engleski

Floristic diversity of calcareous grasslands on Slavonian hills (Croatia)

Slavonian hills (Slavonsko gorje) are situated in the eastern part of Croatia, on the border of the Pannonian and Illyrian floristic area. Thanks to its location on the border of different climate influences (alpine from the west, dinaric to the south, pannonian from the east and north), great abundance and diversity of flora and vegetation is present in this area. Beside planty of areas covered by beech and oak forests, dry grasslands (class Festuco-Brometea, orders Festucetalia valesiacae and Brometalia erecti) and lots of its successional stages, which are characterized by an amazing diverity of animals and plants form specific habitats of the Slavonian hills. The change in traditional land use (decreasing of grazing and mowing activities, increasing of certain agricultural and forestry activities), abandoning villages, etc. is leading to large scale losses of such habitats. Dry calcareous grasslands in this area have not yet been studied, so we have analysed their syntaxonomic status, floristic, ecological and syndynamic features. 30 vegetational relevés have been made following the standard Braun-Blanquet method. The relevés have been compared with the relevés of similar vegetation (Festuco-Brometea) in the wider geographical region (Slovenia, Hungary, Serbia). Ecological characteristics, such as microclimate, geomorphology were also considered.

Slavonian hills; dry grasslands; calcareous grasslands; Festuco-Brometea

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