n a t u r e research centre gtc leidinys 2016 en.pdfthe state scientific research institute nature...

N a t u r e R e s e a r c h C e n t r e

V I L N I U S2 0 1 5

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ISBN 978-9986-443-84-1 © Gamtos tyrimų centras, 2015

Akademijos Str. 2, LT-08412 VilniusTelephone: +370 5 272 92 57Fax: +370 5 272 93 52 e-mail: [email protected]://www.gamtostyrimai.lt/en

3N A T U r e r e S e A r c h c e N T r e

W E LC O M E ,

The State Scientific research Institute Nature research centre (Nrc) was es-tablished on 31 December 2009 under the resolution of the Government of the republic of Lithuania (Official Gazette, No. 158-7186, 2009) by merging the In-stitute of Botany, the Institute of ecology of Vilnius University and the Institute of Geology and Geography. The research potential and the experimental basis of the three institutes were integrated to create an up-to-date scientific research infrastructure for investigations into present-day and past ecosystems, as well as studies and development of environmental protection technologies. Uphold-ing 70-year-old traditions and experience, the newly established Nrc not only pursues and co-ordinates long-term scientific research in various fields of biotic and abiotic nature and ensures the competence of Lithuania on the interna-tional stage, but also takes an active role in the development and implementa-tion of a conceptual framework for the protection of the living environment and its sustainable development, as well as disseminating scientific knowledge of biotic and abiotic environment, thus contributing to the development of the knowledge economy and education of society. In co-operation with representa-tives of business, government and society, the Nature research centre conducts contracted scientific research and experimental development work, rendering recommendations concerning research methodology, etc.

results of most recent investigations have shown the importance of interdis-ciplinary and interbranch integration in solving a wide variety of scientific issues related to the assessment, prognosis and management of changes in biotic and abiotic nature and the ever increasing anthropogenic impact on the environment. cooperation among representatives of different physical

T h e S t a t e S c i e n t i f i c R e s e a r c h I n s t i t u t e N a t u r e R e s e a r c h C e n t r e

and biomedicine sci-ences and cooperation-based solutions to scientific tasks are the fundamental principles underlying the activities of the Nrc. In twenty five laboratories of the Nrc, scientists carry out investigations into environmental state quality, natural ecosys-tems, habitats, species, structure of communi-ties and populations, regularities and mechanisms of functioning, sensitiv-ity, vulnerability, genetic diversity, adaptations, microevolution under con-ditions of global change and anthropogenic impact and the development of theoretical fundamentals and projections. Of no less significance is the research conducted in other areas of natural sciences covering a wide range of issues, the most important of which are: the state, change and progno-sis of Lithuanian nature and its biological resources, their preservation and restoration and the scientific justification for their sustainable use; climate change and prognosis; the earth’s surface and subsurface structure, its prop-erties and formation; the evolution of palaeoecological conditions; ground-water and surface water systems; the state and dynamics of landscapes and

N A T U r e r e S e A r c h c e N T r e4

the geoenvironment and their interaction with human activity; and the sci-entific justification for the sustainable exploitation of surface and subsurface resources on the territory of Lithuania.

To ensure high-level research and a high level of competitiveness, state-of-the-art scientific research facilities and infrastructure are required on the premises of the Nrc, including the Open Access centre. established for the purpose of providing open access to r&D resources, the Open Access cen-tre, integrating scientific research laboratories, conducts both fundamental and applied research to meet the needs of business entities.

The multidisciplinary staff of the Nrc is actively engaged in collaboration with scientific research institutions of foreign countries and participates in international research programmes and projects. In its essence, research into the state, history and development prospects of both living and inanimate nature is international, and therefore does not recognize state borders, thus calling for joint efforts by researchers from different countries. The scientists of the centre actively and successfully develop cooperation relationships

with colleagues from more than fifty countries: research projects and investi-gations are implemented in cooperation with partners from Baltic and Scan-dinavian countries, Taiwan, the Ukraine, Turkey, Belarus, the USA, the UK, Mexico, ecuador, Korea, russia, Bulgaria, Mongolia, Poland, etc.

This publication reviews the research topics explored by the multidisciplinary staff of the centre, along with research projects under implementation and their results and research methods employed. Additionally, this publication also high-lights the specialist and technical research facilities available at the centre.

We hope you will find this information interesting and that it will stimulate you to engage in collaboration with the research staff of the Nature research centre in the implementation of various ideas related to living and inani-mate nature investigations!

Prof. Dr. habil. Vincas BūdaAcademician of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences

Director of the Nature research centre


A t a g l a n c eName and address The State Scientific Institute Nature research centre, Akademijos Str. 2, 08412 Vilnius, Lithuania,

www.gamtostyrimai.ltFounder Government of the republic of Lithuania Mission The State Scientific Institute Nature research centre is a public legal entity operating as a state budget institution and performing

long-term research and experimental (social and cultural) development activities according to research trends established in the Arti-cles of Association of the Nature research centre and significant for state, society, international communication and business.

employees 151 scientists (19 chief researchers, 51 Senior researchers, 49 researchers and 32 Junior researchers), together with 185 engineers, biologists and employees of assistant departments (January 2015).

PhD studies Five PhD studies programmes, i.e. Biology, ecology and environmental Science, Geology, Physical Geography and Zoology are im-plemented at the Nrc.

PhD students 35 PhD students study at the Nrc (January 2015).Funding Ministry of education and Science (55.0%).

research council of Lithuania (18.5%).Third-party funding (state and private institutions) (26.5%).

Annual budget Total annual budget – 6,985,400 eUr (3,832,700 eUr from programme funding, 1,311,200 eUr funding for the research council of Lithuania projects, 1,841,500 eUr from third-party funding (December 2014)).

Main scientific infrastructure

Molecular biology and DNA sequencing, chromatography, chemical analysis, Microscopy and cytologic research, Isolation and stor-age of microorganisms, recirculated aquaculture system, radioisotope research, Scanning electron microscopy, Magnetization re-search, Grain-size analysis, etc.

Main partners The University of Aberdeen, UK; estonian University of Life Sciences, estonia; University School of Physical education in Poznan, Poland; Saint Petersburg State University, russia; Lomonosov Moscow State University, russia; The AIT Austrian Institute of Tech-nology, Austria; Institute of Microbiology, NAS of Belarus; Yanka Kupala State University of Grodno, Belarus; Institute for Nature Management, NAS of Belarus; Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Sweden; Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine; Schmidt Institute of Physics of the earth, russia; Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University, russia; University of Warsaw, Poland; University of Gdansk, Poland; Keele University, UK; Institute of environmental Geochemistry, NAS of Ukraine; Institute of Geology at Tallinn University of Technology, estonia; University of Tartu, estonia; University of Latvia, Latvia; DTU center for Nu-clear Technologies (DTU Nutech), Denmark; Institute of Geological Sciences, NAS of Armenia; Thűnen Institute for Fisheries ecol-ogy, Germany; Alfred Wagener Institute for Polar and Marine research, Germany; Finish environment Institute, Finland; Stokholm University, Sweden; University of Ostrava, czech republic; Kentucky University, USA; Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium; Bergen University, Norway; research Institute for Nature and Forest, Belgium; University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; National Taiwan University, Taiwan; United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural research Service, USA.


S t r u c t u r e o f t h e N a t u r e R e s e a r c h C e n t r e


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esT h e I n s t i t u t e o f B o t a n yThe Institute of Botany is the main botanical research institution in Lithua-nia conducting fundamental and applied research in botany, mycology, microbiology, bacteriology and virology, as well as providing education and training to produce top-rank researchers and highly qualified professionals.exceptional attention is paid to modern fundamental investigations, i.e. re-search into the composition of the components of biological diversity (vas-cular plants, bryophytes and algae, fungi and microorganisms, communities and habitats), along with their structure and functioning (mechanisms and patterns of growth, development and adaptation processes) under global cli-mate change and human activity impact; biological and ecological character-istics and functioning of microorganisms; identification of plant diseases and their agents – microorganisms and viruses.research activities of the Institute are exclusively important for ensuring our

country’s expertise in international scientific and management organizations in realizing regional and global programmes on environmental protection and use of natural resources. The researchers of the Institute contribute sig-nificantly to the development and implementation of the State environmen-tal Monitoring Programme and the National Strategy for Sustainable De-velopment, ensuring compliance with and functioning of the following: the UN convention on Biological Diversity, fulfilment of the requirements of the ec habitats Directive (92/43/eec), implementation of regulation (eU) No 1143/2014 of the european Parliament and council of europe on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species, and implementation of the international cITeS, ramsar and Bern conventions. In the international context, botanical research forms part of the programmes on the european vegetation cover continuum research to help solve the problems of phytogeography, organism invasion, etc.


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es The researchers of the Institute are involved in implementation of four long-term research and experimental (social, cultural) development programmes of the Nature research centre: Research into the status and change of bio-logical resources and quality of the environment, scientific justification of con-servation; Biodiversity investigations and prognoses under the conditions of global climate change and anthropogenic impact; Functioning and adaptation of biological systems: molecular, genetic and evolutionary mechanisms; and Investigations of hazardous substances distribution in the ecosystems, regu-larities and mechanisms of ecotoxic and biological effects under the impact of anthropogenic stress. At the same time, researchers of the Institute actively participate in projects announced by the research council of Lithuania. The results of investigations are published regularly in international scientific journals and presented at international scientific conferences and seminars. The researchers actively cooperate with colleagues from the United States, Great Britain, Japan, Sweden and Switzerland, and are invited to give lec-tures and participate in seminars.

Fundamental and applied research conducted in active cooperation with foreign counterparts are designated for: the assessment of the significance of processes of production/decomposition of plankton and benthic microflora and the consequences of hyperproductivity of aquatic ecosystems and water quality; expert assessment of ecosystem vulnerability as well as resistance to chronic and acute anthropogenic and naturally occurring stressors; re-search into environmental factors and physiologically active signal-induced stressors (temperature, heavy metals, salts, plant toxins, etc.) and adaptive processes in plants; analysis of the ecological and biological properties of fungi, yeast and bacteria in natural and anthropogenized ecosystems; the accumulation regularities of biologically active compounds in plants; as-sessment of the diversity, distribution, biological and ecological properties of fungi and bacteria species causing plant diseases; research on diversity, structure, state and development of Lithuanian and surrounding regions’ flora and vegetation; studies on mycological diversity; identification of bio-logical and molecular properties of virus diseases and phytoplasma agents


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esin economic plants, determination of agent spreading and assessment of harmfulness as well as cultivar resistance to viruses; studies on molecu-lar-physiological properties of biocidic systems and investigation of their mechanisms of the action; identification of chemical and oxidative stress patterns in the plant cells.contract research occupies an important position in the activities of the In-stitute. These activities include: optimization of the Lithuanian flora conser-vation system; a survey of protected areas and provision of proposals for their management; integrated assessment of eutrophication of water bodies; determination of diagnostic means for cultivated plant productivity reduc-ing viruses and phytoplasmas, etc.In order to ensure the continuity of research, young scientists are trained: not only do investigations involve university students, but researchers also supervise bachelor’s and master’s final theses. Ongoing PhD studies in bio-medical sciences in the areas of biology, ecology and environmental sciences

allow talented students to pursue a PhD degree. In 2010–2015, six PhD the-ses in the area of biology and six PhD theses in botany were defended.An important part of the Institute’s activities in our country is the main-tenance, augmentation and protection of collections of unique plants and other botanical objects. Most important in this is the herbarium of the Institute of Botany (BILAS) founded in 1948 and belonging to the category of regional national herbaria. collections of pure cultures of microorgan-isms are also maintained and augmented: about 3000 species and strains of micromycetes, yeasts and yeast-like fungi, streptomycetes and bacteria; over 2500 strains of fungi, agents of plant root and butt rot as well as pure cultures of phytopathogenic bacteria; plant viruses; genetic lines of yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). At the Field experimental Station of the Insti-tute of Botany (total area 50 ha), a collection of over 500 accessions of me-dicinal, aromatic, fruit and leguminous forage plants has been augmented, maintained and stored.


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es T h e I n s t i t u t e o f E c o l o g yThe Institute of ecology is the major environmental research institution in Lithuania conducting international-level scientific research in animal ecology, zoology, animal physiology, genetics, ethology, microbiology and parasitology, as well as providing training to produce highly-qualified re-searchers and teachers. Fundamental research and experimental develop-ment conducted at the Institute cover a wide range of topics relating to environmental quality status, regularities and mechanisms of the structure, functioning, sensitivity, vulnerability, genetic diversity, adaptations and microevolution of natural ecosystems, habitats, species and communities under global climate change and anthropogenic impact, and also develop-ment of theoretical fundamentals and projection of potential changes. The competence of Lithuania in analysing and solving international environ-mental problems and in developing strategies for the management of eco-systems and projecting their possible changes is often entirely based on the data of the research conducted by the Institute. researchers of the Institute ensure implementation of a number of international agreements and con-ventions ratified by the Government of the Lithuania republic such as: the UN convention on Biological Diversity, the UN Framework convention on climate change, eU regulation (No 1143/2014) on the prevention and management of introduction and spread of invasive alien species, as well as international cITeS, ramsar and Bern conventions. They are also en-gaged in the preparation and implementation of national-level documents (National Strategy for environmental Protection, environmental educa-tion of Society, Fisheries Development) and other important national-level research activities, including harmonization of Lithuanian legislation with eU law, territorial selection for the NATUrA 2000 european Project, preparation of National reports on implementation of the climate change convention, performance of national- and regional-scale research on bio-logical diversity, production of environmental impact assessment, etc. re-search topics undertaken by scientists of the Institute fall within the scope of the following four long-term research and experimental development programmes pursued by the Nature research centre: Research into the

status and change of biological resources and quality of the environment, scientific justification of conservation; Biodiversity investigations and prog-noses under conditions of global climate change and anthropogenic impact; Functioning and adaptation of biological systems: molecular, genetic and evolutionary mechanisms; and Investigations of hazardous substances dis-tribution in ecosystems, regularities and mechanisms of their ecotoxic and biological effects under the impact of anthropogenic stress. Broad-spectrum interdisciplinary investigations are conducted at the Institute in pursuance of projects funded by the research council of Lithuania. Active participa-tion of the Institute in international research projects (eU FP6 and FP7, NATO, PhAre, OMPO, UNeScO, eS cOST, eS LIFe, LIFe+, heLcOM, IceS, UNDP, GeF, UNeP, etc.) carried out under cooperation agreements with research institutions of foreign countries promotes collaboration with researchers of the USA, UK, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, etc. Of utmost importance is scientific cooperation with researchers from neighbouring


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escountries (Poland, Belarus, Latvia, russia, the Ukraine) as it is often ex-tended to include project realization.Scientific research results are constantly published in international scien-tific journals. They are also presented at international scientific conferences or seminars organized by researchers of the Institute. cooperation with foreign partners covers the following research areas and activities: ecotoxic effects of environmental pollution and ecological changes in marine and freshwater ecosystems; genotoxic, cytotoxic and mutagenic impacts of var-ious chemical compounds on aquatic organisms; development of the bio-marker system for the health status assessment of marine and freshwater ecosystems; chemical and molecular and other mechanisms of interaction between animals and their environment; evolutionary biology, ecologi-cal plasticity of animal parasites and mechanisms of their transmission in ecosystems; development of new applied geoinformation technologies for

ecological and landscape studies; assessment of global climate change and anthropogenic impact on ecosystems, habitats, communities and species, their adaptation possibilities, production of recommendations for impact mitigation measures; abundance and distribution of living organisms; pe-culiarities of alien species adaptation, biological traits determining species invasiveness; impact assessment of biological invasions on community food webs and ecosystem functions. The powerful intellectual potential of the Institute (60 researchers and 54 members of supporting staff) and a strong technical-experimental base (six experimental stations, an experi-mental aquarium, two seagoing experimental ships, the GIS centre) en-able the solving of problems of highly complex fundamental and applied research.The recent upgrading of the technical-experimental research base (acquisi-tion of state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, renovation and modernisation


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es of experimental bases and the experimental aquarium, etc.), which was made possible by effective use of eU Structural Funds support, has opened up great possibilities for scientists of the Institute and the whole Nature research centre. The Nature research centre offers doctoral study programmes in ecology and environmental science and biology and trains specialists of ex-cellence in these fields of science, which is of great importance for the future of the Institute. Since 2010 there have been fifteen doctoral dissertations de-fended. Scientists of the Institute also actively cooperate in the training of bachelor’s and master’s degree holders in appropriate fields of environmen-tal science at other universities of Lithuania. Additionally, they are invited to deliver lectures at educational institutions in other countries (USA, UK, Sweden, Switzerland, Norway, France, etc.).In response to challenges of the present-day world, researchers of the Insti-tute pursue long-term aims of integrating ecological knowledge and sustain-able development practices.

T h e I n s t i t u t e o f G e o l o g y a n d G e o g r a p h yThe Institute of Geology and Geography is the leading geological and geo-graphical research institution in Lithuania conducting research in stratig-raphy, palaeontology, tectonics, mineralogy, paleogeography, geochemistry, hydrogeology and nuclear geophysics, as well as pursuing investigations on the functioning of natural processes and landscapes and rational use and conservation of the natural environment in relation to the state and evolu-tion of the earth crust and surface. Alongside this, researchers of the Institute participate in the education and training of highly-qualified researchers.In the area of fundamental research, the institute focuses on the analysis of the composition, properties and evolution of the earth crust and formation of natural resources, evaluation of ecosystems, including the Baltic Sea and the curonian Lagoon, as well as on investigations into the human living en-vironment and its transformations in geological time and space. The results


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esof fundamental research have served in implementing many international scientific research and development programmes designed to assist environ-mental protection and sustainable development, formulating a strategy of rational use of national natural resources, protecting the quality of the living environment, and implementing other projects relevant for the development of the country and human welfare.The team of the Institute takes part in two long-term research and experi-mental development programmes of the Nature research centre: Geosys-tems and their processes for sustainable development and life quality enhance-ment and Investigations of hazardous substances distribution in the ecosys-tems, regularities and mechanisms of ecotoxic and biological effects under the impact of anthropogenic stress. researchers of the institute are involved in projects initiated by the research council of Lithuania and based on dif-ferent funding schemes. research results are successfully introduced to the scientific society worldwide through contributions to international scientific journals, co-authored monographs published by prestigious world-famous

publishers, etc. researchers continually deliver their research results at in-ternational symposiums.researchers of the Institute actively cooperate with colleagues from foreign countries in conducting fundamental and applied research: the evaluation of possibilities of storing carbon dioxide (cO2) within the territory of the country, investigation of the structure of the Baltic pre-cambrian continent and its impact on the present-day environment and its evolution, assessment of paleogeographic and paleoclimatic changes of different geological peri-ods, description of climate change reflections and carbon emissions from peatlands. Of particular importance are the formation of the national ocea-nographic data centre and the drawing of digital bathymetric and bottom sediment maps, which are of key importance for assessment of the Baltic Sea ecosystem within NATUrA-2000, hABITAT-2003, and MArINe STrATeGY-2007 projects, as well as participation in the development of the european tide forecasting system and the policy and strategy of adaptation to climate change in the Baltic Sea region. The researchers of the Institute


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es conduct different applied research works through active cooperation with Lithuanian state institutions and largest businesses of the country.In accomplishing different research objectives, the researchers of the Insti-tute successfully cooperate with researchers from Middle and central eu-rope, Northern and other Baltic countries, russia and Belarus. close coop-eration is pursued within the IGcP programme projects supported by the european commission and UNeScO. Lithuanian researchers participate in the Swedish Institute’s VISBY programme, cOST, etc.The research pursued by the Institute contributes substantially to the sus-tainable development of different industries of the country, protection of the entrails of the earth and their rational use, and environmental protection. Significant works have been done on environmental impact assessment dur-ing and after the decommissioning of the Ignalina NPP, on the issues of safe management of radioactive waste, on possibilities and feasibility of the use of geothermal energy, seismic safety of the territory of the country, possibilities and outcomes of exploitation of natural resources, ensuring environmental protection in the objects of intensive business activities, and drafting plans for protected areas and master plans for cities.

In recent years, support from eU structural funds has enabled substantial updat-ing of technical infrastructure and acquisition of new modern equipment, which has enhanced the level of fundamental and applied research allowing access to the international scientific environment. In particular, a unique Paleo magnetic Laboratory was created in the Baltic region, the laboratories for nuclear, sedi-mentological, hydrological and geochemical investigations were updated and complemented, and the working environment for researchers and conditions for the storage and display of scientific collections were improved.The researchers actively participate in training their young colleagues, deliv-ering lectures to students of Lithuanian universities and supervising research works for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The institute runs two doctoral programmes: geology and physical geography. Since 2010, 12 doctoral theses have been defended.The researchers of the Institute serve as members and experts in different state and departmental commissions and public organisations dealing with the issues of the entrails of the earth and their exploitation. They are involved in resolving environmental problems of national importance, participating in the process of law-making and taking an active role in popularising geology and geography.


