„PCINJA 2006“
In Summer of 2006 BSSRS ″Josif Pancic″ had organiezed a research expedition „Pcinja 2006“. 10 members of our society and 2 members of SYRIG “Branislav Bukurov” took part in this science expedition. The base of the camp was located in a meadow near the Saint Prohor Pcinjski Monastery, municipality of Bujanovac. The area in which the research was done is “River Pcinja Valley” - area officially categorized as a landscape of exceptional quality and variety. 6 sections were covered: botanic, entomology, herpetology, ornithology, mammalogy and geography/tourism. The aim of the expedition was reconnaissance of the site, gathering faunistical and floristical data and the mapping of species.
The Pcinja district is on the southern part Serbia and consists of 7 municipalities. Other than the Morava-Vardar valley, the region is considered a mountain region. Due to the fact that the Pcinja river flows into the river Vardar, which is a mediterranean river, there is a diversity of climate varying from sub mediterranean to mediterranean, resulting the diversity of ecosystems, flora and fauna. This variety of life was the main reason why this area seemed attractive for scientific research.
We slept in tents, gathered wood, we made camp-fires, washed ourselves in the river, gathered drinking water from the monastery spring, made regular field exercises, sometimes even by night.
The southern parts of the municipality of Bujanovac and a part of the municipality of Trgoviste were in the focus of our attention (and the surrounding villages Jablanica, Vogance, Gornji i Donji Starac, Spancevac, Baraljevac and Klenike) since we had no adequate means of transportation. Thanks to Mr. Robert McCurrach, two of our camp memebers had the honor to enjoy a field-trip to the Dukat Mountain, which is a home to many endemic species of flora and fauna.
Herpetology team:
Members: Nemanja Ristic, Luka Opacic i Marko Djurakic.
26 species of reptiles and amphibians were detected. Since the material was assembled in summer and spring, we expect the discovery of more species during other seasons.
In this region there is a specific mixture of Mediterranean and sub Mediterranean climate, diversity of ecosystems and species. This area is the northern borderline for some amphibian and reptile species due to the fact that this part of the Balkan Peninsula is partially Mediterranean.
In 2005., Nemanja Ristic, reported a first record of Four-lined Snake (Elaphe quatuorlineata) for Serbia. In our expedition, we confirmed presence of this snake with two new reports in other localities then firs was. Other significant reports from Pcinja district are Dahl's Whip Snake – Platyceps najadum, Erhard's Wall Lizard – Podarcis erhardii, Balkan Wall Lizard – Podarcis tauricus, Balkan Green Lizard – Lacerta trilineata, Spur-thighed Tortoise – Testudo graeca.
The team organised a survey of the population of the surrounding villages on the topic “What Do You Think About Snakes in Serbia?”
Ornithology team:
Members: Dimitrije Radisic, Marko Sciban
Several significant data collected by Nemanja Ristic
During the expedition 96 birds was registrated.
Taking in account conditions of expedition: it lasted for 14 days, it was kept during the last period of bird nesting, when in any area only nesting birds are present, a lot of singing birds are hard to detect, because they don’t sing J - this is a significant number.
Entomology team:
Members: Jelena Seat, Igor Sreckovic, Aleksandar Arandjelovic
Members of entomology team collected material from very heterogenic order of bugs - Beetles (ordo Coleoptera) with emphasis on species from Staphylinidae family which have not been explored in Serbia yet.
Also, a group of true bugs was observed (Subordo Heteroptera)
Due to absence of literature the results of this section will be published in future.
Botanics team:
Member: Ranko Peric
More then 300 species of plants have been collected. The determination of plants is in the process.
Mammalogy team:
Member: Vukasin Kangrga
The research was planed to be focused on studying the contents of owl vomit, analysis of remainings of skeleton of small mammals. Because of ethical reasons, traps for small mammals were not considered.
Owl vomit was not found in this camp so, there are no results about distribution small mammals.
Geography/tourism team:
Members: Sinisa Ratkovic, Marko Kostadinovic
The work of this team was focused on tourism and demographic research to evaluate the prospective of developing country-tourism and eco-tourism. The data elaboration is in process.
Members of this expedition were collecting material for some who weren’t on the camp: opiliones, also known as harvestmen, or daddy-longlegs for Dr Ivo Karaman and lichens for a member of BSSRS ″Josif Pancic″ Boris Radak.
Some of the activities were: photo documentation, cleaning the surrounding from waste that unscrupulous campers are leaving behind, and raising awareness of local community about nature’s values and the importance of its protection.
There were no injuries or major problems during camp.
There are plans for continuance of this expedition in next year.
Members of expedition would like to thank:
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Department for biology and ecology, Novi Sad
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Mr Milos Bokorov
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PP Darko
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Jelka Crnobrnja Isailovic
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Ljiljana Tomovic
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Rastko Ajtic
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Marko Tucakov
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Robert Mac Currach
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