By signing the Sofia Declaration on the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, the leaders of the countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), committed themselves to the implementation of five basic courses of action established by the action plan, which include: 1) decarbonization, 2) circular economy, 3) depollution, 4) sustainable agriculture and 5) protection of nature and biodiversity. This commitment means that the creation and implementation of policies should be strongly marked by an environmental approach, not only because of EU requirements but also because of the practical importance for overall sustainable development. Because of this, support measures in an increasing number of countries imply the application of measures such as making direct payments subject to the fulfillment of the so-called cross-compliance or special payments for agroecological practices, sustainable land management, etc. However, the measures included in the Green Agenda in BiH are applied very modestly, which will be presented in this paper for the period 2018-2021. Practically, measures to support organic production, soil fertility control, and the protection of genetic resources are the only ones on track with the Green Deal goals. It is expected that the new strategic documents in the field of agriculture will take into account the objectives of the CAP, and thus the Green Deal, and will bring the agriculture policy of BiH closer to the policy of the EU, for which BiH decided a long time ago.  

This work aimed to study the effect of pruning on the uvometric characteristics of the Merlot and Vranac wine varieties in the Trebinje region. The research was carried out in 2018, each variety had two variants of pruning, and each variant had three repetitions. The load levels of buds in this study were 11 (Variant I) and 9 (Variant II) buds per vine. The most important uvometric parameters of the tested varieties were measured. As an experimental factor, the variety, had a statistically significant influence on most of the investigated indicators, while pruning did not. The research carried out in Trebinje shows that both tested varieties can be successfully grown in the mentioned locality because the climatic conditions are suitable for their cultivation. 

For the purposes of the inventory, an analysis of 55 literature sources of useful plant species in the households of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina was performed. A total number of 748 plant species have been identified. According to the taxonomy, they are classified into 112 families and 418 genera. The most numerous families within which useful species are cited are: Compositae, Rosaceae, Lamiacae, Apiacae, Brasicaceae, Ranunculaceae and Poaceae. The useful species are mostly used in treatment and nutrition. Some of them are also used in the production of drugs, so they are described in pharmacopoeias such as: the Yugoslav Pharmacopoeia (2000) describing 88 species, the WHO's monographs on medicinal plants describing 62 species, the European Pharmacopoeia (8th edition) with 79 plants. Useful species with the most citations in the literature are: Urtica dioica, Hypericum perforatum, Althaea officinalis, Juniperus communis and Sambucus nigra. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with a high diversity of useful plants and significant potential that can be used in the future. A large number of publications indicate that the population throughout history has used biodiversity and natural resources in a traditional and sustainable way. The results are the basis for future research on sustainable management, promotion of natural values, useful plants and and conservation of biodiversity in BiH.

The aim of this work was to study the effect of pruning on the yield and quality of grapes of three table grape varieties Black Magic, Muscat Bleu and Alphonse Lavallee in Herzegovina. The research lasted three years (2011-2013), each variety had three varieties of pruning, and each variety had four repetitions. The load levels of the studs in this research were 28 (Variant I), 32 (Variant II) and 40 (Variant III) buds per vine. The most important indicators of fertility and quality of grapes of the tested varieties were measured. Research carried out at the site of Vrapčić in the Mostar vineyard shows that all three investigated varieties can be successfully grown at the mentioned site, although the meteorological conditions in the years of the research were less favorable than the multi-year average. For all analyzed parameters, the greatest influence on their values was the variety, as an experimental factor, followed by the year of the research, and the least variant of pruning. Based on all the obtained results, it can be concluded that the Alphonse Lavallee variety gives the best results in the area of Herzegovina. 

Acidic ammonium oxalate extraction is used to estimate the amount of amorphous or poorly crystalline iron in soils and sediments. Iron is the one element from the “iron triad” which have similar chemical behaviour. Other two elements are nickel and cobalt. The aim of this study was to evaluate acid ammonium oxalate extraction of all elements from iron triad. The samples of natural clay were used in the investigation. Samples for total amounts of metals were prepared with microwave digestion with HNO3 and HF, and measured by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). Ammonium oxalate extraction was done by earlier established procedure in acid medium and with absence of light. Measurements were conducted with atomic absorption spectroscopy with flame atomization (FAAS). For statistical evaluation, maximum, minimum, average, median and correlations were used. The investigated iron triad elements lie in the next sequence: Fe>Ni>Co. The poorly crystalline iron and ammonium oxalate extractable Ni showed higher correlation (r = 0.874) than ammonium oxalate extractable cobalt (r = 0.446), suggesting that iron and nickel are more similar regarding ammonium oxalate extractability.

Pueraria, or kudzu (Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Sanjappa & Pradeep) is a dangerous invasive foreign species of the legume family (Fabaceae). It inhabits neglected, open, bright habitats of urban areas (neglected field land, railways, etc.) and forest edges. In many countries, it is characterized as a dangerous invasive species. Due to the great danger of endangering autochthonous diversity, the goal was to create a model of predictive distribution with regard to environmental factors in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Distribution data was taken from available literature sources, as well as our own field research. The model is made on the basis of climate substrates in the form of raster layers taken from the WorldClim database that are aligned to the same, resolution, size and coordinate reference system at a resolution of about 1x1 km. In addition to the climate variables, 20 m DEM and CLC 2018 data in the form of raster layers were also used. The obtained results indicate that the distribution of the given species in the area of the Neretva river basin, and the possibility of its expansion, is why it is necessary to implement adequate preventive measures. The variable Bio_9 (Medium temperature of the driest quarter) has statistically significantly the greatest impact on the habitat suitability of a given species.