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The researchers of the Nature research centre are involved in the implemen-tation of five long-term government funded scientific research programmes approved by executive Order No V-323 of the Minister of education and Science of the republic of Lithuania (23 February 2012):

1. Biodiversity investigations and prognoses under the conditions of global climate change and anthropogenic impact.

2. Functioning and adaptation of biological systems: molecular, genetic and evolutionary mechanisms.

3. research into the status and change of biological resources and quali-ty of the environment, scientific justification of conservation.

4. Geosystems and their processes for sustainable development and life quality enhancement.

5. Investigations of hazardous substances distribution in the ecosys-tems, regularities and mechanisms of ecotoxic and biological effects under the impact of anthropogenic stress.


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mes B i o d i v e r s i t y i n v e s t i g a t i o n s a n d p r o g n o s e s u n d e r t h e c o n d i t i o n s o f g l o b a l

c l i m a t e c h a n g e a n d a n t h r o p o g e n i c i m p a c tChief Executive: Dr. habil. Gediminas Valkiūnas, Academician of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences

OBJecTIVeS:

1. To conduct up-to-date research into the systematics of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms and, having specified peculiarities of spe-cies distribution, to produce recommendations for rare species pro-tection.

2. To study changes in populations and habitats of prokaryotic and eu-karyotic species along the gradient of different environmental factors under global climate change and anthropogenic impact conditions.

3. To gain new knowledge about intra- and interspecies diversity of pro-karyotic and eukaryotic organisms, their phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary biology and functions within ecosystems under condi-tions of the changing environment.

exPecTeD OUTcOMeSThe main research tasks under the current programme address fundamental issues of ecology, protistology, botany, mycology, microbiology, zoology and parasitology, the settlement of which will help gain a basic knowledge about the intra- and interspecies diversity of prokaryotic (blue bacteria) and eu-karyotic (protists, plants/flora, fungi, invertebrates and vertebrates) organ-isms, their state, the phylogeographic history of species, peculiarities of po-pulation formation and possible changes in ecosystems under global climate change and anthropogenic impact conditions. The results obtained will be significant for determining stability mechanisms of the Baltic region biota. The gained basic knowledge will deepen understanding about the forma-tion and functioning of ecosystems in Baltic countries and will help imple-

ment targeted environmental protection programmes and project possible changes. The major part of research results will be published in international journals, and collected material and genetic information will be deposited in Lithuanian and international parasite collections as well as in the Inter-national Gene Bank. A great amount of sequenced genetic material derived from eukaryotic parasites will be another significant gain from the current


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mesprogramme implementation. Such information will be useful to biology sci-

entists all over the world in conducting comparative genomic investigations of eukaryotic organisms.The current programme will contribute to the development of ecology, bota-ny, mycology, microbiology, zoology, parasitology and evolutionary biology not only in Lithuania, but also all over the world. Depositories of eukaryotic organisms of the Nature research centre will be enriched with valuable re-search material.The programme will greatly contribute to the educational process of stu-dents. Would-be researchers and scientists (1st, 2nd and 3rd- cycle students

and post-doctoral interns) will be invited to take part in innovative scientific investigations, as well as in fieldwork and laboratory work. The current pro-gramme is expected to provide impetus for the preparation of approximately 10 doctoral theses.The recently established Nature research centre as an institution carrying out world-class research into systematics, ecology and evolutionary biology of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms in Lithuania is expected to consid-erably benefit from the current programme. Findings of the investigations conducted under the programme will increase public awareness of the na-ture research pursued in Lithuania.


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mes F u n c t i o n i n g a n d a d a p t a t i o n o f b i o l o g i c a l s y s t e m s : m o l e c u l a r, g e n e t i c a n d

e v o l u t i o n a r y m e c h a n i s m sChief Executive: Prof. Dr. habil. Vincas Būda, Academician of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences

OBJecTIVeS:

1. To investigate the functioning, adaptation, evolutionary changes and adaptation limits of biological systems, which are significant both for fundamental and applied research in determining the functioning mechanisms and sustainability patterns of biota under global change conditions; they serve as a basis for the development of the scientific background for wildlife protection and management and for projec-ting possible changes.

2. To investigate responses of biological systems (at a cell, organism, po-pulation and community level) to biotic and abiotic factors (conspe-cifics or heterospecifics, temperature, light, gravity, etc.) and analyse their molecular and genetic mechanisms, as well as physiological, bio-chemical, genetic and evolutionary adaptive responses to changes in the environment.

exPecTeD OUTcOMeSThe application of modern wildlife research methods, acquisition of state-of-the-art infrastructure (thanks to the funding from GPD, Integrated Sci-ence, Studies and Business centres (Valleys) and National complex Pro-gramme) and the scientific competences of researchers ensure the successful implementation of programme objectives and tasks and international-level achievements in wildlife research.The implementation of the programme will enable the acquisition of new-quality scientific data on inter- and intraspecific interactions of organisms through biologically active substances, on the functioning mechanisms of such substances on different levels of biological systems (from constituent parts of a cell to a community and ecosystem level) and on their chemical

compositions. New data will be obtained on phytovirus and phytoplasma species spread within and outside Lithuania, on phytoplasma spreading ways, on new phytoplasma host plants, agents and on the ways phytovirus and phytoplasma infections get into Lithuania, on prospects for the use of microorganisms exhibiting biocidic properties and factors secreted thereby in the fight with phytopathogens and harmful plants, and on microorganism strains adequate for a more economical production of bioethanol in the cli-mate zone of Lithuania. The results obtained will serve as a tool for feasibil-ity studies on production of new biopreparations for the above-mentioned purposes.


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mesresearchers will select and create model systems for the analysis and assess-

ment of plant adaptation processes to formulate the principles and key mech-anisms of the impact of environmental factors on the functioning of plants and signal interactions with biological systems regulating plant growth and functioning as well as elements of such mechanisms which determine adapt-ability and survivorship of plants. It is planned to establish the principles and plasticity possibilities for participation in adaptation processes of hormonal, antioxidant and ion transportation systems involved in the growth and de-velopment of plants. Specific biomarkers to assess plant adaptability will be determined, and possibilities for modification of adaptation processes, growth and development of plants will be analysed. Within the framework of expanding space investigations, we are planning to determine light spec-trum components efficient for plant adaptation to gravity changes. The effect

of UV radiation on plant genome and its stability will be analysed, and pos-sibilities for plant adaptation to this environmental factor will be assessed.Data on evolutionary biology of model animal species will be obtained, mechanisms and patterns of ability to adapt to the anthropogenic environ-ment and evolutionary origin of lifecycles and potential for adaptation to the changing environment will be estimated, mechanisms of the functioning of communities and of their response both to internal and external stressors as well as the factors regulating the stability and change of such mechanisms will be revealed, the impact of changing environmental factors on genetic diversity of model species and the modifying effect of ecological and behav-ioural properties of model species on genetic diversity will be evaluated. The results obtained will contribute to projecting the long-term development of Lithuanian ecosystems under global change conditions.


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t h e e n v i r o n m e n t , s c i e n t i f i c j u s t i f i c a t i o n o f c o n s e r v a t i o nChief Execut ive : Dr. Juozas Labok as

OBJecTIVeS:

1. To create a comprehensive system of knowledge about plants and animals, micro- and macro-organism functioning patterns, popula-tion and environmental quality assessment and management princi-ples as well as to scientifically justify the regeneration and conservati-on of biological resources under global and local changes by means of complex research into the Lithuanian biological resources and quality of environment, bringing together the most competent scientific po-tential and using modern methods of analysis.

2. To create long-term strategies for the conservation of biological re-sources (economic plants, mammals, birds, fish, crayfish populati-ons), involving the sustainable use of resources as well as regenerati-on methods and techniques, to develop recommendations to biologi-cal resource managers and methodological means for study program-mes.

exPecTeD OUTcOMeSThe research under the programme will enable the creation of a system of knowledge about the medicinal and other economic plant populations diver-sity patterns, accumulation characteristics of biologically active substances in plants, and most productive populations. It will also allow the acquisition of new knowledge about micromycetes species diversity and peculiarities of their communities formation under anthropogenic conditions, their me-tabolites as well as their significance to biodestruction processes of natural

and synthetic materials. Active strains of microorganisms will be selected for the improvement of the quality of the environment; possibilities of making use of parasitic fungi for control of undesirable plants will be established. The assessment of biological resources in different water bodies of Lithuania will be carried out, and, according to the established provisions on fish and crayfish conservation, it will be possible to balance the use of stocks and their protection. It is projected to carry out the identification of the main factors that influence the structure of hydrobiont communities and populations of model hydrobiont species, as well as to clarify mechanisms of impact and im-plement methods for the assessment of population parameters-based impact on fish stocks and population response, and thus justify rational exploitation of hydrobiont resources and management, as well as reducing the impact on populations in the Baltic Sea, the curonian Lagoon and Kauno Marios res-ervoir, the Nemunas delta, river and lake ecosystems. The results obtained will be used for the preparation of the State programme on fish and crayfish stock restoration and the development of a national monitoring programme. The measures used for the control of large carnivores and game ungulate mammal populations in Lithuania, their applicability and public tolerance will be evaluated; the influence of habitats and their changes (due to human activity or global changes) upon the status of game mammal populations will be studied. The fulfilment of the planned research will allow, for the first time in Lithuania, consistent data to be obtained on original ecological res-toration research and its potential use in developing ecological restoration of damaged and degraded raised bogs, recreating conditions for biological resources development.


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q u a l i t y e n h a n c e m e n tChief Execut ive : Dr. M iglė Stančik aitė

A more profound investigation of the development of the Quaternary pal-aeoecosystem will make possible regional and global correlation of palaeo-events which so far has been impossible due to the lack of relevant data and poor chronological background.Investigations of Lithuanian wetlands will include their temporal and spatial assessment within the framework of the ramsar convention. codes of good practice for sustainable management and use of wetlands meeting the re-quirements of the eU Water Framework Directive, UN Framework conven-tion on climate change, Nitrates Directive and european Landscape con-vention will be developed. As a result of implemented work, the resources

OBJecTIVeS:

1. To investigate rock masses and textures, their architecture, formation processes and chronology in the background of global and regional transformation patterns.

2. To assess the development, recent status and possible transformation trends of ground and surface waters in the context of intensifying ant-hropogenic load.

3. To perform a spatial and temporal analysis of the texture and trans-formations of recent and past geological systems as a basis for their projections and sustainable development.

exPecTeD OUTcOMeSInvestigations into the deep lithosphere strata will provide more detailed information about bedrock structures, i.e. boundaries of geological com-plexes and their distribution patterns, formation processes. Assessment of the character and variation of mechanical properties of the lithosphere will contribute to the compilation of a regional-scale map which is necessary for the assessment of a possible lithosphere response to recent tectonic ten-sions, prediction of seismic activity of tectonic faults and development of geothermal models of the lithosphere. A prospective geothermal model of the lithosphere will show the distribution of geothermal resources and their potential utilization for public needs. During implementation of the project, new methods and techniques for investigation of chemical and isotopic com-position of minerals, rocks and fossils will be used. Based on the information obtained, recommendations will be offered and expert examinations per-formed on the issues of energy and mineral resources and their distribution, as well as use of bedrock structures for different economic needs.


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mes and quality of surface and groundwater will be evaluated and their transfor-

mations will be projected.The implementation of the programme also includes determination of the main patterns of natural and dynamic processes in the Baltic Sea and Lithua-nian coastal zone, disclosure of the trends of the impact of technogenic factors on natural processes, and designing of the general mechanism for the development of the qualitative background of the environment. Upon implementation of the programme, the Baltic Sea evolution after glaciation will be featured, and projections for its future development will be draft-ed. Investigation of the coastal dynamic processes will allow implementing coastal management measures in the Lithuanian coastal zone and will cre-ate premises for scientifically grounded assessment of the trends for coastal dynamics.Based on a newly developed infrastructure of experimental trials and having performed relevant investigations, methods for radiochemical isolation and identification of the main radionuclides (Pb-210 and c-14) used for dating

will be improved. Application of these methods will contribute to higher reli-ability of data about the investigated processes, parameters and their effect on the chronology of events.The implementation of the programme will also contribute to the creation of the GIS database of transformations in spatial structure of different types of landscapes in 1974–2006, projection of spatial and qualitative manifestation trends of landscape components, and modelling of process links and mate-rial flows.


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mesR e s e a r c h i n t o h a z a r d o u s s u b s t a n c e s d i s t r i b u t i o n i n e c o s y s t e m s ,

r e g u l a r i t i e s a n d m e c h a n i s m s o f t h e i r e c o t o x i c a n d b i o l o g i c a l e f f e c t s u n d e r t h e i m p a c t o f a n t h r o p o g e n i c s t r e s sChief Execut ive : Dr. habi l . Janina Barš ienė

OBJecTIVeS:

1. To investigate processes and regularities of accumulation, distributi-on and ecotoxic and biological effects of hazardous compounds (hea-vy metals, radionuclides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, po-lychlorbiphenyls and other compounds) in ecosystems under the im-pact of anthropogenic stress.

2. To investigate regularities and mechanisms of anthropogenic stress-induced biological responses in organisms at different phylogenetic, ontogenetic and biological organization levels under experimental conditions.

exPecTeD OUTcOMeSThe research work performed under this programme is expected to provide qualitatively new scientific information on regularities of biological changes induced by hazardous substances in the environment, on mechanisms of biomarker responses formation and their role in revealing peculiarities of abiotic-biotic interactions and vulnerability, and on the tolerance and ad-aptation of organisms in aquatic ecosystems. An integrated ecotoxicological system of analytical and bioindicator parameters will be devised for anthro-pogenic stress and environment quality assessment. The obtained results will serve as a basis for producing recommendations on measures of integrated pollution control (chemical-biological) and management and for providing consultations on ecotoxicological issues. Alongside with the above described activities, a database of scientific results obtained during this programme im-plementation will be created.

Peculiarities of radionuclides migration in food chains and their transloca-tion in plants under conditions of anthropogenic stress will be revealed, and potential zones of artificial radionuclides accumulation identified. In addi-tion, indicator species of plants in the ecosystems that fall into radioactive contamination risk zones due to the projected construction of nuclear power facilities will be selected, and recommendations on the improvement of the Ignalina NPP radioactive waste characterisation will be produced. Qualita-tively new scientific information on regularities and mechanisms of pollut-ant accumulation in tissues and formation of biomarker responses as well as on the role of biological lesions in physiological and reproductive processes of aquatic organisms will be obtained. research results will be used to char-acterise the state and health of ecosystems and to predict their changes due to global change or chemical stress. On the basis of the obtained results, an integrated biomarker response index for ecosystem health assessment will be devised, which will serve as a useful tool for a more precise assessment of ecotoxicological processes in aquatic ecosystems and for the development of up-to-date environmental management measures. The analytical database of biomarkers compiled in the course of this programme implementation will be used in drafting strategic european Union, heLcOM, OSPAr, IceS and national documents. Programme results will contribute to the implementa-tion of the first resolution initiated by Lithuania and approved by the United Nations General Assembly on 20 December 2010 on environmental effects related to waste originating from chemical munitions dumped at sea.changes in test organisms at different levels of phylogenetic and ontogenetic organization in response to anthropogenic stress will be assessed and com-pared. Peculiarities of such reactions depending on changes in biotic and


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organisms at different phylogenetic and ontogenetic organization levels as well as adaptation possibilities ensuring survival of an individual → popula-tion will be established. To improve the system of ecotoxicological investiga-tions, the use of the most sensitive and informative tests for the assessment of the ecotoxicological state of the environment will be proposed. Biochemi-cal, physiological and biological responses of algae to chemical stressors of

natural and anthropogenic origin, including nanoforms, will be investigated; changes in the composition and abundance of aerobic and anaerobic bacte-rial groups and dynamics of organic matter production and microbial mi-neralisation processes under anthropogenic load conditions will be assessed, and recommendations on the application of microbiotests, phytomarkers and their systems for control and management of water bodies affected by complex toxic contaminants will be produced.


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L a b o r a t o r i e sL A B O R AT O R Y O F A L G O L O G Y A N D M I C R O B I A L E C O L O G Y

different abiotic and biotic environmental state variables to the productiv-ity and other metabolic activity of plankton and benthos community and hyper-production outcomes. research is also conducted into biotic interac-tions and trophic relationships by skilfully and creatively applying modern research methodology (light and electron microscopy, molecular biology, chromatography, spectrometry and isotopic analysis).The laboratory maintains a culture collection of different microalgae and cyanobacteria strains, including bloom forming and toxin producing spe-cies. research into genome, growth conditions and production of different biologically active compounds as well as cyanophage ecology are the most recent research directions. Studies on the genetic diversity of algae and cy-anobacteria and molecular diagnostics are carried out, and analysis of cyano-bacteria-produced toxin dispersion is performed.

head: Dr. rIčArDAS PAšKAUSKAS

The key research objects are microalgae, cyanobacteria and their viruses in fresh and marine environments, with the special emphasis on eutrophicated and heavily polluted aquatic ecosystems and within the context of anthro-pogenically influenced global climate change. The research also includes ex-perimental work using lab-based microcosm and/or large-scale mesocosm systems, as well as the analysis of long-term succession of natural phyto-plankton communities.The laboratory researchers focus on the ecology issues of relevant cyanobac-teria and microalgae species of different taxonomic groups and assess the significance of processes of production/decomposition of plankton and ben-thic microflora and the consequences of hyperproductivity of aquatic ecosys-tems and water quality. We further provide expert assessment of ecosystem vulnerability as well as resistance to chronic and acute anthropogenic and naturally occurring stressors.Additionally, the researchers analyse the peculiarities and importance of


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ries L A B O R AT O R Y O F A v I A N E C O L O G Y

head: Dr. habil. MečISLOVAS ŽALAKeVIčIUS, Academician of Lithuanian Acad. Sci.

research pursued by laboratory scientists is mainly focused on the impacts of global environmental change and human activity on birds (population status changes, vulnerability, adaptation, microevolution). Special empha-sis is placed on waterfowl research and conservation problems in the Baltic Sea, curonian Lagoon and inland waters. GIS technologies are employed to study spatial variability in bird populations and landscape. researchers of the laboratory maintain close cooperation relationships with scientific re-search centres of foreign countries and perform research contracted by na-tional and international organizations and foundations. Applied research, is also conducted and experimental development services offered to different organizations and industries.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F A Q U AT I C E C O T O X I C O L O G Yhead: Dr. LeVONAS MANUSADŽIANAS

The main research areas are: the study of ecotoxicological effects of natu-rally occurring substances and xenobiotics (including nanoforms) as well as complex mixtures such as wastewater and their ways of operating by reveal-ing biochemical, bioelectrical and physiological responses of representative hydrophytes; the role of microorganisms in the metabolism of biologically significant substances in water bodies of different pollution level; the devel-opment and application of methods for water pollution control and toxicity assessment based on response to testorganisms and their substructures be-longing to different nutrition chains in support of biological control meas-ures. The principal objective of research is chemical and oxidative stress pat-terns in the plant cell.


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riesL A B O R AT O R Y O F B I O D E T E R I O R AT I O N R E S E A R C h

head: Dr. ALGIMANTAS PAšKeVIčIUS

The main research areas relate to the ecological and biological properties of fungi, yeast and bacteria in natural and anthropogenized ecosystems, as well as biodiversity and functioning of microorganisms on uncommon substrata or in a polluted environment and the search for microorganisms that dete-riorate natural and synthetic polymeric materials and produce biologically active substances. The potential to utilise microorganisms in biotechnology is also analysed. The microbiological state in residential and occupational environments is also assessed, and a search for measures that inhibit haz-ardous actions of microorganisms is carried out. A collection of about 3000 species and strains of pure cultures of various microorganisms is stored at the laboratory.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F B E D R O C k G E O L O G Yhead: Dr. GrAŽINA SKrIDLAITĖ

The main research trends of the laboratory are bedrock geology and crustal processes and their impacts on natural processes at the surface, on local en-ergy resources and the quality of the living environment. The research ob-jects are the chemical composition of pre-cambrian rocks, their formation conditions, age and evolution and the impact of crustal structures on the sedimentary cover and formation of valuable mineral deposits. researchers of the laboratory investigate Palaeozoic and Mesozoic rocks by lithological and palaeomagnetic methods, reconstructing sedimentary environments, modelling basin evolution and its impact on surface forms and motions, es-tablishing geothermal energy and oil deposit formation patterns, forecasting amounts, transformations and environmental impacts of mineral resources, studying the history of the science of geology and performing other investi-gations in the area of applied geology.


