Research Group is coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Goran Palijan.

Mission, vision and objective of the Research Group: At present, microbiology is considered an important biological discipline, which scientific outcomes offer new solutions with endless possibilities of application.

Limitations to intellectual development and contribution to solving issues related to microbiology lie mostly in the microbiologists themselves. Advancement of microbiology, as well as of science in general, depends solely on open-minded individuals ready to accept new facts and eager to explore new findings. This Research Group cherishes scientific curiosity that materializes in setting up of experiments and performing analyses in different areas of microbiology, all of which can be classified as microbial ecology. Special emphasis is put on research into ecology of microorganisms, the results of which are applicable in practice of various professions, which is considered to give additional value and meaning to the Research Group’s activity.

Activities undertaken by the Research Group can be divided into two parts: scientific microbiological research and professional-scientific activity of making own laboratory instruments. Microbiological research consists of three parts: (1) study into biofilms, (2) study into bio-electrochemical systems, i.e. microbial electrical cells, and (3) study into the influence of physical environmental factors on microorganisms. Researches are performed according to the multifactorial and multivariate design, which facilitates application of advanced statistical methods in the processing of results.

The fundamental vision of this Group is further development of a multifactorial approach to efficient modelling of complex and interactive biological systems, which is a basic prerequisite for proper understanding of relationships in complex environmental systems.

Research Group is coordinated by Assist. Prof. Dr. Vesna Peršić

Mission, vision and objective of the Research Group: Without photosynthesis, life as we know it would not exist. Therefore, without photosynthesis there would be no biology. Photosynthesis plays a key role in the complex creation and maintenance of life on Earth.

Plants are organisms capable of capturing the energy of sunlight and incorporating it in the form of potential chemical energy into organic compounds. These compounds are stable and can be stored until needed for other metabolic processes. Therefore, plant biomass is feed and fuel for all other life forms, so animals, fungi and non-photosynthetic bacteria depend on plants. Functioning of freshwater and marine ecosystems is conditioned by photosynthesis. It is considered that aquatic photoautotrophic organisms are responsible for more than half of the total fixation of CO2 through photosynthesis, and for this reason, oceans and tropical forests are often referred to as the “green lungs” of our planet. Moreover, aquatic ecosystems act as a giant carbon sink and play a key role in our efforts to reduce the effects of climate change.

The Research Group for Ecophysiology and Ecotoxicology of Plants explores two basic polyvalent units: (1) Physiological research of vital metabolic processes (photosynthesis and respiration) and (2) Research into ecophysiology of lemnoideae (water lentil) and traditional crops. Results of measurements are used to estimate the rate of photosynthesis: CO2 absorption (using several digital sensors for measuring CO2 based on non-dispersive infrared NDIR technology); O2 release (using electrochemical sensors: the amount of O2 produced during photosynthesis can be measured by modified voltammetric O2 electrodes in a gas and/or water phase in airtight chambers); chlorophyll fluorescence (when chlorophyll absorbs light, its molecule gets into an “excited state” to return to its normal state after energy release. One part of the energy is used to initiate photosynthesis and the other part is emitted as fluorescent radiation.

Since fluorescent radiation is complementary to photosynthesis, it is used to measure the efficiency of photosynthetic apparatus in higher plants, algae and photosynthetic bacteria; dry matter content (dry matter consists of all solids in the plant without the water content); pigment content; carbohydrate content (soluble sugars and starch).

In addition to mentioned physiological measurements for monitoring the acute and chronic stress effects on plants, the creation of reactive oxygen is investigated at cellular level by measuring the antioxidant defense system: enzymatic, which represents the first line of antioxidant protection (ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, guaiacol peroxidase, glutathione reductase), and non-enzymatic, which represents a secondary line of protection (proline, glutathione, ascorbic acid, carotenoids), and indicators of damage caused by oxidative stress, which causes the degradation of membrane lipids (lipid peroxidation).

Aquatic lentils are among the smallest and fastest growing free-floating aquatic plants, which biomass can double in 24 hours in ideal conditions. They are widely distributed from tropical to sub-arctic regions. In plant physiology and phytochemistry, laboratory experiments use water lentils (such as Spirodela polyrhiza and Lemna minor) to determine biological activity of various substances. As model organisms, water lentils are also used in toxicology for evaluation of toxicity of certain chemicals. Due to their high capacity of bioaccumulation, water lentils are also used in phytoremediation of wastewater. High portion of dry matter, cellulose and starch makes them suitable for production of biofuels.

Appropriate manipulation with growth conditions, such as stimulation of photosynthesis or reducing starch decomposition, can result in significant increase of starch accumulation. In order to increase the rate of photosynthesis, it is necessary to increase the intensity of light or the concentration of carbon dioxide, which is difficult and expensive to achieve, especially in outdoor conditions. Research into possibilities of manipulating with growth conditions to inhibit starch decomposition shall result in solutions which can simplify the process of starch accumulation and reduce its costs. Therefore, one of the objectives of the research into water lentils is to increase accumulation of starch in environmentally acceptable conditions. Given the various surroundings in which agricultural production takes place, traditional crops (such as wheat) are exposed to drought, ranging from mild to severe water deficit, which may prevail during different life cycle stages.

