Velebit Mountain Research Articles

Demographic characteristics of Lika region

The aim of this paper is to review and point out the demographic situation and processes happening in Lika Region (Republic of Croatia) today, as well as to describe the changes in the population structure with particular emphasis on changes in the ethnic structure of the population that have occurred over the past two decades. For centuries, Lika has been inhabited by the population of dual religious structure with different socio-cultural and linguistic characteristics. The area where the diverse population of Lika’s variety lives today is characterized by clear and steady depopulation, changed population structure (age, ethnicity) and changed adiministative and territorial organization. Jovan Cvijic in his Balkan Peninsula and the South Slavic Countries in this group (Lika’s variety) places the population living “between the Velebit mountain on the west and Kapela and Pljesevica on the east”. This is the area of today’s southwestern Croatia, consisting of two towns (Gospic, Otocac) and eight municipalities (Brinje, Donji Lapac, Gracac, Lovinac, Perusic, Plitvice Lakes, Udbina, Vrhovine), belonging to two counties (Lika-Senj, Zadar).

Pennsylvanian fossil flora from the Velebit Mountains and Lika region (SW Croatia)

Pennsylvanian fossil flora from the Velebit Mountains and Lika region (SW Croatia)

Depositional environments and diagenesis of a carbonate till from a Quaternary paleoglacier sequence in the Southern Velebit Mountain (Croatia)

Abstract Glacial sediment is an important paleoclimatological and paleoenvironmental archive. In the Mediterranean region most of the Quaternary glaciers were hosted in carbonate mountains. Diagenetical processes in carbonate sediments tend to impact preservation of glacial features and complicate the establishment of accurate chronologies. This paper presents a sedimentological study of a paleoglacier hosted in the carbonate Velebit Mountain, Croatia. Three carbonate tills were studied in order to evaluate their depositional environments and the diagenetical processes that affect them. The tills were selected from lateral moraines of different glacial stages of the paleoglacier and they are interpreted as lodgement and melt-out tills. Diagenetical processes such as cementation, dissolution and increase in organic content were enhanced by the percolation of water through the sediment and the propagation of rootlets. This research demonstrates the importance of understanding the diagenetical processes affecting carbonate tills after their sedimentation. Studies like this are an essential research stage prior to conducting geochronological and paleoclimatological interpretations based on paleoglaciers in carbonate regions.

At the end of the rope: Geophilushadesi sp. n. - the world's deepest cave-dwelling centipede (Chilopoda, Geophilomorpha, Geophilidae).

A new geophilomorph centipede, Geophilus hadesi sp. n., is described from caves in the Velebit Mountain, central Croatia. Together with Geophilus persephones Foddai & Minelli, 1999, described from Pierre Saint-Martin cave in France, they are the only two remarkably troglomorphic geophilomorphs hitherto known. The new species apparently belongs to a group of Geophilus species inhabiting mainly Western and Southern Europe, with a uniquely modified pretarsus in the second maxillae. Geophilus hadesi sp. n. shows unusual traits, some of which commonly found in troglobitic arthropods, including exceptionally elongated antennae, trunk segments and leg claws. The species is described upon specimens found in two caves at a depth below -250 m. Another two specimens apparently belonging to the same species have been recorded in another deep vertical cave at -980 m and -1100 m. The latter represents the world’s deepest record of Chilopoda as a whole.