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ries L A B O R AT O R Y O F C h E M I C A L A N D

B E h A v I O U R A L E C O L O G Yhead: Prof. Dr. habil. VINcAS BŪDA, Academician of the Lithuanian Acad. Sci.

The main research trends of the laboratory are chemical ecology, interactions among insects and insect-environment interactions through infochemical signals, as well as ecological and evolutionary aspects of the behaviour of organisms. The main research objects are moths (Lepidoptera), honey bees (hymenoptera) and flies (Diptera). Laboratory experiments and field obser-vations have been employed to define the composition of sex attractants and their antagonists in over 50 insect species of ten families and to identify the chemical composition of sex pheromones.

The researchers of the Insect evolutionary ecology Group deal with hy-menopterans that are very important for the functioning of ecological sys-tems, i.e. they perform plant pollination and the control of herbivorous insect populations. The researchers of the group investigate the impact of man-induced factors (landscape transformations, fragmentation of natural habitats and shifts in the spectrum of succession stages) on insect diversity, population parameters, species groups differing in morphological, ecological and behavioural traits and on interactions among species of different trophic levels, and also search for new molecular markers for identification of sib-ling species and assessment of their phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity.


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head: Dr. VYTAUTAS KeSMINAS

The Sector of Freshwater ecology pursues research into regularities and mechanisms of adaptive processes in natural populations and communi-ties of aquatic animals and investigates biological diversity and resources of populations and communities and regularities of their variability under the pressure of natural and anthropogenic effects. The diversity, genetic struc-ture and production processes of fish and lamprey populations and com-munities are investigated. conventional markers and radio tags are used to detect migration routes of migratory (salmon, sea trout, eel) and rare (Aci-penser oxyrinchus) species in the Nemunas basin, curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. The researchers of the laboratory carry out an assessment of the ecological state of water bodies according to fish parameters and participate in the monitoring of the state of populations and communities of migratory and commercial fish and lamprey species and species of eU importance, as well as performing fish stock investigations and developing programmes for restoration of fish and crustacean stocks in various Lithuanian water bodies.

The recirculation systems of the experimental aquarium serve for rearing of rare and endangered fish species, for experimental activities and for the crea-tion of new rearing technologies.The Sector of ecological Physiology and Toxicology focuses on the regulari-ties and mechanisms of biological responses to man-induced stress in aquat-ic animals of different phylogenesis and ontogenesis (test organisms). re-searchers investigate the peculiarities of toxic effects of pollutants of different chemical nature on the functional systems of test organisms and their test responses and study specific and non-specific organism responses (physi-ological and behavioural markers). research works include investigation of the ways pollutants get into the organism and the mechanisms of their distri-bution and accumulation in the organism, modelling of the toxic effect and dispersion of pollutants, as well as assessment of theoretical and practical possibilities of the use of proper toxicity tests, test organisms and their test responses in relation to investigation of toxicity of separate pollutants and wastewater and the ecotoxicological state of natural waters.


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head: Dr. JUOZAS LABOKAS

The main research objectives focus on the accumulation regularities of bio-logically active compounds in plants and diversity, as well as the variation and sustainability of natural populations of economic plants. research is carried out on biological, ecological and chemical properties of medicinal, aromatic, berry and fruit plants at individual, population and species le-vels.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F C L I M AT E A N D W AT E R R E S E A R C hhead: Assoc. Prof. Dr. JULIUS TAMINSKAS

The assessment and projection of future changes in climate and ground- and surface water resources and quality are the main research trends of the labo-ratory. The researchers investigate specific features of the Lithuanian climate and its changes in the timeframe of instrumental observations, the impact of climate change on water budget, the formation of wetlands, gypsum denuda-tion and the stability of water ecosystems. Alongside, regular hydrological and hydrochemical observations of the karst region and wetlands are of particu-lar importance. Special attention is paid to monitor and make projections of groundwater resources and the quality of territories of technogenic origin, as well as investigating hydrogeochemical processes in aeration and saturation zones, studying formation patterns and chemical composition of groundwa-ter resources under natural and anthropogenic conditions and investigating groundwater resources for optimization of their exploitation, protection and quality improvement.


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riesL A B O R AT O R Y O F E N T O M O L O G Y

head: Assoc. Prof. Dr. (hP) SIGITAS PODĖNAS

The research works carried out by the laboratory cover insect taxonomy, ecology, phenology, zoogeography and phylogeny. Investigations are pur-sued on trophic links of different insect groups and on the composition and variability of entomofauna in different ecosystems under different climatic and habitat conditions. Based on the structure of entomocomplexes and in-dicatory features of insect groups or species, the most valuable territories in Lithuania are identified. The main focus is placed on Palearctic moths, Diptera, coleoptera, Odomata and collembola insects, on stages of their de-velopment and peculiarities of protected insect species and their habitats. The researchers of the laboratory have described about 200 insect taxa new for science.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F E v O L U T I O N A R Y E C O L O G Y O F h Y D R O B I O N T S

head: Assoc. Prof. Dr. KĘSTUTIS ArBAčIAUSKAS

The main research areas cover the evolutionary ecology of crustaceans, bio-invasions, biodiversity of aquatic communities, structure and variability of food webs and functional regularities of ecosystems.researchers of the laboratory investigate biochemical and genetic regulatory mechanisms of seasonal polyphenism in daphnia, peculiarities of ecology and phylogeography of autochthonous and invasive crustaceans and molluscs by em-ploying traditional, molecular, stoichiometric and stable isotope analysis meth-ods. constituting a significant part of the laboratory’s research work, analysis is also conducted on the peculiarities of alien species adaptation, biological prop-erties determining species invasiveness, effects of biological invasions on com-munity food webs and ecosystem functions.. Other research topics include euro-pean crayfish stocks, the impact of invasive crayfish on local biota and patterns of interaction among crayfish species. Development and improvement of methods for the assessment of the ecological state and biopollution of aquatic ecosystems represent another significant area of the laboratory’s research activities.


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ries L A B O R AT O R Y O F G E N O T O X I C O L O G Yhead: Dr. habil. JANINA BAršIeNĖ

The main research trends cover investigations into environmental pollu-tion- and ecological change-induced ecotoxic effects in various marine eco-systems. research pursued by scientists of the laboratory focuses on the ge-notoxic, cytotoxic and mutagenic effects of various chemical compounds on aquatic organisms, environmental genotoxicity peculiarities and genetic risk assessment in various european seas and the Atlantic Ocean.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F G E N E T I C Shead: Assoc. Prof. Dr. eLeNA SerVIeNĖ

The main research trend is focused on the studies of molecular-physiologi-cal properties of biocidic systems and investigation of their mechanisms of the action. The fundamental research goals include: molecular mechanisms of the action of killer toxins, formation of cellular resistance to viruses and other pathogens, cellular stress response pathways, investigation of yeast functional genomics and aspects of functioning, interaction and adaptation of biological systems. The practical research areas are concentrated on the search for prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms secreting biocidic substances in natural and industrial populations and studies on their use, assessment of efficiency of preservation agents implemented in food and wa-ter manufacturing industry, and search and analysis of antiviral compounds using yeast killer systems.


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head: Dr. KĘSTUTIS JOKšAS

The main research trends of the laboratory are the investigation of interactions between natural and anthropogenic processes and evaluation of the quality of the geological environment. Particular attention is focused on the assess-ment of the geodynamic state of the Lithuanian seacoast area and interpreta-tion of coastal formation processes, as well as analysis of sedimentation and geodynamic processes in the subsiding south-eastern Baltic region. Based on a qualitative assessment of the spatial structure of the landscape and change of interactions between landscape processes, a database of changes in the spatial structure has been compiled, which can serve as a tool in projecting landscape transformation trends. researchers of the laboratory are engaged in identifica-tion and eco geochemical and geohygienic evaluation of geochemical anoma-lies and their sources and assessment of the impacts of natural and anthropo-genic factors on background and anomalous concentrations of chemical ele-ments, which facilitates characterisation of the state of the living environment and projection of its transformations. A particular emphasis is placed on the creation, development and application of methods for geochemical and bio-geochemical investigations of abiotic and biotic components of the environ-ment for the purpose of disclosure of potential sources of emission of different organic and mineral pollutants into the environment.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F F L O R A A N D G E O B O T A N Yhead: Dr. VALerIJUS rAšOMAVIčIUS

The main research area is the diversity, structure, state and development of Lithuanian flora and vegetation. Scientific investigations are focused on: the syntaxonomic structure of Lithuanian vegetation, the distribution of its components in ecosystems and in the territory of the country; natural habitats, their structure, status and relationships with other units of classi-fication of natural diversity; stenotopic and stenochoric taxa of Lithuanian vascular plant and bryophyte flora, their systematic status, distribution and characteristics of populations; adventive flora, particularly the distribution of invasive plants, the structure of populations and control methods; natural and anthropogenic dynamics of Lithuanian vegetation (vegetation monitor-ing, protected species and communities, territories valuable from a botanical aspect and their mapping, ecological restoration); Lithuanian botanical ter-minology; maintenance and emendation of the herbarium collections of the Institute of Botany (BILAS); creation and maintenance of phytosociological databases and natural habitats inventory databases.


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head: Dr. LINAS LOŽYS

research conducted by the laboratory focuses on the functioning of ecosys-tems in the largest water bodies of Lithuania: the Kaunas Water reservoir, the Nemunas river, the curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea with increased emphasis placed on fish communities, ecology of individual species and the assessment of effects that various abiotic and biotic factors have on fish stocks and fish diversity. In the context of a dramatic growth of different sectors of the economy and their immediate impact on aquatic ecosystems, the labo-ratory directs its efforts towards the performance of the following research tasks: assessment of ecological impacts of economic activities on aquatic eco-systems; development of measures to mitigate the effects of economic activi-ties on fish stocks and to replenish the already dwindled fish stocks; analysis of impacts of the Klaipėda Port, Būtingė Oil Terminal, Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant and Kaunas hydroelectric Power Plant on fish stocks and in-dividual fish species.Investigations of fish community abundance and fish populations performed by the laboratory in the largest water bodies of Lithuania (where fish stock exploitation is intensive) entail assessment of the ecological parameters of the water bodies and those of the fish communities (structure, abundance, bio-mass, the main parameters of fish species populations). research activities of the laboratory include investigations of the variability of biological parameters in different water bodies, impact assessment of intensive commercial and recreational fishing and production of recommendations to state institutions concerning the state of fish stocks and fishing control.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F M A M M A L I A N E C O L O G Yhead: Assoc. Prof. Dr. (hP) LINAS BALčIAUSKAS

The main research trends include the distribution and ecology of mamma-lian fauna (species diversity, abundance and dynamics, habitat and spatial distribution, population demographic structure), functional regularities of mammal populations and communities in different landscapes including those under anthropogenic impact, and factors behind the decline and/or extinction of rare mammal (dormice, otter and lynx) populations. Socio-ec-ological investigations contributing to the implementation of national com-mitments in the field of eU environmental protection policy include studies on public tolerance of mammals and the impact of mammals on the environ-ment and humans. The laboratory is engaged in the implementation of two long-term institutional scientific research and experimental (social, cultural) development programmes:research into the status and change of biological resources and quality of environment, scientific justification of conservation.Biodiversity investigations and prognoses under the conditions of global cli-mate change and anthropogenic impact.


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head: Dr. JUrGA MOTIeJŪNAITĖ

The main research area covers studies on taxonomy, biodiversity, geogra-phy, ecology, biology and biochemistry of Basidiomycetes and Ascomycetes. Special attention is paid to investigations into the ecology of fungi and their functioning in vulnerable ecosystems, as well as the influence of the impact of electric and magnetic fields on fungal cells. The laboratory maintains and augments the largest collection of fungi in Lithuania: 10,800 specimens of lichens and lichenicolous fungi, 19,800 specimens of micromycetes (Perono-sporales, Uredinales, Ustilaginales, teleomorphic and anamorphic Ascomyc-etes), 31,000 specimens of macromycetes (Basidiomycetes and Ascomyc-etes), and 4,500 specimens of myxomycetes. In 1992–2014, the researchers of the laboratory described 24 new taxa of fungi.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F M O L E C U L A R E C O L O G Yhead: Dr. (hP) DALIUS BUTKAUSKAS

research is focussed on investigations of species diversity, life cycles, phyl-ogeny and phylogeography of various systematic animal groups (birds, fish, ungulates and small mammals, along with their parasites sarcosporidia), which are performed employing methods of DNA fragment analysis and sequencing, and light and electron microscopy. The long-term fundamen-tal research pursued at the laboratory is focused on intraspecies diversity, ecological plasticity and distribution of some commercial fish (european eel, perch, sharpnosed sturgeon) in the Baltic region and in the wider distribu-tion range. Another area of research undertaken by the laboratory, which is represented by investigations into the genetic diversity of model animal and plant species (common Woodpigeon, Mallard, perch, duckweed), is designed to determine the genetic population structure of the various spe-cies, peculiarities of the formation and human activity-induced changes by employing various molecular markers.


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ries p. B . Š I v I C k I S L A B O R AT O R Y O F pA R A S I T O L O G Y

head: Dr. habil. GeDIMINAS VALKIŪNAS, Academician of the Lithuanian Acad. Sci.

The main research trends cover biodiversity, molecular diagnostics, evolu-tionary biology, phylogeography and functions of eukaryotic parasitic organ-isms (protists and helminths) in ecosystems under conditions of the chang-ing environment. Long-term fundamental investigations and experimental development work of the laboratory focus on the following main areas: molecular mechanisms of host-parasite interactions, ecology and virulence, genetic diversity and population genetics, molecular diagnostics and taxon-omy, phylogeny and phylogeography of parasites. Other research topics ex-plored by laboratory scientists include the evolutionary biology of parasites hosted by migrating birds, amphibians, fish and molluscs and mechanisms of ecological plasticity in parasites and their distribution in ecosystems. Tra-ditional morphological, karyological and DNA sequence analysis methods are employed in investigations designed to elucidate parasite species diversi-ty, phylogenetic relationships, host specificity and the circulation of parasites in different ecosystems. research data highlight the importance of interspe-cies relationships for the maintenance of ecosystem diversity and stability and can be used for the projection of potential changes. Moreover, the data obtained will serve as the base for the development of innovative strategies aimed at prevention and control of parasitic diseases.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F N U C L E A R G E O p h Y S I C S A N D R A D I O E C O L O G Y

head: Prof. Dr. habil. JONAS MAŽeIKA

The main research trends of the laboratory are investigations of radioactivity of the environment, nuclear geophysics and nuclear chronology and radio-ecology, as well as improvement of available research methods for analysis of interactions between nuclear energy objects (nuclear power plants and radioactive waste storage facilities and depositories) and the environment. Special attention is paid to the assessment of the rate of material transport processes in the environment and chronology of phenomena. A particular focus is put on the dispersion and accumulation of artificial radionuclides and some heavy metals in components of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, the assessment of toxic effects invoked by such accumulation, and the role of plants in the dispersion of radionuclides in the environment.


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riesL A B O R AT O R Y O F p h Y T O pAT h O G E N I C

M I C R O O R G A N I S M Shead: Dr. ANTANAS MATeLIS

The main research area covers investigations of species diversity, distri-bution, biological and ecological properties (including pathogenicity, virulence, genetic diversity and population genetics of separate species) of phytopathogenic fungi, bacteria and oomycetes. The laboratory focuses on phytopathogenic microorganisms in anthropogenized and forest ecosystems and performs evaluation of the impact on those ecosystems caused by vari-ous disease-causing agents. A search for expedient measures for control of forest tree diseases is also among prioritized activities. The laboratory stores and maintains a large collection of pure cultures of disease-causing and root and butt rot agents (fungi, oomycetes and bacteria) and wood-inhabiting (endophytic) fungi.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F p L A N T p h Y S I O L O G Yhead: Dr. SIGITA JUrKONIeNĖ

The main research focuses on environmental factors, physiologically active signal-induced stressors (temperature, heavy metals, salts, plant toxins, etc.) and adaptive processes in plants in order to reduce the impact of stress fac-tors, to reveal plant growth, morphogenesis, plant architecture, productiv-ity formation characteristics and process management potential. The role of plant cell membranes (plasmalemma, tonoplast and endoplasmic reticulum), chloroplasts and mitochondria in the stress signal reception and realization processes is analysed. Investigations of hormones, ion transport and antioxi-dative activity during plant development are carried out, and the potential of these activities on plant adaptivity is established. The possibility to apply physiologically active compounds for modification of plant resistance to low temperatures is studied, and winter hardening and productivity formation control is analysed.


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head: Dr. rASA JOMANTIeNĖ

The key research area is the identification and biology of the most common virus diseases in economic plants in Lithuania, along with study of means for immunodiagnostics, determination of agent spreading and assessment of harmfulness. The identification of Mollicutes class bacteria causing plant diseases and the application of new genetic markers are also carried out, as is investigation of potential pathogenic and phylogenetic studies. Tasks of the phytoplasma working team include depositing newly identified virus and phytoplasma gene sequences in databases, preparation of diagnostic antise-rums and recommendations for control measures.. The laboratory maintains and augments a collection of viruses identified in Lithuania and stores ready-made diagnostic antiserums.

L A B O R AT O R Y O F Q U AT E R N A R Y R E S E A R C hhead: Dr. VAIDA šeIrIeNĖ

The main research trends of the laboratory are focused on the survey of the Quaternary palaeoenvironmental situation in the context of the natural situa-tion and anthropogenic factors. reconstructions of the environmental history indicating natural and human induced palaeoecological, palaeoclimatological and palaeogeographical changes throughout the Quaternary are emphasised. conditions of the sedimentary environment and lithological and sedimento-logical investigations of the beds and analysis of relief transformations are of particular importance. Studies include palaeoclimatic investigations, survey of vegetation history, palaeoecological conditions of palaeobasins, anthropo-genic impact on the environmental situation and chronological attribution of recorded fluctuations. Sedimentological investigations are pursued to describe the sedimentary environment and formation pattern of sediment beds. Analy-ses of relief transformations contribute to the description of the scale and char-acter of earth surface transformations and the assessment of the role of natural and anthropogenic factors in these processes.


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Natural resources and ecosystem services are of great importance in ensur-ing the well-being and prosperity of Lithuania and its people. They consti-tute the basis of economic and industrial development and recreational and energy resources of the country. Demand for natural resources continues to increase, the elavated levels of consumption driven by multiple present-day business models, the infrastructure of the country and public habits. Inten-sive and careless use thereof brings about changes in the structure of ecosys-tems and declines in biodiversity, which have a negative rebound effect on the environment, human health and the economy of the country. Still little attention is devoted to employment of technological innovations and appli-cation of ecosystem conservation and restoration measures and alternative solutions for the efficient and sustainable consumption of natural resources and ecosystem services. Therefore, the european Union and Lithuania seek to ensure that the country’s economic growth and improving life quality are harmonised with sustainable use of ecosystems and their resources. The fields of fundamental and applied research, which lie at the heart of ecologi-cal innovation, are recognised as one cornerstones in the successful preserva-tion of ecosystems and harmonious development of the society.In response to the development of priority trends in scientific research and experimental development (er&eD) and innovation processes in Lithuania, and in the context of implementation of the programme for the development of integrated science, studies and business centres (valleys), an Open Access centre (OAc) for nature research was established in 2013, financially sup-ported by eU structural funds and the republic of Lithuania state budget. With the goal of satisfying the need for research and studies on ecosystems and the sustainable development of Lithuania, the OAc currently comprises 14 laboratories linking more than 80 researchers. The purpose of the OAc is to ensure national competencies in the assessment and conservation of the state of biotic and abiotic natural resources and to assist businesses in efficient and sustainable use of natural resources in order to increase the value added to products and derive greater economic benefit from business. The er&eD activities pursued in the OAc also help businesses to explore

new types of natural resources. The centre raises public awareness by en-suring public access to available infrastructure and er&eD results. Natural resources, in particular the earth’s entrails, are not inexhaustible and renew-able resources (water, soil) of ecosystems are rapidly disappearing in many parts of the world due to unsustainable consumption, thus the conservation and well-balanced use of natural resources is one of the key global challenges for present-day humanity. Therefore, many countries feel the need to launch and pursue programmes and measures for the protection and conservation of natural resources, and business seeks to contribute to the sustainable use of ecosystems through mitigation of pollution, waste management, etc. Ac-complishment of such purposes inevitably requires top-level specialists, ap-propriate competences, adequate infrastructure and experience of applying advanced scientific research findings. All these values are concentrated in the

T h e O p e n A c c e s s C e n t r e f o r N a t u r e R e s e a r c h : E f f i c i e n t S o l u t i o n s f o r N a t u r a l R e s o u r c e M a n a g e m e n t


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ch OAc, where researchers transform their comprehensive knowledge of the structure and functioning of the earth’s crust, soil and water ecosystems into practical solutions relevant to the state, society and business. The researchers of the OAc investigate the impact of bedrock geological processes on bio-logical and energy resources and analyse the chemical composition of rocks and the impact of bedrock structures on the formation of deposits of valu-able mineral resources through application of state-of-the-art scanning elec-tron microscopy, gas and liquid chromatography and different optical and nuclear spectrometry techniques. Analysis of regularities of the formation of geothermal energy and oil deposits enables projecting resource amounts and alterations and making economic and environmental assessments related to resource extraction.The major part of the Lithuanian renewable resources that have a decisive impact on opportunities and conditions for the development of the national economy are deposited in internal and ground waters. State institutions and

businesses often encounter problems related to the assessment of ecosystem value, resource use potential and costs. Such assessments become even more complicated when investigating the effect of climate change and specific ac-tivities on the viability of ecosystems, on the intensity of the use of natural resources and their renewal and on the environment and biological diver-sity. The OAc pursues research into the quality of ground and surface water resources (e.g. fish) and makes future projections and also investigates the impact of anthropogenic activity and climate change on ecosystem stability. The aquarium and the laboratory of ecotoxicological research provide condi-tions for different experimental research with fish in order to optimise their rearing and growing conditions, as well as to study fish parasites and fish re-sistance to parasites and different environmental and stress factors. research results are successfully applied to recreational and tourism activities in water bodies, to the development of aquaculture business in Lithuania and also contribute to the reduction of water, energy and other operating costs.


