Volume 32 (2021): Issue 1 (March 2021)

Solid waste management is one of the most environmentally challenging issues in Kosovo. Still there is not full coverage with waste collection service, there are a lot of illegal dumpsites, very few recycling initiatives and so on. In the study, we have investigated waste generation per day, solid waste characterization and recycling potential in two municipalities of Kosovo – Decan and Junik. The data were collected during 10 days in different locations in order to cover the whole territory of both municipalities. Both municipalities generate almost the same amount of waste per capita/kg/day, have very similar waste characterization when half of the waste is biodegradable. Only by selling recycling type of waste to waste treatment companies both of the municipalities generate incomes that can be used to improve waste management in their territory. So, as far as these municipalities start with waste separation, better waste management will be within their territory.

Canadian goldenrod (Solidago canadensis L.) is classified as an invasive plant species in many Eurasian countries. The species shows a great ability to environmentally spread in a variety of habitats, anthropogenic ones included. Based on the literature data, the paper discusses the negative effects of the presence of S. canadensis in the environment, including the reduction of biodiversity in plants and some species of insects and insectivorous birds. The occurrence of goldenrod clusters also contributes to soil degradation. Positive aspects related to the presence of S. canadensis are also discussed in the paper. Goldenrod can be used in the phytoremediation of soils contaminated with heavy metals and as an energy plant. Its extracts are effective in controlling the bloom of some algae in water reservoirs and in fighting fungal and bacterial diseases in plants. Goldenrod inflorescences’ abounding nectar allows for the efficient harvesting of honey. Both the inflorescences and the leaves of the plant are a valuable herbal raw material with a wide spectrum of activity, including its impact on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. For these reasons, goldenrod deserves special attention in environmental research.

The study about the resilience of Rubiaceae to the influence of anthropogenic factors was conducted along the altitudinal gradient of 300–3900 m asl. in Western Bhutan. The survey covered three types of forest, categorized based on the prevalence of anthropogenic disturbances and assessed the diversity of Rubiaceae species in each forest type. The study recorded a total of 54 Rubiaceae species belonging to 41 genera from the study sites. The high diversity of Rubiaceae in the intermediately disturbed forest as revealed by Simpson and Shannon-Wiener diversity analysis and further strengthened by a between-group one-way ANOVA analysis contradicts the presumed description of Rubiaceae as ecologically sensitive. The wider adaptability range exhibited by Ceriscoides (Hook.f.) Tirvendadum, Himalrandia Yamazaki, Uncaria Schreber, and Leptodermis Wall. showing presence in all the forest categories indicates a higher survival rate of these genera. On the contrary, the species showing a higher rate of confinement to a specific habitat bears higher risk of extinction due to ever-rising anthropogenic disturbances. As such, an exhaustive research assessing the impact of different categories of anthropogenic factors on different species of Rubiaceae is required to understand the overall resilience of the family to the anthropogenic disturbances.