University of BelgradeDanica Savić, Junior Research Assistant at the Department of Chemistry ICTM, was awarded for the best poster presentation at the 5th International Conference on Natural Products Utilization: from Plants to Pharmacy Shelf, ICNPU-2023, which was held in Varna, Bulgaria, from May 30 to June 2, 2023. Congratulations to our colleague Danica Savić! We wish her great success in her future work!
The BIOLAWEB project organized a workshop titled "Introduction to Bioindication," led by Dr. Susanne C. Schneider from NIVA (Norway), an international expert in the field of bioindication. A bioindication is a valuable tool for monitoring and assessing the state of aquatic ecosystems. It involves using living organisms to indicate environmental quality, and it can provide important insights into the health of an ecosystem. On April 25th, she held an introductory lecture during an online part of the workshop. The second part was held at the Institute of Chemistry, Technology, and Metallurgy in Belgrade from the 3rd to the 5th May this year. Besides BIOLAWEB team members, researchers and students from other institutions related to the field of aquatic ecology participated in the workshop: the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Biology, Institute for Biological Research "Siniša Stanković," University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Sciences, Serbian Environmental Protection Agency, Institute of Hydrometeorology and Seismology (Montenegro).
The workshop introduced the basic principles of bioindication, as well as practical examples and case studies. Moreover, the participants were divided into groups. Each group was tasked to prepare a presentation on a specific group of bioindicator organisms and related indices, providing the participants with deeper involvement and insight into this topic. The workshop was interactive, very well-designed, and well-received by the participants, who found it informative and engaging. They appreciated the interactive format, which allowed for discussion and exchange of ideas.
Overall, the workshop was a success, highlighting the importance of continuing education and training in environmental science and bioindication. By providing opportunities for researchers and students to learn and exchange knowledge, we can better understand and protect the environment for future generations.
The “Connecting Science and Practice in Urban Wetlands” training school will take place on June 6th -9th 2023, in Belgrade and Obrenovac, Serbia.
More details can be found on the page >>.
Despite challenging weather conditions, BIOLAWEB scientific team has successfully completed the April sampling of several lakes across Serbia. Diatoms, phytoplankton, and macrophytes samples were taken from each lake during this period. These samples will be analyzed in partner institutions (metabarcoding), which will allow the identification of present organisms based on their DNA.
This part of the BIOLAWEB project is important because it will enable researchers to better understand the biological diversity of lakes in Serbia. Sampling diatoms, phytoplankton, and macrophytes are crucial for monitoring the state of ecosystems and predicting their future evolution. The metabarcoding analysis will contribute to a more precise and efficient identification of present organisms, allowing for more detailed analyses of the ecosystems in these lakes.
