engleski

Looking for pristine rivers: identification of the most outstanding rivers of high conservation value in Croatia

Environmental status and conservation values of Croatian rivers have never been comprehensively assessed. We present a methodology for the identification of the most pristine rivers of high conservation value which are important for the protection of freshwater biodiversity in Croatia. The methodology is a combination of ecoregional conservation approach where representation of all distinct biodiversity features is a key goal, and assessment of river reach condition. Main units of analysis, the Evaluated River Reaches (ERRs), were identified after all river types were distinguished. The condition of each ERR was assessed using a combination of five criteria: hydrology, channel morphology, riparian vegetation, water quality and land use. The final condition of ERR was scored (max. 50) by summing scores for the five criteria. The distribution of endangered freshwater f ish species and protected areas was used for prioritizing the ERRs in high and good condition. Altogether 82 rivers and 4522 km of river length were analyzed in three ecoregions: Pannonian, Dinaric‐Continental and Dinaric‐ Mediterranean. The total length of very high priority ERRs was 1607 km (35%), while additional ERRs comprising 998 km (22%) of river length were included to assure representation of all river types in each ecoregion. The selected ERRs represent priority river reaches whose protection should ensure the long term persistence of the most important features of freshwater biodiversity in Croatia.

freshwater biodiversity; ecoregional conservation; typology; condition; rivers

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