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Activities in conservation of dry habitats in Natura 2000 areas along the Danube course in Croatia

Natura 2000 is a coherent ecological network of protected sites that stretches across all 28 EU countries, both on land and at sea. The ecological network of the Republic of Croatia comprising 20, 704 km2 (37% of the land territory), and includes 779 areas: 741 significant for conservation of wild species and natural habitats, and 38 significant for conservation of wild bird species. Field activities of the floristic inventory and mapping the spatial distribution of dry habitats along the course of the Danube River in Croatia were carried out from June 2017 to September 2018, within four Natura 2000 areas: HR2001309 Danube North of Kopački rit, HR2000372 Danube-Vukovar, HR2001501 Steppic habitats near Opatovac, and HR2001500 Steppic habitats near Bapska. The surveyed dry habitats are characterised as xeric grassland vegetation included in Annex I of the EU Habitat Directive under the habitat codes: 6240 Sub-pannonic stepic grassland from vegetation alliance Festucion valesiacae and 6250 Pannonic loess steppic grasslands from alliance Artemisio- Kochion. Based on the records from the literature sources and results of fieldwork, it was determined that flora of surveyed dry grasslands comprises 188 vascular plant taxa, and 40 taxa are specific with their ecological requirements and distribution range. Allochthonous flora was represented with eight taxa, three of which (Ailanthus altissima, Robinia pseudacacia, Solidago canadensis) are invasive alien species. The Red Book of the Vascular Flora of Croatia includes 14 taxa, classified into categories: critically endangered (Agropyron cristatum ssp. pectinatum, Digitalis lanata, Reseda inodora), endangered (Salvia nemorosa, Xeranthemum annuum), vulnerable (Orchis ustulata), near threatened (Aegilops cylindrica, Carex praecox) and data deficient (Melica altissima, Melica transsilvanica, Nonea pulla, Euphorbia seguieriana, Sanguisorba officinalis, Stipa capillata). Today, dry habitats in the Croatian Danube region are just remnants of the natural steppic grassland vegetation. The cause is the strong anthropogenic impact over time, primarily the conversion of the grassland into arable land and vineyards, habitat degradation and natural succession processes. Knowledge on floristic diversity and distribution of dry habitats contributes to planning of the conservation and restoration measures in the surveyed Natura 2000 areas.

Natura2000 ; Croatia ; Danube ; habitat ; wildlife

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