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chThe biological diversity of ecosystems is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources, in particular with opportunities and rates of their renewal. Therefore, the researchers of the OAc employ both conventional (microscopy, biochemical methods, etc.) and new molecular biology (Pcr, sequencing, etc.) research methods to carry out investigations into the ge-netic diversity of populations and communities of different microorganisms, plants and animals and changes in genetic diversity under the pressure of human impact, changing environmental conditions and climate change. The application of research findings in economic activity enhances ecosys-tem viability and productivity, thus ensuring the sustainable use of natural resources in social and economic contexts. The OAc’s activities relating to ecosystem monitoring, assessment of the state of ecosystems and elaboration of programmes for identification and monitoring of biological diversity are pursued according to national and international legal acts and regulations. The researchers also provide recommendations on issues of control and elimination of chemical and biological pollution. A combination of services

involving experimental research, monitoring and control measures ensures the efficiency and quality of the centre’s activities.The availability of alternative biological resources (collections of cultures of microorganisms) allows efficient eco-friendly solutions to be offered to so-ciety and business when creating high value-added products and services. The OAc houses one of the largest collections of cultures of microorgan-isms (fungi, bacteria and algae) in Lithuania and the Baltic countries. The centre can offer all necessary infrastructure for the isolation, identification, cultivation, storage and experimental testing of pure cultures of microor-ganisms. The researchers carry out genetic, biochemical and physiological investigations of microorganisms aimed at biotechnological and industrial application of available strains. research is pursued to identify and assess antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal properties of different microorganisms and biologically active substances synthesised thereby. The centre is engaged in search for microorganisms which could be used to control air, water and ground pollution. The researchers of the centre search for oil-oxidising mi-


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ch croorganisms and contribute to the upgrading of oil-biodegrading technolo-gies for cleaning water and ground contaminated with oil hydrocarbons. The centre has also contributed to the testing, creation and manufacturing of a new-generation biofiler model for filtering volatile gas compounds from air, with the capillary load moisturising system and introduced microorganisms capable of purifying air of acetone, xylene and ammonia. The creation of the biofilter model is one of many eco-friendly and business-assisting scientific achievements of the centre. The centre also carries out applied research on the use of microorganisms in wastewater treatment, optimisation of micro-organism rearing conditions with a view to increasing the output of specific materials synthesised in their cells, and projecting the use of microalgae in industry. These activities of the centre correspond to the eU vision on the development of environmentally friendly technologies in europe. Presently,

the eU is actively promoting similar-type ecological innovations, technolo-gies and products according to different funding plans and policy measures, thus providing conditions for research-to-business cooperation.To protect the environment and to ensure business competitiveness and public well-being in Lithuania via the efficient use of natural resources and ecosystem services, the OAc currently renders over 50 different serv-ices (www.e-mokslovartai.lt). The OAc coordinates the involvement of new partners and investors, cooperation between public and private sectors, commercialisation of Sr&eD results and control of intellectual property, and implementation of national research programmes. The laboratories of the centre run joint projects and otherwise cooperate with many Lithuanian and foreign research and higher education institutions working in the areas of biomedicine and physical sciences, as well as with public institutions and private entities. One of the main aspirations of the centre is cooperation with business, research and higher education institutions within the frame-work of Smart Specialisation strategies:

1. Functional food:- creation of new food products;- agrotechnologies (search and creation of bioactive compo-

nents).2. Sustainable agrobiological resources and safer food:

- improvement of food processing and storage technologies;- technologies for identification and assessment of fast food mi-

crobiological and chemical contaminants.3. Innovative creation, improvement and processing (biorefining) of bio-

logical raw materials:- biotechnological processes: technologies for fermenting and mi-

crobial processing of raw materials and intermediate products.The Open Access centre for Nature research ensures its partners instru-mental resources and top-level competence, thus contributing to national progress, the building of a sustainable society and development of innovative business.


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p h D s t u d i e s p r o c e s sParticipation in the process of PhD studies and training of highly qualified scientists is one of the primary tasks carried out by the Nrc. In collabora-tion with other higher education institutions of Lithuania and those of other countries, the Nrc implements the following five doctoral programmes: ecology and environmental Science (in collaboration with Vilnius Univer-sity), Biology (in collaboration with Vytautas Magnus University, the State research Institute centre for Innovative Medicine, the University of Agder (Norway) and the University of Latvia), Geology (in collaboration with Vil-nius University), Physical Geography (in collaboration with Vilnius Univer-sity and Klaipėda University) and Zoology (in collaboration with Vilnius University). The number of dissertations defended at the Nature research centre in each of these fields during the 2010–2015 period is as follows: six dissertations in Botany, 13 dissertations in ecology and environmental Sci-ence, six dissertations in both Geology and Physical Geography and two dis-sertations in Zoology. The number of students currently pursuing PhD stu-dies in different fields of science is 47.Besides active participation in the process of doctoral training, researchers of the centre provide supervision of BSc and MSc degree theses in the fields

of bioengineering, biology, botany, ecology and environmental research, genetics, geology, geography and zoology. researchers also consult students during thesis/dissertation preparation, act as thesis/dissertation opponents or as members of the Dissertation Defence Board both in Lithuania and abroad.

Number of dissertations defended at Nrc (2010–2015).


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ss phD disser tations defended (2010–2015)cordata Mill.) in Vilnius city

B o t a n y• Leonas Jarašius. 2015. Possibilities of ecological restoration of raised

bog plant communities in degraded parts and in a cutover peatland of Aukštumalaraisedbog

• DonatasŠneideris.2015.Nepoviruscausedplantdiseasesandgeneticvari-ability of virus isolates in Lithuania

• IrmaVitonytė. 2014.Phytobenthos inLithuanian rivers and its employ-ment for the assessment of the ecological status of rivers

• RimaMockevičiūtė.2010.Indole-3-aceticacid-proteincomplexesinchlo-roplasts and mitochondria

• GenovaitėMarijaŽižytė.2010.Theidentificationandmolecularcharacteri-zation of sugar beet rhizomania causing virus

• RedaGrigutytė.2010.Nitellopsis obtusa (desv.) J. Groves cell response to allochtonous stressors of Fagus sylvatica L. and Quercus robur L. leaf litter extracts

E c o l o g y a n d E n v i r o n m e n t a l S c i e n c e• IrenaNedveckytė.2015.Herbivorousinsectsinteractionwithentomopath-

ogenic fungi (based on species of hymenoptera and Lepidoptera orders)• RobertasStaponkus.2015.Biologyandpeculiaritiesofthepopulation-ge-

netic structure of Lithuanian cephalaspidomorphs (cephalaspidomorphi)• DaivaVaitkuvienė. 2014.Abundance and spatial distribution, breeding

habitat selection, breeding success and spring arrival of the white stork Ciconia ciconia in the north-western periphery of the range

• Vytautas Rakauskas. 2014. Trophic position and food web impacts ofnon-indigenous crustaceans in lakes

• AdomasRagauskas.2013.Investigationintopopulationgeneticstructureof eel Anguilla anguilla (L.) and perch Perca fluviatilis L. within the con-text of anthropogenic activity

• ŽilvinasPūtys.2012.GreatCormorantPhalacrocorax carbo sinensis diet

Biology• Jurga Jankauskienė. 2015. Physiological-biochemical peculiarities of

oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) cold acclimation• Algirdas Ivanauskas. 2014. Phytoplasmas and their insect vectors in

Lithuania• DaliaKoryznienė.2013.Investigationongravitysensingingardencress

seedlings• JurgitaŠvedienė.2012.CandidaBerkhoutyeasts:distribution,biological

peculiarities and search for preventive measures against them• BrigitaČapukoitienė.2011.TheexpressionofSaccharomycescerevisiae

K2 preprotoxine gene in plant Nicotiana tabacum L. and the search of toxins producing microorganisms and the analysis of their use

• VilmaMeškauskienė.2010.Researchondistributionandbiologicalprop-erties of pathogenic fungi and fungal diseases of small-leaved linden (Tilia


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ssand its effect on the fish populations and their community in the eutroph-ic curonian Lagoon ecosystem

• PetrasPrakas. 2011.Diversity andecologyofSarcocystis in Lithuanian game fauna

• GalinaGarnaga.2011.Integratedassessmentofpollutionandbiomarkerresponses in the Baltic Sea

• Martynas Kazlauskas. 2010. Public attitudes towards Lithuanian largemammals, their population management and conservation

• LauraAndreikėnaitė.2010.Genotoxicandcytotoxiceffectsofcontami-nants discharged from the oil platforms in fish and mussels

• DaivaKalytytė.2010.Phytoplanktonandzooplanktoncommunitystruc-ture and change in characteristic mesotrophic lakes of Lithuania

• Giedrė Višinskienė. 2010. Caddisfly (Insecta, Trichoptera) diversity ofLithuania and impacts of environmental factors on their distribution and abundance

• AndriusSteponėnas.2010.Taxonomyandecologyofloaches(Cobitidae)in inner water bodies of Lithuania

G e o l o g y• JurgitaPaškauskaitė.2015.Pleistocenedepositstructureandsedimenta-

tion conditions of Lithuanian maritime region• GražynaGryguc. 2015. Peculiarities of vegetation changes recorded in

Lateglacial and holocene sediments according to palaeobotanical data• RasaŠliaupienė.2014.ProspectsofCO2geologicalstorageintheBaltic

sedimentary basin

• ŽanaSkuratovič.2013.Unsaturatedzonemodelsandtheirapplicationforradioactive waste repository safety analysis

• AldonaDamušytė.2011.DevelopmentoftheLithuaniancoastthroughoutthe post-Glacial

• AgnėVenckutė-Aleksienė.2011.UpperCretaceousplancticforaminiferabiostratigraphy from Lithuania

physical Geography• AldonaBaubinienė.2015.Origin,heterogeneityanddynamicsofLithua-

nian fluvial islands• GintarėPociūtė.2014.SpatialstructureofperipheralityinLithuania• DanguolėKarmazienė.2014.Themorphogenesisandspatialspreadofthe

kame terraces of the Late Nemunas Glaciation• VioletaPukelytė-Baltrūnienė.2014.The influenceofgeological structure

on the development of geomorphological regions (case study of south Lithuania)

• JolitaEidikonienė.2013.Distributionofbeachusersontheseacoast• LigitaSmagurauskienė.2011.Territorialorganizationofbusinessincentive

system in Lithuania (1998–2008)

Zoology• RitaŽiegytė.2014.Theexperimentalstudyondevelopmentofavianmalar-

ia parasites (Plasmodium) and haemoproteids (haemoproteus) in vectors• RomasFerenca.2014.Beetle(Insecta,Coleoptera)faunaanditsdistribu-

tion in seashore habitats of Lithuania


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clide solubility and adsorption in the radioactive waste repository environ-ment (2010–2012)

Dr. rasa čepulytė-rakauskienė. Searching of sex pheromone of potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis (2013–2015)

Dr. Olena Kudlay. Molecular and morphological approach to revealing di-versity, taxonomy and life-cycles of larval flukes parasitizing in water mol-luscs (2013–2015)

Dr. Dimitar Dimitrov. Molecular and morphological characterization of avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites (2013–2015)

Dr. Žilvinas Pūtys. chemical alarm cues of round goby Neogobius melanos-tomus J (2013–2015)

Dr.RasaBuožytė.Changesinmycorrhizaunderdisturbancesofforesteco-system (2013–2015)

Dr. rasa Binkienė. Short-lasted changes of the palaeoecosystems during the post-Glacial: tendencies and prognoses (2008–2011)

Dr.SigitasRadzevičius.ReconstructionofgeologicalprocessinProterozoic,Palaezoic and Mezozoic (2009–2011)

Dr. Asta Križanauskienė. Specificity studies on avian malaria and otherhaemosporidian (Sporozoa, haemosporida) parasites (2009–2011)

Dr. Arseny Makarikov. Morphology, systematics and biogeography of hy-menolepididae tapeworms of european small rodents (rodentia). Forma-tion of faunistic complex of hymenolepidids of Baltic region (2009–2011)

Dr. Marija Starodubaitė. Molecular-genetic, phenetic and morphomet-ric variability in the talpa genera and establishment of taxonomic criteria (2009–2011)

Dr.VioletaVaitkevičienė.Hydrogeologicalfactorsinfluencingtheradionu-


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Nrc publication dynamics (2010–2015).

To p p u b l i c a t i o n s ( 2 0 1 0 – 2 0 1 5 )Adamonytė, G., Iršėnaitė, R., Motiejūnaitė, J., Taraškevičius, R., Matulevičiūtė, D. 2013. Myxomycetes in a forest affected by great cormo-rant colony : a case study in Western Lithuania. Fungal diversity. 59 (1): 131–146.

Arbačiauskas, K., Lesutienė, J., Gasiūnaitė, Z. r. 2013. Feeding strategies and elemental composition in Ponto-caspian peracaridans from contrast-ing environments: can stoichiometric plasticity promote invasion success? Freshwater biology. 58 (5): 1052–1068.

Audzijonytė, A., Baltrūnaitė, L., Vainola, r., Arbačiauskas, K. 2015. Mi-gration and isolation during the turbulent Ponto-caspian Pleistocene create high diversity in the crustacean Paramysis lacustris. Molecular Ecology. 24 (17): 4537-4555.

Bagdonaitė, E.,Mártonfi,P.,Repčák,M.,Labokas, J. 2012. Variation in con-centrations of major bioactive compounds in Hypericum perforatum L. from Lithuania. Industrial crops and products. 35 (1): 302–308.

Balakauskas, L., Taminskas, J., Mažeika, J., Stančikaitė, M. 2013. Lategla-cial and early-holocene palaeohydrological changes in the upper reaches of the Ūla river: an example from southeastern Lithuania. The holocene. 23 (1): 117–126.

Balčiauskas, L., Jasiulionis, M. 2012. reducing the incidence of mammals on public highways using chemical repellent. The Baltic journal of road and bridge engineering. 7 (2): 92–97.

Baršienė J., Rybakovas A., Lang T., Andreikėnaitė L., Michailovas A. 2013. environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity levels in fish from the North Sea offshore and Atlantic coastal waters. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 68: 106–116.

Baršienė, J., Butrimavičienė, L., Grygiel, W., Lang, T., Michailovas, A., Jackūnas, T. 2014. environmental genotoxicity and cytotoxicity in floun-der (Platichthys flesus), herring (Clupea harengus) and Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) from chemical munitions dumping zones in the southern Baltic Sea. Marine Environmental Research. 96: 56–67.

Baršienė, J., Rybakovas, A., Lang, T., Grygiel, W., Andreikėnaitė, L., Mi-chailovas, A. 2012. risk of environmental genotoxicity in the Baltic Sea over the period of 2009–2011 assessed by micronuclei frequencies in blood eryt-hrocytes of flounder (Platichthys flesus), herring (Clupea harengus) and eel-pout (Zoarces viviparus). Marine environmental research. 77: 35–42.

Baubinienė, A., Satkūnas, J., Taminskas, J. 2015. Formation of fluvial is-lands and its determining factors, case study of the river Neris, the Baltic Sea basin. Geomorphology. 231: 343–352.

Bensch, S., coltman, D.W., Davis, c.S., hellgren, O., Johansson, T., Malen-fant, r.M., Moore, S.S., Palinauskas, V., Valkiūnas, G. 2014. Genomic re-sources notes accepted 1 June 2013 – 31 July 2013. Molecular Ecology Re-sources. 14 (1): 218.

Bensch, S., hellgren, O., Križanauskienė, A., Palinauskas, V., Valkiūnas, G., Outlaw, D., ricklefs, r. e. 2013. how can we determine the molecular clock of malaria parasites? Trends in parasitology. 29 (8): 363–369.

Blažytė-Čereškienė, L., Karalius, V. 2012. habitat requirements of the en-

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conservation and diversity. 5 (3): 186–191.

Bogdanova, S., Gorbatschev, r., Skridlaitė, G., Soesoo, A., Taran, L., Kur-lovich, D. 2015. Trans-Baltic Palaeoproterozoic correlations towards the reconstruction of supercontinent columbia/Nuna. Precambrian Research. 259: 5–33.

Bukauskaitė, D., Žiegytė, R., Palinauskas, V., Iezhova, T., Dimitrov, D., Ilgūnas, M., Bernotienė, R., Markovets, M. Yu., Valkiūnas, G. 2015. Bit-ing midges (culicoides, Diptera) transmit Haemoproteus parasites of owls: evidence from sporogony and molecular phylogeny. Parasites & Vectors. 8: 303.

Çamas, N., Radušienė, J., Stanius, Ž., caliskan, O., Çirak, c. 2012. Second-ary metabolites of Hypericum leptophyllum hochst., an endemic Turkish species. The scientific world journal. 2012: 501027.

carlsson, M. A., Bisch-Knaden, S., Schapers, A., Mozūraitis, R., hans-son, B. S., Janz, N. 2011. Odour maps in the brain of butterflies with diver-gent host-plant preferences. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 6 (8): e24025

chapron, G., Kaczensky, P., Linnell, J.D.c., von Arx, M., huber, D., Andren, h., Lopez-Bao, J.V., Adamec, M., Alvares, F., Anders, O., Balčiauskas, L., Balys, V., Bedo, P., Bego, F., Blanco, J.c., Breitenmoser, U., Broseth, h., Bufka, L., Bunikytė, r., ciucci, P., Dutsov, A., engleder, T., Fuxjager, c., Groff, c., holmala, K., hoxha, B., Iliopoulos, Y., Ionescu, O., Jeremic, J., Jerina, K., Kluth, G., Knauer, F., Kojola, I., Kos, I., Krofel, M., Kubala, J., Kunovac, S., Kusak, J., Kutal, M., Liberg, O., Majic, A., Man-nil, P., Manz, r., Marboutin, e., Marucco, F., Melovski, D., Mersini, K., Mertzanis, Y., Myslajek, r.W., Nowak, S., Odden, J., Ozolins, J., Palomero, G., Paunovic, M., Persson, J., Potocnik, h., Quenette, P.Y., rauer, G., rein-hardt, I., rigg, r., ryser, A., Salvatori, V., Skrbinsek, T., Stojanov, A., Swen-son, J.e., Szemethy, L., Trajce, A., Tsingarska-Sedefcheva, e., Vana, M., Veeroja, r., Wabakken, P., Wofl, M., Wolfl, S., Zimmermann, F., Zlatano-va, D., Boitani, L. 2014. recovery of large carnivores in europe’s modern human-dominated landscapes. Science. 346 (6216): 1517–1519.

Čėsnienė, T., Kleizaitė, V., Rančelis, V., Žvingila, D., Švabauskas, K.,Taraškevičius, R. 2014. Use of tradescantia clone 4430 for direct long-term soil mutagenicity studies. Mutation Research-Genetic Toxicology and Envi-ronmental Mutagenesis [electronic source]. 768: 23–32.

Čižeikienė,D.,Juodeikienė,G.,Paškevičius, A., Bartkienė, e. 2013. Antimi-crobial activity of lactic acid bacteria against pathogenic and spoilage micro-organism isolated from food and their control in wheat bread. Food control. 31 (2): 539–545.

