Vladimir Stupar, Jugoslav Brujić, Dragan Koljanin

Study of riparian forest and scrub vegetation of the Zalomka and Upper Neretva Rivers (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Introduction

Study of riparian forest and scrub vegetation of the zalomka and upper neretva rivers (bosnia and herzegovina). Study riparian forest and scrub vegetation along Zalomka & Upper Neretva rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Discover distinct communities crucial for Dinaric Alps conservation.

Abstract

This study investigates the riparian forest and scrub vegetation along the Zalomka and Upper Neretva rivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Despite the ecological significance of these rivers’ riparian zones, they remain underexplored, particularly regarding their floristic composition and ecological dynamics. We conducted a short-term phytosociological study in June 2023, using the Central European phytosociological method to collect and analyze 17 relevés from these riverine environments. Statistical classification identified five ecologically and floristically distinct clusters, ranging from pioneer scrub communities dominated by Salix eleagnos and Salix purpurea on gravel bars, over riparian forests on finer sediment dominated by Salix alba and/or S. euxina and Alnus rohlenae, to Salix eleagnos scrub communities with diverse mesophilous and thermophilous species. The study provides a preliminary syntaxonomical framework, assigning these clusters into relevant alliances. The findings highlight the need for further research to refine the classification and support the conservation of these unique riparian habitats, several of which are listed in the EU Habitats Directive. The study contributes to a better understanding of riparian ecosystems in the Dinaric Alps, offering insights into their conservation and management.

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