Abstract
There is a lack of a comprehensive study of eastern Adriatic salt marsh vegetation with special attention to plant–soil relationships that determine individual plant assemblages. We surveyed 41 sites of salt marshes on the Croatian coastline in order to classify their vegetation by numerical methods and to compare the resulting groups in terms of soil chemical properties. A clear zonation between plant communities along the hydro-sequence was identified and was well represented by the dominance of individual diagnostic species. Two large vegetation groups were detected, well distinguished by mean species richness and soil properties. The first group, assigned into the classes Thero-Salicornietea and Sarcocornietea fruticosae, contains three subgroups of succulent, sparse stands of species-poor vegetation on the mudflat zone flooded by sea water, characterised by high salinity, electric conductivity, exchangeable Mg and K, and low nutrient content (total nitrogen, organic carbon) of the substrate. In the second group, tall rush communities (class Juncetea maritimi), three subordinate clusters, were identified, occurring in the upper, brackish zone with infrequent tides. Their soils had low salinity and electric conductivity and increased total nitrogen, organic carbon and exchangeable Mg and Ca. Vegetation within the second group occurring in the uppermost tidal zone had the highest species-richness, nutrient content in the soil and the lowest salinity. It has not been previously identified. Here, we described it as the new association Limonio narbonensis–Caricetum divisae.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Adam P (1981) The vegetation of British saltmarshes. New Phytol 88:143–196. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.1981.tb04577.x
Adam P (1990) Saltmarsh ecology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Alegro A, Šegota V, Koletić N, Vuković N, Vilović T, Rimac A (2019) Glaux maritima L. (Primulaceae), a new plant species in SE Europe. Acta Bot Croat 78:95–98. https://doi.org/10.2478/botcro-2018-0021
Allen JRL, Pye K (1992) Coastal saltmarshes: their nature and importance. In: Allen JRL, Pye K (eds) Saltmarshes: Morphodynamics, conservation and engineering significance. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 1–18
Andreucci F (2004) La vegetazione alofila della laguna di Orbetello (Toscana, Grosseto). Fitosociologia 41:31–49
Antisari LV, Ferronato C, Pellegrini E, Boscutti F, Casolo V, de Nobili M, Vianello G (2017) Soil properties and plant community relationship in a saltmarsh of the Grado and Marano lagoon (northern Italy). J Soils Sediments 17:1862–1873. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-016-1510-6
Apaydin Z, Kutbay H, Ozbucak T, Yalcin E, Bilgin A (2009) Relationship between vegetation zonation and edaphic factors in a salt-marsh community (Black Sea Coast). Polish J Ecol 57:99–112
Artegiani A, Paschini E, Russo A, Bregant D, Raicich F, Pinardi N (1997) The Adriatic Sea general circulation. Part I: air–sea interactions and water mass structure. J Phys Oceanogr 27:1492–1514. https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0485(1997)027%3c1492:TASGCP%3e2.0
Barkmann JJ, Doing H, Segal S (1964) Kritische bemerkungen und vorschläge zur quantitativen vegetationsanalyse. Acta Bot Neerl 13:394–419
Beeftink WG (1977) Salt-marshes. In: Barnes RSK (ed) The Coastline. Wiley, London, pp 93–122
Bertness MD, Wikler K, Chatkupt T (1992) Flood tolerance and the distribution of Iva frutescens across New England salt marshes. Oecologia 91:171–178. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00317780
Borhidi A, Kevey B, Lendvai G (2012) Plant communities of Hungary. Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest
