Marlstone, widely used in Romanesque and Gothic architecture across Central Europe, is a common component of heritage structures whose post-fire behavior is critical for preservation. This study examines fire-induced changes in marlstone to support post-fire assessment and conservation. Cylindrical specimens (35 mm diameter, 70 mm height) were heated to 620 °C, 870 °C, and 1100 °C, then subjected to uniaxial compression tests to determine residual strength, strain, and Young’s modulus compared with unheated controls. Both natural and quenched cooling regimes were evaluated. Complementary XRF and petrographic analyses identified mineralogical and microstructural changes, while CIELab color measurements quantified temperature-induced visual alterations. Results show temperature-dependent changes in mechanical performance, accompanied by transformations in silica and calcite phases, along with measurable color changes. Variability in response reflects the inherent heterogeneity and anisotropy of marlstone. These findings provide essential insight into the thermal vulnerability of historic marlstone masonry and offer practical guidance for conservation, restoration, and post-fire evaluation of heritage stone structures.

Understanding biota distribution and species richness patterns in fragmented urban environments is crucial for conservation and management.We surveyed 30 plots in a medium-sized European city to assess vascular plant and terrestrial gastropod species richness in isolated forest patches (IFP), connected forest patches (CFP), and continuous forest (CF), with 10 plots per category. Environmental drivers such as Ellenberg's indicator values, vegetation cover, coarse woody debris, litter, and directly measured microclimatic factors like temperature and humidity were examined.Significant differences among forest types were found in stand structural characteristics and environmental conditions. IFPs had higher soil pH, more woody debris, and more substantial litter accumulation, with higher temperatures and lower humidity than CF and CFPs, especially in early summer. CF and CFPs mitigated extreme temperatures, leaving IFPs more vulnerable. IFPs had the highest plant species richness, especially neophyte and archaeophyte species, while CF plots had fewer species, mainly of the Carpinion association, indicating more natural conditions. Gastropod species richness and densities were also highest in IFPs. GLMs identified the landscape category as the most significant predictor of species richness for plants and gastropods. Plant species composition varied significantly among forest types, notably for Carpinion and neophytes, whereas gastropod species composition remained consistent.These findings highlight the complex interplay between environmental factors, urbanisation, and species richness in urban forests. The study underscores the importance of landscape categories, ecological factors, and fragmentation in evaluating species richness patterns in urban and suburban forested areas using plants and gastropods as linked ecological indicators.

This article presents important faunistic records carried out in the Czech and Slovak Republics in 2024. In 2024, many new records were made for non-native and currently spreading species such as for example Cornu aspersum, Krynickillus melanocephalus, Sinanodonta woodiana, and Tandonia kusceri. Krynickillus melanocephalus was recorded in Czechia for the first time. Melanoides tuberculata was confirmed at two outdoor sites in Slovakia, where it forms stable populations. The records of several native species include findings of protected and rare species (e.g. Euglesa pseudosphaerium, Gyraulus rossmaessleri, and Planorbis carinatus), but also still poorly known species (Euglesa globularis, and Sphaerium nucleus). In a separate section, we present records of two unintentionally introduced species reported for the first time for these countries from greenhouses (Ambigolimax parvipenis and Oxychilus translucidus).

Urban ecosystems represent heterogeneous environments with mosaics of natural, semi-natural and man-made habitats, with plenty of vascular plants including native and alien species. In-depth biodiversity research in urban areas might be time- and personnel-consuming. Therefore, we selected six habitat types within 30 towns in Slovakia (Central Europe) to determine whether any urban habitats could serve as a ‘surrogate habitat’ for the total, alien and Red List vascular plant richness of the towns. We found 1054 vascular plant taxa overall; alien and Red List plants comprised 33.9

Ponds, small standing freshwater bodies, are increasingly recognised as biodiversity hotspots, but data on aquatic mollusc communities and the drivers of their variability in these habitats remain scarce. In this study, we investigated the diversity of mollusc communities in 39 urban and agricultural ponds in Slovakia, as determined by land use evaluation in the riparian zone. Using a qualitative approach, we recorded 30 mollusc species, including three protected and seven non-native species. Agricultural ponds were environmentally less heterogeneous than urban ponds, and were characterised by larger area, higher conductivity, but lower oxygen saturation. Estimated species richness was higher in agricultural ponds, but the difference in the median number of species recorded was not significant. However, agricultural ponds harboured a significantly higher number of non-native species. Our findings highlight the essential roles of habitat size, water quality, and source proximity in structuring mollusc assemblages in urban and agricultural ponds, as we identified a significant influence of pond surface area, conductivity, and percentage of proximal stream coverage in the riparian zone. Based on these findings, we detected an urbanisation gradient intermingling pond types, but only a slight correlation with community diversity. Our results support the importance of local conditions for mollusc diversity and the essential role of artificial ponds as biodiversity hotspots worthy of conservation planning, but also as sources of non-native species.