New national and regional bryophyte records, 44

Syntrichia norvegica is a circumpolar arctic- montane species (Smith, 2004), rare at lower altitudes and in southern Europe (Frey et al., 2006). It is known from several south-eastern European countries (Sabovljevic et al., 2008) and now it is recorded for the first time in Croatia. Regarding its conservation status, S. norvegica is red listed in Great Britain (EN), Czech Republic (CR), Slovakia (VU), Bulgaria (NT), Hungary (DD), Romania (VU) and Estonia (VU) (Hodgetts, 2014). It was found in the northern Velebit Mountains, in an area with the most outstanding and extreme karst relief, with steep slopes, perpendicular rocks, screes and deep dolines. The locality is situated in the Pinus mugo Turra belt, but owing to its position in the shaded bottom of a deep, funnel-shaped doline with slopes inclined at more than 70u, the zonal vegetation is replaced by frigoriphilous communities. The main community on the very bottom is Drepanoclado uncinati-Heliospermetum pusillae Surina & Vres 2004, which encompasses many species of cold habitats characterized by long-lasting snow cover, e.g. Saxifraga sedoides L. subsp. prenja (Beck) Beck (glacial relict in the Velebit), Heliosperma pusillum (Waldst. & Kit.) Rchb., Polygonum viviparum L., Myosotis alpestris F.W.Schmidt, Poa alpina L. and Festuca nitida Kit. This community was spread over ca 250 m2 and was bordered by low shrubs of Salix waldsteiniana Willd., which form another frigoriphilous community Salicetum waldsteinianae Beger 1922. In the moss flora, another arctic- montane species, Cyrtomnium hymenophylloides (Huebener) T.J.Kop., is very abundant, and this is the only known locality in Croatia (Blockeel et al., 2009c). Further bryophytes that were present include Sanionia uncinata (Hedw.) Loeske, Orhothecium rufescens (Dicks. ex Brid.) Schimp., Campylium protensum (Brid.) Kindb., Campylophyllum halleri (Hedw.) M.Fleisch., Sciuro-hypnum reflexum (Starke) Ignatov & Huttunen, Platydictya jungermannioides (Brid.) H.A.Crum, Hypnum bambergeri Schimp., Plagiopus oederianus (Sw.) H.A.Crum & L.E.Anderson, and Plagiochilla porelloides (Torr. ex Nees) Lindenb. among others. The population of S. norvegica was vigorous, forming dozens of dense patches of several dm2 on rocks and among other bryophytes and herbs. Plants were typically developed, deep green, with long, reddish leaf points, but capsules were not found.

Geomorfološke značilnosti Krasnega polja, severni Velebit, Hrvaška

Krasno polje se nahaja v severnem Velebitu v Dinarskem gorstvu na Hrvaškem. Kraško polje je popolnoma zapolnjeno s prodom in v hidrološkem pogledu neaktivno. Ugotovili smo, da so bila pobočja nad poljem v hladnejših obdobjih pleistocena izrazito preoblikovana z ledeniškim delovanjem. Tako so predledeniški vršaji zapolnili kraško kotanjo pod njimi in oblikovali piedmontski tip kraškega polja. Domnevamo, da je bilo kraško polje zapolnjeno s predledeniškim materialom vsaj v dveh različnih poledenitvenih fazah.

Permian deposits and the Permian–Triassic boundary in Croatia: palaeoclimatic implications based on palaeontological and geochemical data

Abstract The Late Palaeozoic deposits in Croatia were derived from the Palaeotethyan shelf areas along the northern Gondwana passive continental margin and consist of mixed carbonate–clastic facies. These sedimentary rocks accumulated in the equatorial area along northern Gondwana under a dominantly hot climate and laid the foundations for the future Adriatic Carbonate Platform (AdCP). Detailed classification and geochemical studies of the Permian and Permian–Triassic deposits in most parts of Croatia are still in progress, especially concerning palaeoclimate and regional palaeogeography. The best preserved Permian outcrops can be found in the Velebit mountain area, including continuous Permian–Triassic sections. Stable isotopes of carbon and oxygen from carbonates, with characteristic positive δ 13 C carb excursion during the Late Permian and negative δ 13 C carb excursion at the Permian–Triassic transition combined with palaeontological and sedimentological data, helped in palaeoclimate estimations and the positioning of the chemostratigraphical Permian–Triassic Boundary (PTB). Sedimentological, palaeontological and geochemical data indicate that deposition in the Permian took place mainly in shallow-water tropical areas under oligotrophic conditions. High carbon isotope ratios in Capitanian carbonate rocks (+4 to +6‰ VPDB) mark the ‘Kamura event’ characterized by temporary cooling, high productivity and burial rate. Evaporites in the central part of the Karst Dinarides and red beds of the ‘Gröden type’ indicate a warm and mostly arid climate. Calculations based on the oxygen isotopic compositions of whole-rock carbonate and fossil samples estimate latest Permian temperatures up to 26 °C.

