1. The feeding habits and length–weight relationships of the invasive black bullhead Ameiurus melas (Rafinesque, 1820) in the Gruža Reservoir, Central SerbiaMilena Radenković, Nataša Kojadinović, Aleksandra Milošković, Tijana Veličković, Milica Stojković-Piperac, Aleksa Cvetković, Vladica Simić, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Invasive freshwater fishes often display high trophic plasticity, facilitating their establishment and persistence in novel environments. This study examined the feeding ecology, growth patterns, and trophic role of the invasive black bullhead Ameiurus melas in the eutrophic Gruža Reservoir (Central Serbia), with emphasis on ontogenetic dietary shifts and potential ecological impact. Diet composition was analyzed in 103 individuals representing three age classes using traditional diet indices, Costello graphical analysis, self-organizing maps (SOMs), and the Indicator Value (IndVal). Chironomidae, Protozoa, and fish eggs were the dominant dietary components across age classes, although their relative importance varied ontogenetically. Younger individuals exhibited a more generalized feeding strategy, whereas older fish showed increased specialization on benthic prey. SOM-IndVal analyses revealed prey taxa associated with specific feeding patterns at the individual level, identifying Diptera as an indicator prey not detected by population-level indices. Length–weight relationships indicated negative allometric growth (b < 3) across all age classes, consistent with a diet dominated by low-energy prey. These feeding patterns may contribute to altered benthic processes, reduced native fish recruitment, and reinforcement of eutrophic conditions. Overall, the results highlight the pronounced trophic flexibility and ecological plasticity of A. melas, supporting its invasive success in degraded freshwater ecosystems.
Keywords: diet composition, invasive species, freshwater ecosystem, self-organizing maps, IndVal
Published in DiRROS: 06.05.2026; Views: 118; Downloads: 43
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2. Dietary patterns and blood-based biomarkers of Alzheimer’s disease in cognitively intact older adults : findings from a population-based studyAnja Mrhar, Adrián Carballo-Casla, Giulia Grande, Martina Valletta, Claudia Fredolini, Laura Fratiglioni, Milica Gregorič Kramberger, Aleš Kuhar, Bengt Winblad, Amaia Calderón-Larrañaga, Davide Liborio Vetrano, 2025, original scientific article Keywords: neurodegeneration, total tau, phosphorylated tau, amyloid beta, neurofilament light, glial fibrillary acidic protein, diet quality, mediterranean diet, cohort study, dementia, prevention
Published in DiRROS: 16.04.2026; Views: 172; Downloads: 102
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3. Three-tier plate, triple win : health, sustainability, and equity in the Slovenian nutrition guidelines 2025Nataša Fidler Mis, Boštjan Jakše, Samo Kreft, Ana Vovk, Zlatko Fras, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: The prevalence of diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs; e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain cancers) is increasing globally, while food systems are also driving climate change and biodiversity loss. Transitioning to predominantly plant-based (“plant-forward”) dietary patterns can improve health and lower environmental impacts. We present the Slovenian Nutrition Guidelines 2025 (SNG2025)—their methodology, development, and core recommendations. Developed as adult food-based dietary guidelines, the SNG2025 are evidence-informed, drawing on the scientific literature, national nutritional data, and expert consensus. We set quantitative daily intake targets by integrating evidence on primary NCD outcomes with environmental metrics (greenhouse gas emissions, land use, and water use), which led to upper limits for animal-based foods. The recommended plant-forward dietary pattern, aligned with the EAT–Lancet planetary health diet, emphasises vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and unsaturated oils; allows low-to-moderate amounts of seafood, poultry, dairy, and eggs; and keeps red and processed meat, free sugars, refined grains, saturated fat, salt, ultra-processed foods (UPFs), and alcohol to a minimum. For the first time, we operationalise health, environmental sustainability, and equity (cultural diversity and accessibility) through a three-tier, plant-forward food plate model (Mediterranean, vegetarian [lacto-ovo], and whole food, plant-based [vegan]). The SNG2025 aim to reduce the risk of NCDs, lower the dietary environmental footprint, and improve fair access to healthy food. They signal a shift from disease management to a prevention-oriented, systems approach that aligns health and ecological goals. With robust implementation, supportive policies, and multisector collaboration, the SNG2025 can strengthen population health, foster more resilient food systems, and advance equity and long-term sustainability.
