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Plitvice Lakes – the largest area with tufa forming bryophyte vegetation in Europe

Plitvice Lakes are situated in Dinaric region of Croatia characterized by different karst formations. One of them is the system of 16 larger and several smaller cascading lakes, stretched 8 km in length and interconnected by numerous waterfalls of different size, height and water velocity. They are formed through the biodynamic process of growing tufa barriers in water oversaturated with calcium carbonate, pH value higher than 8 and low concentration of dissolved organic matter. All these tufa barriers are overgrown by rich vegetation dominated by bryophytes. This vegetation was studied using phytosociological methods followed by measurements of environmental parameters and analysis of ecological indicator values. In total 44 bryophyte species were recorded of which 26 are constantly present in 90 vegetation relevés. The main characteristics of vegetation are r vascular plants and very constant species composition with a low number of species present with high abundances. Four main species are Palustriella commutata, Eucladium verticillatum, Hymenostylium recurvirostrum and Pellia endiviifolia. Nevertheless, three main types of bryophyte vegetation are differentiated – species poor vegetation of non-shaded waterfalls mostly with high water velocity, the vegetation of shaded waterfalls with weaker water flow, and species rich vegetation of moist rocks outside direct or constant influence of running water. All of these vegetation types belong to the moss rich vegetation of carbonate springs of montane and subalpine belts of Europe belonging to the alliance Cratoneurion commutati. However, due to the complex system of lakes and waterfalls, very large surfaces covered by this vegetation, species richness and their high abundances, Plitvice Lakes represent one of the most important diversity and distribution centres in Europe regarding the tufa forming bryophyte vegetation and is of the highest conservation value.

Southeastern Europe, Cratoneurion, waterfall vegetation, bryophyte diversity

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