Oecologia Montana

Biology of the Alpine Accentor (Prunella collaris) XI. Inter-individual transfer of information about the wintering site. 16-year study

M. Janiga — 2025-07-31

This study represents a 16-year effort to learn about the transfer of overwintering habitat information in Alpine Accentors, encompassing at least three generational replacements. The effects of individual age, position in the flock hierarchy, and presence at local wintering sites were consistently examined. Banding with a combination of colored rings made it possible to identify birds individually over many years. Banded birds were given specific names to better differentiate their behaviour. The study is supported by many minute records of the maintenance activities of individual animals. Of the 27 birds accurately identified between 1987 and 2022, only four were important for the transmission of wintering location information among birds. The birds first arrived there as yearlings, gradually adapted to the environment as residents, and became α-dominant individuals in the wintering flocks. Yearlings usually show little caution when feeding on the site, while young adults, two to three years old, appear to be the most cautious. Six- and seven-year-old adults exhibit less cautious behavior, likely related to their experience. If these birds occupy dominant positions in the hierarchy of a wintering flock, they can feed quickly on familiar food sources and consequently spend considerably more time resting, drilling and preening in safe places. Subordinate birds spend more time trying to feed, which increases their risk of predation. The research provides important insights into how wintering grounds for birds disappear after a ski resort undergoes complete reconstruction. Maintaining wintering grounds requires not only suitable food sources, but also habitual conditions for rest, sunbathing, protection, and temperature regulation. In November and December, two groups arrived that behaved differently and only formed a more cohesive structure as winter progressed in January and February. The distance they kept from humans decreased from November and December to March in the spring. They arrive at their wintering grounds in November, well-fed, with adults weighing over 40 g. Size and weight do not necessarily determine alpha position in the flock (e.g., No. 25). Moreover, hierarchy among adults in winter flocks can change from a year to year. The history of some individuals, such as No. 119, shows that even though they were older and smaller, they had an alpha position in the flock. This suggests that dominance may be based not only on size, but also on experience. Research shows that not all of the flock remains at the wintering site. Some used the location as a temporary stopover in November during migration (No. 9 or 11), while others used it as a stopover in March on their return from other wintering grounds (No. 6), and some only occasionally stayed at the site, for example, in December (No. 24). Some individuals stayed at the site permanently (residents) but remained on the surrounding rocks and did not fly down to search for food from people (No. 4). These individuals flew away with the others from the site to their roosts in the evening. Information transmission obviously requires experienced resident individuals who return to the site for several years. From them, new individuals learn to know not only the location of the site but also the local conditions, and where and how to forage. It is the resident bird that shows several incoming birds the site over several years. Some of them get used to the site in the process of learning this information. In the following years, these newer individuals become residents and play a key role in transmitting information about the wintering site to subsequent generations. Research shows that it is important for the long-term existence of the wintering site and for information transmission, that adults arrive with young yearlings. Some of these yearlings become residents of the wintering site, transmitting information to different generations each year. Some young birds may stay in their wintering grounds for 5–6 years after settling in, while other young birds that appear there in their first year never return. Some individuals observed alone at various wintering sites may play a vital role in helping other birds remember information about those sites in subsequent years (e.g., individual No. 119 in 1993/1994). To realistically study the impact of size or age on the evolution of differential migration, we must cover all age groups of birds in a flock. In the case of Alpine Accentors, it is incorrect to conduct a study for only three or four years and categorize individuals based on their external appearance as yearlings or older adults. This leads to misleading results that do not reflect actual natural processes. This study is exceptional because the age of most individuals was known, allowing us to compare the behavior of several age categories.

Nature's Remedies and Conservation: Ethnomedicinal Plants in the Tungnath Region, West Himalaya

B.S. Adhikari — 2025-07-31

Among the 150 species of medicinal plants found in the Tungnath region of the Western Himalaya, herbs make up the majority (76.8%), followed by shrubs, trees, climbers, and pteridophytes. Of these species, 20.2% are native to other parts of the world, while 67.5% are native to the Himalayan region. From sub-tropical to alpine climates, these plants are found in a range of elevation gradients, with plant species suited to each zone. Most medicinal plants are members of the Rosaceae, Polygonaceae and Ranunculaceae families. The most often utilized plant parts are complete plants (22.5%), leaves (24.4%), and roots (28.7%). Although these plants treat a variety of illnesses, the most prevalent ones are gastrointestinal disorders (23.8%), dermatological concerns (30.5%), and general health difficulties like fever (34.6%). Additionally, the study sheds light on the location and density of these plants throughout the May-September growing season. The cool, temperate, and subalpine regions have the highest degree of plant species similarity (82.7%) among climatic zones, followed by other nearby zones. The research highlights the significance of protecting these plants for both their therapeutic benefits and the region's ecological equilibrium.