Cave development under the influence of Pleistocene glaciation in the Dinarides - an example from Štirovača Ice Cave (Velebit Mt., Croatia)

This paper analyses for the first time the influence of glaciation on underground karst landforms in the Croatian part of the Dinarides, as well as the interrelation between underground and surface relief developments under glacial conditions. The karst environment, as a good recorder of palaeo-environments, provides some new information on Quaternary glaciation in the Velebit Mountain in Croatia, and reveals, generally, the morphogenetic evolution of Stirovaca Ice Cave (in Croatian, Ledenica u Stirovaci) and of the surrounding area. During cold periods, glacial exaration produced a particularly significant quantity of sediments. Consequently, underground karst conduits situated below the snow line during the Pleistocene were filled with high-energy sedimentary structures, glacial and fluvioglacial sediments. This reduced or even stopped their conduit function, and led to difficulties in the drainage of meteoric water, to lake formation within morphological depressions and to a rise in the local water-table level. With the denudation of these deposits, conduit reactivation and a drop in the underground water level occurred. Stabilisation during milder climatic conditions led to aggradation of the cave and to the deposition of flowstones from 8230 ± 150 years BP.

Geografska osnova navigacije Velebitskim kanalom prema Senjskom peljaru iz 1639. godine

U radu se analizira Senjski peljar iz 1639. To je prvi plovidbeni priručnik sastavljen na hrvatskom jeziku, a ujedno i prvi pomorsko-geografski opis podvelebitskoga obalnog područja od Senja do Novskog ždrila. U Senjskom peljaru pomorcima je jezgrovito dan pregled osnovnih geografskih značajki relevantnih za planiranje terestričke navigacije uz obalu Velebitskog podgorja. Istraživanjem izvornika toga plovidbenog priručnika, komparativnom analizom s opisima Velebitskog kanala u drugim starim peljarima te sa starim kartografskim prikazima Velebitskog kanala utvrđeno je značenje pojedinih podvelebitskih uvala koje su omogućavale sigurno zaklonište te važnost koja se u vrijeme nastanka Senjskog peljara pridavala pojedinim prirodnim resursima u opskrbi i pomorsko-trgovinskoj razmjeni.

New data on the dolines of Velebit Mountain: An evaluation of their sedimentary archive potential in the reconstruction of landscape evolution

The first approach to the relationships between societies and physical environments on Velebit Mountain shows narrow correlations between spatial distribution of dolines, soil formation, hydric resources, vegetation and land occupation. In 2002, sediment cores have been obtained from different dolines of Velebit Mountain to evaluate the potential of their sedimentary archives in order to reconstruct the landscape history. On the littoral slopes and on the top parts of the mountain, the dolines were difficult to dig due to the presence of rocks in depth. Nevertheless, the cores have been sampled and soil analyses have been made (physical and chemical analyses: colour, grain size, pH, CaCO3, C, N, P, K, Mg, CEC). No dating materials were found. The first results attest to rather homogeneous pedologic processes in each area studied (Kamenica, Stinica, Baške Oštarije and Bilensko Mirevo), but they also indicate colluvial contributions. These contributions differ from one doline to another according to their location and morphology. Dolines reveal themselves to be not very good traps, as the representative nature of their sedimentary archives could be very local. However, the best profile has been obtained at Bilensko Mirevo, which shows a change in the soil nutrient content from an impoverishment in its middle part toward an increase of the soil nutrients in recent parts. Those environmental changes could not be precisely dated, but could be correlated with the 17th to 20th century phase of strong human impact on the Velebit environment and with the rural depopulation observed since the second half of the 20th century.Keywords: karst, dolines, Mediterranean soils, Velebit Mountain,Dinarides, Croatia.

