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Accumulated copper (Cu) in agricultural soils is non-biodegradable and persists in the environment, which imposes the need for its regular monitoring by selective, rapid, simple, and low-cost analytical techniques. The performance of portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometers (pXRF) has significantly improved in the last ten years, and they are increasingly applied for environmental, agronomic, and soil science purposes. This study aims to compare the total Cu content determined in agricultural soil samples using three analytical methods (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, (ICP-MS), atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS), and pXRF). The research was based on analyses of thirty-five soil samples collected from two vineyards, arable land, and a meadow located in North-West Croatia. In airdried, milled, and homogenized soil samples, Cu content was detected using a hand-held XRF analyzer under laboratory conditions, while ICP-MS and AAS analysis were performed after open digestion by aqua-regia. Determined Cu content varied in very similar ranges from 51.2 mg/kg to 444.3 mg/kg with an average of 138.9 mg/kg for AAS; from 48.6 mg/ kg to 446.4 mg/kg and an average of 139.7 mg/kg for ICP-MS and from 54.0 mg/kg to 435.3 mg/kg with an average of 141.3 mg/kg for pXRF. A high positive correlation between Cu content determined by pXRF and ICP-MS (R2 = 0.996), as well as between pXRF and AAS (R2 = 0.997), along with the results of Bland-Altman statistical analysis indicate that pXRF can be applied as a reliable tool for analyses of Cu-contaminated agricultural soil., Akumulirani bakar (Cu) u poljoprivrednim tlima nije biorazgradiv i postojan je u okolišu, što nameće potrebu za njegovim redovitim praćenjem selektivnim, brzim, jednostavnim i jeftinim analitičkim tehnikama. Performanse prijenosnih rendgenskih fluorescentnih spektrometara (pXRF) značajno su poboljšane u posljednjih deset godina, te se sve više primjenjuju u znastvenim istraživanjima vezanim za agronomiju, okoliš i tlo. Cilj ovog rada bio je usporediti sadržaj ukupnog Cu u uzorcima poljoprivrednih tala determiniranog s tri analitičke metode (induktivno spregnuta plazma masena spektrometrija, (ICP-MS), atomska apsorpcijska spektrofotometrija (AAS) i pXRF). Istraživanje se temeljilo na analizi trideset i pet uzoraka tla iz dva vinograda, oranice i livade koji su smješeteni u sjeverozapadnom dijelu Hrvatske. U osušenim, samljevenim i homogeniziranim uzorcima tla sadržaj Cu detektiran je prijenosnim XRF analizatorom u laboratorijskim uvjetima, dok su ICP-MS i AAS analize provedene nakon otvorene digestije sa zlatotopkom. Utvrđeni sadržaj Cu varirao je u vrlo sličnim rasponima od 51,2 mg/kg do 444,3 mg/kg s prosjekom od 138,9 mg/kg za AAS; od 48,6 mg/kg do 446,4 mg/kg i prosjek od 139,7 mg/kg za ICP-MS, te od 54,0 mg/kg do 435,3 mg/kg s prosjekom od 141,3 mg/kg za pXRF. Visoka pozitivna korelacija između sadržaja Cu utvrđenog pomoću pXRF i ICP-MS (R2 = 0,996), kao i između pXRF i AAS (R2 = 0,997), zajedno s rezultatima Bland-Altmanove statističke analize, ukazuje da se pXRF može primijeniti kao pouzdan alat za analizu bakrom kontaminiranog poljoprivrednog tla.

