engleski

ECOLOGY AND SYNTAXONOMY OF MESIC AND DRY GRASSLANDS OF THE COLLINE AREA IN NE CROATIA

The research was conducted on the Slavonian Mountains (NE Croatia), which are situated on the border of the Pannonian and Illyrian floristic area between different climate influences (alpine from the west, dinaric to the south and pannonian from the east and north). In the colline and hilly landscapes a great mosaic of mesic and dry grasslands (pastures and meadows) is formed on a variety of bedrocks from silicate and sandstone to limestone and marlstone. Since dry and mesic grasslands are characterized by a rich biodiversity and ecological value, they are a priority for conservation in Croatia, as well as in Europe. This is clearly emphasized in the Bird and Habitat Directive of NATURA 2000. This is even more supported by the fact that such habitats are slowly disappearing under the pressure of forest vegetation. Previous researches of grasslands in this area were very scarce, now the ecological, phytogeographycal and syntaxonomic affiliation of mesophilous, semi-dry and dry grassland associations was defined using modern methods of vegetation analysis. According to the Twinspan analysis seven different communities could be distinguished, one of them (Scabioso ochroleucae- Brachypodietum pinnati Klika 1933) was described for the first time in the researched area. Communities of the class Festuco-Brometea clearly differ in all ecological variables in relation to communities of Molinio-Arrhenatheretea. Thus, the former occur in higher elevations, on steeper slopes, they are characterized by lower EIV for moisture. On the other side they have higher EIV for light, temperature and continentality and higher pH. Festuco Brometea communities share a large number of the south and southeast European floristic elements, while Molinio-Arrhenatheretea communities have a higher proportion of cultivated and adventive plants.

Slavonian Mountains; ecology; syntaxonomy; grasslands

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