Keywords: healthy diets, sustainable diets, dietery guidelines, healthy food, vegetarian diet, Slovenia
Published in DiRROS: 07.04.2026; Views: 203; Downloads: 132
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4. Larval diet breadth and wingspan mediate landscape–richness relationship in butterfly communitiesDušanka Vujanović, Maja Knežević, Aleksandra Đorđević, Andrijana Andrić, Milica Ranković Perišić, Marina Janković Milosavljević, Sanja Veselić, Gianalberto Losapio, Maarten De Groot, Ante Vujić, Snežana Radenković, 2026, original scientific article Abstract: Landscape structure and species traits both shape butterfly assemblages, but their joint effects, and how landscapes restructure trait space independently of richness, remain less understood. We surveyed butterflies at 50 semi-natural grasslands (Serbia) and modelled species richness (SR) with GAMs using two sets of landscape predictors within 2-km buffers: composition (% cover of grassland, forest, complex agriculture) and configuration (distance to the nearest natural patch, nearest natural-patch size, edge density). We included community-weighted mean (CWM) of two traits: wingspan (WS) and host-plant specificity (HPS) and fit landscape-only models, trait-additive models and pre-specified trait–landscape interactions per set (HPS and complex agriculture; WS and distance to the nearest natural patch). To test whether these gradients restructure trait space, we modelled functional divergence (FDiv) as a complementary response. The only landscape predictor of SR was complex agriculture, which increased richness but reduced FDiv. Beyond landscape composition, HPS consistently improved SR models in both sets, with richness peaking at intermediate-to-narrow diet breadth and declining towards extremes. Isolation increased SR only in large-winged communities (WS × distance to the nearest natural patch), and FDiv increased with isolation, evidencing greater representation of trait extremes. Crucially, landscape effects on FDiv persisted after conditioning on SR, showing that landscapes filter which traits persist, not just how many species occur. Butterfly assemblages are driven by resource-based and movement-based filtering rather than landscape structure alone. Our key novelty shows that the same landscape gradients decouple taxonomic from functional diversity; agricultural complexity adds species while compressing trait breadth, whereas isolation benefits large-winged communities and expands trait dispersion. Conservation should therefore track functional structure as well as counts, maintaining diverse larval host-plants and stepping-stone connectivity to sustain both species richness and the functional breadth that underpins resilience.
Keywords: butterfly community, larval diet breadth, species richness, trait–environment interactions, wingspan
Published in DiRROS: 17.02.2026; Views: 326; Downloads: 227
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5. Cultivable bacterial microbiota from choanae of free-living birds captured in SloveniaJure Škraban, Tjaša Matjašič, Franc Janžekovič, Gottfried Wilharm, Janja Trček, 2017, original scientific article Abstract: We have analysed the structure of cultivable choanal microbiota from free-living birds in relation to bird diet, its richness and the relative number of opportunistic bacteria acquired from the environment. For this purpose, we have taken choanal swabs from 25 free-living birds representing 13 different bird species captured in Slovenia. From the grown cultures, 98 bacterial colonies were isolated and their 16S rRNA genes sequenced. Most of the bacteria belonged to the phylum Actinobacteria (52 %), Proteobacteria (31 %), Firmicutes (15 %) and Bacteroidetes (4 %). Thirty-two percent of sampled birds were colonized by known human opportunists and 44 % of birds by at least one known plant pathogen. Hierarchical clustering of the analyzed microbiota grouped the birds according to their predominant diet. The richness of choanal microbiota from birds feeding mainly on insects was poorer compared to the birds feeding on diverse animal and plant material. The study has shown that the free-living birds carry an important reservoir of opportunistic human and plant pathogenic bacteria in their upper respiratory tract. To get a deeper insight into its composition, a bigger pool of birds will have to be analyzed in the future.
Keywords: birds, microbiota, choanae, pathogenic bacteria, diet
Published in DiRROS: 28.01.2026; Views: 415; Downloads: 266
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6. Dietary intake of adolescents and alignment with recommendations for healthy and sustainable diets : results of the SI.Menu studyRok Poličnik, Hristo Hristov, Živa Lavriša, Jerneja Farkaš-Lainščak, Sonja Smole Možina, Barbara Koroušić-Seljak, Urška Blaznik, Matej Gregorič, Igor Pravst, 2024, original scientific article Abstract: Background: The SI.Menu study offers the latest data on the dietary intake of Slovenian adolescents aged 10 to 17. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively assess their dietary intake (energy and nutrients) and compare their food intakes with dietary recommendations for healthy and sustainable diets. Methods: The cross-sectional epidemiological dietary study SI.Menu (March 2017–April 2018) was conducted on a representative sample of Slovenian adolescents aged 10 to 17 years (n = 468) (230 males and 238 females). Data on dietary intake were gathered through two nonconsecutive 24 h recalls, in line with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) EU Menu methodology. The repeated 24 h Dietary Recall (HDR) and Food Propensity Questionnaire (FPQ) data were combined to determine the usual intakes of nutrients and food groups, using the Multiple Source Method (MSM) program. Results: Adolescents’ diets significantly deviate from dietary recommendations, lacking vegetables, milk and dairy products, nuts and seeds, legumes, and water, while containing excessive meat (especially red meat) and high-sugar foods. This results in insufficient intake of dietary fibre, and nutrients such as vitamin D, folate, and calcium. Conclusions: The dietary intake of Slovenian adolescents does not meet healthy and sustainable diet recommendations. This study provides an important insight into the dietary habits of Slovenian adolescents that could be useful for future public health strategies.