Glaciochemical investigations of the ice deposit of Vukušić Ice Cave, Velebit Mountain, Croatia

Abstract. The 3H activity and the concentration of 23 metals and metalloids have been analysed in cave ice samples from the perennial cave ice deposit of Vukušić Ice Cave, Velebit Mt., Croatia. The results of tritium measurements exclude a secular age for the upper 2.4 m of ice deposition, and provide clear arguments that the sampled ice sequence consists of frozen post-1950 precipitation. Measured concentrations of most of the analysed elements have largely surmounted reported concentrations of similar elements from local precipitation or Alpine snow/firn/ice records, whereas three metals (Cr, Cu, Pb) show concentrations comparable to them. Principal component analysis was used to select three groups of elements. The Ca-Mg-governed group (PC1) encompasses the bedrock-related components; their fluctuation might thus reflect the past intensity of dissolution in the epikarst. PC2, with the most characteristic elements being Na, Cr and Pb, probably preserved an atmospheric depositional signal. PC3 is governed by Al and Fe. This probably carries the distal, non-karstic crustal signal and hence might be related to atmospheric circulation (i.e., wind direction and speed).

Snowbed vegetation in Croatia: Phytosociology, ecology and conservation status

Phytosociology, ecology and chorology of snowbed vegetation in Croatia were researched. Snowbed stands, found only in freezing ravines and dolines of the Liburnian karst and Velebit Mountains (NW Dinaric Alps, NW Croatia), were classified into the association Drepanoclado-Heliospermetum (Salicion retusae, Arabidetalia caeruleae, Thlaspietea rotundifolii). Those stands, exposed mostly to the north and shaded for the majority of the growing season, were developed on more or less settled periglaciar screes and boulders in the coldest parts (bottoms, smaller ditches) of the dolines with long-lasting snow cover. Due to lower altitude of Croatian mountains, snowbed vegetation could be found only azonally, in freezing ravines surrounded by altimontane and subalpine (fir-)beech and spruce forests, where these stands manage to thrive due to specific microclimatic conditions. Snowbeds host some rare, endangered and/or protected plant species in Croatia. Vulnerability of the flora and vegetation of snowbeds in Croatia is briefly discussed.

The influence of nivation and cryofraction on periglacial relief formation on Velebit Mt. (Croatia)

The peak areas of the Velebit mountain range display an interesting periglacial geomorphology. The appearance of forms is the result of the interdependent geological, geomorphologic, climatic, vegetational and pedological characteristics of the area. The structural and lithological properties of the rock complex, and the inclination of the slope, play a significant role in periglacial relief modelling. Climatic elements are also important, as they influence the intensity and duration of the processes. Low temperatures and relatively high precipitation during the last ice age (Würm III), served to intensify the activity of periglacial processes and relief modelling of the entire Velebit area. Nivation and cryofraction are the predominant periglacial processes which are represented by snow avalanches and stone streams. Air temperatures and soil temperatures (at 30, 60, 90 cm depth) were measured, presented and reviewed, together with other attributes and the slope inclination of the area. The interactions between ground temperature, snow cover and wind patterns play important roles in frost action. In addition to slope inclination, the penetration of warm winds (jugo) and warming of snow on the NE slopes are also important factors in destabilizing the snow cover and triggering avalanches. Snow avalanches are most intensive on slopes with declinations from 35° up to 50°, especially on the parts without vegetation cover.

Stable isotope and trace element stratigraphy across the Permian–Triassic transition: A redefinition of the boundary in the Velebit Mountain, Croatia

