Botanical Garden of Vilnius University

Sukurta: 09 June 2021

43 Kairėnų, LT-10239 Vilnius
Tel. 219 3133
E-mail:
http://www.botanikos-sodas.vu.lt

Director – Dr Audrius Skridaila

Department of Scientific Programs:
Group of Plant Biodiversity and Taxonomy;
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Genetics.

STAFF

Research professor: Dr Habil. I. Pašakinskienė.
Senior researchers: Dr A. Skridaila, Dr D. Naugžemys.
Researchers: Dr A. Aučina, Dr S. Dapkūnienė, Dr R. Juodkaitė, Dr.R. Šiukšta, Dr V. Vaitkūnienė, Dr S. Žilinskaitė.
Teaching assistant: Dr G. Štukėnienė.
Doctoral student: V. Stakelienė.

RESEARCH AREAS

Genomics, Biomolecules and Biotechnologies: Fundamental and Applied Research

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Introduction and investigation of ornamental and horticulture plants
Collection, assessment and conservation of plant genetic resources
Plant molecular taxonomy
Genetic polymorphism, genetic instability of plants
Biotechnology of cultivation and reproduction
Micropropagation in vitro
Phytopatology, mycorrhizal fungi diversity

MAIN CONFERENCES ORGANIZED IN 2020

On line conference Educational Spaces: Aspects of Biodiversity, Human Health and Nutrition. Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania, Lithuanian Centre of Non-formal Youth Education, Botanical Garden of Vilnius University, 15 October 2020.

RESEARCH PROJECTS CARRIED OUT IN 2020

Projects Supported by University Budget

Plant Genetic Resources, Biological, Molecular Studies and Biotechnology. Dr Habil. I. Pašakinskienė. 2016–2020.

Long-term dynamics of ectomycorrhizal community of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) seedlings were investigated. The study was conducted to assess the effects of the set-aside period of forest clear-cuts on growth and mycorrhizal community structure of Scots pine seedlings along the soil fertility gradient. In another study, the structure and diversity of ECM fungi in different class of bonitas of Scots pine forest stands in Curonian Spit were assessed. Plant genetic resources were also investigated.

Main publications:

Vyšniauskienė, R., Rančelienė, V., Naugžemys, D., Rudaitytė-Lukošienė, E., Patamsytė, J., Butkauskas, D., Kupčinskienė, E., Žvingila, D. Genetic diversity of Nuphar lutea in Lithuanian river populations. Aquatic Botany. 2020, 161: 103173.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0304377019302360.

Dapkūnienė, S., Snieškienė, V., Maciulevičiūtė, I. Lazdijų rajono pasienio su Lenkija ir Baltarusija kaimų darželių augalai. Dekoratyviųjų ir sodo augalų sortimento, technologijų ir aplinkos optimizavimas. Mokslo darbai. 2020, 11(16): 65–71.

Snieškienė, V., Dapkūnienė, S. Lekarstvenyje rastenija v cvetnikach selskich usadeb Juzhnoj Litvy. Planta+. Achievements and Prospects. The proceedings of the international scientific and practical conference dedicated to the memory of Doctor of Chemistry, Professor Nina Pavlovna Maksyutina. Kyiv, 2020, 282–285.

National Research Projects

Research Council of Lithuania. Impact of Climate Change on Sustainability of Aquatic Vegetation in Water Courses with Ranunculion Vegetation (Habitat of European Importance 3260) (No. S-SIT-20-1). Dr D. Naugžemys. 2020–2021.

We focus on Ranunculus (sect. Batrachium) species and their communities to assess the changes in habitats in Lithuanian rivers due to rising temperatures, so the research was started not only in Lithuania, but also at selected control points in the same type of habitats north (Russia - lower temperature) and south (Italy - higher temperature). It has been established that there are 5 Ranunculus species. In addition, a new hybrid of R. penicillatus × R. circinatus has been identified, whereas 4 species of Ranunculus have been identified in Italy and 3 in Russia.

Main publications:

Butkuvienė, J., Sinkevičienė, Z., Naugžemys, D., Žvingila, D., Skridaila, A. and Bobrov, A. A. Genetic diversity of aquatic Ranunculus (Batrachium, Ranunculaceae) in one river basin caused
by hybridization. Plants. 2020, 9(11): 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9111455. (This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolutionary Genomics) https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/9/11/1455.

