111. Oxygen consumption and carbon budget in groundwater-obligate and surface-dwelling Diacyclops species (Crustacea Copepoda Cyclopoida) under temperature variabilityTiziana Di Lorenzo, Agostina Tabilio Di Camillo, Sanda Iepure, Diana Maria Paola Galassi, Nataša Mori, Tatjana Simčič, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: This study explores the metabolic response and carbon budget of two cyclopoid copepod species, Diacyclops belgicus Kiefer, 1936 (a stygobitic, groundwater-adapted species) and Diacyclops crassicaudis crassicaudis (Sars G.O., 1863) (a stygophilic, predominantly surface-associated species). We measured oxygen consumption rates (OCRs), carbon requirements (CRs), ingestion (I) rates, and egestion (E) rates at 14 °C and 17 °C, representing current and predicted future conditions in the collection habitats of the two species. Diacyclops belgicus displayed OCRs (28.15 and 18.32 µL O2/mg DW × h at 14 and 17 °C, respectively) and carbon budget (CR: 0.14 and 0.10 µg C/mg × d at 14 and 17 °C) lower than those of D. crassicaudis crassicaudis (OCR: 55.67 and 47.93 µL O2/mg DW × h at 14 and 17 °C; CR: 0.3 and 0.27 µg C/mg × d at 14 and 17 °C). However, D. belgicus exhibited metabolic rates and carbon requirements comparable to those of other epigean species, challenging the assumption that low metabolic rates are universal among stygobitic species. Temperature variations did not significantly affect the metabolic responses and carbon requirements of the two species, suggesting that they may cope with moderate temperature increases.
Keywords: groundwater, metabolic rates, stygobitic, climate change, copepods, crustaceans, energy budget, zoology
Published in DiRROS: 21.01.2025; Views: 49; Downloads: 22
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112. Computational methods for detecting insect vibrational signals in field vibroscape recordingsMatija Marolt, Matevž Pesek, Rok Šturm, Juan José López Díez, Behare Rexhepi, Meta Virant-Doberlet, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The ecological significance of vibroscape has been largely overlooked, excluding an important part of the available information from ecosystem assessment. Insects rely primarily on substrate-borne vibrational signalling in their communication, which is why the majority of terrestrial insects are excluded from passive acoustic monitoring. The ability to monitor the biological component of the natural vibroscape has been limited due to a lack of data and methods to analyse the data. In this paper, we evaluate the use of deep learning models to automatically detect and classify vibrational signals from field recordings obtained with laser vibrometry. We created a dataset of annotated vibroscape recordings of meadow habitats, containing vibrational signals categorized as pulses, harmonic signals, pulse trains, and complex signals. We compared different deep neural network architectures for the detection and classification of vibrational signals, including convolutional and transformer models. The PaSST transformer architecture, which was fine-tuned from a pre-trained checkpoint demonstrated the highest performance on all tasks, achieving an average precision of 0.79 in signal detection. For signals with more than one hour of annotated data, the classification models achieved instance-based F1-scores above 0.8, enabling automatic analysis of activity patterns. In our case study, where 24-hour field recordings were analysed, the trained models (even those with lower precision) revealed interesting activity patterns of different species. The presented study, together with the dataset we publish with this paper, lays the foundation for further analysis of the vibroscape and the development of automated methods for ecotremological monitoring that complement passive acoustic monitoring and provide a comprehensive approach to ecosystem assessment.
Keywords: vibroscape, ecotremology, deep learning, automatic classification, biotremology, insects, zoology, laser vibrometry, ecosystem assessment
Published in DiRROS: 21.01.2025; Views: 51; Downloads: 25
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113. Understanding rate and capacity limitations in Li–S batteries based on solid-state sulfur conversion in confinementAyca Senol, Jean-Marc von Mentlen, Jean G. A. Ruthes, Francisco J. Garcia Soriano, Sara Drvarič Talian, Volker Presser, Lionel Porcar, Alen Vižintin, Vanessa Wood, Christian Prehal, 2024, original scientific article Published in DiRROS: 21.01.2025; Views: 64; Downloads: 32
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114. The effects of the Hand in Hand : empowering teachers(HAND: ET) programme on teacher burnout in Slovenia. Do experience and baseline emotional competencies matter?Ana Kozina, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: As burnout affects teachers’ health and well-being, as well as their teaching understanding interventions beneficial for prevention is crucial. In this study, we explored possible predictors of the decrease in the dimensions of burnout (emotional exhaustion, physical fatigue, cognitive weariness) after the HAND: ET intervention. We used following predictors: teachers’ experience (professional experience and previous experience of activities supporting emotional competencies) and baseline emotional competencies (self-awareness (operationalised as mindfulness), and self-management (operationalised as emotional self-efficacy)). We used data gathered from the Shirom−Melamed Burnout Questionnaire, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Emotional Self-Efficacy Scale, and a set of demographic questions in a Slovene sample of in-service teachers (N = 185). Teachers’ experiences were not significant predictors of a decrease in any of the dimension of burnout, while baseline emotional competencies, were significant predictors of emotional exhaustion. The findings support the universal nature of the HAND: ET intervention as well as the importance of continuous support for teachers’ emotional competencies.
