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Maintenance of traditional cultural landscapes largely depends on traditional agricultural practices, which are nowadays in decline as a result of increasingly intensive and mechanised land use. Losing traditional practices may result in impoverishing of picturesque mosaic landscape and biodiversity. This research focuses on land-use changes in two time periods (2002–2008; 2013–2016) and effects of changes reflecting on populations of critically endangered butterfly. False Ringlet, Coenonympha oedippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), is a habitat specialist, which in Slovenia inhabits two geographically distinct contrasting habitats – dry meadows in south-western and wetlands in central Slovenia. We compared nine environmental parameters to assess environmental differences, which shape species habitat; seven parameters significantly differ among the four geographical regions and five among the two habitat types. Four parameters significantly differ (i.e. at least in two regions) when tested for homogeneity, while in dry habitat type all (except slope) were significant and none in wet habitat. Changes in land use in two studied periods lit up two processes: transformation of meadows into agricultural land and overgrowing of the meadows, both processes affecting species severely. We believe that maintaining of traditional landscapes in future could serve as a good conservation practice for this endangered species.

Five decades ago, a landmark paper in Science titled The Cave Environment heralded caves as ideal natural experimental laboratories in which to develop and address general questions in geology, ecology, biogeography, and evolutionary biology. Although the 'caves as laboratory' paradigm has since been advocated by subterranean biologists, there are few examples of studies that successfully translated their results into general principles. The contemporary era of big data, modelling tools, and revolutionary advances in genetics and (meta)genomics provides an opportunity to revisit unresolved questions and challenges, as well as examine promising new avenues of research in subterranean biology. Accordingly, we have developed a roadmap to guide future research endeavours in subterranean biology by adapting a well-established methodology of 'horizon scanning' to identify the highest priority research questions across six subject areas. Based on the expert opinion of 30 scientists from around the globe with complementary expertise and of different academic ages, we assembled an initial list of 258 fundamental questions concentrating on macroecology and microbial ecology, adaptation, evolution, and conservation. Subsequently, through online surveys, 130 subterranean biologists with various backgrounds assisted us in reducing our list to 50 top-priority questions. These research questions are broad in scope and ready to be addressed in the next decade. We believe this exercise will stimulate research towards a deeper understanding of subterranean biology and foster hypothesis-driven studies likely to resonate broadly from the traditional boundaries of this field. S.M acknowledge support by the CAWEB project “Testing macroecological theory using simplified systems”, funded by the European Commission through Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) individual fellowships (Grant no. 882221). I.R.A. was supported by Portuguese funds through FCT – Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., under the Norma Transitória – DL57/2016/ CP1375/CT0003. D.E. was supported by IFREMER and by the CERES “Climate change and European Aquatic Resources” project funded by European Commission through Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant no. 678193). C.F., Z.F., and M.Z. were supported by the Slovenian Research Agency (program P1-0184, project N1-0069). J.E.K. was funded by NSF awards DEB1754231 and IOS1933428, and EDGE award 1923372. F.M. was supported by the French National Research Agency projects CONVERGENOMICS (ANR-15-CE32-0005) and EUR H2O’Lyon (ANR-17-EURE-0018). A.M. was supported by the ANCAVE project “Anchialine caves to understand evolutionary processes”, funded by the European Commission through Horizon 2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) individual fellowships (Grant no. 745530). P.A.V.B. was supported by the project AZORESBIOPORTAL – PORBIOTA (ACORES-01-0145-FEDER-000072), financed by FEDER in 85% and by Azorean Public funds by 15% through Operational Program Azores 2020. A.S.P.S.R. was supported by VILLUM FONDEN (Grant no. 15471) and by a Carlsbergfondet grant (CF19-0609). T.G.P. was supported by Vale S.A. and Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) for individual fellowship (RDP 00092-18). T.P. was supported by the Karst Research Programme P6-0119, LifeWatch ERIC, RI-SI LifeWatch, and EU H2020 project eLTER. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Salinity is a limiting factor for many invertebrates, especially for Odonata which are typically associated with freshwater ecosystems. In Europe, 15 Odonata species inhabit brackish wetlands and only few detailed data on their tolerance towards salinity are available. We investigated Odonata fauna in 11 sampling stations situated in three estuarine areas (northern Adriatic coastline) which differed in salinity conditions (freshwater- polyhaline habitats) in order to assess affinity of Odonata species to brackish habitats and to describe their distribution pattern in coastal wetlands. Adults, exuviae (the remains of the exoskeleton after the last larval instar), and the main chemical and physical water parameters were sampled every 2 weeks for 1 year in each station. In total, 25 species were detected and 56% of them were able to complete their life cycle in brackish water environments. Our results showed that freshwater and oligohaline ponds were the most favorable for dragonflies, with an overall higher species richness. There was a high species turnover along the salinity gradient, with a strong differentiation among the communities along the gradient. Considering the exuviae, we observed a high specificity with respect to the habitat conditions (seven species exclusive of freshwater sites and six of oligohaline ones, respectively). Among the adults, four species were found exclusively in freshwater habitats and no species seemed to be strictly connected with oligohaline habitats. Coastal wetlands are composed by a mosaic of different habitats especially when freshwater and seawater are close together, supporting many Odonata species with different tolerance toward salinity conditions. They also provide useful insights for conservation and management actions.

