophylax kl. esculenta), Pool frog (Pelophylax lessonae), European tree frog (Hyla
arborea), European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis), Dice snake (Natrix tessellata), Grass snake (Natrix natrix), Wild boar (Sus scrofa),
Badger (Meles meles), Hare (Lepus europaeus), and Golden jackal (Canis aureus), highlighting its importance for regional
biodiversity conservation.
Beyond their ecological value, floodplain wetlands around Belgrade play a significant role in regulating hydrological processes and
mitigating climate-related risks (Šabić et al., 2018). These areas act as natural flood retention zones that absorb excess water
during high river discharge and reduce flood risks for the city. At the same time, vegetation and open water surfaces contribute to
local climate regulation by cooling surrounding urban areas and mitigating the urban heat island effect.
Given the increasing pressures of urban expansion and climate change, preserving and effectively managing these wetlands is
essential for maintaining ecosystem resilience and sustaining biodiversity in urban environments. This study therefore examines
the ecological importance of urban wetlands in Belgrade and highlights their role in supporting biodiversity, regulating hydrological
processes, and enhancing urban resilience. By highlighting the ecological and climate-regulating functions of these wetlands, this
study provides valuable insights for urban planners and decision-makers aiming to integrate nature-based solutions into
sustainable urban development and biodiversity conservation strategies.

Sretovic Brkovic, V., & Djukic, A. (2024). The Role of Urban Design in Creating Resilient Public Open Spaces Surrounding Urban Small Watercourses: A Case Study of the Kumodraz Stream in Belgrade. Sustainability, 16(13), 5723. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16135723