engleski

Grassland diversity in the Northern Velebit National Park

Two thousand years of livestock breeding and transhumance along Eastern Adriatic mountains, including Velebit Mt., changed the forest landscape into a mosaic of different open habitats. Along the Velebit slopes, forest vegetation is predominantly deciduous, with Quercus pubescens, Carpinus orientalis and Ostrya carpinifolia on lower and Fagus sylvatica on higher elevations, while the uppermost belt is evergreen (Pinus mugo). Diverse grassland types fallow altitudinal forest belts. Beside the altitude, topography, wind exposure and management (pasturing, mowing and farming) play important role in forming physiognomy and floristic composition of grassland types. In 2009 and 2010, 120 relevés were made along the altitudinal gradient of the Northern Velebit. On the lower elevation dry rocky pastures of the alliance Satureion subspicatae prevail. On higher elevations, influenced by bura, ass. Seslerio juncifoliae-Caricetum humilis dominates. On protected plateaus and terraces Bromion-like grasslands and abounded arable areas occur. In the alpine zone large areas are covered with Festucetum bosniacae grasslands, while Nardetum strictae and grasslands with Deschampsia caespitosa are restricted to doline bottoms. Thermophilous alpine grasslands developed on shallow soils are dominated by Bromus erectus and Carex humilis. Newly described association dominated by Patzkea paniculata occupies SW slopes of the alpine zone, on deeper and leeched soils. Abandonment of the transhumance due to change in lifestyle, caused a dramatic change of grassland habitats. Along the vertical gradient the velocity of habitat changes e.g. transition to climax forest vegetation decreases. The loss of biodiversity on species, habitat and landscape level of the Northern Velebit grasslands is more than evident.

Northern Velebit. grasslands, biodiversity

nije evidentirano