Brinkman R (1980) Saline and sodic soils. In: Land Reclamation and Water Management, International Institute for Land reclamation and Improvemnt, Wageningen, Publication No. 27, pp 62–72
Brullo S, Brullo C, Cambria S, Giusso del Galdo G, Minissale P (2017) Phytosociological investigation on the class Crithmo maritimi-Limonietea in Greece. Pl Sociol 54:3–57. https://doi.org/10.7338/pls2017541/01
Caniglia G, Conti G, Fusco M, Anoè N, Zanobi A (1997) Confronto su base vegetazionale tra due barene della Laguna di Venezia. Fitosociologia 34:111–119. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-013-0283-2
Chapman VJ (1960) Salt marshes and salt deserts of the world. In: Polunin N (ed) Plant science monographs. Leonard Hill (Books) Ltd, London
Chytrý M, Otýpková Z (2003) Plot sizes used for phytosociological sampling of European vegetation. J Veg Sci 14:563–570. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2003.tb02183.x
Chytrý M, Tichý L, Holt J, Botta-Dukát J (2002) Determination of diagnostic species with statistical fidelity measures. J Veg Sci 13:79–90. https://doi.org/10.1658/1100-9233(2002)013%5b0079:DODSWS%5d2.0.CO;2
Cushman-Roisin B, Naimie CE (2002) A 3D finite-element model of the Adriatic tides. J Mar Syst 37:279–297. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0924-7963(02)00204-X
Cutini M, Agostinelli E, Acosta TRA, Molina JA (2010) Coastal salt-marsh zonation in Tyrrhenian central Italy and its relationship with other Mediterranean wetlands. Pl Biosyst 144:1–11. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263500903178117
Dijkema KS (1990) Salt and brackish marshes around the Baltic Sea and their adjacent parts of the North Sea: their vegetation and management. Biol Conservation 51:191–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3207(90)90151-E
Dítě D, Melečková Z, Šuvada R, Píš V, Eliáš P Jr (2015) The phytosociology and ecology of saline vegetation with Scorzonera parviflora in the Pannonian-Western Balkan gradient. Phytocoenologia 45:33–47. https://doi.org/10.1127/phyto/2015/0007
Dítě D, Dítětová D, Eliáš P Jr, Šuvada R (2018) Rare plant species of salt marshes of the Croatian coast. Hacquetia 17:221–234. https://doi.org/10.1515/hacq-2018-0002
Donker M, Stevelink A (1961) Einige Wiesenvegetationen (Gaudinieto-Arrhenatheretum; Molinietum mediterraneum; Caricetum divisae) im Vistre-Tal bei Le Cailar. S.I.G.M.A., Com. 154, Meded Landbouwhogeschoolte Wageningen 61:1–32
Dring J, Hoda P, Mersinliari M, Mullaj A, Pignatti S, Rodwell R (2002) Plant communities of Albania—a preliminary overview. Ann Bot 2:7–30
EEA (European Environmental Agency) (2019) EIONET Habitat assessments: European Topic Centre on Biological Diversity. Available at: https://www.eionet.europa.eu/. Accessed 25 Mar 2019
Eliáš P Jr, Sopotlieva D, Dítě D, Hájková P, Apostolova I, Senko D, Melečková Z, Hájek M (2013) Vegetation diversity of salt-rich grasslands in the south-east Europe. Appl Veg Sci 16:521–537. https://doi.org/10.1111/avsc.12017
Euro + Med (2006 − 2014) Euro + Med PlantBase—the information resource for Euro- Mediterranean plant diversity. Avaliable at: http://ww2.bgbm.org/EuroPlusMed/. Accessed 19 Feb 2018
Ferrari C, Gerdol R, Piccoli F (1995) The halophilous vegetation of the Po Delta (northern Italy). Vegetatio 61:5–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00039805
Géhu JM (1998) Schéma synsystématique des principales classes de végétations littorales sédimentaires européennes avec références à d’autres territoires holarctique. Ann Bot 56:1–48
Géhu JM, Biondi E (1996) Synoptique des associations végétales du littoral Adriatique Italien. Giorn Bot Ital 130:257–270. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263509609439535
