The aim of this project is to determine the practice and needs of Nature teachers for teaching that leads to scientific literacy of students. The research will involve about 40 teachers who teach Nature in the fifth grade and their students. Surveys will be conducted with students and their teachers, as well as knowledge testing with students. By analyzing the survey and knowledge assessment, the needs of teachers for teaching that leads to the development of scientific literacy will be determined. The expected results are high ratings in the surveys and low scores in the written knowledge assessment. Therefore, the organization of professional development for teachers involved in the project is planned, along with the development of teaching materials for independent implementation of a lesson in which students will develop scientific literacy in an online environment. Learning communities are also planned with the aim of analyzing lessons to determine the effectiveness of the developed materials for the needs of professional development. The implemented project will contribute to the theoretical, empirical and practical value of designing professional development for teachers in the segment of teaching for the development of scientific literacy.

Heavy metals and metalloids are present in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems due to natural processes, but also as a result of human activities. Their accumulation in the environment can lead to bioaccumulation in organisms and biomagnification through food webs. The aim of this project is to investigate fauna biodiversity with a special focus on vertebrates (fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds) and aquatic insects, as well as to conduct biomonitoring of heavy metals across different trophic levels. Systematic research of multiple trophic levels will enable the monitoring of trends in heavy metal and metalloid concentrations in terms of bioaccumulation potential and changes in biomarker responses that may indicate sensitivity to specific metals and metalloids. In parallel, the biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems will be monitored, along with the occurrence of allochthonous and invasive aquatic insect species. The data obtained will contribute to a more accurate assessment of ecotoxicological risks and to the improvement of biodiversity conservation methods under increasing anthropogenic pressure and environmental pollution.

Seasonal, hydrological and biotic factors influence the diversity and abundance of plankton in floodplains and are also connected with developing sediment-associated communities. The planktonic and attached communities are interrelated through the competition for resources, susceptibility to grazing, life cycles and specific morphological traits. Cyanobacteria are characteristic components of eutrophic water bodies. Even through the winter, their development in sediments enables the recruitment of pelagic populations and water bloom development in the summer months. The aim of this research is to investigate the connection between the development of planktonic cyanobacteria and the diversity and abundance of microphyte populations in the sediment of the Kopački Rit floodplain and the zooplankton community. The investigation will include the assessment of physicochemical water properties and sediment analysis. The results will help to identify the main factors affecting the mass development of cyanobacteria and their control in floodplains.

Amphibians are the most threatened vertebrate group, making research on the influence of light pollution crucial for their protection. The circadian rhythm of tadpoles is essential for their development and metamorphosis, and disruptions can have long-term effects on the exposed individuals. The primary hypothesis of this research is that exposure to nocturnal light is associated with changes in tadpole physiology, which may also manifest at the molecular level. We will examine the differences between tadpoles exposed to various light regimes. The impact of light pollution on organisms is an increasing problem, yet research on its consequences remains sparse, especially for endangered animals such as frogs. However, due to the high homology of circadian rhythms, results of this research conducted on tadpoles can be extrapolated to mammals, including humans. Humans are constantly exposed to artificial light sources, and it is known that circadian rhythm disturbances are associated with various diseases.

The bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is commercially produced in various formulations and used worldwide as a larvicide, particularly targeting the aquatic larval stage of mosquitoes. However, there is concern that repeated Bti treatments may have both direct and indirect impacts on non-target organisms and the ecosystems they inhabit. With this research, we would try to determine the effect of this agent in situ on aquatic insect larvae and on members of the submersed macrophyte, periphyton, phytoplankton and zooplankton community.

The basis of this project is the education of students in primary schools in the continental part of Croatia about the biology of the tiger mosquito. The project takes place through several phases. The first is the education of educators, ie teachers in primary schools. Then the teachers give a lecture on the biology and methods of controlling the tiger mosquito to the students and give them the task of setting up oviposition traps in their yard. After the sampling is completed, the teachers summarize the results in tables and send them to us for final processing.