We studied a population of the regionally endangered marsh fritillary butterfly Euphydryas aurinia inhabiting a system of loosely connected dry calcareous grasslands in sub-Mediterranean Slovenia. Our goal was to set the basis for a long-term monitoring of this butterfly in four meadows using mark-release-recapture (MRR). We determined its demographic parameters, dispersal, behaviour and utilization of nectar plants in different quality patches. Total population size was estimated to be approximately 347 males (95% confidence interval: 262-432) and 326 females (95% confidence interval: 250-402), with an unbiased sex ratio. The average lifespans were 6.3 and 8.6 days, respectively. Daily population sizes followed a parabola with marked protandry. Both sexes were relatively highly mobile with both occasionally moving over half a kilometre. The spatial distribution of animals seemed to be associated with patch size, host plant densities and nectar sources, resulting in much higher population densities in the largest patch. Adult behaviour differed between the sexes, with females resting more and flying less than males. Behaviour also changed during daytime and with the progression of the season. Adults were confirmed to be opportunistic feeders, since as many as ten nectar sources were detected. We conclude that demographic parameters differ greatly among regions and habitats, thus conservation aims should be planned accordingly. Although the population studied is apparently in good condition, there are threats that may hamper the long-term persistence of the species in this area: succession, intensification of mowing and overgrazing.

At the southern limit of its range the endangered butterfly Coenonympha oedippus inhabits grasslands (wet, dry) that differ significantly in the abundance of its larval hostplants (wet > dry) and mean annual air temperature (wet < dry). We determined the difference in the wing morphology of individuals in the two contrasting habitats to test whether and how traits associated with wing size, shape and eye like spots vary in the sexes and two ecotypes. We show that sexual dimorphism follows the same (wing size and shape, number of eyespots on forewing) or different (relative area of eyespots on hindwings) patterns in the two contrasting habitats. Irrespective of ecotype, females had larger, longer and narrower wings, and more forewing eyespots than males. Sexual dimorphism in the relative area of eyespots on hindwing was female-biased in the wet, but male-biased in the dry ecotype. Ecotype dimorphism in wing size and the relative area of eyespots on the hindwing is best explained by mean annual air temperature and abundance of host-plants. While ecotype dimorphism in wing size did not differ between sexes, neither in direction (wet > dry) or in degree, in the two sexes the relative area of eyespots on hindwing had opposite patterns (males: dry > wet; females: wet > dry) and was more pronounced in males than in females. The differences in wing shape between ecotypes were detected only in the hindwings of males, with more rounded apex in the dry than in the wet ecotype. We discuss the life-history traits, behavioural strategies and selection mechanisms, which largely account for the sex- and ecotype-specific variation in wing morphology.

