engleski

Habitats of neophytic plant species of vascular flora in Croatia

On the basis of investigations over several years, 155 neophyte species have been found in Croatia, of which 97 species are naturalized plants, while 58 species appear casual in nature. Taxa which are only cultivated have not been considered, although many of them could become either casually escaped, or naturalized. There has been no systematic study of neophytes’ habitats in Croatia so far. This work lists preliminary results of those mentioned above. Neophyte habitat analysis have been carried out with published phytosociological and floristic data, and based on the author’ s investigations and observations. According to the type of their habitat, neophytes can be sorted into several groups: ruderals, weeds, plants growing in wet habitats, in water and marshland vegetation, in dry Mediterranean grasslands, in abandoned grasslands in continental Croatia, in halophilous habitats along the sea coast, at wood-edges, in woods, as well as those species having no precise data about their habitats. The majority of neophytes have been noted in various types of anthropogenic habitats (classes: Chenopodietea, Artemisietea vulgaris and Stellarietea mediae). All such habitats have in common that the plant cover gets damaged through human activity, and the stripped areas offer opportunities for neophytes to develop. Relatively few neophytes grow in habitats of natural and seminatural vegetation like woods (Fraxinus americana, F. pennsylvanica), shrubs (Echinocystis lobata), grasslands (Erigeron annuus) and marshes (Acorus calamus). Among natural and seminatural vegetation, wetlands in big river valleys can be considered highly endangered, as the spread of neophytes is being encouraged by floods and also by irrigation system development during which the natural vegetation of river banks gets removed. The species noted most widely in the various habitats is Erigeron annuus. The neophytes' negative effects are manifested in several ways: seen ecologically, the invasive neophyte species suppress the natural flora and vegetation (Amorpha fruticosa), are harmful to human health (Ambrosia artemisiifolia), and cause economic damage as weeds (Panicum capillare, P. dichotomiflorum).

neophytes; habitats

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