engleski

Natural grassland flora and vegetation on the Ćićarija mountainous plateau (Istra, Croatia)

Grassland vegetation in the area of Ćićarija mountainous plateau belongs to the Festuco-Brometea Br.Bl. et R.Tx. 1943. class, Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia H-ić et Ht. (1956) 1958 order (KALIGARIĆ, 1997). Grassland is being developed at relatively deep, brown soils and in the rule is on the surface without a stone, and is used as meadows, as well as pastures (VITASOVIĆ KOSIĆ and BRITVEC, 2006). Characteristic taxa are: Scorzonera villosa, Knautia illyrica, Leucanthemum atratum subsp. platylepis, Plantago argentea, Inula hirta (TRINAJSTIĆ, 2008). During 2008, the plant diversity, feed value and yield of natural grassland community of rocky pastures and dry grasslands from the Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia at four localities on Ćićarija (560-700 m a.s.l.) with four different ways of using was investigated as well. A total of 428 plant taxa, belonging to 49 families were found. At selected locations different associations with the following dominant plant taxa appear: Carex humilis, Satureja montana, S. subspicata, Stipa pennata subsp. eriocaulis. Many species are palatable for sheep, and quite valuable quality-wise. These are: Lotus corniculatus, Hippocrepis comosa, Medicago lupulina, Onobrychis viciifolia, Trifolium alpestre, T. campestre, Sangiusorba minor, Plantago lanceolata, Tragopogon pratensis subsp. orientalis and others, which according to ŠOŠTAČIĆ-PISAČIĆ and KOVAČEVIĆ (1974) have excellent and very good quality in the green matter and hay. Production of green mass in the range of 5.74 -13.95 t/ha, and the annual grassland yield range from 2.51 - 5.00 tonne dry matter per hectare, depending on utilization. The results of this preliminary research could provide guidelines for determining the complete and optimal management of grassland in the studied areas, which will contribute to the improvement of the ecological sheep production, as well as to preservation of the diversity of flora and vegetation of grasslands in Istria.

Natural grassland; flora; vegetation; Ćićarija

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