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Management of dry Mediterranean Grasslands - A case study from the Ćićarija (Istria, Croatia) Spatial Protected Area (SPA) of Natura 2000

Most of grasslands area in Istria, as well on Ćićarija has been completely abandoned due to progressive succession of healing to shrubs and trees. In certain smaller areas pasture is uncontrolled, which leads to changes in botanical composition and reduction of plant diversity. At the same time, abandonment of cutting on meadows results the reduction of yield and feed value of grasslands, and expansion of undesirable plant species (VITASOVIĆ KOSIĆ et al., 2009). Grassland vegetation in the area of Ćićarija mountainous plateau belongs mostly to the Festuco-Brometea Br.Bl. et R.Tx. 1943. class, Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia H-ić et Ht. (1956) 1958 order (KALIGARIČ, 1997). This community is developed at relatively deep, brown soils and is usually on the stoneless surface, and is used as meadows, as well as pastures (VITASOVIĆ KOSIĆ and BRITVEC, 2006). The vegetation study on Ćićarija (530-740 m a.s.l.) was performed during 2009 through 73 phytosociological releves (with total of 428 plant taxa). Four different grasslands management (mowing, grazing, abandoned mowing and abandoned grazing) were researched. All data were submitted to multivariate statistical analysis. The phytosociological analysis has permitted to characterize 5 associations, 2 alliances and 2 orders. Despite the fact that this community is used extensive, it provides fodder of good quality. In its floristic composition there is a large share of the protein-rich species from the Fabaceae family (Anthyllis vulneraria, Hippocrepis comosa, Lotus corniculatus ssp. hirsutus) and Asteraceae family (Scorzonera villosa). Although, biomass production is relatively small, because the community occupy very large areas, their significance for the extensive cattle breeding is large (for example as a basis for the production of sheep cheese). The results of this research could provide guidelines for 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 especially in territory of Spatial Protected Area (SPA) of Natura 2000.

dry Mediterranean Grasslands ; Istria ; Croatia ; SPA Area

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