Hennekens SM, Schaminée JHJ (2001) TURBOVEG, a comprehensive data base management system for vegetation data. J Veg Sci 12:589–591. https://doi.org/10.2307/3237010
Hill MO (1979) TWINSPAN. A Fortran program for arranging multivariate data in an ordered two-way table by classification of the individuals and attributes. Cornell University, Ithaca
Horvatić S (1934) Flora i vegetacija otoka Paga. Prir Istraž Kral Jugoslavije 19:116–372
Imeri A, Mullaj A, Dodona E, Kupe L (2010) Costal vegetation of the Lalzi bay (Albania). Bot Serbica 34:99–105
Janssen J (2016) A2.5d Mediterranean and Black Sea coastal salt marsh. European Red List of Habitats—Coastal Habitat Group. Available at: https://forum.eionet.europa.eu/european-red-list-habitats/library/terrestrial-habitats/b.-coastal/a2.5d-mediterranean-and-black-sea-coastal-salt-marsh/download/en/1/A2.5d%20Mediterranean%20and%20Black%20Sea%20coastal%20salt%20marsh.pdf?action=view
Jasprica N, Milović M, Kovačić S, Stamenković V (2016) Phytocoenotic diversity of the NE-Adriatic island of Olib. Pl Sociol 53:55–81. https://doi.org/10.7338/pls2016531/04
Kadereit G, Ball P, Beer S, Mucina L, Sokoloff D, Teege P, Yaprak AE, Freitag H (2007) A taxonomic nightmare comes true: phylogeny and biogeography of glassworts (Salicornia L., Chenopodiaceae). Taxon 56:1143–1170. https://doi.org/10.2307/25065909
Kadereit G, Piirainen M, Lambinon J, Vanderpoorte NA (2012) Cryptic taxa should have names. Reflections on the glasswort genus Salicornia (Amaranthaceae). Taxon 61:1227–1239. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.616005
Kaligarič M, Škornik S (2006) Halophile vegetation of the Slovenian seacoast: thero-Salicornietea and Spartinetea maritimae. Hacquetia 5:25–36
Kaligarič M, Škornik S (2007) Vegetation of tall rush saltmarshes (Juncetea maritimae) and saltmarsh scrubs (Arthrocnemetea fruticosae) on the Slovenian seacoast. Annales 17:47–58
Kamenjarin J, Pavletić Z (2002) Vegetation of Pantana area at Kaštela bay and its protection problems. Hacquetia 1:185–192
Király G, Bidló A, Takács T, Eliáš P Jr, Melečková Z, Dítě D (2013) The occurrence of the littoral sedge species, Carex extensa (Cyperaceae) in the Pannonian Basin, Hungary. Biologia 68:872–878. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-013-0219-x
Koull N, Chehma A (2016) Soil characteristics and plant distribution in saline wetlands of Oued Righ, northeastern Algeria. J Arid Land 8:948–959. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40333-016-0060-5
Lovrić AZ (1974) Zonation and succession in brackish environments of the Eastern Adriatic. Hydrobiol Bull 8:166–171. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02254916
Magaš D (2000) Contribution to the knowledge of the geographical characteristics of the Pag island. Geoadria 5:5–48. https://doi.org/10.15291/geoadria.153
Melečková Z, Dítě D, Eliáš P Jr (2014) Scorzonero-Juncetea gerardii. In: Hegedüšová Vantarová K, Škodová I (eds) Rastlinné spoločenstvá Slovenska 5. Travinno-bylinná vegetácia. Veda, Bratislava, pp 513–532
Merloni N (2007) Gli habitat di interesse comunitario (Direttiva 92/43/CEE) nella Riserva Naturale Sacca di Bellocchio (province di Ravenna e Ferrara). Fitosociologia Suppl: 83–88
Merloni N, Piccoli F (2007) Comunità vegetali rare e minacciate delle stazioni ravennati del Parco del Delta del Po (Regione Emilia-Romagna). Fitosociologia 44:67–76
Mesleard F, Yavercovski N, Dutoit T (2016) Photoperiod buffers responses to salt and temperature during germination of two coastal salt marsh colonizers Juncus acutus and Juncus maritimus. Pl Biosyst 150:1156–1164. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2015.1007898