Determination of key physiological limitations of growth and development, as well as mechanisms of tolerance to water deficit stress, is important for improving yields. In order to adapt wheat to drought conditions, it is necessary to overcome the limited genetic diversity within the species, as the ability of plants to maintain physiological functions during water deficit and to recover quickly after stress is important for ensuring sustainability of agricultural production. Physiological research conducted by this Research Group is also of ecological and economic importance, as it helps in the selection of cultivars resistant to drought in the first stages of growth in areas with insufficient water supplies during the growing season.

This Research Group is focused on application of obtained research results in the construction and interpretation of issues related to systematic soil ecology. It is also dedicated to finding possibilities of expanding the research by means of computational biology.

Research Group is coordinated by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Davorka K. Hackenberger

Mission, vision and objective of the Research Group: Soil is the fundamental compartment of life on land and a necessary resource for human species and civilization. Despite the increasing use of water and development of aquaculture, primarily on the seas and oceans, soil is the basis of food production. Therefore, the quantity and quality of food depends on the quantity and quality of available soil. The formation of soil is a long-term biogeochemical process. In this sense, soil can be considered as a conditionally renewable natural resource.

Protection of soil, its conservation, restoration and/or revitalization are crucial for survival of both the human species and terrestrial ecological systems. The consequences of continuous industrial development, increased emissions of greenhouse gases, uncontrolled and unprofessional cutting of forests, hydrotechnical activity, excessive and unprofessional agrotechnical measures and other anthropogenic activities cause erosion and devastation of soil, as they wash away organic humus to leave only the inorganic parts which are often granulometrically changed.

In this way, the essential soil properties are lost and its biotic potential is reduced or completely lost. It is a paradox that research into soil has been neglected for decades in favor of water environment research. Emerging technological problems of food production and disappearance of certain biotopes stressed out the importance of urgent studying ecological processes in the soil.

The primary objective of researches into soil is its preservation and its sustainable exploitation as a resource. Besides erosion caused primarily by anthropogenic activities as well as by secondary effects (climate change), there are other negative effects on soil, such as increased salinization, changes in pH values, changes in water capacity, and changes in other physical and chemical soil properties. Such negative changes of soil affect changes of entire ecological systems.

Research Group for Systematic Soil Ecology investigates multiple levels of biomarkers (biochemical, morphometric, behavioral and population biomarkers) connected with changes that are occurring in soil. Since the most of the soil biomass in continental Europe, including Croatia, is made up of earthworms’ fauna, earthworm ecology has been a central research topic of this research group for more than ten years now. However, recent projects are expanding to ecophysiological and ecotoxicological studies of springtails and enchytraeids as important factors in the food chains of ecological soil systems and important providers of ecological services. Researches have been qualitatively and quantitatively balanced to enable application of software by which quantitative indicators and interpretations of field and laboratory measurements are improved.

Strict quantification of field research performed by this Research Group made it recognizable among the world’s experts who set the standards for further research.

The Research Group participates in several European and global networks. Its vision is to further expand international cooperation and to apply new ecological research methods of systematic soil ecology in nature protection, agriculture and forestry.

Research Group is coordinated by Prof. Dr. Branimir K. Hackenberger

Mission, vision and objective of the Research Group: The Group is guided by the fact that the science task is to answer the questions why, how and how much in order to solve actual problems.

Description is important because it is used to observe phenomena, but there no scientifically-based conclusion possible without quantitative indicators and computational description of natural phenomena. Therefore, a balanced qualitative and quantitative approach is crucial for scientific research, including research in ecology. The scope of this Research Group covers both scientific research and professional work.

The Research Group deals with (1) mathematical modeling of population dynamics, (2) application of IoT technology and machine learning in ecotoxicological and behavioral research, (3) statistical modeling of ecological factors, (4) statistical and mathematical modeling of the climate change impact on ecological systems and individual populations, (5) application of AI in ecological research and (6) advanced statistical analysis (frequentist, Bayesian, BigData) of ecological, ecophysiological and ecotoxicological data.

Scientific professional work performed by the Research Group refers to (1) development of own software and hardware solutions for image analysis (RGB, multispectral and hyperspectral images), (2) application of artificial neural network and AI in GIS-supported environmental research and (3) development of software and hardware solutions for measurements in the environment. The Research Group cooperates with scientists from Croatia and Europe, acts as a member of several research networks and realizes successful cooperation with the economy sector.

The Research Group's results are recognized abroad so the Group is involved in several international scientific research activities. Future plans in terms of scientific research involve high-performance scientific computing in ecological research and development of open source IT tools for environmental research, as well as research into systems ecology and the climate change impact on ecological systems.