Keywords: Slovenia, teachers, burnout, intervention, experiences, emotional competencies, HAND:ET
Published in DiRROS: 21.01.2025; Views: 56; Downloads: 33
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115. Management measures and trends of biological invasions in Europe : a survey-based assessment of local managersCarla Garcia-Lozano, Josep Pueyo-Ros, Quim Canelles, Guillaume Latombe, Tim Adriaens, Sven Bacher, Ana Cristina Cardoso, Michelle Cleary, Lluís Coromina, Franck Courchamp, Maarten De Groot, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and nature's contributions to people worldwide. However, the effectiveness of invasive alien species (IAS) management measures and the progress toward achieving biodiversity targets remain uncertain due to limited and nonuniform data availability. Management success is usually assessed at a local level and documented in technical reports, often written in languages other than English, which makes such data notoriously difficult to collect at large geographic scales. Here we present the first European assessment of how managers perceive trends in IAS and the effectiveness of management measures to mitigate biological invasions. We developed a structured questionnaire translated into 18 languages and disseminated it to local and regional managers of IAS in Europe. We received responses from 1928 participants from 41 European countries, including 24 European Union (EU) Member States. Our results reveal substantial efforts in IAS monitoring and control, with invasive plants being the primary focus. Yet, there is a general perception of an increase in the numbers, occupied areas, and impacts of IAS across environment and taxonomic groups, particularly plants, over time. This perceived increase is consistent across both EU and non-EU countries, with respondents from EU countries demonstrating more certainty in their responses. Our results also indicate a lack of data on alien vertebrates and invertebrates, reflecting a need for more targeted monitoring and knowledge sharing between managers and policymakers and between countries. Overall, our study suggests that Europe's current strategies are insufficient to substantially reduce IAS by 2030 and hence to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework target.
Keywords: management measures, biological invasions, Europe
Published in DiRROS: 20.01.2025; Views: 66; Downloads: 37
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116. Identifying adolescents’ victimization experiences : a latent profile analysis approachIgor Peras, Tina Pivec, Anja Kališnik, Katja Košir, 2024, original scientific article Keywords: adolescents, bullying, latent profile analysis, psychosocial characteristics, victimization
Published in DiRROS: 20.01.2025; Views: 87; Downloads: 68
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120. Alkali-activated mineral residues in construction : case studies on bauxite residue and steel slag pavement tilesLubica Kriskova, Vilma Ducman, Mojca Loncnar, Anže Tesovnik, Gorazd Žibret, Dimitra Skentzou, Christos Georgopoulos, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: This research aimed to investigate the potential of using alkali activation technology to valorize steel slag and bauxite residue for the production of high-performance pavement blocks. By utilizing these industrial by-products, the study seeks to reduce their environmental impact and support the development of sustainable construction materials. Lab-scale testing showed that bauxite pavers showed a decrease in mechanical strength with increasing replacement of ordinary Portland cement. Partial replacement up to 20% still exceeded 30 MPa in compressive strength. Steel slag-based pavers achieved the 30 MPa threshold required for the application with selected mix designs. Pilot-scale production-optimized formulations and standards testing, including freeze–thaw resistance, confirmed the technical viability of these products. Life cycle analysis indicated a 25–27% reduction in CO2 emissions for slag-based tiles compared to traditional concrete tiles. Moreover, using industrial residue reduced mineral resource depletion. This study examined the properties of the resulting alkali-activated binders, their ecological benefits, and their performance compared to conventional materials. Through a comprehensive analysis of these applications, our research promotes the circular economy and the advancement of sustainable construction products.
Keywords: alkali-activated materials, building materials, bauxite residue, steel slag, pavers
Published in DiRROS: 20.01.2025; Views: 74; Downloads: 34
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