Davis, r. e., Dally, e., Zhao Y., Lee, I.-M., Jomantiene, R., Detweiler, A. J., Putnam, M. L. 2010. First report of a new subgroup 16SrIx-e (‘Candidatus phytoplasma phoenicium’-related) phytoplasma associated with juniper wit-ches’ broom disease in Oregon, US. Plant pathology. 59 (6): 1161.

edvardsson, J., šimanauskienė, r., Taminskas, J., Baužienė, I., Stoffel, M. 2015. Increased tree establishment in Lithuanian peat bogs – Insights from field and remotely sensed approaches. Science of the Total Environment. 505: 113–120.

Feurdean, A., Pers, A., Tant, I., Stevens, T., Magyari, e.K., Onac, B.P., Mark-ovic, S., Andri, M., connor, S., Farcas, S., Gałka, M., Gaudeny, T., hoek, W., Kolaczek, P., Kune, P., Lamentowicz, M., Marinova, e., Michczynska, D.J., Pers, I., Płociennik, M., Słowinski, M., Stančikaitė, M., Sumegi, P., Sven-sson, A., Tamas, T., Timar, A., Tonkov, S., Toth, M., Veski, S., Willis, K.J., Zernitskaya, V. 2014. climate variability and associated vegetation response throughout central and eastern europe (cee) between 60 and 8 ka. Quater-nary science reviews. 106: 206–224.

Gylienė, O., Servienė, E., Vepštaitė, I., Binkienė, R., Baranauskas, M., Lukša, J. 2015. correlation between the sorption of dissolved oxygen onto chitosan and its antimicrobial activity against Esherichia coli. Carbohydrate Polymers. 131: 218–223.

Gozlan, r. e., Andreou, D., Asaeda, T., Beyer, K., Bouhadad, r., Burnard, D., caiola, N., cakic, P., Djikanovic, V., esmaeili, h. r., Falka, I., Golicher, D., Harka,A.,Jeney,G.,Kováč,V.,Musil, J.,Nocita,A.,Povz,M.,Poulet,N.,Virbickas, T., Wolter, c., Serhan Tarkan, A., Tricarico, e., Trichkova, T.,


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ionsVerreycken, h., Witkowski, A., Guang Zhang, c., Zweimueller, I. and ro-

bert Britton, J. 2010. Pan-continental invasion of Pseudorasbora parva: to-wards a better understanding of freshwater fish invasions. Fish and Fisheries. 11: 315–340.

Halme, P., Allen, K. A., Auniņš, A., Bradshaw, R. H.W., Brūmelis, G.,čada, V., clear, J. L., eriksson, A.-M., hannon, G., hyvarinen, e., Ikau-niece, S., Iršėnaitė, R., Jonsson, B. G., Junninen, K., Kareksela, S., Komo-nen, A., Kotiaho, J. S., Kouki, J., Kuuluvainen, T., Mazziotta, A., Monkko-nen, M., Nyholm, K., Olden, A., Shorohova, e., Strange, N., Toivanen, T., Vanha-Majamaa, I., Wallenius, T., Ylisirnio, A.-L., Zin, e. 2013. challenges of ecological restoration: Lessons from forests in northern europe. Biological conservation. 167: 248–256.

hansson, T., Baršienė, J., Tjarnlund, U., Åkerman, G., Linderoth, M., Ze-bühr, Y., Sternbeck, J., Järnberg, U., Balka, L. 2014. cytological and bio-chemical biomarkers in adult female perch (Perca fluviatilis) in a chronically polluted gradient in the Stockholm recipient (Sweden). Marine pollution bul-letin. 81 (1): 27–40.

hellgren, O., Atkinson, c. T., Bensch, S., Albayrak, T., Dimitrov, D., ewen, J., Kim, K.S., Lima, M. r., Martin, L. B., Palinauskas, V., ricklefs, r.e., Seh-gal, r.N.M., Valkiūnas, G., Tsuda, Y., Marzal, A. 2015. Global phylogeog-raphy of the avian malaria pathogen Plasmodium relictum based on MSP1 allelic diversity. Ecography. 38 (8): 842–850.

hellgren, O., Kutzer, M., Bensch, S., Valkiūnas, G., Palinauskas, V. 2013. Identification and characterization of the merozoite surface protein 1 (msp1) gene in a host-generalist avian malaria parasite, Plasmodium relictum (line-ages SGS1 and GrW4) with the use of blood transcriptome. Malaria journal [electronic source]. 12: 381.

Yadamsuren, O., hayford, B., Gelhaus, J., Ariuntsetseg, L., Goulden, c., Podėnas, S., Podėnienė, V. 2015. Declines in diversity of crane flies (Diptera: Tipuloidea) indicate impact from grazing by livestock in the hovsgol region of Mongolia. Journal of insect conservation. 19 (3): 465–477.

Yohannes, e., Palinauskas, V., Valkiūnas, G., Lee, raymond W., Bolsha-

kov, casimir V., Bensch, S. 2011. Does avian malaria infection affect feather stable isotope signatures? Oecologia. 167 (4): 937–942.

Jagminas,A.,Žalnėravičius,R.,Rėza,A.,Paškevičius, A., Selskienė, A. 2015. Design, optical and antimicrobial properties of extremely thin alumina films colored with silver nanospecies. Dalton Transactions. 44 (10): 4512–4519.

Karosienė, J., Paškauskas, R. 2012. Spatial variability of epiphyton commu-nities structure in a temperate estuarine lagoon. Estuarine, coastal and shelf science. 114:100–104.

Konovalov, A., Kaldma, K., Bokotey, A., Brossault, P., chapalain, F., Dmitrenok, M., Dzyubenko, N., Sellis, U., Strazds, M., Strenna, L., Treinys, R., Zielinski, P., Vali, U. 2015. Spatio-temporal variation in nestling sex ratio among the Black Stork Ciconia nigra populations across europe. Journal of Ornithology. 156 (2): 381–387.

Krevš, A., Darginavičienė, J. A., Gylytė, B., Grigutytė, R., Jurkonienė, S., Karitonas, R., Kučinskienė, A., Pakalnis, R., Sadauskas, K., Vitkus, R., Manusadžianas, L. 2013. ecotoxicological effects evoked in hydrophytes by leachates of invasive Acer negundo and autochthonous Alnus glutinosa fallen off leaves during their microbial decomposition. Environmental pollution. 173: 75–84

Križanauskienė, A., Peréz-Tris, J., Palinauskas, V., hellgren, O., Bensch, S., Valkiūnas, G. 2010. Molecular phylogenetic and morphological analysis of haemosporidian parasites (haemosporida) in a naturally infected european songbird, the blackcap Sylvia atricapilla, with description of Haemoproteus pallidulus sp. nov. Parasitology. 137 (2): 217–227.

Kutorga, e., Adamonytė, G., Iršėnaitė, R., Juzėnas, S., Kasparavičius, J., Markovskaja, S., Motiejūnaitė, J., Treigienė, A. 2012. Wildfire and post-fi-re management effects on early fungal succession in Pinus mugo plantations, located in curonian Spit (Lithuania). Geoderma. 191: 70–79.

Lesutienė, J., Gorokhova, e., Stankevičienė D., Bergman, e., Greenberg, L. 2014. Light increases energy transfer efficiency in a boreal stream. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 9 (11): e113675.


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ions Levin, I. I., Valkiūnas, G., Santiago-Alarcon, D., cruz, L. L., Ježova, T.,

O’Brien, S. L., hailer, F., Dearborn, D., Schreiber, e. A., Fleischer, r. c., ricklefs, r. e., Parker, P. G. 2011. hippoboscid-transmitted Haemoproteus parasites (haemosporida) infect Galapagos Pelecaniform birds: evidence from molecular and morphological studies, with a description of Haemopro-teus iwa. International journal for parasitology. 41 (10): 1019–1027.

Levin, I.I., Zwiers, P., Deem, S. L., Geest, e. A., higashiguchi, J.M., Ježova, T., Jimenez-Uzcategui, G., Kim, D.h., Morton, J. P., Perlut, N. G., renfrew, r. B., Sari, e.h.r., Valkiūnas, G., Parker, P.G. 2013. Multiple lineages of avian ma-laria parasites (Plasmodium) in the Galapagos Islands and evidence for ar-rival via migratory birds. Conservation biology. 27 (6): 1366–1377.

Levinskaitė, L., Paškevičius, A. 2013. Fungi in water-damaged buildings of Vilnius old city and their susceptibility towards disinfectants and essential oils. Indoor and Built Environment. 22 (5): 766–775.

Lygis, V., Vasiliauskaitė, I., Stenlid, J., Vasaitis, r. 2010. Impact of forest fire on occurrence of Heterobasidion annosum s. s. root rot and other wood-in-habiting fungi in roots of Pinus mugo. Forestry. 83 (1): 83–92.

Lujanienė,G.,Beneš,P.,Štamberg,K.,Jokšas, K., Kulakauskaitė, I. 2013. Pu and Am sorption to the Baltic Sea bottom sediments. Journal of radioanalyti-cal and nuclear chemistry. 295 (3): 1957–1967.

Lujanienė, G., Garnaga, G., remeikaitė-Nikienė, N., Jokšas, K., Gar-baras, A., Skipitytė, R., Barisevičiūtė, R., Šilobritienė, B., Stankevičius, A.,Kulakauskaitė,I.,Ščiglo,T.2013.Cs,AmandPuisotopesastracersofsedi-mentation processes in the curonian Lagoon-Baltic Sea system. Journal of radioanalytical and nuclear chemistry. 296 (2):787–792.

Lukšienė, B., Marčiulionienė, E. D., Rožkov, A., Gudelis, A., Holm, E.,Galvonaitė, A. 2012. Distribution of artificial gamma-ray emitting radio-nuclide activity concentration in the top soil in the vicinity of the Ignalina Nuclear Power Plant and other regions in Lithuania. Science of the total en-vironment. 439: 96–105.

Manusadžianas, L., Sadauskas, K., Vitkus, R. 2010. comparative study of in-dices used in toxicity evaluation of effluents. Desalination. 250 (1): 383–389.

Marzal, A., ricklefs, r. e., Valkiūnas, G., Albayrak, T., Arriero, e., Bonne-aud, c., czirják, G.A., ewen, J., hellgren, O., hořáková, D., Ježova, T., Jen-sen, h., Križanauskienė, A., Lima, M.r., Lope, F. de, Magnussen, e., Mar-tin, L.B., Møller, A.P.P. 2011. Diversity, loss, and gain of malaria parasites in a globally invasive bird. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 6 (7): e21905.

Menkis, A., Burokienė, D. 2012. Distribution and genetic diversity of the root-rot pathogen Neonectria macrodidyma in a forest nursery. Forest Pat-hology. 42 (1): 79–83.

Mozūraitis, R., Būda, V., Kutra, J., Borg-Karlson, A.-K. 2012. p- and m- cresols esmitted from estrous urine are reliable volatile chemical markers of ovulation in mares. Animal reproduction science. 130 (1–2): 51–56.

Naumenko, D., Snitka, V., Servienė, E.,Bružaitė,I.,Snopok,B.2013.Invivocharacterization of protein uptake by yeast cell envelope : single cell AFM imaging and m-tip-enhanced raman scattering study. Analyst. 138 (18): 5371–5383.

Niedziałkowska, M., hundertmark, K.J., Jędrzejewska, B., Niedziałkowski, K., Sidorovič,V.E.,Górny,M.,Veeroja,R.,Solberg,E.J.,Laaksonen,S.,Sand,H.,Solovyev, V.A., Shkvyria, M., Tiainen, J., Okhlopkov, I.M., Juškaitis, R., Done, G., Borodulin, V.A., Tulandin, e.A., Jędrzejewski, W. 2014. Spatial structure in european moose (Alces alces): genetic data reveal a complex population history. Journal of biogeography. 41 (11): 2173–2184.

Njabo, K.Y., cornel, A.J., Bonneaud, c., Toffelmier, e., Sehgal, r.N.M., Valkiūnas, G., russell, A.F., Smith, T.B. 2011. Nonspecific patterns of vec-tor, host and avian malaria parasite associations in a central African rainfor-est. Molecular ecology. 20 (5): 1049–1061.

Palinauskas, V., Žiegytė, R., Ilgūnas, M., Iezhova, T.A., Bernotienė, R., Bolshakov, c., Valkiūnas, G. 2015. Description of the first cryptic avian ma-laria parasite, Plasmodium homocircumflexum n. sp., with experimental data on its virulence and development in avian hosts and mosquitoes. Interna-tional Journal for Parasitology. 45 (1): 51–62.

Pavon-Jordan, D., Fox, A.D., clausen, P., Dagys, M., Deceuninck, B., De-vos, K., hearn, r.D., holt, c.A., hornman, M., Keller, V. Langendoen, T.,


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ionsLawicki, L., Lorentsen, S.h., Luigujoe, L., Meissner, W., Musil, P., Nils-

son, L., Paquet, J.Y., Stipniece, A., Stroud, D.A., Wahl, J., Zenatello, M., Le-hikoinen, A. 2015. climate-driven changes in winter abundance of a migra-tory waterbird in relation to eU protected areas. Diversity and Distributions. 21 (5): 571–582.

Petkevičiūtė, R., Stunžėnas, V., Stanevičiūtė, G., Zhokhov, A.e. 2015. eu-ropean Phyllodistomum (Digenea, Gorgoderidae) and phylogenetic affini-ties of Cercaria duplicata based on rDNA and karyotypes. Zoologica Scripta. 44 (2): 191–202.

Pitts, r.J., Mozūraitis, R., Gauvin-Bialecki, A., Lemperiere, G. 2014. The roles of kairomones, synomones and pheromones in the chemically-mediat-ed behaviour of male mosquitoes. Acta tropica. 132 (Suppl.): S26–S34.

Poćwierz-Kotus, A., Bernaś, r., Kent, M. P., Lien, S., Leliūna, E., Dębowski, P., Wenne, r. 2015. restitution and genetic differentiation of salmon popula-tions in the southern Baltic genotyped with the Atlantic salmon 7K SNP ar-ray. Genetics selection evolution. 47 (1): 39.

Poćwierz-Kotus, Bernas, r., Dębowski, P., Kent, M. P., Lien, S., Kesler, M., Titov, S., Leliūna, E., Jespersen, h., Drywa, A. 2014. Genetic differentiation of southeast Baltic populations of sea trout inferred from single nucleotide polymorphisms. Animal Genetics. 45 (1): 96–104.

Povilonienė, S., časaitė, V., Bukauskas, V., šetkus, A., Staniulis, J.,Meškys,R.2015. Functionalization of alpha-synuclein fibrils. Beilstein Journal of nano-technology. 6: 124–133.

raccuglia, r.A., Bellone, G., Ložienė, K., Piozzi, F., rosselli, S., Maggio, A., Bruno, M., Simmonds, M.S.J. 2010. hastifolins A-G, antifeedant neo-clero-dane diterpenoids from Scutellaria hastifolia. Phytochemistry. 71: 2087–2091.

Radušienė, J., Marska, M., Ivanauskas, L., Jakštas, V., Karpavičienė, B. 2015. Assessment of phenolic compound accumulation in two widespread goldenrods. Industrial crops and products. 63: 158–166.

roos, J., Bejai, S., Mozūraitis, R., Dixelius, c. 2015. Susceptibility to Ver-

ticillium longisporum is linked to monoterpene production by TPS23/27 in Arabidopsis. Plant Journal. 81 (4): 572–585.

Sanchez-Donoso, I., Vila, c., Puigcerver, M., Butkauskas, D., de la cal-le, J.r.c., Morales-rodriguez, P.A., rodriguez-Teijeiro, J.D. 2012. Are farm-reared quails for game restocking really common quails (Coturnix coturnix)?: A genetic approach. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 7 (6): e39031.

Santala, J., Samuilova, O., hannukkala, A., Latgala, S., Kortemaa, h., Beuch, U., Kvarnheden, A., Persson, P., Topp, K., Ørstad, c., Spetz, c., Nielsen, S., Kirk, h., Budziszewska, M., Wieczorek, P., Obrępalska-Stęplowska, A., Pospieszny, h., Kryszczuk, A., Sztangret-Wiśniewska, J., Yin, Z., chrzanowska, M., Zimnoch-Guzowska, E., Jackevičienė, E., Taluntytė, L., Pūpola, N.,Mihailova, J., Liel-mane, I., Järvekülg, L., Kotkas, K., rogozina, e., Sozonov, A., Tikhonovich, I., horn, P., Broer, I., Kuusienė, S., Staniulis, J., Uth, J., Adam, G. and Valkonen, J. 2010. Detection, distribution and control of Potato mop-top virus, a soil-borne virus, in northern europe. Annals of applied biology. 157 (2): 163–178.

Santiago-Alarcon, D., Palinauskas, V., Schaefer, h.M. 2012. Diptera vectors of avian Haemosporidian parasites: untangling parasite life cycles and their taxonomy. Biological reviews. 87 (4): 928–964.

Santini, A., Ghelardini, L., De Pace, D., Desprez-Loustau, M.L., capretti, P., chandelier, A., cech, T., chira, D., Gaitniekis, T., hantula, J., holdenried-er, O., Jankovsky, L., Jung, T., Jurc, D., Kirisits, T., Kunca, A., Lygis, V., Ma-lecka, M., Marcais, B., Schmitz, S. 2013. Biogeographical patterns and deter-minants of invasion by forest pathogens in europe. New phytologist. 197 (1): 238–250.

Sehgal, r.N.M., Buermann, W., harrigan, r.J., Bonneaud, c., Loiseau, c., chasar, A., Sepil, I., Valkiūnas, G., Ježova, T., Saatchi, S., Smith, T.B. 2011. Spatially explicit predictions of blood parasites in a widely distributed Afri-can rainforest bird. Proceedings of the Royal Society. B-Biological sciences. 278 (1708): 1025-1033.

Servienė, E., Lukša, J., Orentaitė, I., Lafontaine, D.L.J., Urbonavičius, J.2012. Screening the budding yeast genome reveals unique factors affecting K2 toxin susceptibility. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 7 (12): e50779.


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ions Skridlaitė, G., Bogdanova, S., Taran, L., Baginski, B. 2014. recurrent high

grade metamorphism recording a 300 Ma long Proterozoic crustal evolution in the western part of the east european craton. Gondwana Research. 25 (2): 649–667.

Stoecker, D.K., Nejstgaard, J.c., Madhusoodhanan, r., Pohnert, G., Wolf-ram, S., Jakobsen, h.h., Šulčius, S., Larsen, A. 2015. Underestimation of microzooplankton grazing in dilution experiments due to inhibition of phy-toplankton growth. Limnology and oceanography. 602 (4): 1426–1438.

Sundt, r.c., Pampanin, D.M., Grung, M., Baršienė, J., ruus, A. 2011. PAh body burden and biomarker responses in mussels (Mytilus edulis) exposed to produced water from a North Sea oil field: laboratory and field assessments. Marine pollution bulletin. 62 (7): 1498–1505.

Šalomskienė,J.,Abraitienė,A.,Jonkuvienė,D.,Mačionienė,I.,Repečkienė, J. 2015. Selection of enhanced antimicrobial activity posing lactic acid bacteria characterised by (GTG)(5)-Pcr fingerprinting. Journal of food science and technology. 52 (7): 4124–4134.

Šeirienė, V., Kühl, N., Kisielienė, D. 2014. Quantitative reconstruction of climate variability during the eemian (Merkinė) and Weichselian (Nemu-nas) in Lithuania. Quaternary Research. 82 (1): 229–235.

Šimoliūnas,E.,Kalinienė,L.,Stasilo,M.,Truncaitė,L.,Zajančkauskaitė,A.,Staniulis, J.,Nainys,J.,Kaupinis,A.,Valius,M.,Meškys,R.2014.Isolationand characterization of vB_ArS-ArV2-first arthrobacter sp infecting bacteri-ophage with completely sequenced genome. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 9 (10): e111230.

Šimoliūnas, E., Kalinienė, L., Truncaitė, L., Zajančkauskaitė, A., Staniu-lis, J.,Kaupinis,A.,Ger,M.,Valius,M.,Meškys,R.2013.KlebsiellaphagevB_KleM-raK2-a giant singleton of the family Myoviridae. PLoS ONE [elec-tronic source]. 8 (4): e60717.

Troynikov, V., Whitten, A., Gorfine, H., Pūtys, Ž., Jakubavičiūtė, E., Ložys, L.,

Dainys, J. 2013. cormorant catch concerns for fishers : estimating the size-selec-tivity of a piscivorous bird. PLoS ONE [electronic source]. 8 (4): e77518.

Turja, r., höher, N., Snoeijs, P., Baršienė, J., Butrimavičienė, L., Kuznet-sova, T., Kholodkevich, S.V., Devier, M.-h., Budzinski, h., Lehtonen, K.K. 2014. A multibiomarker approach to the assessment of pollution impacts in two Baltic Sea coastal areas in Sweden using caged mussels (Mytilus trossu-lus). Science of the total environment. 473-474: 398–409.