Keywords: nutrient intake, energy intake, dietary intake, adolescents, 24 h recall, FPQ, dietary survey, Slovenia, sustainable diet
Published in DiRROS: 10.11.2025; Views: 488; Downloads: 297
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7. Systems biology to unravel Western diet-associated triggers in inflammatory bowel diseaseŠpela Konjar, Evgen Benedik, Marko Šestan, Marc Veldhoen, Anže Županič, 2025, review article Keywords: IBD, western diet, immune cels, microbiota, systems biology
Published in DiRROS: 24.10.2025; Views: 574; Downloads: 311
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8. BugBook: Genetics of insects as food and feedChristoph Sandrock, Tomas N. Generalovic, Katy Paul, Gertje Petersen, Eliaou Sellem, Michael Barlett Smith, Miika Tapio, Wael Yakti, Leo W. Beukeboom, David Deruytter, Jana Obšteter, 2025, original scientific article Keywords: human diet, edible insects, demographic inference, insect breeding, population management, farming insects, review, selection cheme, human nutrition
Published in DiRROS: 18.08.2025; Views: 695; Downloads: 514
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9. Reducing protein levels in diets for local pig breeds : a case study on fat-type krškopolje pigMartin Škrlep, Klavdija Poklukar Žnidaršič, Sam Millet, Marjeta Čandek-Potokar, 2025, original scientific article Keywords: INRA, InraPorc, Krškopolje pig, modeling, nutrition, production system, protein levels, diet, local pig breeds
Published in DiRROS: 30.06.2025; Views: 732; Downloads: 496
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10. The effect of reduced dietary protein on adipose tissue in local krškopolje pigsKlavdija Poklukar Žnidaršič, Marjeta Čandek-Potokar, Milka Vrecl, Jana Brankovič, Matjaž Uršič, Martin Škrlep, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: The Slovenian autochthonous breed, Krškopolje pig, is known for high fatness and better adaptability to different environmental conditions and feed resources. However, the metabolic processes underlying these adaptations, especially in response to different diets, have not yet been studied. A deeper understanding of these mechanisms could provide valuable insights into the breed’s adaptability to different environmental conditions. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of a low-protein (LP) diet on adipose tissue in Krškopolje pigs reared in either organic outdoor (n = 2 × 12) or conventional indoor (n = 2 × 14) systems. In the outdoor system, the LP diet had no effect on adipocyte size compared to the control (high-protein) diet, while it increased lipogenic enzyme activities and monounsaturated fatty acid content, and decreased polyunsaturated fatty acid content (p < 0.05). RNA sequencing revealed the upregulation of 28 genes and the downregulation of 37 genes. The upregulated genes were mainly involved in lipid metabolism (ACLY, FASN, ACACA, MOGAT2), oxidative stress, and mitochondrial function. In the indoor system, pigs on the LP diet had smaller adipocytes (p < 0.05), whereas no differences were detected in the lipogenic enzyme activities or fatty acid composition (p > 0.10). RNA sequencing revealed 30 upregulated and 28 downregulated genes. In the indoor system, heat shock proteins (HSP70.2, HSPA6) were upregulated in pigs on the LP diet, while genes involved in the innate immune system (MSR1, TREM2, CSF3R) were downregulated. To conclude, the present study showed that LP diet affected adipose tissue metabolism and gene expression in Krškopolje pigs, with different transcriptomic responses observed in outdoor and indoor rearing conditions.
Keywords: pig, local breed, low-protein diet, indoor system, outdoor system, subcutaneous adipose tissue, RNA-sequencing, nCounter gene expression assay
Published in DiRROS: 12.05.2025; Views: 1060; Downloads: 653
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