Butkuvienė, J., Lambertini, C., Naugžemys, D., Patamsytė, J. Climate change and anthropogenic impact on aquatic plant communities dominated by Ranunculus species, a habitat of European conservation importance (Habitat 3260). 115° Congresso della Società Botanica Italiana, online 9– 11 settembre 2020: volume degli abstract. Società Botanica Italiana, 2020, p. 78.

Butkuvienė, J., Naugžemys, D., Sinkevičienė, Z., Patamsytė, J. Riverine Ranunculus section Batrachium communities in Lithuania. Proceedings of IX International scientific conference on aquatic macrophytes HYDROBOTANY 2020, Borok, Russia, 17–21 October, 2020. Борок: ИБВВ РАН. 2020, 87–188.

International Research Projects

Project: Ribes/Rubus European Central Data Base. Dr D. Ryliškis.

Internet: http://projektai.vu.lt/ribes-rubus.
The Central Ribes/Rubus Europe Database was managed (the IPGRI and ECP/GR request).

Botanical Gardens as Part of European Cultural Heritage (B-Ardent!). Erasmus+, KA2, Nr. 2018-1-CZ01-KA202-048171. Dr G. Štukėnienė. 2019–2021.
Internet: https://www.botanikos-sodas.vu.lt/news/322/42/Botanikos-sodai-kaip-dalis-Europos-kult%C5%ABrinio-paveldo

MAIN R&D&I (RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION) PARTNERS

BGCI – Botanical Garden Conservation International
LUBSA – Lithuanian Association of University Botanical Gardens (Lithuania)
IPGRI – International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (Italy)
Institute of Dendrology, Kornik (Poland)
Lithuanian Plant Gene Bank (Lithuania)

OTHER RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

Dr A. Skridaila –

editorial board member of the Polish Dendrology Society Yearbok Rocznik Polskiego Towarzystwa Dendrologicznego, https://www.ptd.pl/ptd/?page_id=542;
editorial board member of the periodical publication of the Lithuanian Association of Landscape Architects Landscape Architecture – the Theoretical and Practical Aspects. 2020, 1(5), https://lkas.lt/wp/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Krastovaizdzio-architektura-%E2%80%93-teorijos-ir-praktikos-aspektai_online-compressed.pdf.

Dr Habil. I. Pašakinskienė –

editorial board member of the journal Botanica Lithuanica.

BEST REPORTS DELIVERED AT CONFERENCES ABROAD

J. Butkuvienė, D. Naugžemys, Z. Sinkevičienė, J. Patamsytė. Riverine Ranunculus section Batrachium communities in Lithuania. 9^th international conference On aquatic macrophytes HYDROBOTANY 2020. Borok, Russia, 17–21 October 2020. (On line).
D. Naugžemys, J. Butkuvienė, S. Pavliukovič. Lobelia dortmanna L. in Lithuania: population structure and genetic diversity. 9^th international conference On aquatic macrophytes HYDROBOTANY 2020. Borok, Russia, 17–21 October 2020. (On line).

MOST IMPORTANT PARTICIPATION CASES OF RESEARCHERS IN WORKING GROUPS OR COMMISSIONS SET UP BY STATE AUTHORITIES, STATE AND MUNICIPAL INSTITUTIONS, ORGANISATIONS, BUSINESS ENTITIES

Dr A. Skridaila - member of the Council of Control of Invasive Species by the Ministry of Environment. https://am.lrv.lt/lt/veiklos-sritys-1/gamtos-apsauga/invazines-rusys/invaziniu-rusiu-kontroles-taryba
Dr A. Skridaila - member of the First Council for the Evaluation of the Real Cultural Heritage (Greenery Expert) by the Department of Cultural Heritage under the Ministry of Culture.
Dr A. Skridaila, Dr Habil. I. Pašakinskienė - members of the Standing Commission on National Genetic Resources for Plants by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Lithuania.
Dr Habil. I. Pašakinskienė - Executive Team Expert of the National Science Program for Sustainability of Agro-, Forest- and Aquatic Ecosystems by the Lithuanian Research Council.
Dr Habil. I. Pašakinskienė - member of the Project Evaluation Committee by the Research Council of Lithuania.

MOST IMPORTANT RESEARCH DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES

17 articles in magazines and portals, 6 TV interviews, 4 radio interviews.