The agricultural practice of burning straw or vine stem is widespread in the Mediterranean to control excess biomass. Although the practice is widespread, the long-term effects on the structure of the flora, natural ecological restoration and the impact on biodiversity remain poorly understood and researched. Mediterranean species have post-fire ecological strategies, such as the ability to resprout, the persistence of the seed bank, or the ability to grow or disperse. In this work, an abandoned agricultural field (AAF) was burned by an induced fire. Fifteen rings (diameter 0.2 m2) were established on the studied area, five for each variant: I. unburned (UB), II. moderately intensive (MB) and III. high intensive (HB). The results showed that the functional group (FG) of grasses dominated in the MB variant, in contrast to the dominance of legumes in the HB variant. Compared to the AAF, the number of grasses FG slightly decreased in both burn variants (MB, HB). The predominant strategy was competitors (C), followed by ruderal plants (R), the number of which increased slightly after burning in the MB and HB variants, while stress tolerance decreased significantly in both variants. These results indicate that the intensity of HB does not promote the survival of grasses in the first year after burning, while legumes and grasses are more resistant to higher fire intensity and therefore have a higher chance of survival. In summary, the burning of straw or vine stem on AAF initiates complex ecological processes that shape the landscape and can significantly influence the biodiversity of the area., Poljoprivredna praksa spaljivanja slame strnine ili rozge vinove loze raširena je u mediteranskoj regiji kao sredstvo za kontrolu viška biomase. Iako se već naširoko i dugi niz godina koristi, dugoročni učinci ove prakse na strukturu flore, prirodnu ekološku obnovu i njezin utjecaj na biološku raznolikost i dalje su slabo shvaćeni i istraženi. Mediteranske vrste imaju ekološke strategije za obnovu nakon požara, to su; sposobnost ponovnog nicanja, postojanost banke sjemena ili sposobnost rasta i/ili raspršivanja. U ovom radu, induciranim je požarom opožarena napuštena poljoprivredna polja (AAF). Na istraživanoj površini uspostavljeno je pet čeličnih krugova (promjera 0,2 m2), po pet za svaku varijantu: I. kontrola - neopožareno (UB), II. srednji intenzitet (MB) i III. visoki intenzitet požara (HB). Rezultati su pokazali da u varijanti MB dominira funkcionalna skupina (FG) trava, za razliku od dominacije mahunarki u varijanti HB. U usporedbi s AAF, broj FG zeljanica blago se smanjio u obje opožarene varijante (MB, HB). Dominantna ekološka strategija bili su kompetitori (C), zatim ruderalne biljke (R) čiji se broj neznatno povećao nakon spaljivanja u MB i HB varijanti, dok je postotak stres tolerantnih biljaka značajno smanjen u obje varijante. Ovi rezultati pokazuju da visoki intenzitet gorenja HB ne potiče preživljavanje funkcionalne skupine trava u prvoj godini nakon požara, dok su mahunarke i zeljanice otpornije na veći intenzitet požara te stoga imaju veće šanse za preživljavanje. Zaključno, spaljivanje slama strnine ili rozga vinove loze na AAF-u inicira složene ekološke procese koji mogu oblikovati krajobraz i znatno utjecati na bioraznolikost područja.

Intensive agricultural practices increase agrochemical pollution, particularly nitrogen (N) based fertilizers, which present an environmental risk. This study aims to evaluate long-term (2009–2020) data on soil water regime and nitrate dynamics at an agricultural experimental site on fine-textured soils and to better understand the implications of N management in relation to groundwater pollution. The field site is located in the Biđ field (eastern Croatia), in the proximity of the Sava river. Zero-tension lysimeters were installed at six selected locations. Lysimeters were used to monitor the water regime, i.e., outflows in which nitrate concentration was measured, while additional soil-water samples were collected via 4 and 15-meter-deep monitoring wells. Soil hydraulic parameters were estimated by combining the laboratory measurements, and estimation in RETC software. Water regime and nitrate leaching in lysimeters were simulated using HYDRUS-1D for each year to allow crop rotation and to evaluate their effects individually. The HYDRUS-1D model successfully reproduced lysimeter outflows and nitrate dynamics, which was confirmed with high R2 values (water: 93% above 0.7, and nitrate: 73% above 0.7) indicating the good performance of the model simulating nitrification chain reactions. Principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to identify the relationships among all soil properties and environmental characteristics. The results showed the complex interaction of soil hydraulic properties, precipitation patterns, plant uptake, and N application. All locations have a decreasing trend of nitrate leaching over the investigation period. Most of the lysimeter outflows and elevated nitrate concentrations were connected to the wet period of the year when the soil was saturated, and evapotranspiration was low. The results of this study show that it is important to optimize N fertilizer applications for each particular environmental condition to reduce nitrate loss. The