Väli, Ü., Saag, P., Dombrovski, V., Meyburg, Bernd-U., Maciorowski, G., Mizera, T., Treinys, R., Fagerberg, S. 2010. Microsatellites and single nu-cleotide polymorphisms in avian hybrid identification : a comparative case study. Journal of avian biology. 41 (1): 34–49.

Valkiūnas, G. 2011. haemosporidian vector research: marriage of mole-cular and microscopical approaches is essential. Molecular ecology. 20 (15): 3084–3086.

Valkiūnas, G., Ashford, r.W., Bensch, S., Killick-Kendrick, r., Perkins, S. 2011. A cautionary note concerning Plasmodium in apes. Trends in parasi-tology. 27 (6): 231–232.

Vasaitis, r., Lygis, V., Vasiliauskaitė, I., Vasiliauskas, A. 2012. Wound occlu-sion and decay in Picea abies stems. European journal of forest research. 131 (4): 1211–1216.

Videvall, e., cornwallis, c.K., Palinauskas, V., Valkiūnas, G., hellgren, O. 2015. The avian transcriptome response to malaria infection. Molecular biol-ogy and evolution. 32 (5): 1255–1267.

Virbickas, T., Stakėnas, S., Steponėnas, A. 2015. Impact of beaver dams on abundance and distribution of Anadromous salmonids in two lowland streams in Lithuania. PLoS ONE [electronic source], 10 (4): e0123107.

A complete list of the publications is available at http://www.gamtostyri-mai.lt/lt/publications2/listing/category.6


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archE U S T R U C T U R A L S U p p O R T

Improvement of institutional and research skills of the Nature Research Centre (VP1-3.1 šMM-05-K-02-002, 2012–2014), project leader: A. Jan-kauskaitė

Open access to science and research (VP1-3.1-šMM-06-V-02-001, 2012–2015), project leaders: S. Šerpenskienė, Dr. L. Blažytė-Čereškienė,Dr.S.Šulčius

Development of technologies for Lithuanian marine sector and environ-ment research (VP1-3.1-šMM-08-V-01-019, 2012–2015), project leader of theNRCpart:Dr.K.Jokšas

Improvement of professional training of highly qualified specialists in the field of biomedicine to meet the needs of the state and society (VP1-3.1-šMM-01-V-03-002, 2010–2015), project leader of the Nrc part: Assoc. Prof. Dr. (hP) S. Podėnas

Applied research and technological development of plated biofilter equipped with a capillary media irrigation system (VP1-3.1-šMM -10-V-02-015,2013–2015),projectleaderoftheNRCpart:Dr.A.Paškevičius

Selection and creation of the bioaccelerants for biogas generation and their use for the control of biomass conversion processes (VP1-3.1-šMM -10-V-02-018,2013–2015),projectleaderoftheNRCpart:Dr.D.Bridžiuvienė

Publishing of scientific periodicals (VP1-3.2-šMM-02-V-02-002, 2011–2014), project leader of the Nrc part: Prof. Dr. habil. A. Grigelis

F p 7A Pan-European species directories infrastucture (PESI) (project leader of the Nrc part – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Budrys, 2008–2011)

Securing the conservation of biodiversity across administrative levels and spatial, temporal, and Ecological Scales (SCALES) (project leader of the Nrc part – Dr. A. Budrienė, 2009–2014)

Pan-European infrastructure for management of marine and ocean geo-logical and geophysical data (GEO-SEAS) (project leader of the Nrc part – Dr. L.-Ž. Gelumbauskaitė, 2009–2013)

The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODNET) (project leader of the Nrc part – Dr. L.-Ž. Gelumbauskaitė, 2009–2012)

Pan-European coordination action on CO2 Geological Storage (CGS Eu-rope) (project leader of the Nrc part – Prof. Dr. habil. S. šliaupa, 2010–2013)

Enhanced chitin-based biosorbents for drinking water purification (ChitoClean) (project leaders of the Nrc part – Dr. L. Levinskaitė and Dr. V. B. Melvydas, 2012–2014)

C O S TES1408 european Network for Algal-bioproducts (members of Manage-mentCommittee–Dr.J.KoreivienėandDr.R.Paškauskas,2014–2019)

FA1306 The quest for tolerant varieties: phenotyping at plant and cellular level(memberofManagementCommittee–Dr.K.Ložienė,2014–2018)

FP1206 european mixed forests: integrating scientific knowledge in sus-tainable forest management (member of Management committee – Dr. J. Motiejūnaitė, 2013–2017)

FP1203 european non-wood forest products (NWFPs) network (member of ManagementCommittee–Assoc.Prof.Dr.J.Radušienė,2013–2017)

FP1103 Fraxinus dieback in europe: elaborating guidelines and strate-gies for sustainable management (member of Management committee – Dr. V. Lygis, 2012–2016)

ES1105 cyanobacterial blooms and toxins in water resources: occur-rence, impacts and management (members of Management committee – Dr.J.KasperovičienėandDr.J.Koreivienė,2012–2016)

S c i e n t i f i c p r o j e c t s a n d a p p l i e d r e s e a r c h


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arch FP1102 Determining invasiveness and risk of dothistroma (member of

Management committee – Dr. S. Markovskaja, 2011–2015)

FA0906 UV-B radiation: a specific regulator of plant growth and food quality in a changing climate (members of Management committee – Dr.R.VyšniauskienėandDr.V.Rančelienė,2010–2014)

ES0907 Integrating Ice core, Marine and Terrestrial records – 60,000 to 8,000yearsago(memberofManagementCommittee–Dr.M.Stančikaitė,2010–2014)

FA0807 Integrated management of phytoplasma epidemics in different crop systems (members of Management committee – Dr. r. Jomantienė and Dr. D. Valiūnas, 2009–2013)

FP0701 Post-fire forest management in Southern europe (member of Ma-nagement committee – Dr. V. Lygis, 2008–2012)

FA0605 Signaling control of stress tolerance and production of stress protective compounds in plants (member of Management committee – Dr. V. Gavelienė, 2007–2011)

FA0603 Plant proteomics in europe (member of Management committee – Dr. habil. O. N. Anisimovienė, 2007–2011)

FA0602 Bioactive food components, mitochondrial function and health (mem-berofManagementCommittee–Assoc.Prof.Dr.J.Radušienė,2007–2011)

L I F EInventory of marine species and habitats for development of Natura 2000 network in the offshore waters of Lithuania (LIFe234) (project lead-ersDr.L.LožysandDr.M.Dagys,project referencenumberDENOFLITLIFe09 NAT/LT/0005234, 2010–2015)

Detailed investigations of seabirds and fish were conducted in the offshore part of the Lithuanian exclusive economic zone (eeZ) in the course of the project implementation in 2011–2013. Fish community investigations were carried out in different seasons of the year employing different mesh-size gill-nets, hydroacoustics and pelagic trawling with special attention focused on the species protected under the habitats Directive, i.e. twaite shad and com-mon whitefish, as well as on their state in Lithuanian offshore waters. The performed investigations revealed that these species are in a very bad state, which is probably due to overfishing on the twaite shad spawning grounds in the curonian Lagoon in 2011. A total of 11 fish species were recorded during the study, among which the most abundant were Baltic herring, Baltic sprat, cod and flounder. The data obtained suggest that the investigated areas, which are located in the shoal area of the Lithuanian offshore waters, are of utmost importance to demersal fishes in summer when the oxygen content in deeper water layers is decreased. Performed statistical data analysis shows


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archthat for pelagic fishes such as Baltic sprat and Baltic herring the slopes of the

shoals are important, these areas explored during the current project and found to harbour the largest concentrations of fish. It was also established that the shallowest zones of the investigated areas are of utmost importance for flounder and their juveniles, whereas the most important areas for cod and their juveniles are habitats with hard substrates, i.e. with boulders and course fractions of bottom sediments. Seabird surveys and counts were con-ducted from a ship in different seasons of the year. Spatial modelling meth-ods enabling a reliable assessment of the distribution of various seabird spe-cies throughout the study area were used for data analysis. The most abun-dant seabird aggregations were recorded on the Klaipėda–Ventspils plateau, where the numbers of wintering scoters and long-tailed ducks reached over 20,000 and almost 7500 respectively. Based on the data available, the territo-rial delineation of the most important aggregations of these seabird species was carried out, and the designation of this territory as an important bird area (IBA) was proposed. During the project implementation, telemetric in-vestigations of movements within the wintering grounds and of migration of red-throated divers, scoters and long-tailed ducks were performed, which were made possible due to surgical implantation of satellite transmitters into the abdomens of birds. The collected data revealed that no significant pas-sages from the seacoast to the open sea were made by wintering birds per day or in unfavourable weather conditions, which also confirms that the data col-lected during ship-based seabird surveys objectively reflect the distribution of seabirds and thus enables the correct identification of the most significant wintering grounds of these birds.

White Stork (Ciconia ciconia) conservation in Lithuania (LIFe531) (project leader Dr. M. Dagys, project reference number LIFe07 NAT/LT/000531, 2009–2012)

One of the main objectives of the project was to carry out a White Stork cen-sus in Lithuania. For this purpose, special methodology was worked out, a specially designed GIS database for data accumulation created and bird sur-vey specialists trained. The inventory of White Stork nests in the territory of Lithuania was conducted in 2009–2010, and at present the collected inven-

tory data are being computerized. Upon completion of this task, a compre-hensive analysis of the dependence of habitat selection and breeding success of this bird on various environmental and anthropogenic factors will be car-ried out. Provision of online access to the GIS database containing summa-rised information on the inventoried White Stork nests and their photos is another objective that is currently being pursued. Other expected outcomes of the project once successfully implemented include the preparation of a White Stork Species Action Plan and the publishing of a book on this bird.


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arch L I T h U A N I A N - S W I S S p R O j E C T S

Incidence of mycoviruses in epidemic and post-epidemic populations of the ash dieback pathogen Chalara fraxinea and evaluation of their poten-tial for biological control of the disease (CONTROLDIEBACK) (project leader: Dr. V. Lygis, project partners – Nature research centre (the Leading Party) and Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape research WSL, project No LSP-12041, 2012–2016, http://www.gamtostyrimai.lt/en/projects/international-scientific-projects/controldieback-_1)

A relatively recently identified invasive pathogenic fungus ascomycete Chalara fraxinea (teleomorph – Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, former name – H. pseu-doalbidus), the causal agent of mass ash dieback in europe, was most likely introduced into europe from eastern Asia. The disease was first recorded in eastern Poland and Lithuania in the mid-1990s and has since then spread across the continent. The dieback has already been recorded in more than 30 european countries, including russia. So far, no effective control measures have been developed against the devastating disease and proper management strategies for the diseased trees and stands remain unclear. The agent of the ash dieback was for the first time described by the famous Polish forest pathologist

professor T. Kowalski in 2006 (as C. fraxinea). The common ash (Fraxinus excelsior), the tree species most susceptible to H. fraxineus, is already becom-ing endangered in certain regions of europe: for example, ash was previously commercially important for timber production in Sweden, but is now a red-listed species. In europe, the dieback of common ash has been recorded for two decades already (for more than 15 years in Lithuania); however, no ef-fective means to control this devastating disease have been offered so far, and the perspectives for growing ash are obscure. Today, ash stands in Lithuania and neighbouring countries experience a post-epidemic chronic dieback with only a small fraction of asymptomatic trees. In Switzerland, the disease was first reported in 2008 in the north-western part of the country, from where it expanded rapidly to other regions. In many regions of Switzerland today, an epidemic disease phase is now observed (the spread of the disease is progress-ing slower in alpine regions due to natural physical barriers).

The main aim of the project is to characterize epidemic (Swiss) and post-epidemic (Lithuanian) populations of the ash dieback pathogen H. fraxineus in respect to virulence, genetic diversity and occurrence of mycoviruses and to assess the biological control potential of the identified mycoviruses against the disease. Project objectives are as follows: to investigate the genetic di-


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archversity and virulence of H. fraxineus isolates originating from Lithuanian

(post-epidemic) and Swiss (epidemic) populations; to screen H. fraxineus for mycoviruses using a metagenomic approach based on next generation sequencing; to characterize the detected mycoviruses and to determine virus incidence in epidemic and post-epidemic populations of the pathogen; to in-vestigate the impact of the identified mycoviruses on their host H. fraxineus, thus evaluating their biocontrol potential; and to organize project public-ity measures and to disseminate achieved results to the public and scientific society. results obtained to date: the genetic structure of Lithuanian and Swiss H. fraxineus populations was revealed, the virulence of H. fraxineus isolates from Lithuanian and Swiss populations were assessed, mycoviruses in H. fraxineus isolates were detected, the incidence of the mitovirus hfMV1 in epidemic and post-epidemic populations of H. fraxineus was assessed, and phenotypic effects of the mitovirus hfMV1 on its fungal host H. fraxineus were assessed.

Options for management of this novel forest disease are currently very lim-ited and mainly directed towards a search for resistance in the host tree. My-

coviruses are commonly found in all major groups of plant pathogenic fungi. Some of these viruses were found to cause debilitating disease or to reduce virulence in its fungal host and thereby have the potential to be used as bio-logical control agents.

Climate change in peatlands: Holocene record, recent trends and related impacts on biodiversity and sequestered carbon (CLIMPEAT) (project leader:Prof.Dr.habil.J.Mažeika,projectpartners–NatureResearchCentre(the Leading Party), University of Bern, Institute for Geological Sciences and Vilnius University, project No LSP-12 015, 2013–2016, http://www.gamto-styrimai.lt/en/projects/international-scientific-projects/climpeat_1)

The main aim of the cLIMPeAT project is to explore interconnections and interdependencies between peatland ecosystems and climate changes, an-thropogenic activity and sequestered carbon. It will contribute to the con-servation and sustainable management of this resource through a better appraisal of impacts and feedback loops between pedospheric, atmospheric and anthropogenic activities. The following tasks are named: analysis of pri-mary data, review of historical development of peatlands and selection of


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arch study areas; monitoring of tree growth and groundwater level fluctuations in

the selected study areas in a three-year period; evaluation of vegetation of the last 100-year period and climate change; reconstruction of the holocene cli-mate in Lithuania; and effects of current and possible future climate changes on peatlands and sequestered carbon (years 2050, 2100). Results achieved to date: a database of available records and information had been compiled, peatland and forest changes in Lithuania have been analysed and representa-tive study areas have been selected; hydrometeorological and dendrochrono-logical monitoring in situ is being carried out, relations between meteoro-logical conditions and groundwater level fluctuations are being assessed, and tree growth is being modelled according to groundwater level fluctuations; a meteorological database based on available data rows has been compiled, the evolution (colonization) of tree dynamics in peatlands has been investigated, the series of rings of separate living trees has been formed, and reconstruc-tion of groundwater fluctuations for the last 100-year period and calibration of correlation between groundwater level, tree ring width and tree dynamics

(colonization) for the last 100-year period are being performed; absolute and changeable series of long-living tree rings for holocene are being formed; scenarios of climate indices participating in groundwater level fluctuations are being constructed, and groundwater fluctuation projections up to the end of the 21st c. made.

L i t h u a n i a n - N o r w e g i a n p r o j e c t sSustainable development of wind power in western Lithuania (DAVeP-VLIT) (project leader: Dr. M. Dagys, project partners: Nature research centre (support recipient), The Norwegian Institute for Nature research (NINA), Lithuanian centre for Sustainable Development, and Lithuanian Wind Power Plant Association, project reference number eee-LT03-AM-01-K-01-011, 2014–2016, http://www.gamtostyrimai.lt/en/projects/international-scientific-projects/davep-vlit_1)

Although wind power is attractive due to low cO2 emissions, its develop-ment exerts a direct adverse impact on biodiversity. There are three major ways in which wind power development affects biodiversity: direct displace-ment when wind power plants (WPP) are built at wintering or stopover sites of birds), direct collisions (when migrating or hovering birds are killed or injured by turbine blades, and decompression (when rotating blades cause air pressure changes resulting in death of animals, mainly bats). It is expect-ed that the density of WPPs in Lithuania will continue to grow beyond 2020. consequently, the scale of conflict between wind power expansion and bio-diversity protection will inevitably increase, especially in western Lithuania, which is an important area for migration of birds and bats. Identification of zones of potential conflict between wind power development and biodi-versity protection, along with preparation of recommendations for conflict mitigation measures, are important steps towards more efficient manage-ment of already existing measures and avoidance of future conflicts. The spatial data analysis-based tool (model) created in the course of the current project will allow visualisation and mapping of the conflict scale. Project results will help all interested parties find the best solutions for making wind


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archpower development as sustainable as possible. In addition, more effective

biodiversity protection, lower time and money expenditures in the phase of project implementation and simpler environmental impact assessment process will be ensured.

Objectives of the project include identification of conflict zones that are both vulnerable to the development of wind power facilities and are requiring of biodiversity protection and preparation of conflict management recommen-dations.

Tasks and activities: to identify conflict zones that are both vulnerable to the development of wind power facilities and are requiring of biodiversity protection; to analyse primary information sources and determine criteria for the identification of conflict zones; to perform analysis of criteria signifi-cance; to create a spatial database for the identification of conflict zones; to create a model for the identification of particular conflict zones based on the results of the performed analysis and the conflict scale therein; to perform

verification of the created model based on in situ data; to prepare recommen-dations for the management of conflicts between the development of wind power plants and biodiversity protection.

Processing of research and dispersed information on protected species and input into a unified Protected Species Information System (PSIS/SRIS) (project leader:Dr.V.Rašomavičius,projectreferencenumberEEE-LT03-AM-01-K-01-001, 2014–2016)

The Protected Species Information System (PSIS/SrIS) is aimed at compil-ing, systematizing and providing data on protected species, their habitats and localities to interested parties and ensuring publicity of the data and infor-mation on protected species. The data are used for practical environmental activities: development of protected species management plans, nature ma-nagement plans, documents on the establishment and planning of protected areas, documents on the assessment of the impact of planned economic ac-tivities on the environment, documents on forest management, preparation of land survey projects for rural development, etc. The information system data can also be used for working out analyses, strategies, prognoses con-cerning protected species distribution, abundance, status, etc.

The data for the Protected Species Information System is provided manda-tory by the environmental system staff as well as various environmental pro-moters. however, over 50 years worth of data from a number of main sources are still unavailable, including from scientific collections and archives (field sheets, observation questionnaires, reports, cartographic material), as well as dispersed information to be gained from observers of natural diversity act-ing in other institutions (universities), public organizations (entomological, Bat conservation Societies) or living in the regions.. The project leader will ensure verification of the quality and approval of the provided dispersed data as well as input into the Protected Species Information System.

The aim of the project is to compile and analyse the dispersed scientific data as well as historical information on protected species of animals, plants and fungi, and to systematize and consolidate the data into a unified Protected Species Information System.


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arch L I T h U A N I A N – B E L A R U S I A N p R O j E C T S

Prospects of unconventional shale gas of Ordovician and Silurian sedi-mentary basins of Lithuania and Belarus (project leader – Prof. Dr. habil. S. šliaupa, 2013–2014)

Palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and geological correlation of the Pleistocene sediments in Belarus–Lithuania border areas (project leader – Dr. V. šeirienė, 2013–2014)

Transformation of fauna in the main aquatic ecosystems in Lake Drūkšiai (a water body on Lithuania–Belarus border) after the termination of the Ignalina NPP operation; elaboration of recommendations for monitor-ing and environmental measures for sustainable management (Drūkšiai)(project leader – Dr. V. Kesminas, 2011–2012)

L I T h U A N I A N – U k R A I N I A N p R O j E C T SSpecies diversity and host specificity of bucephalid flukes: life cycle analy-sis and phylogeny revealed by morphological, karyological and molecular methods (project leader – Dr. V. Stunžėnas,2012–2013)


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archp r o j e c t s f u n d e d b y t h e R e s e a r c h

C o u n c i l o f L i t h u a n i aG L O B A L G R A N T p R O j E C T S

Mechanisms of speciation of malaria parasites and related haemosporidia species (project leader – Dr. habil. G. Valkiūnas, project No VP1-3.1-šMM-07-K-01-047, 2011–2015)

The main goal of the project is to discover new information on the biology and mechanisms supporting speciation processes and genetic diversity of malaria parasites and other haemosporidia by using avian blood parasites as models.

