University of Zagreb, Faculty of Science, Biology Division, Zoology Department

Animal ecology

Aleksandar Popijač, Ph.D.

EDUCATION & TRAININIG

• 1981 - 1989 Elementary school - Varaždin, Croatia.
• 1989 - 1993 High school of natural science (mathematics-information technology) - Gimnazija Varaždin.
• 1998 B.Sc. in biology (ecology) - Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. Thesis title: “Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile beds along the coast of Mljet National Park”. Supervisor: Prof. Antonieta Požar-Domac, Ph.D. at Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb.
• 2003 M.Sc. in biology (ecology) - Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. Thesis title: "Macrozoobenthos and trophic characteristics of Jezero and Ponikve reservoirs on Krk Island". Supervisor: Prof. Mladen Kerovec, Ph.D. at Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb.
• 2007 Ph.D. in biology (ecology) - Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb. Thesis title: "Diversity and ecology of stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera) in the area of Plitvice Lakes National Park and river Cetina". Supervisors: Prof. Mladen Kerovec, Ph.D. at Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, and Ignac Sivec, Ph.D. at Slovenian Museum of Natural History in Ljubljana.
• 2000 “Taiwan Bryozoan Workshop 2000”, Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan ROC.
• 2000 “Scanning Electron Microscopy certificate training”, Precision Instrument Development Center, Hsin Chu, Taiwan ROC.
• 2001 “Taiwan Bryozoan Taxonomy Workshop 2001”, Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, Taiwan ROC.
• 2005 Plecoptera taxonomy training by Dr. Ignac Sivec - Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• 2006 Plecoptera taxonomy training by Dr. Ignac Sivec - Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• 2007 Plecoptera taxonomy training by Dr. Ignac Sivec - Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
• October 2008 - March 2009 Postdoc Fellow at Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Working with Dr. Ignac Sivec on Postdoc project "Faunistics and ecology of stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera) in the upper reach of Kupa River", financed from The National Foundation for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development of the Republic of Croatia.
• October 2009 - March 2010 Postdoc Fellow at Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Working with Dr. Ignac Sivec on Postdoc project "Faunistics and ecology of stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera) in the upper reach of Kupa River - 2nd part", financed from The National Foundation for Science, Higher Education and Technological Development of the Republic of Croatia.

SKILLS & INTERESES

• Foreign languages: English, German and Slovenian.
• Skilful with computers.
• Sport, traveling, technology.

WORK EXPERIENCE

From December 10th 1999 working as research and teaching assistant at Animal Ecology Laboratory, Zoology Department, Biology Division, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb.
Teaching laboratory and leading exams in courses:
• General Ecology - 2nd year students of biology (molecular biology),
• Animal Ecology with Biocenology - 4th year students of biology (ecology),
• Animal Ecology and Zoogeography - 4th year students of biology (prof. biology) and 4th year students of biology and chemistry (prof. biology and chemistry),
• Ecology and Ecological Education - 4th year students of biology and chemistry.

PROFFESIONAL INTERESTS

• Taxonomy, faunistic, zoogeography and ecology of stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera).
• Macrozoobenthos of shallow lakes, springs, streams and rivers.

PUBLISHED PAPERS

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) Diversity and distribution of stoneflies in the area of Plitvice Lakes National Park and along the Mediterranean river Cetina (Croatia). In: Staniczek AH (ed.) International Perspectives in Mayfly and Stonefly Research, Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Ephemeroptera and the 16th International Symposium on Plecoptera, Stuttgart, 2008. Aquatic Insects 31 (Supplement 1): 731-742

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) Stoneflies (Insecta, Plecoptera) from museum collections in Croatia. Natura Croatica 18 (2): 243-254

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) First records of the alpine stonefly species Protonemura julia Nicolai, 1983 (Insecta, Plecoptera) in Croatia. Natura Croatica 18 (1): 83-89

Vučković I, Božak I, Ivković M, Jelenčić M, Kerovec M, Popijač A, Previšić A, Širac S, Zrinski I, Kučinić M (2009) Composition and structure of benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Mediterranean karst river the Cetina and its tributary the Ruda, Croatia. Natura Croatica 18 (1): 49-82