The rapid development of urban areas triggers a series of ecological changes in the landscape structure that have important consequences for biodiversity. Urban habitats provide an environment for various biological organisms and their communities, but how the effects of habitat types interact with biogeography to control species diversity in urban areas is still poorly understood for many taxonomic groups. The study aimed to elucidate the species diversity response of vascular plants and terrestrial gastropods to urban habitats in a multi-city assessment of two Central European biogeographical regions (Pannonian and Carpathian). Species diversity (alpha, beta and gamma) was calculated based on plant and gastropod records sampled in 30 Slovak cities within six and three habitat types, respectively. Linear mixed-effects models showed that the importance of both predictors depended on the taxonomic group. The high local and regional plant diversity found in cemeteries and floodplains was accompanied by a peak of gastropod alpha diversity in the Carpathian floodplains. These results suggest that dynamic and well-structured habitats with a mosaic of patches should be included in urban planning, as their high biodiversity values may contribute to the resilience of urban ecosystems to future environmental changes. We also found that climatic constraints reduced alien plant diversity in Carpathian habitats, while the species-reducing effect of environmental filtering and dispersal limitations played a prominent role in the plant diversity patterns of city centres. The present differences in species diversity caused by the interplay of climate and human impacts also highlight the need for a region-specific approach to managing urban biodiversity.

River corridors are among the most important natural pathways for invasive species to spread into landscapes. Nevertheless, the ecological processes underlying invasions of riparian habitats are poorly understood for many taxonomic groups. We sampled bryophytes, vascular plants, and molluscs along three West Carpathian rivers (Central Europe) to identify spatial trends and drivers of native and alien species diversity across multiple taxa. Generalised additive models revealed decreasing downstream diversity patterns across all studied rivers and taxonomic groups. In contrast, alien diversity showed the opposite trend, displaying a high degree of idiosyncrasy among the rivers. Random forest analysis revealed that climate-induced variables (altitude and related temperature) played a more pronounced role in the diversity of alien species than in the diversity of native species. The diversity of native species was more influenced by local land use and habitat alternations (molluscs) or by source-to-mouth river interactions along the longitudinal gradient (plants). Dispersal limitation and temperature constrain alien species distributions along river corridors, while a multitude of natural and anthropic influences drive native species diversity. The climate-driven distribution of alien plants and molluscs suggests future altitudinal and longitudinal shifts in non-native species along river corridors, which will be exacerbated by ongoing climate warming and associated environmental changes.

Urbanisation is widely considered as having a large impact on most native species. However, the species response to urbanisation varies among taxonomic groups, and its generalisation might lead to contradictory or incorrect management decisions in urban planning. Land snails, as an understudied group in this sense, are good subjects to study the impact of urbanisation due to their low dispersal capabilities and mobility. The study aimed to determine how land snail diversity patterns and community structure are influenced by urbanisation through an urban-to-rural gradient. A total of 59 terrestrial gastropod species and more than 4600 individuals were recorded at 24 alluvial sites distributed along an urban-to-rural gradient in three Slovak cities (Bratislava, Zvolen and Prešov). Most species belonged to euryecious, hygrophilous and forest specialist ecological groups; seven species were non-native to Slovakia. The results clearly highlight the negative effect of densely built areas on land snail community structure, since the proportion of indigenous and specialist species decreased progressively towards urban sites. The highest mean number of species was found in suburban zones and the lowest in urban zones, suggesting that most species favour intermediate levels of urbanisation. Some species (e.g. Arion vulgaris ) were evenly distributed along the urbanisation gradient, supporting the importance of river floodplains as bio-corridors for the dispersal of gastropods.

This paper presents important faunistic records conducted in the Czech and Slovak Republics during 2023. We also include records generated before 2023, which have yet to be published, mainly because their correct identification was unavailable earlier. In a separate section we present records of unintentionally introduced species, reported for the first time for the countries from greenhouses (Dryachloa dauca and Guppya gundlachii). The first outdoor colony of Melanoides tuberculata was found in a stream artificially heated by wastewater from the Dukovany nuclear power plant and Planorbella duryi found in a brook with thermal water flowing from the Sliač spa. Records of native species include findings of protected and rare species (e.g., Aplexa hypnorum, Ladislavella occulta, Daudebardia brevipes, and Theodoxus danubialis), but also still poorly known species (Ampullaceana lagotis and Pyramidula saxatilis). During 2023, many new records were made for non-native and currently spreading species as for example Clathrocaspia knipowitschii, Corbicula fluminea, Hygromia cinctella, Krynickillus melanocephalus, Sinanodonta woodiana, and Tandonia kusceri.