As the world's population increases every day, so does their need for food. Most of the world's population lives in urban centres away from food production sites. To reduce food dependence, the urban population turns to food production within the city, urban agriculture (UA). Attention to urban agriculture has increased rapidly during the last couple of decades. Enthusiasm for UA is growing on an international and domestic level, also with the scholar community. Still, there are policy makers that struggle to implement UA with city planning. Over time, various forms of agriculture production in the city have evolved, divided into three main categories: urban agriculture, peri-urban agriculture, and urban farms. In addition to its multiple impacts (economic and ecological), UA has a significant holistic approach. It appears differently depending on the context. Some of the social effects of urban agriculture can be: fostering activism, gender equality, social cohesion and social inclusion, education, and preservation of cultural heritage. There are many examples of urban agriculture in the world, often with an economic or environmental role as the primary one. However, in this paper, firstly, we analyse various social aspects, and secondly, we present examples from Croatia, where the primary purposes are social benefits., Kako se svjetsko stanovništvo svakodnevno povećava, tako se povećava i njihova potreba za hranom. Većina svjetske populacije nalazi se u urbanim središtima daleko od mjesta proizvodnje hrane. Kako bi se smanjila ovisnost o hrani, gradsko se stanovništvo okreće proizvodnji hrane u gradu, odnosno gradskoj poljoprivredi (GP). Naklonost prema gradskoj poljoprivredi povećava se u posljednjih nekoliko desetljeća. Oduševljenje GP raste na međunarodnoj i domaćoj razini, ali i u znanstvenoj zajednici. Nažalost, političari na lokalnoj razini teško se odlučuju za implementaciju GP u urbanističko planiranje. Razvojem poljoprivredne proizvodnje u gradu, pojavili su se različiti tipovi GP, podijeljeni u tri glavne kategorije: gradska poljoprivreda, prigradska poljoprivreda i gradski uzgoj. Osim višestrukih utjecaja (ekonomskih i ekoloških), GP ima značajan holistički pristup. Pojavljuje se na različite načine, te je izrazito lokalnog karaktera. Neki od društvenih učinaka GP mogu biti: poticanje civilnog aktivizma, ravnopravnosti spolova, društvena kohezija i socijalna uključenost, obrazovanje i očuvanje kulturne baštine. U svijetu postoji mnogo primjera gradske poljoprivrede, često s ekonomskom ili ekološkom ulogom kao primarnom. Međutim, u našem radu navodimo primjere iz Hrvatske s primarnom društvenom ulogom, te zaključno iznosimo perspektivu razvoja navedene uloge gradske poljoprivrede.

As the world's population increases every day, so does their need for food. Most of the world's population lives in urban centres away from food production sites. To reduce food dependence, the urban population turns to food production within the city, urban agriculture (UA). Attention to urban agriculture has increased rapidly during the last couple of decades. Enthusiasm for UA is growing on an international and domestic level, also with the scholar community. Still, there are policy makers that struggle to implement UA with city planning. Over time, various forms of agriculture production in the city have evolved, divided into three main categories: urban agriculture, peri-urban agriculture, and urban farms. In addition to its multiple impacts (economic and ecological), UA has a significant holistic approach. It appears differently depending on the context. Some of the social effects of urban agriculture can be: fostering activism, gender equality, social cohesion and social inclusion, education, and preservation of cultural heritage. There are many examples of urban agriculture in the world, often with an economic or environmental role as the primary one. However, in this paper, firstly, we analyse various social aspects, and secondly, we present examples from Croatia, where the primary purposes are social benefits., Kako se svjetsko stanovništvo svakodnevno povećava, tako se povećava i njihova potreba za hranom. Većina svjetske populacije nalazi se u urbanim središtima daleko od mjesta proizvodnje hrane. Kako bi se smanjila ovisnost o hrani, gradsko se stanovništvo okreće proizvodnji hrane u gradu, odnosno gradskoj poljoprivredi (GP). Naklonost prema gradskoj poljoprivredi povećava se u posljednjih nekoliko desetljeća. Oduševljenje GP raste na međunarodnoj i domaćoj razini, ali i u znanstvenoj zajednici. Nažalost, političari na lokalnoj razini teško se odlučuju za implementaciju GP u urbanističko planiranje. Razvojem poljoprivredne proizvodnje u gradu, pojavili su se različiti tipovi GP, podijeljeni u tri glavne kategorije: gradska poljoprivreda, prigradska poljoprivreda i gradski uzgoj. Osim višestrukih utjecaja (ekonomskih i ekoloških), GP ima značajan holistički pristup. Pojavljuje se na različite načine, te je izrazito lokalnog karaktera. Neki od društvenih učinaka GP mogu biti: poticanje civilnog aktivizma, ravnopravnosti spolova, društvena kohezija i socijalna uključenost, obrazovanje i očuvanje kulturne baštine. U svijetu postoji mnogo primjera gradske poljoprivrede, često s ekonomskom ili ekološkom ulogom kao primarnom. Međutim, u našem radu navodimo primjere iz Hrvatske s primarnom društvenom ulogom, te zaključno iznosimo perspektivu razvoja navedene uloge gradske poljoprivrede.

This research aims to propose a tool to raise young citizens' awareness and preparedness towards emergency cases, especially floods, in Zagreb, Croatia. It seeks a possible way to build a bridge between past disaster experience and preparedness in today's life and future in the context of Croatian society. This paper focuses the status of awareness among young generations through analysis of social survey results in order to discuss what means would be necessary for the purpose of raising awareness and preparedness towards disaster risks. It also tries to find if computational tool, as way forward, can be effective as educational tool for awareness-raising. It concludes with a proposal of tool development to form a holistic approach regarding education for sustainable development of Zagreb.