The first checklist of lichens in Latvia was published in 2001 (Piterāns, 2001A). The second revised checklist was prepared taking into account recent changes, which have occurred in the lichen flora and includes all known new species for Latvia. The checklist includes species found in Latvia more than 100 years, but which have no recent records. Every year, new species for Latvia are recorded, and as a result the numbers of lichens reported in Latvia differ in publications of different years. Presently, the checklist includes 573 species, five subspecies, eight varieties and two forms. 34 lichen species, included in the Red Data List of Latvia, are marked with an asterix (*). The Latvian checklist will be useful for scientists, biologists, bachelor, master and doctoral students, and amateur naturalists with special interest in lichens. The first comprehensive list of hornworts (Anthocerotopsida), liverworts (Marchantiophyta), and mosses (Bryophyta) for Latvia was published in 2001 (Āboloņa, 2001). From then on, 53 new taxa for Latvia were recorded. Therefore, this new updated list encompassing 565 species, 9 subspecies, 22 varieties and one form was prepared. Currently, the bryophyte flora in Latvia comprises 32% of the total number of bryophyte species in Europe (totally 1753 species are known in Europe (Söderström et al., 2002; Hill et al., 2006)).

The objective of this Publication is to analyse the influence of the Presidency of Latvia at the EU Council on the indicators of the tourism industry in the regions of Latvia. Taking into consideration the geopolitical situation created as a result of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Latvia, especially its regions, experienced a substantial drop in the tourism indicators in 2014. For example, the occupancy rate of overnight accommodations in Riga – in 2013 the average occupancy rate was 63%, but in 2014 – only 58.66%, in the regions of Latvia – in 2013 the average occupancy rate was 52.75%, but in 2014 – 49.3%. Therefore the tourism industry looked with hope towards the anticipated Presidency of Latvia at the EU Council in the first half-year of 2015. In the preparation process of the Publication the available articles and experience of other countries and the data of inquiry of the entrepreneurs of overnight accommodations and catering industry in the regions of Latvia were analysed. The results of the research reveal similar tendencies between the experience of the presidency period in Latvia and Lithuania and can serve as basis for improvement of the situation during presidency of other countries.

The aim of this report is to foster more evidence-based policy decisions to further promote a favourable investment climate in Latvia. We aim to achieve this by summarising the key concerns and suggestions of the main foreign investors in Latvia – representatives of companies that have made the decision to invest in the country and have been operating here for a considerable time period. The report draws on a survey – mini case studies of foreign investors in Latvia – that is a joint effort of the Foreign Investors' Council in Latvia (FICIL) Sustainable Economic Development work group.

One of the largest genera in the Cruciferae family in Latvia is Sisymbrium L. The genus includes not only native, but also some alien species. The distributions of the Sisymbrium species were reviewed for the first time in the last 50ᵗʰ years in Latvia. The distribution data were compiled from herbarium material, literature and field surveys. An identification key for the Sisymbrium species in Latvia and detailed scientific nomenclature are presented in the current study. In total, seven species of Sisymbrium were found in Latvia — S. supinum L., S. loeselii L., S. polymorphum (Murray) Roth, S. volgense M. Bieb. ex E. Fourn., S. altissimum L., S. orientale L. and S. officinale (L.) Scop. The mainly were recorded in railway verges, roadsides, waste dumps and wasteland. Five species of the genus are alien to the flora of Latvia — S. loeselii, S. altissimum, S. polymorphum, S. orientale, and S. volgense; two are native — S. supinum and S. officinale.

Nowadays, seeking to replace fossil energy with renewable sources of energy, wood biomass emerges as the oldest renewable energy source, an important substitute for fossils used for heating purposes and to generate electricity. The aim of the study was to evaluate issues of the development of solid wood biomass or fuelwood in Latvia, taking into account limitation restrictions, which may affect the future development. Wood biomass can be used to produce heat or electricity separately or in combined heat and power (CHP) plants. Latvia is among the EU countries with large share of forest area that offers a great potential to develop the production of bioenergy and to meet the ambitious renewable energy targets. Moreover, Latvia also possesses the largest growing stock of forests among the Baltic countries, with growing increment in forests available for wood supply each year. There has been fast development of the production of different solid wood biomass or fuelwood (pellets, briquettes and chips) in Latvia in recent years, but the majority of fuelwood products were exported. Latvia exported 95.8 % of its produced pellets, 77.1 % of briquettes, and 25.4 % of chips in 2013, which makes the country one of the leading exporters of fuelwood in Europe and the world. Despite the rapid development of the production of bioenergy, including fuelwood, the total renewable consumption in Latvia is still below the interim target; thus achieving the set national targets is at the risk. Some negative effects (e.g., losses of GDP; decreasing of biodiversity of birds etc.) have been observed.

In Latvia, the education level of women is higher than of men, while the rate of remuneration is higher for men than for women, and women are under-represented in management positions. The aim of the research is to analyse the theoretical aspects of the gender balance and diversity management in companies, to explore the situation of the gender proportion within the large companies of Latvia and to identify the factors that contribute to the growth of the women representation within the TOP management. The paper investigates the gender situation in order to determine to what extent the ‘glass ceiling’ affects women's career growth in large companies of Latvia. Moreover, the paper analyses the benefits of the gender diversity to be used as incentive for the large companies of Latvia. The article has been prepared based on the analysis of primary and secondary sources, outcome synthesis and the evaluation of results of a survey of employees of large companies of Latvia (n=211) and survey of HR managers of large companies (n=50). Results present characteristic features of good female and male managers as perceived by the respondents. Managers of each gender have their strengths, which could together contribute to improved management performance.

