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

Abstract

The aim of this research was to produce a georeferenced map of habitats of the Protected Landscape of Donji Kamenjak (Istria, Croatia). There were found 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, a large number of plant communities were found. The vegetation is represented mainly by 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. A total of 76.49 ha was identified as belonging to Natura 2000 ecological network habitats, representing 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, these are endangered habitats due to the abandonment of traditional system of sheep farming causing the occurrence of different succession stages and the development of the maquis and forests, pointing out the remarkable importance of traditional systems in biodiversity conservation.