The adhesive plaques of Mytilus byssus are investigated increasingly to determine the molecular requirements for wet adhesion. Mfp-2 is the most abundant protein in the plaques, but little is known about its function. Analysis of Mfp-2 films using the surface forces apparatus detected no interaction between films or between a film and bare mica; however, addition of Ca2+ and Fe3+ induced significant reversible bridging (work of adhesion Wad ≈ 0.3 mJ/m2 to 2.2 mJ/m2) between two films at 0.35 m salinity. The strongest observed Fe3+-mediated bridging approaches the adhesion of oriented avidin-biotin complexes. Raman microscopy of plaque sections supports the co-localization of Mfp-2 and iron, which interact by forming bis- or tris-DOPA-iron complexes. Mfp-2 adhered strongly to Mfp-5, a DOPA-rich interfacial adhesive protein, but not to another interfacial protein, Mfp-3, which may in fact displace Mfp-2 from mica. In the presence of metal ions or Mfp-5, Mfp-2 adhesion was fully reversible. These results suggest that plaque cohesiveness depends on Mfp-2 complexation of metal ions, particularly Fe3+ and also by Mfp-2 interaction with Mfp-5 at the plaque-substratum interface.

Private forest owners start to play an important role in Western Balkans' forestry and they are essential to the successful implementation of environmental policies. Little is known about how forest policy can support private forest owners in these countries and therefore this study was conducted through a qualitative method, based on personal interviews with representatives of 54 stakeholders that include state forest authorities and administration, private forest owners associations, forest science and research and private sector in Bosnia Herzegovina, Croatia, and Serbia. The results show significant homogeneity across the region towards the creation of independent interest forest owners associations based on financial support. Regression analysis identified stakeholder attitudes as significant predictors of policy preferences and also identified owners of production forests as more supportive of such policies.

Biodiversity conservation has drawn considerable attention as to where the funding is available in order for governments concerned with the conservation of biodiversity to fulfil their obligations. This paper examines if financing resources provided through Global Environmental Facility (GEF) in Bosnia Herzegovina could be supplemented with locally voluntary provided funding to lead to an appropriate protection level of threatened species. A study was conducted on a 1189 persons sample to establish the local population willingness to contribute to GEF sponsored biodiversity conservation projects. It was found that the local people are willing to contribute positively higher than the actual spending of the GEF and findings can be used to argue for more attention to preferences of the public in decision making on biodiversity protection activity and spending in Bosnia Herzegovina.