Zeljko Savkovic

Zeljko Savkovic is a Senior Research Associate at the Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden "Jevremovac" within the Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade. His research focuses on fungal ecology in extreme environments and cultural heritage conservation, with fieldwork spanning Serbian caves, archaeological sites, and thermomineral springs.

His academic qualifications include:

• 2012: Graduated Biologist, major in Biology
• 2013: Master Biologist, module in Fungal Biology
• 2019: Doctor of Biological Sciences, module in Experimental Mycology

Savkovic's research centers on mycological investigations in subterranean ecosystems and biodeterioration processes. He specializes in aeromycology (airborne fungi monitoring), cave mycology (speleomycology), and fungal impacts on cultural heritage materials including frescoes, wooden artifacts, and stone monuments. His work integrates cultivation-based methods with molecular analysis to characterize fungal communities, while exploring biocontrol solutions using essential oils and microbial antagonists against biodeteriogenic species.

Analysis of his 2023-2025 publications reveals dominant research themes: cave ecosystem mycology (60% of recent work), cultural heritage conservation (30%), and wildlife-fungal interactions (10%). His methodological approach combines traditional mycology with modern sequencing techniques, showing increasing interdisciplinary collaboration with archaeologists and conservation scientists. Key sites include Stopića Cave, Ravništarka Cave, and the cave church of Sts. Peter and Paul in Rsovci.

Savkovic conducts research at the Institute of Botany and Botanical Garden "Jevremovac", utilizing its microbiology laboratories and conservation facilities. His work involves partnerships with Serbia's Central Institute for Conservation and field collaborations at archaeological sites like Viminacium. Current projects focus on lampenflora dynamics in show caves and biodeterioration mechanisms of modern heritage materials like the K67 kiosk.