Investigations were carried out based on modern experimental, microscopic, se-quencing, genomic, phylogenetic, histological, laser microdissection and other methods. Distribution of Plasmodium and Haemoproteus infections in euro-pean birds was investigated, and the sensitivity of four markers of mitochon-drial DNA and apicoplast genus and their possible use in diagnostics of mixed haemosporidian infections was determined. Some haemosporidia species were found to gain benefit from other species’ simultaneous sporogonic reproduction cycles; therefore, mixed haemosporidia infections can contribute to increase in parasite transmissions. The Haemoproteus blood parasite (H. tartakovskyi) ge-nome, which is ca. 23 Mb long, was identified for the first time. Transcriptomes of parasites of birds Plasmodium were determined, and it was found that the Plasmodium relictum MSP1 gene, the same as Plasmodium falciparum MSP1 gene, was distinguished by general features of variable and conservative blocks. Nuclear molecular markers for avian malaria parasite investigations were creat-ed for the first time. With the help of laser microdissection technologies, oocysts and ookynetes were detected, and their genetic analysis was performed. A pos-sibility of dysfunction of ookynets of different genetic lines of haemosporidian parasites was proved during hybridization experiments in vitro, and new data were obtained on self-fertilization of haemosporidian parasites and hybridiza-tion possibilities in vivo. Blood-sucking mosquito colonies were established. It was found that (a) Culex pipiens pipiens mosquitoes are transmitters of SGS1 and GrW11 genetic lines of a malaria parasite Plasmodium relictum, and (b) genetic processes in vitro can also occur in vivo. The data obtained show that selective cross-breeding and dysfunction of hybrids are important factors to support ge-netic diversity of haemosporidian parasites. Haemoproteus parasites were found to be highly virulent to mosquitoes, and a pathogenic effect mechanism was dis-closed. Three haemosporidian species new to science were described, and data about their haplotypes were obtained. The new data were presented in interna-tional scientific conferences with 19 presentations delivered. Project results were published in 16 articles in international journals included in the WoS database with an impact factor. An international conference was hosted in Vilnius (see http://malariarcn.org/images/2013conferenceprogram.pdf). A doctoral thesis and four master theses were defended on the topic of the project. A biobank for avian malaria parasites currently stored at the Nrc was created.


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arch Peculiarities of dormouse (Gliridae) populations on the north-western

periphery of their distribution ranges (project leader –Dr. R. Juškaitis,project No VPI-3.1-šMM-07-K-01-026, 2011–2015)

The project was carried out in the Laboratory of Mammalian ecology during 2011–2015. The main purpose of the project was to determine the peculiari-ties of the hazel dormouse, fat dormouse and forest dormouse populations in the north-western periphery of their distribution ranges as compared with populations in other parts of the distribution ranges.

As Lithuania is in the north-western periphery of the distribution ranges of the hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius), fat dormouse (Glis glis) and forest dormouse (Dryomys nitedula), their living conditions should be suboptimal in the country. however, the status of these species is different in Lithuania: both fat dormouse and forest dormouse are rare and included into the red Data Book of Lithuania, with fat dormouse also on the list of strictly protected spe-cies, while hazel dormouse is rather abundant and widely distributed.

During the project, environmental factors determining dormouse habitat selection were described, and dormouse diets, population structures, abun-dance dynamics and other ecological issues were investigated. We selected

a typical-for-Lithuania population of each species and carried out observa-tions in three stationary points. Nest-boxes set out in grids in large forest areas were checked on a regular basis and dormice were marked using rings or implanted microchips. The investigations are relevant both for scientific research and environmental protection because all three dormouse species are protected internationally or nationally. Adequate protection is possible only with adequate knowledge of the species’ ecology, in particular habitats requirements, diet and factors limiting distribution.

The data obtained are important for dormouse protection, e.g. earlier in Lithuania, forest dormice were believed to prefer spruce forests or mixed forests with thick spruces in the second storey. however, evaluation of the environment around nest-boxes used and nest-boxes ignored by forest dormice revealed that although they can live in spruce forests, they prefer mixed forests with thick undergrowths and clearings, mature oaks, limes, black alders, raspberry and blackberry bushes and avoid forests with many mature pines and spruces and open areas. Investigation of hazel dormouse diet showed that in Lithuania, as all over its distribution range, the species prefers reproductive parts (flowers, flower-buds, fruits) of plants, yet of quite different species than, for example, in england. This shows the species’ abil-ity to adapt to local conditions accounting for why these dormice are also widely spread and relatively abundant in the northern periphery of their dis-tribution range. In Lithuania, buckthorn fruit is of particular importance in the diet of hazel dormouse, which is not characteristic of this species living in other more southern parts of its distribution range. The hazel dormouse population was found to maintain a very stable abundance in the periphery of its distribution range each year. To maintain such stability, the species used a self-regulatory mechanism depending on population density. Such a mechanism has not so far been observed in hazel dormouse populations liv-ing in other parts of its distribution range. In case of a decrease in population density, young females born at the beginning of summer bred in the first year of their life already, though usually they start breeding only in the second year. In such way, the reduced hazel dormouse population density quickly recovered to its usual level.


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archN a t i o n a l S c i e n t i f i c R e s e a r c h

p r o g r a m m e sE co s ys t E m s i n L i t h ua n i a : c L i m at E c h a n g E a n d h u m a n i m pac tAdaptation of invasive species and their impact on aquatic ecosystems of different complexity(projectleader–Dr.K.Arbačiauskas,2012–2014)

The project is aimed at investigating the adaptation of invasive species (mysid, amphipod, crayfish and snail) and their impacts on aquatic ecosys-tems of differing complexity. For the first time, the isotopic niches were stud-ied in the spiny-cheek Orconectes limosus and noble Astacus astacus crayfish from the same water body. results showed that both crayfish species may be characterised as feeding generalists; however, the spiny-cheek crayfish generally consume more diverse food. For the first time, a comparative in-vestigation of symbionts and intestine microflora of these crayfish species has been undertaken to reveal their differences in microbial functional di-versity. Specific for the spiny-cheek crayfish were symbionts from the class Mollicutes. Investigation of the genetic diversity of the mysid Paramysis la-custris revealed that over the entire species range four distinct population groups could be separated. Mitochondrial DNr and microsatellite analyses were applied. Phylogeography and sources of invasion into new areas were analysed. Some microsatellite loci revealed significant differences between populations of the species in Lithuania suggesting local adaptation. Isotopic niches of this mysid in the native area appeared to be narrower than those in the invaded habitats. Investigation of the hypothesised adaptation of the amphipod Pontogammarus robustoides to the lower oxygen concentrations under Lithuanian climatic conditions was initiated and generally confirmed. results also suggested that different mechanisms can be involved in the am-phipods’ adaptation to low oxygen. A molecular study of the New Zealand mud snail revealed two genotypes in central, eastern and Northern europe, the invasions and dispersal of which occurred independently. recent data suggest a rapid expansion of the species over Lithuanian inland waters. The

importance of cyanobacteria in the food web of the curonian Lagoon was evaluated, and the functional role and potential competitors of a new inva-sive species, round goby, were assessed in the lagoon ecosystem. The isotopic niches of pairs of invasive and resident crustacean species were studied, and application of this information for the prediction of species competitive out-come was analysed.

Ecotoxicological consequences of boxelder maple invasion into coastal ecotones (projectleader–Dr.L.Manusadžianas,2012–2014)Colony of Great Cormorants in forest ecosystem – hypertrophication effect and rates of dynamics (project leader – Dr. J. Motiejūnaitė, 2012–2014)Expansion of palaeovegetation in the context of the postglacial ecosystem dynamics in the eastern Baltic region (projectleader–Dr.M.Stančikaitė,2012–2014)Identification and regularities of spread of alien disease agents in bees Apis mellifera in Lithuania(projectleader–Dr.S.Radžiutė,2012–2014)Response of plankton community to Gonyostomum semen establishment and other biotic and abiotic factors (projectleader–Dr.J.Kasperovičienė,2012–2014)Dispersion, impact and abundance mitigation study of round goby and Chinese sleeper in Lithuania (project leader – Dr. S. Stakėnas, 2012–2014)Cyclicity, dynamics and models of palaeoenvironmental changes during Quaternary warm periods (project leader – Dr. habil. V. Baltrūnas, 2012–2014)The study of genomic changes and factors influencing the invasiveness of alien herbal plants(projectleaderoftheNRCpart–Dr.R.Vyšniauskienė,2012–2014)Alien Gonyostomum – biological peculiarities, genetic diversity and adapta-tion in new areas (projectleader–Dr.J.Kasperovičienė,2010–2011)Analysis of invasive freshwater mollusc and sucker communities by using genetic markers(projectleader–Dr.G.Stanevičiūtė,2010–2011)


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arch Impact of anthropogenic factors upon the expansion of invasive spe-

cies in the context of Holocene paleoecosystem changes (project leader – Dr.M.Stančikaitė,2010–2011)The impact of neophytic moss Campylopuss introflexus on the formation of peatland communities (project leader – Dr. I. Jukonienė, 2010–2011)Research on regularities of distribution, genetic diversity, adaptation and naturalization of invasive bird species (project leader – Dr. (hP) D. Butkauskas, 2010–2011)Evaluation and projections of the influence of cormorants on the struc-ture and stocks of fish populations in the Curonian Lagoon (project lead-er–Dr.L.Ložys,2010–2011)Impact of alien crustacean invasions on food web structure in lakes (projectleader–Dr.K.Arbačiauskas,2010–2011)Oxidative stress alterations in hydrophytes due to the leaf litter affected by the invasion of Acer negundo (project leader–Dr.L.Manusadžianas,2010–2011)Investigation of genetic diversity and factors affecting spread of alien virus strains of stone fruit and vegetables in Lithuania (project leader – Dr. habil. J. B. Staniulis, 2010–2011)

h E A LT h Y A N D S A F E F O O DInvestigation of encapsulation of bacteriocins as biopreservatives (project leader of the Nrc part – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Servienė, 2014–2015)Search for biomarkers for detection of hazardous substances in grain and their products for quality and safety control (project leader – Dr. r. Butkienė, 2014–2015)

Change of bioactive compounds in underutilised berry species depen-ding on genotype and environment (project leader of the Nrc part – Dr. J. Labokas, 2012–2014)

The project “change of bioactive compounds in underutilised berry species depending on genotype and environment” is aimed at the research of varia-tions in the contents of bioactive components, antioxidant capacity and an-timicrobial efficacy of cultivated blueberries and cranberry bushes, establish-


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arching links between these properties depending on genotype, environmental

conditions and seasonal development of plants. There was also an attempt to justify the development of the commercial cultivation of these crops and processing their yield into food products and functional components ben-eficial for health. The research object included American blueberries (Vac-cinium spp.) and european cranberry bushes (Viburnum opulus), cultivated in the field collections of the Kaunas Botanical Garden of Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, and the Institute of Botany of Nature research centre, Vilnius.

The highest amounts of phenolics were established in the leaves of all studied blueberries (up to five times higher than those in fruit pomace), the lowest in fruit juice. A strong correlation was established between total phenolics in leaves and (1) sunshine hours of July in Bluecrop, Gretha and Dixi blueber-ries (r = 0.71, r = 0.69 and r = 0.98, respectively, at p < 0.05) and (2) photoac-tive solar radiation of July in Gretha (r = 0.86) and between total phenolics in fruit pomace of Gila and Dixi and photoactive solar radiation of July (r = 0.90 and r = 0.91, respectively). Morphometric descriptors of blueberry leaves correlate strongly (up to r = -0.841) with their antioxidative activity assessed by FrAP in hexane extracts.

The genotoxic potential of leaf extracts isolated from 7 blueberry cultivars, lyophilized juices of blueberry, european and Sargent cranberrybush fruits was studied using comet and citochalasin B micronucleus assays in human lymphocytes in vitro and the Ames Salmonella/microsome test. The comet assay indicated that leaf extracts from highbush blueberry induce primary DNA damage in human lymphocytes. The determined variation in response was caused by the extract tested (cultivar). No increase in micronuclei fre-quency was determined. Tested samples were not mutagenic in S. typhimu-rium strains TA98 and TA100 with or without metabolic activation either. Lyophilized juices of all Vaccinium and Viburnum accessions were not ge-notoxic. The antigenotoxic potential of juices against doxorubicin-induced chromosome damage was demonstrated.

chromosome numbers were established for four blueberry genotypes (Danutė 2n = 5x = 60, x = 12, Northcountry 2n = 4x = 48, x = 12, Nui 2n = 3x = 36, x = 12, Puru 2n = 4x = 24, x = 12) and four cranberry bush clones (P4, 2n = 2x = 18, x = 9; P5, 2n = 2x = 18, x = 9; P6, 2n = 2x = 18, x = 9; P10, 2n = 3x = 27, x = 9). eleven genotypes of cranberry bush and 54 genotypes of blueberry were genotyped by SSr analysis. The dendrograms showed small genetic distances between clades for both berry species, but large between genotypes.


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arch The size of fragments of blueberry cultivars was 100–300 bp and the number

varied within 7–37. The highest numbers of alleles within studied primers were observed in NA1040 (36) and Vcc_J9 (37), the lowest in NA961 (7). The recommended collections of primers were determined for the early identification of genotypes: Vcc_J9, cA421 and cA112F for the highbush blueberries and Vcc_S10 and cA112 for the halfhigh blueberries. Both the UPGMA and principal coordinate analysis showed that the Lithuanian blue-berries Freda and Danutė significantly differ from the rest.

The highest bactericidal effect was shown by mashed berries of all blueberry cultivars. Mashed mass also slightly suppressed the growth of yeasts C. par-apsilosis, T. delbrueckii, D. hansenii and G. fermentans; however, it did not affect the growth of microfungi. Lyophilized blueberry juice demonstrated both bactericidal and bacteriostatic efficiency, whereas no impact was ob-served on yeasts and fungi. Fruit pomace, leaf extracts had only weak ef-fects on bacteria and no effect on fungi. Mashed mass of unripe berries of Viburnum opulus var. americanum, V. o. var. sargentii and V. o. var. opulus demonstrated bactericidal and fungicidal effects, whereas it showed no influ-ence on the growth of yeasts. Fresh and lyophilized juice of ripe berries of Viburnum showed bactericidal and bacteriostatic activity and no impact on the growth of fungi and yeast Candida parapsilosis.

The dry soluble substances in ripe blueberries should amount to at least 11.5%. cv. Lateblue, Aurora and Darrow are not suitable for commercial growing in Lithuania, because they do not fully ripe at harvesting time and have no marketable appearance. Although blueberries are resistant to unfa-vourable climatic conditions, such as winter colds and spring frosts, they are susceptible to fungal pathogens such as Godronia cassandrae, Botryosphaeria vaccinii, Monilinia oxycocci. cv. Danutė, Freda, Brunswick and Northcoun-try were identified as the most resistant to fungal diseases.

Phylogenetic analysis of active lactic acid bacteria and selection for sourdough production(projectleaderoftheNRCpart–Dr.J.Repečkienė,2012–2014)

Interspecific hybrids of orchard plants – a novel source of anthocyanins (project leader of the Nrc part – Dr. habil. O. N. Anisimovienė, 2011–2013)

S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y O F A G R O, F O R E S T A N D W AT E R E C O S Y S T E M SAgroecosystems microbiota under climate change: structure and concord-ance mechanisms (project leader – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Servienė, 2015–2018)

This research project is devoted to the investigation of the impact of climate change on the fruit-berry agroecosystem microorganism and virus commu-nity composition, and uncovering their concordance mechanisms. The tar-geting of two agroecosystems of the same type situated in different locations allows the modelling of the medium-to-long term effect of increased average temperature. For research on microbiota, modern methods of molecular bi-ology and biochemistry are employed, namely metagenomic identification of microorganisms and viruses with subsequent phylogenetic analysis, viral genome cloning and sequencing, use of genome-wide knockout libraries for investigation of interacting gene products, transcriptomic analysis via mes-senger rNA sequencing (rNA-seq), and proteomic analysis of viral repli-cation complexes. This deep level of research wealth provides an unprece-dented level of detail on the impact of climate change on the structure of agroecosystem microbiota and trends for its future development.

Implication of species and functional diversity for aquatic ecosystem services under increasing eutrophication and chemical pollution (project leader–Dr.K.Arbačiauskas,2015–2018)


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Dynamics of metabolites conditioning spruce attractiveness for Ips ty-pografus and decisive factors (project leaders – Dr. V. Karalius, Prof. Dr. ha-bil. V. Būda, 2010–2011)

Biochemic and proteomic investigations of Daphnia seasonal phe-notypes and their appliance for pollution indication (project leader – Dr.K.Arbačiauskas,2010–2011)

The impact of abiotic factors on the distribution of α-pinene enantiomers of the common juniper(projectleader–Dr.K.Ložienė,2010–2011)

Application of parasitic fungus Chondrostereum purpureum for stump sprouting control in hardwoods (project leader – Dr. V. Lygis, 2010–2011)

Importance of salmon and sea trout local population’s genotype on adap-tation possibilities (project leader – Dr. S. Stakėnas, 2010–2011)

The influence of the East European Plain on the formation of biota el-ements of European ice-covered regions in Pleistocene (project leader – Dr.habil.V.Kontrimavičius,2010–2011)

Effect of landscape fragmentation on genetic diversity of pollinating and predatory Hymenoptera (project leader – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Budrys, 2010–2011)

The chronology and inter-regional correlation of paleoclimatic events of the Lithuanian Quaternary (project leader – Dr. V. šeirienė, 2010–2011)

Molecular identification and life cycles of flukes associated with bivalve molluscs and fishes(projectleader–Dr.V.Stunžėnas,2010–2011)

Investigation of environmental geno-citotoxicity in the marine hydrosys-tem Atlantic–North Sea–Baltic Sea (projectleader–Dr.habil.J.Baršienė,2010–2011)

Investigation into the peculiarities of sublethal effect of prior-ity heavy metals on the behaviour of aquatic animals (project leader – Dr. N. Kazlauskienė, 2010–2011)

Modelling of medicinal raw material quality of St. John’s Wort under the influence of abiotic and biotic factors (project leader – Assoc. Prof. Dr. J.Radušienė,2010–2011)

Assessment of sedimentation conditions of glacigenic deposits formed during the deglaciation process (project leader – Dr. habil. V. Baltrūnas, 2011–2012)

Precambrian rock provinces and active tectonic boundaries across the Baltic Sea and in adjacent areas (project leader – Dr. G. Skridlaitė, 2011–2012)


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arch Characterization of phospholipases as potential factors of phytoplasma

pathogenecity (project leader – Dr. r. Jomantienė, 2011–2012)

Effect of gravity on plant responses to ultraviolet-A and blue light (project leader –Dr.D.Raklevičienė,2011–2012)

Ecological pattern of distribution of Allium scorodoprasum L. cytotypes in Lithuania(projectleader–Dr.B.Karpavičienė,2011–2012)

Genome-wide screening for S. cerevisiae genes modulating sensitivity for K2 toxin (project leader – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Servienė, 2011–2012)

Effect of species adaptation to anthropogenic environments on the ge-netic diversity of populations (project leader – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Budrys, 2011–2012)

Microbiota of roach (Rutilus rutilus) and changes under the impact of river pollution(projectleader–Dr.V.Skrodenytė-Arbačiauskienė,2011–2012)

Studies of the environmental genotoxicity in the chemical munitions dumping zones located in the Baltic Sea (project leader – Dr. habil. J.Baršienė,2012–2014)

Complex studies and modelling of the effect of permanent pollutants on aquatic ecosystem (project leader – Dr. N. Kazlauskienė, 2012–2014)

Novel polymers and composites from local renewable resources (project leaderoftheNRCpart–Dr.D.Bridžiuvienė,2012–2014)

Molecular identification of conifer pathogens from UNESCO-protected Curonian Spit (project leader – Dr. D. Valiūnas, 2013–2015)

Studies on evolution of life cycles and phylogeny of flukes based on mo-lecular and karyological data (project leader–Dr.R.Petkevičiūtė,2013–2015)

Investigations into genus Sarcocystis parasites from birds order Anseri-formes (project leader – Dr. P. Prakas, 2013–2015)

Diversity of solidago species and biotypes, control of abundance and use (projectleader–Assoc.Prof.Dr.J.Radušienė,2013–2015)

Interplay between killing and resistance in Saccharamyces cerevisiae K2 killer system (project leader – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Servienė, 2013–2015)In the research Team project “Interplay between killing and resistance in Saccharamyces cerevisiae K2 killer system” (2013–2015), the genetic factors of yeast influencing the altered cell resistance to Saccharomyces cerevisiae K2 toxin were analysed, elaborating the functioning patterns of the killer sys-tem, focusing on interfaces between the toxin-caused killing and cell-defined resistance. The analysis of the competitive inhibition of toxin activity in vivo and in vitro revealed the β-1,6-glucan as the primary K2 toxin receptor at the cell wall level. Based on the bioinformatic analysis of the killer protein, site-specific mutagenesis was performed and the regions important for the action of K2 killer toxin were identified, as well as the influence of the external en-vironment on toxin activity and stability established. In order to investigate K2 resistance formation and maintenance, the factors involved in the cellular response to stress were analysed. According to the genetic, microbiological and bioinformatic study, a strong interplay between certain factors involved in osmoregulation and cell wall integrity maintenance was determined. The data obtained during this project not only uncovered the peculiarities of the K2 killer system, but also deepen knowledge about the functioning and evo-lution of the rNA viruses.