During a detailed faunistic survey of the river Turiec in northern Slovakia in 2013–2022, we found 18 species of aquatic molluscs (8 gastropods and 10 bivalves) at 9 sites. The most species-rich assemblages were in the middle course of this river. The surprisingly low species richness in the lower course could be due to the heavily altered riverbed and polluted water. The most frequently recorded species were the gastropods Ancylus fluviatilis and Radix ampla and the bivalves Pisidium casertanum and P. subtruncatum. The rare and critically endangered bivalve Pisidium tenuilineatum was recorded in 2017 at one site, and two endangered species, Unio crassus and P. amnicum, were found in rich populations in 2022. The presence of these species confirms the relatively good preservation of the middle course of Turiec. The non-native species Physa acuta was found in this river for the first time.

There is much knowledge about the impact of non-native Robinia pseudoacacia on native ecosystems, but mostly it is related to one group of organisms. In this article, we provide an analysis of the impact of R. pseudoacacia on the surrounding biota with a broader scope in a model area with homogeneous abiotic conditions compared and analysed by the twin plots method. Microclimatic conditions and the changes in the species composition of vegetation, terrestrial gastropods, carabid beetles, bats, and acoustic diversity were analysed. The planted Robinia stands were always brighter and warmer and had lower canopy closure than the control plots in the native floodplain forest. More nitrogen and phosphorus were recorded in the soil of the Robinia stands. The floristic composition changed the most based on the planting of Robinia trees. Compared to those in the adjacent floodplain forest, more heliophilous neophytes, archaeophytes and grasses were found. Assemblages of gastropods and carabid beetles were less affected by the planting of Robinia trees and more by the microclimatic conditions of the studied locality. The number of recorded bats and acoustic diversity were higher in native floodplain forests due to food and shelter options. All results show that the planting of Robinia trees changes the microclimatic conditions and species composition of forest stands. The warmer and less humid environment under Robinia stands is not desirable in the face of ongoing climate change. The alien (including invasive) and ruderal plant species in the understorey are supported due to the more favourable brighter conditions and nitrogen fixation in the soil. Additionally, the other groups of organisms react negatively to changes under Robinia trees in terms of microclimatic conditions, food and shelter sources. Therefore, forest managers, policy-makers and conservation workers should choose stratified management when deciding whether and where to plant R. pseudoacacia.

In recent years, introduced synanthropic species of the order Zygentoma (especially Ctenolepisma longicaudatum and C. calvum ) have begun to spread in Central Europe. The two above-mentioned non-native species of silverfish have also recently been confirmed in Slovakia. This paper aims to comment on the occurrence of the two non-native species in Slovakia, to compile an identification key for all (i.e. also native) Slovak silverfish species and establish local species names.

During a detailed faunistic survey of the river Turiec in northern Slovakia in 2013–2022, we found 18 species of aquatic molluscs (8 gastropods and 10 bivalves) at 9 sites. The most species-rich assemblages were in the middle course of this river. The surprisingly low species richness in the lower course could be due to the heavily altered riverbed and polluted water. The most frequently recorded species were the gastropods Ancylus fluviatilis and Radix ampla and the bivalves Pisidium casertanum and P. subtruncatum. The rare and critically endangered bivalve Pisidium tenuilineatum was recorded in 2017 at one site, and two endangered species, Unio crassus and P. amnicum, were found in rich populations in 2022. The presence of these species confirms the relatively good preservation of the middle course of Turiec. The non-native species Physa acuta was found in this river for the first time.

This study is focused on a cut-off palaeomeander of the Rudava River (SW Slovakia). Along its middle reach, Rudava passes through the extensive plain of Quaternary eolian sands covered with Scots Pine woodland. Specific landforms - semi-circled cut-bluffs (wagrams) are commonly found on either side of the river valley. They have been triggered by a meandering river in contact with both lower terraces and sand dune pseudoterrace and postgenously shaped by mass wasting. The left-bank palaeomeander and cut-bluff at river kilometre 13.2 is one of the most completely evolved and, until today, the best-preserved landforms of this kind. A palaeoecological study of the palaeomeander infill (two cores) combined with a digital elevation model, AMS radiocarbon dating, cartographic data analysis and a survey of present-day vegetation suggest the river meander was most probably cut-off in the 18th Century. Due to the flow hydrological regime, meandering dynamics at this reach is relatively slow. Numerous springs and seepage along the south edge of the river valley play an important role in the initiation and evolution of cut-bluffs. Also, at the site under study, such spring draining into the Rudava River has significantly contributed to the present-day variability of local soils, wood and marsh habitats. According to plant macrofossil records and ecogroups-based vegetative macrozones a riparian landscape in the time of meander abandonment and earlier was much more open and with a markedly human impact. Probably upon the pasture's decline, the Holocene flood-plain's adjacent reach was completely reforested until the mid-19th Century. Current hardwood alluvial woodland (of the association Ficario vernae-Ulmetum campestris) originated in 1916 mainly from natural and perhaps artificial regeneration.

