engleski

Differences between dominant and other species in the North Adriatic Karst grasslands on the basis of plant functional traits

The dry and semi-dry grasslands in the North Adriatic Karst derived from centuries of low-intensity land use. They are among the richest grasslands in the world and harbour the highest small-scale density of plant species found in terrestrial habitats. This area, being at the edge of the Mediterranean basin, is defined as sub-Mediterranean and represents the most north-western part of the Balkan Peninsula. We examined floristic composition and functional trait structure in species rich dry and semi-dry grasslands of Scorzonero-Chrysopogonetalia H-ić et Ht.(1956) 1958 order (Festuco-Brometea Br.-Bl. et R.Tx. 1943 class) in sub-Mediterranean hilly region Ćićarija (Slovenia and Croatia) to determine distinct vegetation types and to test, if dominant species differed in their traits from other species in determined vegetation types. As raw data, we used 188 phytosociological relevés (10 x 10 m plots) comprising 185 species. To provide visual differences in floristic composition between the grassland vegetation types DCA ordination was applied. Different natural conditions assemble different plant communities from the available species pool. DCA showed evident divergence, which strongly supports a clear division in two vegetation types: semi-natural pastures (ass. Carici humilis-Centaureetum rupestris Ht.1931) composed by sclerophyllous plants on oligotrophic conditions, and meadows (ass. Danthonio-Scorzoneretum villosae H&H-ić (56) 58), composed by mesophyllous plants and on mesic conditions. Plant species reaching dominance in the meadows (N = 77) and in the pastures (N = 111) were selected (the criterion being: at least 25 % cover in at least one plot) ; they were compared for biological and ecological traits with other species participating in the relevés (with at least 1 % cover in at least one plot). To establish the set of traits contributing to achieving dominance by species in that vegetation we used 9 functional traits: life forms, the beginning of blooming, the duration of blooming, the plant's height, indicator values for level of nitrogen and moisture in soil, ability of sprawling in space, C-S-R ecological strategy, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and growth form. Our research of dominant and other species of studied dry grasslands has shown that the predominant species on those grasslands are more adapted, than the non-predominant species.

semi-dry grasslands; dominant species; non-dominant species; North Adriatic Karst

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