Gluhak T, Lewis JE, Popijac A (2007) Bryozoan fauna of Green Island, Taiwan - First indications of biodiversity. Zoological Studies 46 (4): 397-426

Mihaljević Z, Kerovec M, Ternjej I, Popijač A (2004) Long-term changes in the macroinvertebrate community structure of a shallow mediterranean lake. Ekologia (Bratislava) 23 (4): 421-429

CONFERENCES

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) Stonefly (Insecta: Plecoptera) fauna of the Plitvice Lakes National Park. Symposium on 60 years from declaration of the Plitvice Lakes National Park and 30 years from inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List, October 15-16, Plitvice Lakes, Croatia.

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) Stonefly (Insecta: Plecoptera) fauna of the Gorski kotar region, Croatia. In: Besendorfer V, Kopjar N, Vidaković-Cifrek Ž, Tkalec M, Bauer N, Lukša Ž (eds) Proceeding of abstracts of 10th Croatian Biological Congress with International Participation, September 14-20, Osijek, Croatia, Croatian Biological Society 1885, Zagreb: 203-204

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) New data on distribution of the alpine stonefly species Protonemura julia Nicolai, 1983 (Insecta, Plecoptera) in Slovenia and Croatia. In: Soldán T, Papáček M, Boháč J (eds) Communications and abstracts of SIEEC 21 - Symposium Internationale Entomofaunisticum Europae Centralis, June 28-July 3, České Budějovice, Czech Republic, Czech Entomological Society, University of South Bohemia, Biological Centre of Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice: 78

Popijač A, Sivec I (2009) Stonefly (Plecoptera) fauna of the border river Kolpa (Kupa). In: Prešern J (ed.) Book of abstracts of 2nd Slovenian Entomological Symposium, February 7-8, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Slovenian Entomological Society of Štefan Michieli & Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana: 62-63

Kružić P, Popijač A (2009) Population strucutres of red coral (Corallium rubrum Linnaeus, 1758) in the area of the Dugi Otok Island (Eastern Adriatic). In: Pergent-Martini C, Brichet M (eds) Proceedings of the 1st Mediterranean Symposyum on the Coralligenous and other calcareous bio-concretions of the Mediterranean Sea, January 15-16, Tabarka, Tunisia, RAC/SPA, Tabarka: 216-218

Popijač A, Sivec I (2008) Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in Franjo Košćec's Entomological Collection in Varaždin. In: Vargović E, Bregović A (eds) Proceedings of the Symposium „Franjo Košćec and his work 1882-1968“, November 13-14, Varaždin, Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts-Institute for Scientific Work in Varaždin, Varaždin Municipal Museum, Gimnazija Varaždin, Croatian Entomological Society, Zagreb-Varaždin: 243-253

Hamidović D, Zupan I, Jokić M, Alegro A, Bedek J, Cukrov N, Jalžić B, Ozimec R, Perović F, Popijač A, Štefan A, Žganec K (2008) The role of the Long-fingered bat, Myotis capaccinii, as an indicator species for Dinaric karst – bridging the gap between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. In: Hutson AM, Lina PHC (eds) Abstracts of the XIth European bat research symposium, August 17-22, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romanian Bat Protection Association, Emil Racoviţă Speleological Institute, Cluj-Napoca: 65-66

Popijac A, Sivec I (2008) Diversity and distribution of stoneflies in the area of Plitvice Lakes National Park and along Mediterranean river Cetina (Croatia). In: Staniczek AH (ed.) Book of Abstracts of the 12th International Conference on Ephemeroptera and the 16th International Symposium on Plecoptera, June 8-14, Stuttgart, Germany, State Museum of Natural History, Stuttgart: 36-37

Popijač A, Sivec I (2006) Stonefly (Plecoptera) fauna of the mediterranean river Cetina, Croatia. In: Prešern J (ed.) Book of abstracts of 1st Slovenian Entomological Symposium, November 4-5, Ljubljana, Slovenia, Slovenian Entomological Society of Štefan Michieli & Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Ljubljana: 80-81