La importancia de los pastizales seminaturales y la ganadería en el mantenimiento de las comunidades de coleópteros coprófagos (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) en las zonas submediterráneas de Eslovenia Estudiamos la riqueza y la estructura de la comunidad de escarabeoideos coprófagos en dos pastizales (Hrastovlje y Zazid) en la zona submediterránea de Eslovenia. En cada pastizal, analizamos tres fragmentos caracterizados por diferentes grados de pastoreo (S1, la zona activa de pastoreo; S2, la zona de crecimiento del pasto, principalmente arbustos espinosos; y S3, una pradera con algunos fragmentos arbustivos con crecimiento fuera del pastizal vallado). Los resultados principales fueron los siguientes: (1) se muestrearon 29 especies que correspondían aproximadamente a tres cuartas partes de las especies previsiblemente presentes en los dos sitios de estudio; (2) la riqueza y la abundancia de especies en Zazid fueron parecidas en los tres fragmentos; y (3) la riqueza y la abundancia de especies en Hrastovlje (en total y los residentes y los cavadores por separado) fueron más elevadas en S2. En Hrastovlje, los residentes fueron más abundantes en S1. Como se constató que ambos fragmentos de hábitat influían positivamente en la comunidad de coleópteros coprófagos, recomendamos mantener un territorio en mosaico gestionado de forma tradicional., We studied the richness and structure of the coprophagous Scarabaeoidea community in two pastures (Hrastovlje and Zazid) in sub–Mediterranean Slovenia. In each pasture, we examined three habitat patches characterised by different levels of grazing (S1, the active part of the pasture; S2, the overgrown part of the pasture, mainly spiny shrubs; S3, a meadow with some overgrown patches of shrubs outside the fenced pasture). The main results were as follows: (1) 29 species were sampled, corresponding to about three quarters of the species presumably present at the two study sites; (2) species richness and abundance in Zazid are were similar in all three patches; (3) the species richness and abundance in Hrastovlje (in total, and separately for dwellers and tunnelers) were highest in S2. In Hrastovlje, dwellers were most abundant in S1. As the two different habitat patches were shown to positively influence the dung beetle community, we recommend maintaining a traditionally–managed mosaic landscape.

Karst meadows belonging to the class Festuco-Brometea are regarded as species-rich habitats of national and European importance. Biodiversity in these areas is relatively high, but unlike most other semi-natural habitat types, it is highly influenced and facilitated by human activities. In the present study we document the presence and estimate abundance of butterfly species from three sampling plots in Kraški rob (SW Slovenia): two dry karst meadows and one pasture, which also includes an overgrown area. Over 16-day sampling occasions in May and June 2012, 63 species (including species complexes) were recorded. Nearly all of the species were recorded from dry karst meadows (60 ssp., 95%), while pasture (34 spp., 54%) and the overgrown site (28 spp., 44%) were less diverse. The abundance of butterflies was the lowest on the overgrown area. Although both grazing and overgrowth result in a decline in the number and abundance of species, we believe that traditional land use positively affects butterfly diversity, as it maintains open grasslands, a habitat that is preferred by most butterfly species to the later phases of succession. We therefore recommend the maintenance of a mosaic landscape structure, as it supports a wide range of butterfly fauna., Krške livade razreda Festuco-Brometea su vrstama bogata staništa od nacionalne i europske važnosti. Bioraznolikost na tim područjima je relativno visoka, no u suprotnosti s nekim drugim poluprirodnim staništima, njihova bioraznolikost je pod velikim utjecajem ljudske aktivnosti. U ovom istraživanju smo zabilježili prisutnost i procijenili brojnost danjih leptira na tri uzorkovane plohe na Kraškom rubu (jugozapadna Slovenija): dvije krške livade i jednom pašnjaku koji je uključivao i zarasla područja. Tijekom 16-dnevnog terenskog istraživanja u svibnju i lipnju 2012., zabilježili smo 63 vrste leptira (uključujući i komplekse vrsta). Gotovo sve vrste su bile zabilježene na suhim krškim livadama (60 vrsta, 95%), dok je na pašnjaku (34 vrste, 54%) i na zaraslom području (28 vrsta, 44%) raznolikost bila manja. Brojnost leptira je bila najmanja na zaraslim površinama. Iako i zaraštanje i ispaša imaju za posljedicu opadanje u broju vrsta i brojnosti, smatramo da tradicionalno korištenje zemlje pozitivno utječe na raznolikost leptira. Razlog za to je prije svega sprječavanje zaraštanja livada, koje leptiri preferiraju više od staništa u kasnijim fazama sukcesije. Zato predlažemo održavanje mozaične strukture krajolika, jer će na taj način on biti primjeren za veći broj vrsta leptira.