Abstract Context. Understanding biota distribution patterns and diversity within fragmented urban environments is essential for effective conservation and management. Objectives. The objective is to explore the impacts of fragmentation on plant and mollusc communities by examining their diversity and community composition in isolated urban forests and continuous forest stands along urban-rural gradients. The study aimed to explore plant and mollusc diversity variation across the urban-rural gradient in various landscape categories such as forest islands, peninsulas, and contiguous (control) stands and determine the responsible environmental drivers. Methods. The study surveyed 30 plots in Bratislava City, Slovakia, to evaluate the species richness and density of vascular plants and terrestrial gastropods in different landscape categories (see above); we also utilised microclimate data from selected plots. Results. The islands exhibited the highest number of non-native gastropod and plant species, whereas the control plots showed the lowest. Additionally, the forest islands were identified by an increased soil pH, coarse woody debris and litter content, enhancing the species richness of plants and molluscs. GLMs demonstrate that the landscape category had the most notable impact on the diversity of plants and molluscs. While fragmentation characteristics had an impact on the composition of plant species, they did not have a significant effect on the composition of molluscan communities. Conclusions. The research underlines the significance of landscape categories, environmental factors, and fragmentation characteristics when assessing biodiversity in urban forests. This finding can be used to formulate effective strategies for protecting native biota in fragmented urban forests.

Monitoring the occurrence of new alien species among native flora is the first prerequisite for preventing their later invasive spread.During the last decade, we recorded data regarding 25 alien taxa new to Slovakia including 21 casual and 4 locally naturalised species, with ornamental plants predominating significantly.The locally naturalised species Cenchrus flaccidus, Cotoneaster zabelii, Doronicum pardalianches and Panicum virgatum are able to spread to native habitats and thus represent the greatest risk to native plant species in Slovakia.

This paper presents important faunistic records obtained from the territory of the Czech and Slovak Republics in 2022. Two new non-native species, Lauria cylindracea and Mieniplotia scabra, were recorded indoors, and also two new non-native species Cochlicella acuta and Testacella haliotidea were found outdoors in the Czech Republic. New occurrences of the non-native species Ambigolimax valentianus, Corbicula fluminea, Cornu aspersum, Ferrissia californica, Helix lucorum, Krynickillus melanocephalus, Sinanodonta woodiana and Tandonia kusceri were confirmed. New records of several endangered species, e.g. Anisus septemgyratus, Gyraulus acronicus, Vertigo moulinsiana, Margaritifera margaritifera, Pisidium amnicum, P. hibernicum, P. globulare, P. pseudosphaerium, Pseudanodonta complanata, Sphaerium nucleus and Unio crassus, are also presented. Location data are published with all details in a supplementary table.

This paper presents important faunistic records conducted in the Czech and Slovak Republics during 2021. In the Šumava Mts, South Bohemia, a hydrobiid snail of the genus Alzoniella was found. Monacha cantiana s. lato was genetically confirmed for the first time in the city of Bratislava, Slovakia. New sites of Cornu aspersum (Prague) and Tandonia kusceri (southern and central Slovakia) were confirmed. A new colony of the slug Limacus maculatus was found in SE Moravia. New records of several endangered species, e.g. Vertigo angustior, V. moulinsiana, Anisus septemgyratus, Gyraulus acronicus, G. rossmaessleri, Planorbis carinatus, Pisidium amnicum, P. globulare, P. moitessierianum, P. pseudosphaerium and P. tenuilineatum, are also presented. Location data are published with all details in a supplementary table.

Old collected fossil finds of molluscs and mammals from Quaternary of karst fissure fillings in the abandoned travertine quarry near Bese??ova (northern Slovakia) are analysed from the viewpoint of taxonomy, stratigraphy, palaeoecology and taphonomy. A special attention is paid to indications of potential presence of prehistoric man at this site, which is documented by marks mainly on osteological remains of herbivores. Based on the obtained data together with previously recorded finds of Middle Palaeolithic stone tools, the site can be considered as an important place of Neanderthal settlement.