BIODIVERSITY OF CROATIA

Grassland vegetation of the inland sands is represented only on
two very small sites near the Drava River. The \ur|evac sands
and Klo{tar sands are famous for the endemic Corynephoro-
Festucetum vaginatae community. A complete degradation of
the original community took place over a part of the sands as
the result of spread of bushes and other plants, which makes it
necessary to take active protection measures by removing the
overgrown vegetation. These two sites are the only remnants
of the former area of sand dunes, called the “Croatian Sahara”,
which was earlier several kilometres long and wide.
Wet meadows in Northern Croatia are habitats with threatened
fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris) (photo: SINP)
year round, except for the period when flood water covers this
retention area. One threatened species highly dependent on
the wet grassland is the fritillary (Fritillaria meleagris).
Klo{tar sands in Podravina (photo: SINP)
Colorful mountain meadows (photo: A. Alegro)
Picturesque dry grasslands under the Dinara Mountain (photo: SINP)
In central Croatia which is mainly mountainous, wet meadows
are very specific. They occur along the watercourses that are
mostly intermittent in this karst area – sometimes they disappear
or “sink” below ground and sometimes they flood large
karst fields that become temporary lakes. In these areas, special
vegetation of the Scillo litardierei-Deschampsietum mediae
community develops, with the squill (Scilla litardieri), species
strictly protected under the Habitats Directive.
Wet grasslands are represented even in coastal Croatia, especially
in the Neretva Delta area as well as along the Cetina River.
Dry Mediterranean grasslands cover large coastal and inner
coastal areas. A large proportion belongs to the East sub-Mediterranean
dry grasslands Scorzoneratalia visllosae that are
protected under the Habitats Directive.
Meadows with threatened Siberian iris (Iris sibirica) (photo: A. Alegro)
29