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Abstract: Effective crop pollination hinges on the alignment of agricultural and apicultural practices with ecological knowledge. This study explores the dynamics between Croatian beekeepers and farmers, revealing overlapping but often uncoordinated approaches to pollination. Survey data indicate that 83.8% of beekeepers work part-time, aligning with broader trends observed across Europe. While honey production remains the primary source of income, pollination services contribute minimally, partly due to logistical barriers, weak institutional frameworks, and limited market incentives. Apiary placement is strongly influenced by seasonal floral resources, with a preference for grasslands, and selective avoidance of certain crops due to pesticide risks or low nectar flow. Farmers have reported a significant dependence on animal pollination (median 42.5%) and a strong reliance on managed honeybee colonies, however, wild insect pollinators and habitat enhancements remain underutilized. Despite widespread awareness, constraints, including technical gaps and financial limitations, hinder further engagement. The research emphasizes the urgent need to incorporate ecological knowledge into policy and practice. Promoting cooperative relationships, ecosystem service-based incentives, and regionally adapted training could enhance pollination outcomes. Part-time beekeepers could be a vital resource for expanding insect pollination services if they received better support. To strengthen partnerships between beekeepers and farmers in Croatia, it is necessary to coordinate efforts across policy, education, and land-use planning to fully unlock the ecological and economic potential of pollination.
Keywords: beekeeping practices, insect pollination, honeybee colonies, bumblebee colonies, semi-managed wild bees
Published in DiRROS: 21.04.2026; Views: 153; Downloads: 70
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Abstract: A field experiment was conducted in 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 at Rogoza, Fala, and Brežice in Slovenia to examine the biological viability of a mixed intercropping system and the effect of winter catch crops (WCCs) on maize growth parameters. The experiment included Italian ryegrass (IR) in pure stands, fertilized with nitrogen (N) in spring (70 kg N ha−1), mixtures of crimson clover and red clover 50:50 (C), and intercropping between IR and C (IR+C). Neither mixture was fertilized with N in spring. We evaluated different competition indices and biological efficiency. Relative crowding coefficient (RCC) and actual yield loss (AYL) exceeded 1, indicating a benefit of IR+C intercropping. The IR in intercropping was more aggressive, as indicated by positive aggressivity (A) and a competitive ratio (CR) > 1, and it dominated over C in IR+C (that had negative A values and CR < 1). The competitive balance index (Cb) differed from zero, the relative yield total (RYT) was 2.24, the land equivalent coefficient (LEC) exceeded 0.25, the area–time equivalent ratio (ATER) exceeded 1, and land use efficiency (LUE) exceeded 100%. IR+C exhibited the highest total aboveground dry matter yield of maize (29.22 t ha−1), the highest nitrogen content in dry matter grain yield of maize (206.35 kg ha−1), the highest nitrogen and potassium content in maize stover (105.7 and 105.7 kg ha−1, respectively), and the highest nitrogen and potassium content in the total aboveground dry matter of maize (312 and 267.3 kg ha−1, respectively). The C/N ratio in dry matter yield of IR was 45.35, and in IR+C it was 33.43, which means that the mixture had a positive effect on nutrient release in maize. The ryegrass–clover mixture, according to the calculated biological indices, had advantages over pure stands and had a positive effect on maize yield.
Keywords: clover, competition indices, grass, intercropping, maize, management practices, mixed cropping
Published in DiRROS: 10.02.2026; Views: 454; Downloads: 130
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Abstract: The article proposes some methodological reflections on doing oral history in borderland areas, starting from the case study of the Slovene-Italian borderland. It elaborates on some mistakes and difficulties the author has faced when conducting interviews in the Slovene-Italian borderland. She reflects on various challenges and obstacles, from language to terminology and conflicting collective narratives. She concludes that, as in any oral history project, as well as in borderland areas, it is important to create a relaxed atmosphere that allows for an open discussion of issues of the shared past. In a space often full of conflicting narratives and memories this is not always easy, and it is probably easier for those who are several generations distant from the events. However, the key elements of such an interview are creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and honesty and especially to (patiently) listen to the narrator, without judgement.
Keywords: oral history, borderlands, border history, collective memory, practices of memory, contested past, Slovene-Italian border, slovene historiography
Published in DiRROS: 21.01.2026; Views: 361; Downloads: 235
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Abstract: The article presents the results of the archaeological investigations conducted at Podgorica. They revealed a settlement considered part of the Podgorica-Dragomelj ‘twin settlement’ that was located at a former streambed and extended across more than 2 ha. The clustered buildings in its centre and the metallurgical-casting activities moved to the periphery indicate a deliberate organisation of the living and work spaces of its inhabitants. The area was then reused in the Early Iron Age, when it served as a burial ground in the Hallstatt period.
Keywords: Late Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, lowland settlement, casting activities, ritual practices, graves
Published in DiRROS: 15.01.2026; Views: 397; Downloads: 268
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Keywords: circular economy, sustainable materials, best practices
Published in DiRROS: 10.09.2025; Views: 551; Downloads: 318
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