engleski

Changes in vascular flora on the island of Molat (northern Dalmatia) during 60 years period caused by land abandonment

The eastern Adriatic coast is highly indented with many islands and peninsulas. This area is floristically very rich and many endemic species are recorded. However, although many parts of this area are well researched, some have been neglected. One of these is the island of Molat for which only two floristic researches have been made, one by Domac in 1950’s and current one. The island is situated in Zadar archipelago, in eumediterranean zone, characterized by holm oak forest as climazonal vegetation, but mostly covered in maquis, and only partially in garrigue and rocky grasslands. Molat has been exploited as much as possible by local inhabitants, especially in the first half of the 20th century. However, in the last 60 years number of inhabitants has diminished which resulted in vegetation succession. In this process floristic changes have been recorded. During this research we recorded a total of 357 plant taxa on the island of Molat out of which 157 were confirmed from previous research made by Domac, 205 plant taxa were new for the island, while 136 taxa previously recorded were not found. With these results the island of Molat has 493 plant taxa recorded on it. Analysis of plant taxa endangerment and protection categories showed that 23 plant taxa known for the island of Molat are at some level of endangerment, 25 taxa are strictly protected and 28 protected in the republic of Croatia. Within these, 9 taxa at some endangered level, 6 strictly protected and 7 protected species were not confirmed while 8 taxa at some level of endangerment, 12 strictly protected and 11 protected taxa were new for the island. The changes in vascular flora of the island of Molat recorded during this research are mainly caused by island depopulation (977 inhabitants in 1948 diminished to 197 inhabitants in 2011) and abandonment of traditional agriculture. This way habitats present on the island have been altered which was reflected on vascular flora.

eumediterranean; vegetation succession; chorotype; life form

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