Stable isotopes of carbonates (δ 13C carb, δ 18O carb), organic matter (δ 13C org, δ 15N org) and major, trace and rare earth element (REE) compositions of marine carbonate rocks of Late Permian to Early Triassic age were used to establish the position of the Permian–Triassic boundary (PTB) at two continuous sections in the Velebit Mountain, Croatia. The chosen sections — Rizvanuša and Brezimenjača — are composed of two lithostratigraphic units, the Upper Permian Transitional Dolomite and the overlying Sandy Dolomite. The contact between these units, characterized by the erosional features and sudden occurrence of ooids and siliciclastic grains, was previously considered as the chronostratigraphic PTB. The Sandy Dolomite is characterized by high content of non-carbonate material (up to ~ 30 wt.% insoluble residue), originated from erosion of the uplifted hinterland. A relatively rich assemblage of Permian fossils (including Geinitzina, Globivalvulina, Hemigordius, bioclasts of gastropods, ostracods and brachiopods) was found for the first time in Sandy Dolomite, 5 m above the lithologic boundary in the Rizvanuša section. A rather abrupt negative δ 13C carb excursion in both sections appears in rocks showing no recognizable facies change within the Sandy Dolomite, −2‰ at Rizvanuša and −1.2‰ at Brezimenjača, 11 m and 0.2 m above the lithologic contact, respectively. This level within the lower part of the Sandy Dolomite is proposed as the chemostratigraphic PTB. In the Rizvanuša section, the δ 13C org values decline gradually from ~ −25‰ in the Upper Permian to ~ −29‰ in the Lower Triassic. The first negative δ 13C org excursion occurs above the lithologic contact, within the uppermost Permian deposits, and appears to be related to the input of terrigenous material. The release of isotopically light microbial soil-biomass into the shallow-marine water may explain this sudden decrease of δ 13C org values below the PTB. This would support the hypothesis that in the western Tethyan realm the land extinction, triggering a sudden drop of woody vegetation and related land erosion, preceded the marine extinction. The relatively low δ 15N org values at the Permian–Triassic (P–Tr) transition level, close to ≈ 0‰, and a secondary negative δ 13C org excursion of −0.5‰ point to significant terrestrial input and primary contribution of cyanobacteria. The profiles of the concentrations of redox-sensitive elements (Ce, Mn, Fe, V), biogenic or biogenic-scavenged elements (P, Ba, Zn, V), Ce/Ce* values, and normalized trace elements, including Ba/Al, Ba/Fe, Ti/Al, Al/(Al + Fe + Mn) and Mn/Ti show clear excursions at the Transitional Dolomite–Sandy Dolomite lithologic boundary and the chemostratigraphic P–Tr boundary. The stratigraphic variations indicate a major regression phase marking the lithologic boundary, transgressive phases in the latest Permian and a gradual change into shallow/stagnant anoxic marine environment towards the P–Tr boundary level and during the earliest Triassic.

Antioxidant activity of Pseudolysimachion spicatum (L.) Opiz (Scrophulariaceae)

The purpose of this study was to investigate radical scavenging properties and antioxidant activity of leaf, stem, and flower of Pseudolysimachion spicatum (L.) Opiz (= Veronica spicata L.). P. spicatum is a perennial herb with erect or ascending stem up to 60 cm high and blue flowers arranged in dense, many flowered terminal raceme up to 30 cm long. P. spicatum was collected in Velebit Mountain and methanolic extracts of leaf, stem, and flower were prepared by ultrasonication. Content of total phenols were determined by using Folin Ciocalteu reagent, content of flavonols using aluminium chloride and content of phenolic acids with nitrite-molybdate reagent. Antioxidant activity was established using following methods: radical scavenging activity of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free-radical, reducing power, chelating activity and -carotene-linoleic acid assay. The extracts were rich in polyphenols (211831 mg/g), phenolic acids (227 mg/g) and flavonoids (1637 mg/g). In all the analyses the extracts were found to possess marked antioxidant activities. The activity of extracts in -carotene-linoleic acid assay was significantly higher then the activity of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (ANOVA, p<0.05). In most of the assays, activity of stem and leaf extracts was somewhat less pronounced then the activity of flower extract. However, leaf extract demonstrated strongest reducing properties. DPPH radical scavenging activity correlated well with content of total phenols (r2=0.89, p<0.0001). That suggests that phenolic compounds play an important role in antiradical activity of investigated plant organs.

Analyses of the Velebit Mountain Ridge Crests

Generally the ridge crests spread in the dinaridic direction that is NW-SE what is mainly the characteristic of the older tectonic phase. The turn point in morphogenesis of the External Dinarides and thus of the Velebit Mt. occurs with the change in the shift of the Adriatic microplate toward N and NNW what is reflected on the orientation and morphology of the ridge crests as well as on the other relief form. The analyses of ridge crests are based on three main criteria: the analysis of orientation, length and the analysis of relatively homogeneous zones.