The hypothesis of the doctoral dissertation: Regional clusters in Latvia are emerging in region- specific industries and are with high development potential. The overall aim of the doctoral dissertation: to identify regional clusters and to determine its potential in regions of Latvia. The following specific research tasks are set up to achieve the aim: 1) to examine theoretical, historical and documentary aspects of regional clusters, including regional clusters' effect on regional growth and development; 2) to determine and analyse preconditions for the establishment and growth of regional clusters in regions of Latvia; 3) to identify regional clusters in statistical regions in Latvia, approbating developed regional cluster identification methodology; 4) to elaborate potential of regional cluster establishment and development potential in the food manufacturing industry in Latvia. | Promocijas darba hipotēze: reģionālie klasteri Latvijā veidojas specifiskās nozarēs ar augstu attīstības potenciālu. Promocijas darba mērķis: identificēt reģionālos klasterus Latvijā un noteikt to attīstības potenciālu. Promocijas darba mērķa sasniegšanai izvirzīti šādi uzdevumi: 1) izpētīt reģionālo klasteru teorētiskos, vēsturiskos un dokumentāros aspektus, ietverot ietekmi uz ekonomikas izaugsmi un attīstību; 2) noteikt un analizēt reģionālo klasteru attīstībai nepieciešamos priekšnosacījumus Latvijā; 3) identificēt reģionālos klasterus Latvijā, aprobējot izstrādāto klasteru identificēšanas metodoloģiju; 4) izvērtēt reģionālo klasteru izveides un attīstības potenciālu pārtikas produktu ražošanas nozarē Latvijā.

The anniversary edition covers landscape architecture education in Latvia in 20 years. Since 1998 and 2014, 378 new landscape architects, a master's degree of 58, doctorate - 6, have received a diploma. The Latvia University of Agriculture (LLU) Doctor's Study Program for Dr.arch. acquisition has been internationally accredited since 2006. Since 2007, Latvia has been among the 38 countries that have ratified the European Landscape Convention. Since 2013, Latvia has its landscape policy, whose working group agreed that landscape is an important resource for Latvia's development. Landscape architects have joined the Latvian Landscape Architecture Society (LAAB), which co-operates with LU teaching staff and students. In 2012, the LLU, in cooperation with the RTU and the LMA, issues the journal ''Landscape Architecture and Art'' (ISSN 2255-8632). In collaboration with RTU LLU, an e-training programme 'Gardens and Landscape Architecture' was developed. The Erasmus + programme has concluded contracts with 18 universities. Since 200, LLU landscape architects have been members of the Association of European Landscape Architecture Schools (ECLAS).

A favourable and stable tax policy, predictability of taxes and well-structured taxes are the key drivers for the development of new enterprises and the attraction of investment as well as a significant driver for the sustainability of existing enterprises and economic growth in the country. The aim of the research paper is to identify how some elements of the corporate income tax of Lithuania and Estonia might be applied in Latvia. Both in Latvia and in Lithuania, taxable income is adjusted for the depreciation of fixed assets. In Latvia and in Lithuania, the taxable income is also adjusted for fines and penalties paid in the reporting year. Lithuania’s enterprises are entitled to more favourable tax adjustments for costs unrelated to economic activity, as theses costs do not have to be added to their pre-tax profit. In Latvia, undistributed profit has to be taxed as in Estonia, setting a 0% enterprise income tax rate on undistributed profit.

Jurassic clay rich in organic matter from western Latvia is known already from early 19th century. Jurassic clays provide an interest because of high potential for innovative use due to its clay mineral composition jointly with organic material. Properties of the Jurassic clayey deposits were studied by using various physical and chemical methods. Material gained from field was tested by modern techniques such as UV-Vis, 3D fluorescence and FTIR - spectra, which show patterns of organic compounds in the clay material. AAS analyses characterized inorganic content. PXRD studies raised discussions about the origin of kaolin, illite and smectite and interactions among these clay minerals. Obtained results show that Jurassic clays with organic matter have future potential for possible use in cosmetic industry and as a sorbent material. | Pētījumā gūtie rezultāti sniedz ziņas par Juras perioda mālaino nogulumu īpašībām, un palīdz salīdzināt šī perspektīvā derīgā izrakteņa īpašības. Juras sistēmas Kelovejas un Oksfordas stāvu nogulumi atrodami urbumu serdēs, atradnēs, kā arī pleistocēna ledāja atrauteņos jeb glasiodislokācijās. Līdz šim plašāki pētījumi notikuši Polijā un Lietuvā, salīdzinoši mazāk informācijas apkopots par Latvijas Juras māliem un to raksturojošām īpašībām. Šī pētījuma ietvaros paraugi tika ievākti Zoslēnu, Papiles un Lēģernieku atradnēs; to galvenās atšķirības saistās ar mālu frakcijas īpatsvaru salīdzinājumā ar pārējo nogulumu materiālu. Juras mālaino nogulumu sastāva īpatnības raksturotas, izmantojot granulometriskās analīzes, karsējuma zudumu, rentgendifraktometrisko un atomabsorbciometrijas metožu kompleksu; detalizēti pētīti arī nogulumu sastāvā esošie organiskie savienojumi, izmantojot UV-Vis un 3-D fluorescenci. Mālu sastāvā esošās organiskās vielas pamatā ir humusvielas, savukārt māla frakcijas neorganisko materiālu veido smektīts, illīts, kaolinīts un hlorīts aptuveni līdzīgās proporcijās, ko pierāda rentgendifraktometriskā izpēte. Agrākie pētījumi Polijā un Lietuvā liecina, ka dabiskās organiskās vielas, kas atrodamas Juras mālos, atspoguļo nogulumu veidošanās apstākļus. Juras māli var tikt izmantoti tālākos praktiskā pielietojuma pētījumos, kā arī, lai precīzāk raksturotu attiecīgā perioda paleoģeogrāfiskos apstākļus.