Popijač A, Sivec I (2006) Diversity of stoneflies (Insecta: Plecoptera) in the area of NP Plitvička jezera and rivers Cetina, Krka, Zrmanja, Krupa and Una. In: Besendorfer V, Klobučar GIV (eds) Proceedings of abstracts of 9th Croatian Biological Congress with International Participation, September 23-29, Rovinj, Croatia, Croatian Biological Society 1885, Zagreb: 205-207

Popijač A, Ternjej I, Mihaljević Z, Kerovec M (2005) A comparative study on benthic macrofauna in two shallow Mediterranean lakes. In: Book of Abstracts of Shallow Lakes 2005 - 5th international Symposium on the ecology and management of Shallow Lakes, June 5-9, Dalfsen, The Netherlands: 51

Ternjej I, Popijač A, Mihaljević Z, Previšić A, Žganec K, Kerovec M (2005) Macrozooplankton and macrozoobenthos communities of four shallow urban lakes. In: Book of Abstracts of Shallow Lakes 2005 - 5th international Symposium on the ecology and management of Shallow Lakes, June 5-9, Dalfsen, The Netherlands: 102-103

Mihaljević Z, Kerovec M, Popijač A, Mustafić P (2005) Benthic macrofauna of Vrana Lake (Croatia). In: Book of Abstracts of Shallow Lakes 2005 - 5th international Symposium on the ecology and management of Shallow Lakes, June 5-9, Dalfsen, The Netherlands: 91

Gluhak T, Hayward PJ, Lewis JE, Popijač A, Cvitković I (2004) Bryozoan fauna of Green Island, Taiwan. Six new species for science. In: Moyano HI, Cancino JM, Orellana MC (eds) Boletin de la Sociedad de Biologia de Concepción - 13th International Conference of International Bryozoology Association, January 11-16, Concepción, Chile, Sociedad de Biologia de Concepción, Concepción: 60

Popijač A, Kerovec M (2003) Ecological status of the Lake Jezero and the Lake Ponikve on Krk Island, Croatia: present overview and long-term changes. In: Besendorfer V, Kopjar N (eds) Proceedings of Abstracts of Eighth Croatian Biological Congress, September 27-October 2, Zagreb, Croatia, Croatian Biological Society 1885, Zagreb: 387-388

Popijač A, Gluhak T, Lewis JE (2003) First insight into Bryozoan Fauna of Green Island (SE Taiwan) by using SEM. In: Milat O, Ježek D (eds) Proceedings of the 6th Multinational Congress on Microscopy with European Extension, June 1-5, Pula, Croatia, Croatian Society for Electron Microscopy, Zagreb: 351-352

Gottstein Matočec S, Popijač A, Mihaljević Z, Ternjej I, Žganec K, Kerovec M (2002) Response of the groundwater invertebrate fauna to trophic processes in Mediterranean shallow karstic reservoir Ponikve (Island of Krk, Croatia). In: Padisák J (ed.) Book of Abstracts of Shallow Lakes 2002 – International Conference on Limnology of Shallow Lakes, May 25-30, Balatonfüred, Hungary, Veszprém University Press, Veszprém: 191

Mihaljević Z, Kerovec M, Ternjej I, Popijač A, Tavčar V (2002) Long term changes in macroinvertebrate community structure of the shallow Mediterranean lake. In: Padisák J (ed.) Book of Abstracts of Shallow Lakes 2002 – International Conference on Limnology of Shallow Lakes, May 25-30, Balatonfüred, Hungary, Veszprém University Press, Veszprém: 159

Gluhak T, Popijac A, Lewis JE (2001) Bryozoan fauna of Green Island, Taiwan - First indications on biodiversity. In: Wyse Jackson P (ed.) Book of Abstracts of 12th International Conference of International Bryozoology Association, July 16-20, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland: 51