Universal antiviral compounds: design, selection and mechanism of ac-tion (project leader of the Nrc part – Assoc. Prof. Dr. e. Servienė, 2014–2016)

Specificity of parasitic platyhelminthes and their speciation in relation to the host spectrum (projectleader–Dr.V.Stunžėnas,2015–2018)

Development of vector-borne mixed blood infections and their effect on host fitness (project leader – Dr. V. Palinauskas, 2015–2018)

Nanoparticle and heavy metal toxicity mechanisms in fish during on-togenesis (project leader – Dr. N. Kazlauskienė, 2015–2018)


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pA R T Y ( S T AT E O R G A N I Z AT I O N S , A N D p R I v AT E C O M pA N I E S )Inventory of EU natural habitats in Lithuania (BIGIS) (project leader – Dr.V.Rašomavičius,contractedbytheMinistryofEnvironmentoftheRe-public of Lithuania, 2011–2014)

research objectives of the project included an inventory of eU natural habi-tats and compilation of data for the assessment of their status.

The research was carried out by implementing the project “Inventory eU natural habitats, establishment of favourable conservation status criteria and development of monitoring system” of the Ministry of environment, sup-ported by the european regional Development Fund and Lithuanian state budget funds. This is one of the most important projects for the scientifically based implementation of the council of europe habitats Directive (92/43/eec) in Lithuania.

In Lithuania, the eU natural habitats inventory began with the preparation of the manual Inventory Manual of European Union Habitats in Lithuania, 2012,ed.V.Rašomavičius.Themanualincludes53descriptionsofEUnatu-ral habitat types found in the country (excluding marine habitats), covering the structure, functions and typical species characteristics; it also includes original habitat type identification keys. Prior to field work, matrices for in-ventory site selection were developed and field work mapping techniques elaborated, including polygon distinguishing procedures, methods of ma-terial recording and habitat status assessment parameters. An original GIS data base of habitat inventory (BIGIS) was created.

Field work was carried out by more than 180 experts. In accordance with the methodological requirements, all sites retaining natural characteristics were visited; habitat types were identified, polygon boundaries were drawn, data on habitat structure and status (including species list, land use, threats, etc.) were collected. 86,968 cartographic polygons with 53 types of habitats were


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arch distinguished, occupying an area of 434,924 ha. By habitat groups, forests

make up 62%, grasslands 18%, bogs, mires and fens 6%, inland waters 13%, and coastal habitats and inland dunes 1%. Overall, the ec habitats would occupy 6.66% of the country’s territory.

The database contains more than seven million habitat field research records. GIS data on the eU natural habitats distribution in Lithuania are published in the spatial information portal of Lithuania (geoportal.lt).

The habitat inventory material will be used in the following areas: 1) the monitoring system developed in this project will be used to carry out natural habitat status monitoring for the implementation of the National environ-mental Monitoring Programme; 2) the data compiled on eU natural habi-tat areas across the country and their status will be used while performing SeA and eA procedures; 3) the material will serve as the basis for the im-plementation of the Lithuanian rural Development Programme 2014–2020 measure “Agrarian environment protection and climate” (activities “Specific

grassland management” and “extensive wetland management”); 4) the data compiled will be used to adjust boundaries and areas of Natura 2000 sites and national protected territories by establishing appropriate protection measures, development and implementation of the national biodiversity strategy and action plans, preparation of other documents on conservation of biodiversity.

Assessment of the state of animal species (lynx, bats, amphibians) of the Eu-ropean Community importance for the protection of which the territories should be established (projectleader–Assoc.Prof.Dr.(HP)L.Balčiauskas,contracted by The environmental Protection Agency, 2010–2011)

Drafting an action plan for conservation of 23 protected and rare species (projectleader–Assoc.Prof.Dr(HP)L.Balčiauskas,contractedbytheMin-istry of environment of the republic of Lithuania, 2009–2011)

Research into contamination of bottom sediments in the aquatic area of the Klaipėda State Seaport (project leader–Dr.K. Jokšas, contractedbystate enterprise Klaipėda State Seaport Authority, 2010–2013)

Description and modelling of the aeration zone of the Maišiagala radio-active waste storage facility (project leader – Prof.Dr. habil. J.Mažeika,contracted by state enterprise radioactive Waste Management Agency, 2010–2013)

Investigation of the state of migratory fish in Lithuanian rivers (project leader – Dr. V. Kesminas, contracted by The environmental Protection Agency, 2011–2014)

Investigation and assessment of ecological status of ichthyofauna in Lithua-nian rivers and lakes according to fish indices (project leader – Dr. T. Vir-bickas, contracted by The environmental Protection Agency, 2011–2014)

Maintenance of field collections of medicinal and aromatic plants, regen-eration and propagation of their genetic resources and preparation of seed samples for long-term storage in Plant Gene Bank (project leader – Dr. J. Labokas, contracted by Plant Gene Bank, 2011–2014).


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ionsANNALeS GeOGrAPhIcAe is a semi-annual

scientific journal publishing scientific articles on geographical issues. The publication is referenced in Georef, MLA International Bibliography, VINITI.

BOTANIcA LIThUANIcA, issued since 1995, is a semi-annual scientific journal publishing scien-tific articles in the english language on the issues of general botany, botanical diversity, plant and fungus systems, cenology, geography and ecology, economic botany and botanical diversity protec-tion. Since 2012, the journal has become an open-access journal in De GrUYTer OPeN website (http://www.degruyter.com/view/j/botlit). The journal is referenced by eBScO: central & east-ern european Academic Source, TOc Premier, Science and technology collection; Thomson re-uters: BIOSIS Previews, Thomson Scientific Master Journal List, Biological abstracts; and cAMBrIDGe ScIeNTIFIc ABSTrAcTS; VINITI.

BALTIcA, a semi-annual scientific journal in eng-lish, is the country’s leading publication dealing with geological issues. BALTIcA is currently in-dexed and abstracted in the following international databases: Thomson reuters: Web on Science, Sci-ence citation Index expanded (SciSearch®), Journal citation reports/Science edition; elsevier Biblio-graphic Databases: ScOPUS, GeOBASe; The Gale Inc.®: Academic OneFile, Infortrac and Science resource center; eBScOhost: current Abstracts, TOc Premier; Georef; VINITI rAN; Bibliogra-phy and Index of Geology; current Geographical Publications; GeoArchive; GeoSearch; Petroleum Abstracts; Ulrich’s; DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals); excellence in research for Australia (erA) 2012 Journal List (erA ID 34580). Since 2000, BALTIcA publications have been available online at: http://www.balticajournal.lt; http://www.geo.lt/geo/index.php?id=710; http://www.doaj.org; http://www.epnet.com. In 2014, the impact factor of the journal was 0.607.

Since 2012, ZOOLOGY AND ecOLOGY (earlier known as Acta Zoologica Lituanica) has been pub-lished by Taylor and Francis publishers. ZOOL-OGY AND ecOLOGY has taken over all the tra-ditions of the earlier publication and extended the scope of fields covered. The journal publishes sci-entific papers, reviews and short communications on different aspects of vertebrate and invertebrate zoology and ecology. Traditionally, the journal gives priority to contributions from Baltic and east european countries. The journal is referenced by eBScO; Thomson reuters: Zoological record, BIOSIS Previews, Thomson Scientific Master Journal List; cAMBrIDGe ScIeNTIFIc ABSTrAcTS: Zoological record Plus; and NcBI, Daneshyar network databases.

p u b l i s h i n g


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The herbarium of the Institute of Botany (international index BILAS) was established in 1948. At present, the herbarium consists of: 1) the herbari-um of Vascular Plants of Lithuania (about 60,000 specimens), 2) the her-barium Generale (about 6,000 specimens), 3) the herbarium of Bryophytes of Lithuania (about 8,000 specimens), 4) the collection of Macromycetes (about 25,000 specimens), 5) the collection of Micromycetes (12,000 speci-mens), 6) the collection of Myxomycota (about 4,000 specimens), and 7) the collection of Lichens and Lichenicolous Fungi (about 8,000 specimens). The main specialized collections: Herbarium Lithuaniae (60,000 herbarium sheets), Herbarium Generale (6,000), and Herbarium Professoris P. Snarskis (12,000).

The data on vascular plant collections are digitized (background database – programme BRAHMS), and researchers can use advanced microscopy and imaging documentation software.herbarium specimens are stored in climate-controlled rooms where protec-tion against pests and mechanical effects is also ensured.The herbarium of the Institute of Botany is a constituent part of the Joint Nature research centre Open Access centre, which provides the following services to State and private institutions: insertion and storage of herbarium specimens; preparation and admission of plant and fungal specimens, which have been used as r&D objects, for a long-term storage; provision of infor-mation about the stored specimens; and pursuance of exchanges with her-baria from other countries.

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The Institute of Geology and Geography houses 85 collections of minerals and rocks of great aesthetic, educational and scientific value. compiled over the course of numerous decades, the stored collections include over 4,500 ex-hibits, including minerals, rocks, jewellery articles, meteorites and fossils. A large part of these collections was donated to Lithuania and the then Institute of Geology in 1965 by A. Žukelis (1899–1977) who spent many years living and working in Yekaterinburg (russia).The compiled collection demonstrates a rich diversity of minerals and rocks of the earth’s crust, with the major part of mineral specimens origi-nating from the Urals, central Asia, Transbaikalia, the caucasus and Kola. Also numerous are colourful specimens from Burma, Sri Lanka, Afghani-

stan, Mozambique, Australia and Greenland. The exposition boasts eye-catching specimens of emerald, amethyst, rhinestone, ruby and pyrope from the Urals and Brazil, along with Australian opal and almandine, Ira-nian turquoise and South African crocidolite. The collections also contain precious and decorative stones and various jewellery articles from ruby, emerald, rhinestone and malachite. The collection of meteorites includes 26veryunique specimens. Someof them, i.e. thoseofAndrioniškis andŽemaitkiemis, were found on the territory of Lithuania. Specimens of natural resources occurring in Lithuania and neighbouring countries with information on their stocks and distribution form a considerable part of the collections.


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scription of a new species is based), paratypes (specimens of an organism on the basis of which the primary description of a species or subspecies is pro-vided) and rich working collections. The bulk of the stored specimens were collected from a very wide range of regions in the northern hemisphere and are described in monographs by palaeontologists from various geological institutions of Lithuania. recognized as having considerable international significance, these collections are utilised by scientists of Lithuania and other countries.

pa L a E o n to Lo g i c a L co L L E c t i o n sThe Palaeontological repository houses collections of significant to science fossils (petrified remains of plants and animals), numbering approximately 43,000 specimens of micro- and macrofauna. The most ancient finds are rep-resented by 435 million-year-old stromatoporoids, 200 million-year-old am-monite and belemnite fossils, a somewhat younger mammoth tusk and tooth and other finds of impressive size and appearance. These are very important documents of the earth’s history witnessing the formation of the biosphere and its evolution during different stages of the geological past. The studied fossil species and genera serve as a steady benchmark for sediment age de-termination, geological cross-section correlation, formation of stratigraphic schemes, analysis of particular plant and animal species’ evolution, and char-acterization of the palaeoenvironmental status in the geological past. The re-pository stores the holotypes found and described by Lithuanian scientists (a single type specimen of a particular organism species upon which the de-


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The Laboratory of entomology includes a collection of adult dipterans – fun-gus gnats (families Mycetophilidae, Bolitophilidae, Keroplatidae, Diadoci-diidae, Ditomyiidae), most of which are trophically related to fungi (fruiting body and mycelium). The collection consists of described insects, including 4,700 individuals of Mycetophilidae and 150 individuals of Mycetophilidae, Bolitophilidae, Keroplatidae, Diadocidiidae, Ditomyiidae, and undescribed insects (about 4,000 in number) of the above-mentioned families.The collection of the Laboratory of entomology also includes a full holding of the Lithuanian fauna of dragonflies, part of which are adult insects stored in entomological boxes and another part adult individuals and larvae pre-served in alcohol solutions. These insects were mainly collected in Lithuania, with specimens from russia, Latvia and china forming just a small part of this collection.The entomological collection is also estimated to contain 460 specimens of larvae and pupae of blackflies and biting midges (Diptera: Simuliidae, ce-ratopogonidae) stored in ethyl alcohol and in formaldehyde, 750 permanent mounts of adult blackflies and biting midges prepared using euparal as a mounting medium and 650 dried specimens of bloodsucking mosquitoes (Diptera: culicidae) and their larvae, pupae and adults preserved in ethyl alcohol. This material was collected in territories of Lithuania, Belarus, rus-sia, Kazakhstan and Poland.

The holding of Diptera, Brachycera is estimated at over 20,000 specimens, 10,000 of which represent the Lithuanian fauna of Tachinidae, with approxi-mately the same or a slightly higher number of insects belonging to all the remaining Brachyceran fly species.The substantial holding of Tipulomorpha (Diptera, Nematocera) collected from a wide range of countries includes: approximately 10,000 specimens from Mongolia, the majority of which are preserved in alcohol solution and about 1,000 of which are dried specimens and microscopic preparations; about 11,000 specimens from the Korean Peninsula (North and South Korea), 4,000 of which are dried specimens, about 6,000 specimens are preserved in alcohol solution, and about 1,000 specimens are microscopic pre parations; almost 1,000 specimens from Taiwan (only dried specimens); about 1,000 specimens from china (only specimens preserved in alcohol solution); and about 6,000 specimens from the Fiji Archipelago (only specimens preserved in alcohol solution), along with numerous specimens from Indonesia, the Philippines, Africa and South and North America. About 300 specimens of Tipulomorpha housed in this collection are from Lithuania (mainly dried samples and microscopic preparations).The collections of the Laboratory of entomology house dried insects stored in entomological boxes, insect specimens kept in test-tubes in alcohol-based preservative solutions and preparations in glycerine solution.


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croorganism Candida lipolytica and Trichoderma harzianum strains, which are designated for biodegradation of the industrial production waste mo-noethanolamine (MeA) (LT patent N 5502B). A large part of the collection of medically important microorganisms belong to the genera Trichophyton, Microsporum, candida, Geotrichum, Aspergillus, etc. The collection of mi-croorganisms functioning in the environment allows the maintenance of a valuable microbial gene pool, assisting knowledge and ensuring peculiarities determining their vital importance and application. control of the cultures deposited in the collection is carried out periodically; novel efficient meth-ods of storage and sustaining activity are being elaborated. For long-term maintenance of microorganisms, cryogenic and lyophilization methods are used. currently, an electronic database on pure cultures of microorganisms sustained in the collection of the Laboratory of Biodeterioration research is being created. The electronic database on the maintained gene pool of micro-organisms will satisfy the needs of higher education and research, environ-mental protection and control institutions, manufacturers and the general public.

The Laboratory of Biodeterioration research maintains a unique collection of pure cultures of microorganisms of various systematic groups. The collec-tion of microorganisms is a foundation for microbiology research, practice and development, and a source of microorganism strains and information about them. The collection reflects microbial biodiversity, because sapro-trophic, mycosymbiotrophic, parasitic, microscopic fungi, yeast and bacteria strains used in biotechnology are maintained. To date, over 2,500 strains of microscopic fungi, yeasts and yeast-like fungi and bacteria species are stored. every year the collection is augmented with new species and strains of mi-croorganisms functioning on various substrates, possessing specific proper-ties of applied significance as well as producing biologically active substances (enzymes, proteins, vitamins, organic acids, pigments, etc.). The strains of microorganisms patented in the republic of Lithuania and maintained in the collection are as follows: Trichoderma harzianum VNB-16, decompos-ing fuel oil (LT patent N 4794B); Candida lipolytica c.6.1-5, oxidizing oil and petroleum products (LT patent N 4793B); Pseudomonas fluorescens IGN 57, decomposing oil and petroleum products (LT patent N 4792B); and mi-


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nsField experimental StationOrnithological research centrecoastal Biological StationVentės ragas hydrobiological research LaboratoryDrūkšiaiMonitoringStation

experimental AquariumNevardas hydrobiological LaboratoryObelų ragas ecological research Stationcoastal ecological Stationary Station

F i e l d s t a t i o n s


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S e r v i c e sidentification of toxic and pathogenic micromycetes, animal-inflicted dam-age assessment, animal and amphibian road mortality estimates, bird strike hazard assessment, identification of human and animal parasites, determina-tion of infestation extensity and intensity, prediction of parasitological situ-ation and improvement of preventive measures).

Pollution assessment (assessment of genotoxicity effect, hydrological, sedi-mentological, lithological and geochemical pollution research, identification of chemical composition of various objects, assessment of pollution and tox-icity employing biological methods, i.e. using aquatic animals of different phylogenetic levels and age and a set of seven microbiotests, ecogeochemical and geohygienic evaluation of technogenic and natural geochemical anoma-lies and mapping, overall chemical analysis of groundwater, surface water and wastewater, investigation of soil, ground and sludge pollution with met-als and oil products, justification of sanitary protection zones, radionuclide monitoring in the environment, etc.).

Consultations on a wide range of issues (e.g. plant cultivation, description of edible and poisonous mushrooms, radioactivity measurement, oil-con-taminated water and soil treatment, geothermal energy, oil, gas storage, cO2 geological storage, terminology of all the below-listed fields of science) relat-ing to such fields of science as environment protection, botany, mycology, ecology, genetics, geology, geography and zoology.

Multidisciplinary (i.e. from the perspective of various sciences, including biodiversity, botany, parasitology, zoology, ecology, mycobiota, neotecton-ics, geology and geomorphology, radiology, radioecology, seismology, tec-tonics) assessment of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and territories, inventory and investigations of natural values, development of their res-toration and replenishment strategies, projection of changes.

Identification of conflicts and damage, assessment of inflicted damage and production of recommendations for its mitigation, socio-environmental conflict prediction (diagnostics of fungal, bacterial and viral plant diseases,


Serv

icesEnvironmental monitoring system projects and implementation (pro-

tected, problematic and potentially valuable territories, species, habitats and eco systems, pollution and economy), preparation of programmes and re-ports on environmental impact assessment, preparation and implementa-tion of environment protection and nature management projects.

Taxonomic identification and nomenclature of plants, fungi, bryophytes, microorganisms, vertebrates and invertebrates, as well as assessment of their population state and molecular genetic structure.

Production of recommendations for mammal and bird hunting control, as well as for the establishment of fishing and catch quotas for fish and com-mercial invertebrates in the Baltic Sea and freshwater bodies.

Selection of micromycetes as producents of various biologically active sub-stances.

Dating of organic and inorganic materials employing radiocarbon 14c and plumbum 210Pb methods, and petrographic and mineralogical composition investigations.

Investigations into paleoclimatic and paleoecological conditions, vegetation and history of agriculture based on the analysis of spores, pollen, diatoms and plant macro remains.

Assessment of stocks and quality of natural resources and groundwater and projection of their changes, production of recommendations for their use and preservation, solutions to quality control and improvement problems, optimization of extraction and mining technologies.

ecological optimization solutions for landscape and urban areas, ecological and aesthetic expertise of landscape components; recommendations for the use of resources for economic purposes, preparation of projects for the recul-tivation of degraded territories.

Development, maintenance and updating of thematic databases and infor-mation systems and compilation of cartographic thematic maps.

Raising public awareness (preparation and presentation of publications, educational programmes, delivery of lectures).

C o n t e n tWelcome ..................................................................................................................................................................................3

At a glance ...............................................................................................................................................................................5

Long-term research programmes .....................................................................................................................................15

Laboratories .........................................................................................................................................................................25

The Open Access centre for nature research: efficient solutions for natural resource management .....................39

PhD studies process ............................................................................................................................................................43

Postdoctoral fellowships ......................................................................................................................................................46

Publications ...........................................................................................................................................................................47

Scientific projects and applied research ............................................................................................................................53

International projects ...................................................................................................................................................53

National projects ...........................................................................................................................................................63

Publishing ..............................................................................................................................................................................71

collections .............................................................................................................................................................................72

Field stations .........................................................................................................................................................................77

Services ..................................................................................................................................................................................78

NATUre reSeArch ceNTrePhotos from archives of the Nature research centre and its laboratories as well as from personal archives of employees

2015-12-14.70×100/16.6,45sąlyg.s.l.Tiražas200egz.Published by Gamtos tyrimų centras, Akademijos g. 2, LT-08412 VilniusPrinted by UAB „Petro ofsetas“, Naujoji riovonių g. 25c LT-03153, Vilnius

n a t u r e research centre gtc leidinys 2016 en.pdfthe state scientific research institute nature...

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