Biology evening: The Impact of fires on the flora of the overgrowing Karst

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About the lecture:

Although autumn is already here and with it the end of the floristic season, that won’t stop us from taking a botanical walk through the burnt landscapes of the Karst – through stories and photographs. This year, my colleague and I have been surveying the vegetation on burned areas as well as in the surrounding unburned sites. In the lecture, I will share some observations about:

• how the fires in 2022 and 2024 affected the vegetation in the Goriška and Brestovica Karst areas;

• whether spontaneous fires can be considered a natural factor in maintaining grassland areas in the Karst; and

• whether there are any differences when grassland restoration is carried out deliberately through the removal of woody vegetation and the sowing of grassland species.

We will get to know the plant species that occur in the overgrowing Karst, in the burned areas, and in the still-preserved dry Karst grasslands of the Scorzoneretalia villosae community. In short, it will feel almost like being out on a botanical field trip.

About the lecturer:

Eva Ilić graduated in Biology from the University of Ljubljana and is now continuing her studies in the field of biological education. She enjoys working with plants (especially phytosociology) as well as with people. For many years, she has been involved in student field camps in a mentoring role, (co)leading botanical groups in Slovenia and across the Balkans. She also enjoys preparing and leading botany-themed excursions for groups of different ages and interests.

As an IVY volunteer, she participates in the Kras4us project at FAMNIT, helps collect seeds within the transPlant project for the Škocjan Caves, and has also taken part in wet grassland surveys for the student project RSF Glince. Whenever possible, she continues to improve her botanical knowledge under the guidance of experienced botanists or together with her peers. In her free time, she loves to spend time in nature on foot or by bike (while trying not to botanize too much – so she can actually reach a mountain peak now and then!).