Kljajo B, Radiša T, Vidmar J, Bakran-Petricioli T, Kružić P, Popijač A, Petricioli D (2000) Macrobenthic communities in marginal cave Golubinka (Brbišćica, Dugi Otok). In: Ljubešić N (ed.) Proceedings of Abstracts of the Papers of the Seventh Congress of Croatian Biologists, September 24-29, Hvar, Croatia, Croatian Biological Society 1885, Zagreb: 317-318

Popijač A, Mikac B, Gluhak T, Zavodnik D (1997) A macrobenthos survey along the coast of the National park “Mljet” - beds of Posidonia oceanica (L.) Del. In: Huber Đ (ed.) Proceedings of Abstracts of the 6th Congress of Croatian Biologists, September 22-26, Opatija, Croatia, Croatian Biological Society 1885, Zagreb: 366

Vidmar J, Popijač A, Sršen A (1997) Research of macrobenthic organisms in National park “Mljet” - Observations along the southern and western coast. In: Bakran-Petricioli T (ed.) Book of Abstracts of 6th EMINar, April 2-6, Sali (Dugi Otok), Croatia, EUROCOAST Croatia, Zagreb: 78

EXPERT WORK

Popijač A (2009) Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in the lower reach of Una River. In: Flora and fauna of Una River and its coastal zone. State Institute for Nature Protection, Zagreb.

Kerovec M, Mihaljević Z, Stanković I, Meštrov M, Gottstein S, Ternjej I, Kučinić M, Popijač A, Žganec K, Miliša M, Previšić A, Ivković M, Špoljar M, Lajtner J, Sertić M, Gligora M, Kralj K, Vučković I, Jelenčić M, Bartovsky V, Turk D, Dragović I, Zrinski I, Slavikovski A, Temunović M, Mihoković N (2008) Ekološko istraživanje površinskih kopnenih voda u Hrvatskoj prema kriterijima Okvirne direktive o vodama - Makrozoobentos kao pokazatelj ekološkog stanja tekućica [Ecological research of freshwater in Croatia regarding criteria of the Water Framework Directive of EU - Definition of ecological status of streams and rivers according to benthic macroinvertebrates]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb.

Popijač A (2008) Red list of stoneflies (Plecoptera) of Croatia. State Institute for Nature Protection, Zagreb: 19 pp

Kerovec M, Žganec K, Gottstein S, Previšić A, Meštrov M, Mihaljević Z, Ternjej I, Kučinić M, Popijač A, Bošnjak I, Domazetović Z, Ivković M, Mihoci I, Slavikovski A, Uzelac J, Jelenčić M, Bartovsky V (2007) Procjena ekološkog stanja akvatorija Plitvičkih jezera [Evaluation of the ecological status of freshwater habitats in Plitvice Lakes National Park]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 145+XXI pp

Kerovec M, Ternjej I, Plenković-Moraj A, Hršak V, Mrakovčić M, Sipos L, Mihaljević Z, Gottstein S, Lajtner J, Žganec K, Popijač A, Mičetić V, Slavikovski A, Stanković I, Gligora M, Kralj K, Mustafić P, Marčić Z, Furač L, Markić M, Ignjatić-Zokić T, Župan M, Jurmanović S, Jelenčić M, Bartovsky V, Turk D, Vajdić S, Plenković L (2007) Istraživanje utjecaja voda višestruko obogaćenih sulfatima na živu i neživu prirodu slivnog područja rijeke Krke [Investigation of the influence of sulphate enriched waters on living organisms in the drainage area of Krka river]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 98+XVI pp

Kerovec M, Kučinić M, Previšić A, Ivković M, Mičetić V, Mihoci I, Stanković I, Popijač A, Žganec K, Kružić P, Gottstein S, Mihaljević Z, Jelenčić M (2007) Utvrđivanje ekoloških značajki i zaštita hrvatskih endema tulara: Drusus croaticus Mar. i Rhyacophila dorsalis ssp. plitvicensis Kuč. & Mal. (Insecta: Trichoptera) [Investigation of ecological characteristics  and protection of endemic Caddisfly species in Croatia: Drusus croaticus Mar. i Rhyacophila dorsalis ssp. plitvicensis Kuč. & Mal. (Insecta: Trichoptera)]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 67 pp