Mitić B, Topić J, Kovavić S, Jasprica N, Alegro A, Milović M, Dobrović I, Rešetnik I, Cigić P, Ruščić M, et al (2009) Kartiranje flore Dalmacije—Prioritetna područja: otok Pag, estuarij Krke, otok Vis i pučinski otoci, Pelješac i Mljet, otok Cetine Prirodoslovno-matematički fakultet, Zagreb
Moreno J, Terrones A, Juan A, Alonso MA (2018) Halophytic plant community patterns in Mediterranean saltmarshes: shedding light on the connection between abiotic factors and the distribution of halophytes. Pl Soil 430:185–204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-018-3671-0
Nikolić T (ed) (2018) Flora Croatica. Avaliable at: http://hirc.botanic.hr/fcd. Accessed Feb 2018
Ostroški L (ed) (2010) Statistical yearbook of Croatia 2010. Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb
Pandža M, Franjić J, Škvorc Z (2007) The salt marsh vegetation on the East Adriatic coast. Biologia 62:24. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-007-0003-x
Papastergiadou E, Babalonas D (1996) Salt marshes and sand dune ecosystems in the Northern Aegean coastal areas. In: Salman AH, Langeveld MJ, Bonazoutas M (eds) Coastal management and habitat conservation. EUCC, Leiden, pp 65–74
Pätsch R, Bruchmann I, Schellenberg J, Meisert A, Bergmeier E (2019) Elytrigia repens co-occurs with glycophytes rather than characteristic halophytes in low-growing salt meadows on the southern Baltic Sea coast. Biologia 74:385–394. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-019-00195-1
Pennings SC, Callaway RM (1992) Salt marsh plant zonation: the relative importance of competition and physical factors. Ecology 73:681–690. https://doi.org/10.2307/1940774
Pikelj K, Juračić M (2013) Eastern Adriatic Coast (EAC): geomorphology and coastal vulnerability of a karstic coast. J Coastal Res 29:944–957. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-12-00136.1
Pirone G (1995) La vegetazione alofila della costa abruzzese (Adriatico centrale). Fitosociologia 30:233–256
Poldini L, Vidali M, Fabiani ML (1999) La vegetazione del litorale sedimentario del Friuli-Venezia Giulia (NE Italia) con riferimenti alla regione alto-Adriatica. Stud Geobot 17:3–68
QGIS Development Team 2018. QGIS Geographic Information System. Open Source Geospatial Foundation. http://qgis.osgeo.org
R Development Core Team (2008) R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna (AT): R Foundation for Statistical Computing. Available at: http://www.R-project.org
Rivas-Martínez S, Fernández-González F, Loidi J, Lousã M, Penas A (2001) Lista sintaxonómica de comunidades de plantas vasculares de España y Portugal hasta el nivel de asociación. Itin Geobot 14:5–341
Rogel JA., Ariza FA, Silla, RO (2000) Soil salinity and moisture gradients and plant zonation in Mediterranean salt marshes of Southeast Spain Wetlands 20:357–372. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1672/0277-5212(2000)020%5b0357:SSAMGA%5d2.0.CO;2
Rufo L, de la Fuente V, Sánchez-Mata D (2016) Sarcocornia plant communities of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Phytocoenologia 46:383–396. https://doi.org/10.1127/phyto/2016/0113
Šajna N, Regvar M, Kaligarič S, Škvorc Ž, Kaligarič M (2013) Germination characteristics of Salicornia patula Duval-Jouve, S. emerici Duval-Jouve, and S. veneta Pign. et Lausi and their occurrence in Croatia. Acta Bot Croat 72:347–358. https://doi.org/10.2478/botcro-2013-0011
Sarika M (2012) Flora and vegetation of some coastal ecosystems of Sterea Ellas and eastern continental Greece. Lazaroa 33:65–99. https://doi.org/10.5209/rev-LAZA.2012.v33.40282
Sciandrello S, Tomaselli V (2014) Coastal salt-marshes plant communities of the Salicornietea fruticosae class in Apulia (Italy). Biologia 69:53–69. https://doi.org/10.2478/s11756-013-0283-2