In freshwater ecosystems, microbial activity mostly exists on the surface of various substrates immersed in water. The community of autotrophic and heterotrophic organisms that develops on such substrates – periphyton – plays a key role in aquatic ecosystems. Besides representing an important source of food for numerous organisms, periphyton is also increasingly used as a bioindicator. Within the heterotrophic component of the periphyton, phagotrophic protists (single-celled eukaryotic organisms that feed through the process of phagocytosis) achieve great abundance and diversity and play an important role in controlling bacterial and algal populations, i.e. transferring carbon and energy to higher trophic levels. Among the phagotrophic protists, ciliates (Ciliophora) are often the most represented in the periphyton, together with amoeboid protists (naked and testate amoebae) that also achieve great numbers and diversity. These protist groups represent an important component of ecological research of aquatic ecosystems, especially because they contribute significantly to the biodiversity of an area, play a key role in food webs, and can indicate various changes in the environment.

Bisphenol A is one of the most widely used industrial chemicals, primarily due to its application in plastics and epoxy resin production. Due to concerns about its toxicity, it is being replaced by “safer” analogues, such as bisphenol S and F. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that these compounds may have similar or even more pronounced adverse effects on organisms and the environment, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. To date, research has primarily focused on the impact of individual bisphenols. Yet, in real environmental conditions, organisms are simultaneously exposed to multiple pollutants, which can result in synergistic, additive, or antagonistic interactions that cannot be predicted based on single-compound data. Given the increasing environmental presence of bisphenol analogues, it is becoming increasingly important to understand their effects not only individually but also in complex mixtures that reflect real ecological scenarios. Duckweeds are model organisms inInterni natječaj Odjela za biologiju Sveučilišta Josipa Jurja Strossmayera u Osijeku za prijavu znanstveno-istraživačkih projekata OZB – ZP2025 3 ecotoxicological research due to their high sensitivity and rapid growth. Physiological changes in these plants serve as relevant indicators of freshwater system stress.

The floodplains of large European rivers are today the most threatened water ecosystems, since the floodplain river valleys have been systematically drained over the past century. One of the largest preserved natural floodplains of the Danube is the Kopački rit. The goals of this study are as follows: i) to create a complete list of phytoplankton biodiversity of the Lake Sakadaš, the deepest depression in the floodplain Kopački rit, observed over a period of half a century; ii) to report frequency of the most important taxa with emphasise on the blooming species and particularly on invasive alien and toxic species; iii) to indicate on the possible impact of global changes on phytoplankton biodiversity in the investigated floodplain lake. A great diversity of phytoplankton, hundreds of species can be expected. A high phytoplankton diversity registered in the investigated floodplain lake can be explained by considering both local (i.e. environmental filters) and regional (i.e. dispersal) processes as responsible for structuring microbial communities. The crucial role in the maintaining high biodiversity have hydrological connection between various types of biotopes which are existed on a large natural area of the river-floodplain system. Therefore, preserving the dynamics of flooding is the basis for protecting the biodiversity of this and similar river-floodplain systems.

Soil is a non-renewable resource on the scale of human life. This means that our successors, our children, will not be able to use the soil that we destroy. What do we use soil for and what does soil serve? In addition to the production of food, which represents the basic commodity of every living being, the soil is also used for the production of biomass that is used as industrial raw material or as fuel; as a reservoir of biodiversity, genes and as a habitat; and is in constant interaction with the rest of the environment, serving as a carbon store, a water filter and a place for the transformation of waste materials and xenobiotics. The soil therefore represents a precious resource of inestimable value. All mentioned soil functions depend on the structure and spatial organization of soil microorganisms, and with climate changes and change in the frequency of soil drying and wetting, climate effects are easily transferred to soil microorganisms, changing respiration and growth rate, enzymatic activity, community structure and mineralization, thus affecting the soil as well. In the same time noise pollution in the cities is influencing soil microbes without any control. To what extent the microorganisms of different soil types are resistant to the stress brought by different sources will be investigated by this project.