The aim of this research was to examine the degree of freezing and the fertility of winter buds along the shoots of the Malvasia Istriana and Garganega vine varieties grown in the Žepče area. The vine is sensitive to low winter temperatures, and the degree of freezing of the winter buds and other organs depends on the biological characteristics of the variety and the ecological conditions of cultivation. The degree of freezing of winter buds was determined by the method of provocation of buds, while the fertility of shoots was determined by counting inflorescences per bud, shoot and reproductive shoot. Samples were taken at the beginning of March, 10 shoots with 10 buds for each variety. Fertility and the degree of freezing of winter buds along the length of the shoots were monitored. Based on the obtained results, the percentages of buds, fertility coefficients of buds and shoots, and the fertility of varieties, as well as the fertility of developed buds from the first to the tenth nodus on the shoot, were calculated. By analyzing the measured parameters, we can conclude that the tested varieties can be successfully grown in the ecological conditions of Žepče, and the values of all tested parameters were higher in the Malvasia Istriana variety compared to the Garganega variety.

Water ecosystem pollution causes stress in fish species and leads to diseases as a consequence of interaction with opportunistic pathogens. Parasitic species pose a particular threat to fish health, being transmitted from one fish to another through direct and/or indirect means. This research conducted a parasitological analysis of the bioindicator species Barbus balcanicus. Histological analysis was performed to detect the relationship with parasitic infections, as well as the correlation between water bacteriological parameters and inflammatory processes in fish tissues. Sampling was carried out in July 2021 at two locations in the Miljacka River. Analysis of the tissue samples from the individuals detected the presence of parasites from the groups Protozoa and Trematoda, which were identified up to the level of genus or species using relevant keys and literature. Alongside ichthyoparasitological research, an analysis of physicochemical water icrobiological analysis was conducted, with results indicating pollution of the Miljacka River and favorable conditions for parasite development. Histological analysis confirmed the presence of pathological lesions in the gill and liver tissues of individuals, linked to parasitic infections and the presence of pathogenic microorganisms. Various pollutants in water ecosystems contribute to the presence of parasites and histopathological changes in fish species, while parasitic infections and tissue changes indicate poor ecological status and contamination of surface waters.

Invasive species represent major direct pressure on loss of biodiversity, human health, the economy of a given area and negatively affect the general benefits of nature. Invasive plants have a high competitive abilty and often spread around degraded habitats and urban areas. The aim of this paper is to represent diversity of invasive plant species in the area of Tuzla city, to analyse the spectrum of life forms and the geographical origin of species. Scientific researches were conducted in 2018 and 2019 during the summer and autunm season using transect sampling method. Based on field research we determined the presence of 24 plant species which makes almost 30% of the whole number of invasive plants in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Major number of species comes from family of Compositae, while the most common life form is a therophyte. With its representation in the city and suburbs of Tuzla, the species that stand out from the list of the hundred most invasive species in Europe are: Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., Reynoutria japonica Houtt., Helianthus tuberosus L. and Robinia pseudoacacia L. 

The field research for this study was carried out during the autumn season in 2018 at three well developed peatland ecosystems on Vranica mountain. Collection of diatom samples was carried out by squeezing Sphagnum moss. After squeezing, collected material was fixed with 4% solution of formalin. Laboratory processing of diatom samples was carried out applying methods used by Hustedt (1930). A total of 78 taxa belonging to 33 genera were determined in the collected samples. Genera with the highest number of species were Eunotia (14), Pinnularia (11), Gomphonema (5) and Neidium (5). Altogether 77 diatom taxa mostly belonging to pennate diatoms were found. The only centric species, Aulacoseira alpigena (Grunow) Krammer 1991, appeared in one sample only. The most common species were Encyonema perpusillum, Pinnularia borealis, Frustulia crassinervia, Pinnularia rupestris, Eunotia paludosa, Pinnularia microstauron, Pinnularia perirrorata, Eunotia valida, Tabellaria ventricosa, Pinnularia subcapitata var. elongata. This study showed the presence of the large number of rare and endangered species in the peatland ecosystems on Vranica mountain, but also pronounced negative anthropogenic influences. In order to protect these unique and extremely valuable ecosystems in the future, certain restoration and conservation actions should be undertaken. These activities should be seen in the establishment of long-term monitoring and prevention of further degradation of peatland ecosystems through more active and stronger protection.

