Habitat mapping of Protected Landscape of Donji Kamenjak, Istria (Croatia)

Abstract

The aim of this research was to produce a georeferenced map of the protected landscape of Donji Kamenjak (Istria, Croatia) and accordingly develop guidelines for sustainable management of rocky pastures based on optimum grazing intensity as an essential factor for habitat and plant diversity sustainability. There are 20 habitat types according to the National Classification of Habitats with the corresponding codes. The presence of habitat types and vegetation was determined on the basis of characteristic and dominant species. On a relatively small area, we find a large number of plant communities. The vegetation is represented mainly by a coastal evergreen forests and maquis with Juniperus oxycedrus L., Pinus halepensis Mill., Quercus ilex L., Erica arborea L. and the eastern Adriatic shrubby habitats of Cisto-Ericetalia Horvatić 1958. It has 76.49 ha identified as belonging to Natura 2000 ecological network habitats, which is 18.78% of the total area of Donji Kamenjak. These are mainly rocky pastures of the Chrysopogoni-Euphorbietum nicaeensis Horvatić (1956) 1958 plant community, dominated by heliophilous plants which significantly enrich plant and landscape diversity. However, this are endangered habitats because of the abandonment of traditional system of sheep farming what causes succession stage and the develop of the maquis and forests, showing its remarkable importance for the biodiversity conservation.