Differences in element accumulation in two groups of macrozoobenthos in the Javorinka River: Comparative analysis of two sites

M. Haas — 2025-07-31

This study focused on concentration of elements (P, S, Cl, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb, Se, Sr, Mo, Ba, Pb) in the bodies of two species and functional feeding groups (Scrapes - Ephemeroptera and predators - Plecoptera) of water insects collected in the Javorinka stream (Slovakia). The primary goal was to determinate differences between the two sides of the stream downstream of Javorinka. L1 is situated near Tatranská Javorina and L2 at the Polish border in Podspády. We did not find significant differences between sites in the accumulation of most elements. Ephemeroptera accumulate significantly more Fe and Cu at L2, while Plecoptera accumulate significantly more Fe and Mn at L2 and more Pb on the L1 side. Synergy of some elements describe significant accumulation of Cl with Pb against Fe, Zn with Cr that show more accumulation of Cl and Pb on L2 side and Fe with Cr on L1 side. We can assume that lead, due to its weight, is more prevalent in L1 and does not washout downstream. Conversely, copper and iron, as lighter elements compared to lead, can be found downstream.

Recent land cover change with regard to heterogenic abiotic conditions in watershed of a high mountain stream in the Western Carpathians, Slovakia

M. Hudák — 2025-07-31

In today's rapidly changing world, a focus on nature conservation is still not prevalent enough in research providing us with existential values. In this study, we evaluated the recent change in landscape cover over a selected part of the Javorinka mountain catchment. Using editing of aerial orthophotos from between 2010 and 2019, we developed a detailed landscape cover layer, evaluated by ArcMap software. Within this relatively brief period of nine years, we observed a subtle shift of vegetation zones to higher elevations as well as a significant loss of healthy forest to wind disturbance and bark beetles. Based on our results, the natural regeneration capacity of the forest is evident, where we observe a significant increase in the area of young forest over the area of previously damaged forest and dry or dead forest. At the same time, we observed almost no significant changes in artificial surfaces, indicating a general trend of urbanization and depopulation of rural areas. The contribution of this work lies in the attempt to explain and understand short-term landscape cover changes in a small but heterogeneous mountainous environment, and the resulting effort to better adjust conservation management.

Monitoring of Tatra marmots and Tatra chamois in the Mount Chopok South - North 2023

P. Ballo — 2025-07-31

This survey included monitoring and detection of GPS coordinates of Tatra marmot burrows (Marmota marmota latirostris Kratochvíl, 1961) in the area of Chopok South (Low Tatra Mountains, Slovakia) near the ski resort, extending to neighbouring sites in the area between April 15, 2022, and November 15, 2022. This alpine habitat is characterized by dynamic changes related to the migration of Tatra marmots. The survey started in the alpine zone from the eastern saddle Sedielko pod Chopkom and continued west toward the non-functional ski lift Tatrapoma at Zadné Dereše. For the complexity of the monitoring of the ridge part of the alpine zone of the marmot habitat in the vicinity of the Mount Chopok, the northern colony of the trough Retranslačný žľab in the first Dereše basin (prvý Derešský kotol) and the end of the valley Lukovská dolina – the trough Školský žľab were also included in the survey. Wider monitoring was also carried out on the Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica, Blahout 1972), from the saddle Demänovské (Široké) sedlo, 1,756 m a. s. l. in the east, to the saddle Sedlo Poľany, 1,837 m a. s. l. in the west. The established monitoring system of Tatra National Park (TANAP) was used, including observation and documentation of Tatra chamois occurrence, their migration, and negative impacts.

Ecotoxicology in Mountain Ecosystems: Insights from the SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting in Vienna

J. Solár — 2025-07-31

The 35^th Annual Meeting of SETAC Europe, held in Vienna from 11–15 May 2025, convened over 2,000 scientists and professionals from around the world to discuss pressing global challenges in environmental toxicology, chemistry, and risk assessment. Under the theme “One Environment. One Health. Sustainable Societies,” the conference addressed a wide range of interconnected topics—spanning molecular responses to pollutants, ecosystem-scale stress responses, regulatory frameworks, and environmental policy. Notably, special emphasis was placed on the growing vulnerability of mountain and remote areas, the influence of climate change on contaminant behavior, and advances in environmental monitoring. The meeting provided a vital platform for interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange, showcasing innovative methodologies, comparative studies, and integrated approaches for tackling complex environmental issues.