The sustainable development paradigm, as institutionalized through the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has reached a state of structural exhaustion. Only 17% of SDG targets were on track at the 2024 midpoint, with over one‐third stalled or regressing. This conceptual paper argues that sustainable development is dead as a governance paradigm, killed by four convergent forces: political delegitimation processes by populist‐authoritarian movements, capture of UN sustainability mechanisms by financialized market instruments, conceptual stretching beyond analytical coherence, and coordination failure across global, national, and local governance scales. Drawing on the Quadruple Bottom Line (QBL) framework, the post‐factual polity thesis, and adjacent literatures on resilience‐based governance, paradox theory, and sustainability transitions, the paper proposes adaptive transformation governance (ATG) as a successor framework that embeds governance accountability as a structural design principle.

The Canton Sarajevo has the highest number of protected natural areas, among the other cantons in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including natural monument and protected landscape as follows: Skakavac, Bijambare, Vrelo Bosne, Trebević and Bentbaša. Each of these areas is characterized by specific geomorphological, hydrological, pedological, biological and ecological features, serving as centers of biological diversity for flora, fauna and fungi. This paper provides insights into the diversity of cyanobacteria and algae within selected protected areas of the Canton Sarajevo. To date, 268 taxa of cyanobacteria and algae have been identified within these areas. Bijambare boasts the highest species count (155), followed by Vrelo Bosne (66) and Skakavac (66). Data on the diversity of these organisms in Bentbaša and Trebević are currently unavailable, highlighting the need for more detailed and systematic research in these areas. Beyond establishing a list of cyanobacteria and algae, continuous monitoring of their habitats in the protected areas of Canton Sarajevo is essential. Given that cyanobacteria and algae are excellent bioindicators of aquatic ecosystems, incorporating them into planning documents for ongoing monitoring is a crucial step in preserving these valuable regions.  

Taking into account water resources and their importance for human life and economic development, it is clear that accurate and precise determination of irrigation requirements in modern agricultural practice becomes imperative, especially in the context of increasingly pronounced climate changes and more frequent droughts. Today, there are numerous ways to measure and assess the state of soil moisture and, accordingly, the need for irrigation of individual agricultural crops, in modern agricultural science, software models used for these purposes are increasingly important. This paper provides an overview of some of the more important software models used to determine irrigation needs. Four different models (CROPWAT, EXCEL-IRR, AquaCrop and SIMDualKc) are described and configured to correspond to the state of a maize crop grown during 2021, at the Experimental Field of the Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Sarajevo, in Butmir. The mentioned configurations included the definition of meteorological, pedological and agronomic or biological parameters in the field and the use of software models to estimate irrigation requirements. The modeling results were presented through crop evapotranspiration, soil water depletion dynamics and crop irrigation requirements. Evaluation of the results of the generated data proves the appropriate accuracy and applicability of all models. However, each of the four used models has certain advantages and disadvantages, and practical application depends on the type of user and available data. Farmers will prefer to use simpler models such as CROPWAT and EXCEL-IRR, while researchers will prefer more complex and accurate models such as SIMDualKc and AquaCrop. 

Climate change researches indicate a significant increase in air temperature at the global level, while the annual precipitation shows a trend of decreased precipitation in the Mediterranean region. However, the local climate variability should be viewed as a consequence of global change determined by local impacts (latitude and longitude; topography; the impact of sea and altitude).In this paper agro-ecological characteristics of two individual regions namely the area of high karst with karst fields, and the area of low-Herzegovina area were analyzed. The analysis of climate change and variability covers representative weather stations of the observed regions: Livno, Mostar, and Trebinje. Short-term scenarios on climate change for these two regions for the period 2011-2040 (scenario RCP8.5, scenario A2, scenario A1B) were presented.The analysis of data shows that in the southern parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a higher level of climate variability is manifested. In particular, extremely high temperatures and solar radiation during the summer months, early moving of vegetation, the extension of dry periods during the early fall, while high rainfall occurred during the late fall and winter period. It creates many problems especially in the agricultural sector, so adaptation measures have to be developed focusing especially on the development of soil water management strategy.

Fatty acid profile data are crucial for the production and promotion of sheep milk and dairy derivatives. Sheep's milk is an interesting and economically interesting product that plays a very important role in the diet of the population. Consumption of sheep's milk is growing due to its nutritional value, but also the variety of products obtained from it. The chemical composition of products of animal origin, especially the content of certain ingredients such as fatty acids, has attracted great attention of experts for years precisely because of their impact on human health. The aim of the study was to determine the fatty acid composition of sheep's milk during the lactation period with reference to the health significance of milk. The study was conducted during the lactation period on a total of 40 pramenka sheep breed in July (I) and August (II). We determined 24 fatty acids in milk. The median values of most saturated fatty acids in milk were lower in the second sampling period (II) compared to the first sampling period, which is in the case of acids C6:0 to C15:0 statistically significant. On the other side, the concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids were found to be higher in the second, than in the first sampling period, but the difference was statistically significant only for C18: 1 cis-9 acid. The contrary was found for the fatty acid C18: 1 trans-11, whose median value was numerically lower in the second sampling period. There were no significant differences for polyunsaturated fatty acids between the two sampling periods, except for the fatty acid C18: 3n-3, whose median value was significantly lower in the second, compared to the first sampling period. Differences were considered statistically significant at p <0.05, p <0.01, and p <0.001.