Kerovec M, Kučinić M, Vučković I, Popijač A, Mihaljević Z, Previšić A, Ivković M, Gottstein S, Zrinski I, Stanković I, Božak I, Gračan R, Ljuština M, Ćuk R, Kovačević S, Petrić T, Herceg N, Kiš M, Jelenčić M (2007) Bioindikatorska i ekološka obilježja te rasprostranjenost i gustoća populacija faune tulara (Trichoptera, Insecta) duž toka rijeke Cetine [Bioindicator and ecological characteristics, distribution and population density of Caddisfly fauna (Trichoptera, Insecta) along Cetina river]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 158 pp

Kerovec M, Meštrov M, Stilinović B, Mrakovčić M, Plenković-Moraj A, Hršak V, Ternjej I, Mihaljević Z, Gottstein Matočec S, Popijač A, Mustafić P, Žganec K, Previšić A, Gligora M, Kralj K, Bartovsky V, Horvat R, Vajdić S (2004) Detaljni istražni radovi u svezi ispitivanja kakvoće voda u Maksimirskim jezerima [Detailed investigations of water quality in Maksimir lakes]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 106 pp

Kerovec M, Meštrov M, Mrakovčić M, Tavčar V, Mišetić S, Plenković-Moraj A, Hršak V, Ternjej I, Mihaljević Z, Gottstein Matočec S, Popijač A, Žganec K, Gligora M, Bartovsky V (2002) Biološko-ekološka obilježja akumulacije Ponikve na otoku Krku tijekom 2000/1. godine [Biological and ecological characteristics of Lake Ponikve on Krk Island during 2000/1]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 68 pp

Kerovec M, Mrakovčić M, Stilinović B, Hršak V, Dolenec Z, Ternjej I, Mihaljević Z, Kučinić M, Gottstein S, Mustafić P, Popijač A, Bartovsky V, Vajdić S (2000) Biološko-ekološka obilježja potoka Vidak, Pronjak i Rakove noge te obilježja kopnenih staništa šireg područja planiranih retencija [Biological and ecological characteristics of Vidak, Pronjak and Rakova noga streams and characteristics of land habitats in the surrounding area]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 51 pp

Kerovec M, Mrakovčić M, Stilinović B, Hršak V, Dolenec Z, Ternjej I, Mihaljević Z, Kučinić M, Gottstein S, Mustafić P, Popijač A, Bartovsky V, Vajdić S, Horvat R (2000) Biološko-ekološka obilježja potoka Burnjak i kopnenih staništa šireg područja planiranog zahvata [Biological and ecological characteristics of Burnjak stream and land habitats in the surrounding area]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 41 pp

Kerovec M, Mrakovčić M, Stilinović B, Hršak V, Dolenec Z, Ternjej I, Mihaljević Z, Kučinić M, Gottstein S, Mustafić P, Popijač A, Bartovsky V, Vajdić S, Horvat R (2000) Biološko-ekološka obilježja potoka Smiljan grabe i kopnenih staništa šireg područja planiranog zahvata [Biological and ecological characteristics of Smiljan graba stream and land habitats in the surrounding area]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 40 pp

Kerovec M, Meštrov M, Stilinović B, Mrakovčić M, Plenković-Moraj A, Mihaljević Z, Ternjej I, Schneider D, Gottstein S, Popijač A, Bartovsky V (1999) Biološko-ekološka obilježja potoka Križ i akumulacije Lokvarka [Biological and ecological characteristics of Križ stream and Lokvarka reservoir]. Expert Study of Division of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb: 54 pp

MEMBERSHIP IN SOCIETIES

Croatian Biological Society
Croatian Ecological Society
International Association for Danube Research in the Societas Internationalis Limnologiae
International Bryozoology Association
European Marine Interdisciplinary Network
Thais - Society for Exploration and Conservation of Nature
Diver's club Geronimo, Zagreb

LICENSES

• Full Driving License (cars and motorcycles)
• Boat Leader’s License of Competency
• Master Diver (CMAS 3* diver)