Sedlar Z, Alegro A, Radović A, Brigić A, Hršak V (2018) Extreme land-cover and biodiversity change as an outcome of land abandonment on a Mediterranean island (eastern Adriatic). Pl Biosyst 152:728–737. https://doi.org/10.1080/11263504.2017.1330774
Shehu J, Imeri A, Koci R, Mullaj A (2014) Coastal salt-marshes in Albania. Albanian J Agric Sci (Special Ed): 47–51
Silvestri S, Defina A, Marani M (2005) Tidal regime, salinity and salt marsh plant zonation. Estuarine Coastal Shelf Sci 62:119–130. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2004.08.010
Škvorc Ž, Jasprica N, Alegro A, Kovačić S, Franjić J, Krstonošić D, Vraneša A, Čarni A (2017) Vegetation of Croatia: phytosociological classification of the high-rank syntaxa. Acta Bot Croat 76:200–224. https://doi.org/10.1515/botcro-2017-0014
Slavnić Ž (1948) Slatinska vegetacija Vojvodine. Arhiv za poljoprivredne nauke i tehniku 4:55–76
Sotáková S, Hanes J, Sisák P, Slovík R, Zaujec A (1988) Návody na cvičenia z geológie a pôdoznalectva. Príroda, Bratislava
Speranza M, D’Arco M, Ferroni L (2015a) Ecological performances of plant species of halophilous hydromorphic ecosystems. EQA 19:55–70. https://doi.org/10.6092/issn.2281-4485/6004
Speranza M, D’Arco M, Ferroni L (2015b) Ecological performances of plant species of halophilous hydromorphic ecosystems. Environm Qual 19:55–70
Stančić Z, Brigić A, Liber Z, Rusak G, Franjić J, Škvorc Z (2008) Adriatic coastal plant taxa and communities of Croatia and their threat status. Acta Bot Gallica 155:179–199. https://doi.org/10.1080/12538078.2008.10516103
STN ISO 10694 (2001) Kvalita pôdy. Stanovenie organického a celkového uhlíka po suchom spaľovaní (elementárna analýza). SÚTN, Bratislava
STN ISO 13536 (2001) Kvalita pôdy. Stanovenie potenciálnej katiónovej výmennej kapacity a obsahu vymeniteľných katiónov za použitia tlmivého roztoku chloridu bárnatého s hodnotou pH = 8.1. SÚTN, Bratislava
Ter Braak CJF, Šmilauer P (1998) CANOCO reference manual and users guide to Canoco for Windows. Software for Canonical Community Ordination (version 4). Centre of Biometry, Wageningen
Tichý L (2002) JUICE, software for vegetation classification. J Veg Sci 13:451–453. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1654-1103.2002.tb02069.x
Tzonev R, Lysenko T, Gusev C, Zhelev P (2008) The Halophytic Vegetation in South-East Bulgaria and Along the Black Sea Coast. Hacquetia 7:95–121
Vicherek J (1973) Die Pflanzengsellschaften der Halophyten und Subhalophytenvegetation der Tschechoslowakei. Vegetace ČSSR, Ser. A5. Academia, Praha
Acknowledgements
The study was financially supported by Grant VEGA No. 2/0001/16. Special thanks to Mario Klesczewski for sharing his field experience from the Rhône delta, France.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Additional information
Handling editor: Ivana Resetnik.
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
The article is a part of the topical collections: Plants of the Balkan Peninsula in Space and Time.
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Information on Electronic Supplementary Material
Information on Electronic Supplementary Material
Online Resource 1. Phytosociological relevés used in the vegetation analyses recorded on the Croatian coastline by the authors.
Online Resource 2. List of localities of phytosociological relevés in Online resource 1 recorded on the Croatian coastline.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dítě, Z., Šuvada, R., Eliáš, P. et al. Salt marsh vegetation on the Croatian coast: plant communities and ecological characteristics. Plant Syst Evol 305, 899–912 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-019-01617-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-019-01617-y