Priručnik o kartama staništa Dalmacije - UNDP Croatia

Grasslands are also very important habitats occupying approximately 1/3 of the mapped area. Themost frequent among them are Lowland savory-chrysopogon dry grasslands (Chrysopogoni-Koelerionsplendentis H-i. 1975 (= Chrysopogoni-Saturejon)) present mostly in the northern part of mappedarea. These sub-Mediterranean xeric grasslands develop on shallow carbonate soils of warmerlowlands and hills of coast and inland (where influences of the Mediterranean climate are present).The East Mediterranean xeric grasslands (Cymbopogo-Brachypodion retusi H-i. (1956) 1958) formanother group of grassland habitats. These short-grass perennial grasslands and therophytecommunities of oligotrophic, base-rich soils are present primarily in the southern part of mapped area.All these grasslands were used as pastures. Due to fact that this area was the war zone and that someparts of it are still mined, in many cases grassland communities are overgrown by thickets or macchiaand are marked on the map as combination of two habitat types.Illyrio-Adriatic deciduous thickets (Rhamno-Paliurion Trinajsti (1978) 1995) are a widely spreadhabitat type in the sub-Mediterranean vegetation zone. In their composition important roles havethorny species (Paliurus spina-christi and Juniperus oxycedrus). In the mapped area the Spanishbroomfields (Spartium junceum) are also present but often occupy an area smaller than the minimalmapping unit. So these formations are mostly joined to Illyrio-Adriatic deciduous thickets.Picture 18. Spanish-broom field (Spartiumjunceum).Picture 19. Fallow field and ruderalcommunities.Agricultural land is often alternating in a mosaic-like manner with natural vegetation. This refersmostly to olive groves and vineyards that, in some places, occupy larger areas (primarily in the centraland southeastern part). Like grasslands, agricultural land is also frequently abandoned and colonizedby a large number of pioneering, introduced or nitrophilous plants (primarily members of the genusChenopodietalia i Plantaginetalia majoris) or overgrown by deciduous thickets or macchia.Of special value are habitats that are restricted to small areas, but comprise rare, threatened andendangered species. This refers in particular to Annual salt pioneer swards (Thero-SalicornieteaPignatti 1953) that can be found around Morinj bay, Lake Prokljan and M. and V. Soline. Thesecommunities (Thero-Salicornietalia Pignatti 1953, Juncetalia maritimni Br.-Bl. 1931,99