The occurrence of giant bivalve Alatoconchidae from the Yabeina zone (Upper Guadalupian, Permian) in European Tethys

The Permian gigantic bivalve family Alatoconchidae forms a member of the tropical shallow marine fauna intimately associated with the Tethyan warm-water-adapted Verbeekinidae fusulines, such as Neoschwagerina and Yabeina. The Velebit Mountains in central Croatia is one of the nine areas in the world that yielded Alatoconchidae, as first reported early in the 1970 s. In addition to the Neoschwagerina Zone (Wordian, Middle Guadalupian) originally described, we newly found Alatoconchidae from the Yabeina Zone (Capitanian, Upper Guadalupian) from the Brušane area in the central Velebit Mountains. Alatoconchidae occur in three stratigraphic levels of the Velebit Formation composed of black fusuline/algal wackestone/packstone with Yabeina. Although fragmented, the Alatoconchidae shell reach sizes over 40 cm long, and possess unique morphology with a lateral flange plus a prominent prismatic external layer in the double-layered shell structure. Our results confirm, for the first time in Europe and thus in the western Tethyan domain, that the stratigraphic range of the gigantic bivalve family extends up to the Capitanian as well as in the superocean Panthalassa. As no occurrence has been reported from the overlying Lopingian (Upper Permian), Alatoconchidae likely became extinct globally at the end of the Guadalupian, i.e., through the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary mass extinction.

Geomorphological Traces of the Younger Pleistocene Glaciation in the Central Part of the Velebit Mt.

On the central part of the Velebit Mountain the traces of the Pleistocene glaciation have been found. The domination of the dissected relief, characterized by numerous elevations and depressions, in the conditions of low temperatures and richess of snow precipitation during the Pleistocene were a very good predisposition for glaciation development on the central part of the Velebit Mt.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf

Lichen Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf. (Parmeliaceae) grows across Europe and northern Africa. Antioxidant and antimicrobial activity, as well as phenolic content of chloroformic (PFC), ethanolic (PFE) and water (PFW) extracts of P. furfuracea collected on Velebit mountain were investigated. Antioxidant activity of extracts was evaluated in three manners: β-carotene-linoleic acid model system, iron (III) to iron (II) reducing activity and DPPH radical-scavenging activity. PFC and PFE extracts demonstrated significant antioxidant activity. As it can be expected from the higher phenolic content, ethanolic extract exhibited higher antioxidant activity than the chloroformic extract in each of our three assays, especially in β-carotene-linoleic acid assay. Antimicrobial activity of PFE and PFW extracts was determinated using cylinder diffusion method, and macro-broth dilution method against standard and clinical isolates of 19 bacterial, 7 yeast and 4 dermatophyte species. Gram-positive bacterial species were highly susceptible to the PFE with inhibition zones (ZI) from 19 to 33mm, and MIC values between 0.15 and 3.1mg/mL (MMC under 4.8mg/mL), with the Bacillus spp. most resistant (MIC 9.95–114.6mg/mL). Dermatophytes showed ZI 13–17mm and MICs between 1.19 and 2.39mg/mL (MMC 2.39–4.78mg/mL). Susceptibility of Gram-negative bacterial species, as well as antifungal activity against yeasts, was specie-dependent. On the other hand, PFW did not show noticeable antimicrobial activity. Using bioactivity guided “bioassay in situ“ against Bacillus subtilis NCTC 8236, fraction rich in antimicrobial phenolic acids was isolated.

Delimitation of the alliances Caricion firmae (Seslerietalia albicantis) and Seslerion juncifoliae (Seslerietalia juncifoliae) in the southeastern Alps and Dinaric mountains

A syntaxonomic and phytogeographic delimitation of the calcareous open sedge swards in the alpine belt of the Alps (Caricion firmae) and subalpine and alpine tussock grasslands in wind-exposed habitats (Seslerion juncifoliae) in the area of the south-eastern Alps and of the Dinaric mountains was performed. Analyses based on hierarchical classification, ordination and chorology clearly showed the distinction between the syntaxa: stands from the Liburnian karst (Mt Snežnik – SW. Slovenia, Mts Risnjak and Snježnik – NW. Croatia), Lička Plješivica and the Velebit mountains belong to the Dinaric alliance Seslerion juncifoliae, whereas stands from the Trnovski gozd plateau (W. Slovenia, north-westernmost part of the Dinaric mountains), although somewhat transitional between the two alliances, and stands from the Alps, were classified in the alliance Caricion firmae. The alliance Seslerion juncifoliae of the Dinaric mountains vicariates Caricion firmae of the Alps.