Deschmann’s pile-dwelling sites near Ig and the cultural-chronological attribution of the Late Copper Age Ljubljana culture

The contribution presents the results of a comprehensive study of the Late Copper Age Deschmann’s pile-dwelling sites near Ig in the Ljubljansko barje, central Slovenia. It opens with a history of research and goes on to tackle the main topics associated with the cultural attribution of the sites. A re-examination of the recovered pottery and available archival records, coupled with a new typological and chronological analysis of the small finds has enabled a cultural and chronological redefinition of the Ljubljana culture and its characteristic pottery. In addition to the typical vessel forms, usually decorated with whipped-cord impressions, the newly-defined Ljubljana culture includes common ware that reveals influences primarily from the Somogyvár-Vinkovci culture in the Carpathian Basin. Some of the vessels of the Ljubljana culture also follow the tradition of the Vučedol culture, while others reflect the influences and maybe contacts with the Corded Ware, Globular Amphora and Bell Beaker cultures.

The Wetland Contract as a Tool for Successful Wetland Governance: A Case Study of Ljubljansko Barje Nature Park, Slovenia

Our research focuses on implementing multilevel governance of wetlands to achieve an effective participatory process and its overall positive effects on wetland ecosystems and their protection as well as on local sustainable development. The aim of the research is to develop a methodology for establishing the Wetland Contract, a voluntary agreement to foster sustainable management and development of wetlands, to ensure greater coordination and consensus building between various stakeholders involved in management and to limit conflicts between preservation issues and economic activities in wetlands. The Wetland Contract and the integration process for establishing it in Ljubljansko barje Nature Park proved itself able to overcome conflicts between institutional and legal jurisdiction and is showing itself to be a dynamic path capable of activating a desirable relationship between various interests and supporting new forms of multi-sectoral stakeholder participation in wetland management. It has also contributed to a dialogue and shared responsibility among stakeholders.

Synthesis of past isotope hydrology investigations in the area of Ljubljana, Slovenia

Water isotope investigations are a powerful tool in water resources research as well as in understanding the impact that humans have on the water cycle. This paper reviews past hydrological investigations of the Ljubljansko polje and Ljubljansko barje aquifers that supply drinking water to the City of Ljubljana, with an emphasis on hydrogen, oxygen and carbon stable isotope ratios. Information about the methods used and results obtained are summarised, and the knowledge gaps identified. Overall, we identified 102 records published between 1976 and 2019. Among them, 41 reported stable isotope data of groundwater, surface water and precipitation and were further analysed. Isotope investigations of the Ljubljansko barje began in 1976, while groundwater and surface water investigations of the Ljubljansko polje and along the Sava River began as late as 1997. Isotope investigations of carbon started even later in 2003 in the Ljubljansko polje and in 2010 in the Ljubljansko barje. These investigations were performed predominantly in the frame of short-term groundwater research projects at five main wellfields and sites along the Sava River. Almost no large-scale, long-term stable isotope studies have been conducted. The exceptions include groundwater monitoring by the Union Brewery in Ljubljana (2003- 2014) and precipitation in Ljubljana since 1981. Since 2011, more detailed surveys of the Ljubljansko barje were performed, and in 2018, the first extensive investigation started at wellfields and objects that form part of the domestic water supply system. Given the number of available studies, we felt that publishing all the numerical data and appropriate metadata would allow for a better understanding of the short and long-term dynamics of water circulation in the urban environment. In the future, systematic long-term approaches, including the appropriate use of isotopic techniques, are needed.

Maharski prekop, Stare gmajne and Blatna Brezovica settlements and the vegetation of Ljubljansko barje (Slovenia) in the 4th millennium cal BC

In the 4th millennium cal BC the hinterlands of Ljubljansko barje basin were covered by beech-fir (Abies-Fagus) and mixed oak (Quercus) forests. People of several Eneolithic cultural groups were cutting/burning forests to open the landscape for fields and pastures. This paper focuses on high-resolution palynological analyses of pile-dwelling settlements Maharski prekop, Stare gmajne and Blatna Brezovica to investigate human impact on the vegetation, and to compare past economy and vegetation history in various parts of Ljubljansko barje. The results revealed that there were no major changes of vegetation throughout the 4th millennium cal. BC, neither were there any major differences between vegetation of the selected study sites. Cultural layers from archaeological sites (in larger quantities than off-site cores) contain pollen of plants that were brought to the settlement by people: cereals and other cultivars (Cereal t., Linum), weeds (Centaurea), grazing indicators (Plantago lanceolata, Campanula, Ranunculaceae), ruderal taxa (Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia), (gathered) shrubs (Corylus) and herbs. Traces of anthropogenic impacts from older settlements were detected in sediments below archaeological cultural layers at all study sites.

LIGHT POLLUTION IN SLOVENIA IN 2019 WITH SPECIAL REGARD TO NATURA 2000 AREAS

Light pollution in Slovenia in 2019 with special regard to Natura 2000 areas The article shows the state of light pollution in Slovenia. Remote sensing data from the Suomi satellite were analysed. Light pollution is shown by radiance expressed in nW/(sr cm2 ). In Slovenia, there are large differences in state of light polution. The most polluted areas are located in the area of larger settlements and in areas with higher levels of infrastructure. The spread of light does not stop at the borders of protected areas, so we also analyzed the state of light pollution in Natura 2000 sites in Slovenia. It turns out that the most lightpolluted areas are those that lie around larger settlements or suburbanised regions (Ljubljansko Barje, Šmarna gora, Drava).

Bird ringing report for Slovenia in 2017 and short overview of colour ringing in the period of 2012–2017

In 2017, the Slovenian bird ringing scheme concluded 90 years of continuous ringing in the country. In 2017, we collected data on 176 bird species. We ringed 79,886 birds of 164 species, recorded 177 recoveries of birds ringed in Slovenia and found abroad, 295 foreign recoveries in Slovenia and 2,209 local recoveries. The most ringed species were the Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla and Great Tit Parus major and, among pulli in the nest, the Great Tit, White Stork Ciconia ciconia and Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica. In 2017, 12 colour ringing schemes were active in Slovenia. In the 2012-2017 period, the number of recoveries of birds ringed in Slovenia and found abroad increased significantly due to colour ringing, especially regarding the waterbirds. With colour ringing, the likelihood of recoveries is considerably greater (75.20 ± 91.36 recoveries per 100 ringed birds) than with metal ringing only (0.11 ± 0.08 recoveries per 100 ringed birds). Among local recoveries, the most frequent were the Mute Swans Cygnus olor and Common Terns Sterna hirundo, and among foreign recoveries the Black-headed Gulls Chroicocephalus ridibundus predominated. In 2017, the first Broad-billed Sandpiper Calidris falcinellus was ringed in Slovenia (Sečovlje salinas), and additional three rare species were ringed as well: the Yellow-browed Warbler Phylloscopus inornatus (Ljubljansko barje), Paddyfield Warbler Acrocephalus agricola (Ljubljansko barje) and Little Bunting Emberiza pusilla (Šentrupert).