Freshwater microalgae are one of the few renewable sources that, at the same time, possess a high ability to fix CO₂, do not require arable land for their growth, are highly adaptable to changes in salinity and nutrient availability, and can also thrive in both freshwater and saltwater, as well as in wastewater. In this way, they directly support the achievement of climate neutrality and encourage the development of a circular economy. However, at present, the economic viability of their use is limited because the cost of obtaining starch or oil from algae is still higher than the cost of obtaining the same compounds from traditional cultures. The key to commercializing their use is to increase photosynthetic efficiency, which is currently only around 3% in cultures, while the theoretical maximum is up to 9-10%. Additionally, it is necessary to redirect excess fixed carbon to the accumulation of starch and lipids. High light intensity leads to photoinhibition and increased formation of reactive oxygen species, weakening the linear flow of electrons. Protective mechanisms such as NPQ and alternative transmission streams (CEF/PCEF) are becoming crucial for algae survival. Exogenous application of phytohormones and polyamines can enhance photoprotective mechanisms by stabilizing photosystems, enhancing the antioxidant response, regulating the cell cycle, adjusting carbon distribution, shortening the growth adjustment phase, and preventing chlorophyll loss, thereby reducing the time to full photosynthetic capacity and preserving cell viability in photobioreactors. These results will provide a scientific basis for the sustainable biotechnological production of biomass and beneficial metabolites of microalgae.

In the family of flesh flies (Sarcophagidae) there are a large number of coprophagous and necrophagous species. The larvae of a large number of species of this family live in open wounds of domestic or wild animals, and near natural openings (ears, nose) causing myiasis which significantly endangers the health of animals. In Croatia, the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Zagreb systematically studied the fauna of flesh flies until 1942, with the aim of studying the diversity of the fauna and potential measures for domestic animal protection. Sporadic study on the diversity of the flesh flies fauna continued in the 1960s and in the period from 2004 to 2017. The latest study into the diversity of the fauna of flesh flies in Croatia was carried out in rural settlements in the Croatian part of Baranja during 2021, and resulted with the finding of one new species for the fauna of Croatia. The main objectives of this project are: identification of the diversity of the fauna of flesh flies in different anthropogenic habitat types in the city of Osijek, analysis of the similarities/dissimilarities of some species of flesh flies from coprophagous and necrophagous groups in the studied habitat types, and potentially the findings of new species for the fauna of Croatia.

Natural compounds derived from plants are increasingly being investigated for their potential antitumor and antioxidant effects. Unlike many synthetic drugs, plant extracts exhibit lower toxicity and better biocompatibility, enabling their application in the development of innovative therapies. This study examines plant extracts' effects on HeLa cells, a model of human cervical cancer cells. The biological activity of the extracts will be assessed using the MTT assay to evaluate cell viability, proliferation, and cytotoxicity. The oxidative status of the cells will be analysed by measuring levels of reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as catalase and superoxide dismutase. The obtained results will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action of plant extracts and may serve as a foundation for the development of more effective and safer antitumor strategies based on natural compounds.

Climate change, especially the rise in average temperatures and the increased frequency of heatwaves, presents an increasing challenge for livestock production. Although goats are known for their high adaptability to harsh environmental conditions, prolonged heat stress has a negative effect on their milk and meat production, reproductive capacity, and overall health. This project aims to investigate the physiological, endocrine, and molecular mechanisms of tress in goats exposed to varying levels of heat stress. The goal is to identify critical points at which productive and reproductive efficiency is impaired and to propose effective adaptation strategies in goat farming.

Soil is the most important and significant natural resource. It contains over 25% of global biodiversity and is the largest terrestrial carbon pool on the planet. The EU Soil Strategy for 2030 provides a framework and specific steps towards the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of soil. Earthworms, due to their ecological importance, are one of the most studied groups of soil organisms. Taxonomic species identification is a crucial component of biodiversity research. Despite advancements in computer technology, there is still a lack of user-friendly software tools for earthworm species identification and simultaneous storage of location data. The aim of the project is to upgrade the existing software-based earthworm species identification key by incorporating machine learning, a GIS component, and creating a mobile application, in collaboration with international scientists.