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explore Forests of the national park Forestry communities | Forestry communities |
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The main forestry communities of this area are mountain beech forest dinaric beech and flr forests. Mountain beech forest (Lamium orvala - Fagetum sylvaticae Ht 38) is located in the Plitvice area, in the zone stretching from the Plitvice Lake's shores, and at the same time 700 metres of altitude above the sea level, at the lakes, plain beech forest a competitive species there, arid that is why a little space is left for other tree species.
In shrubbery layer of this forest, the most frequent shrubs are lovorolisni daphne (Daphne laureola), common daphne (Daphne mezereum), red elder (Sambucus racemosa), holly (Ilex aquifolium), pasje grozde (Lonicera xylosteum), sitno pasje grozde (Lonicera alpigena) and sirokolisna kurika (Evonimus latifolia).
Among the low vegetation, quite frequent are nettle (Lamium crvala), velecvjetna marulja (Calamintha grandiflora), lungwort (Pulmonaria officinalis), wood anemone (Anemone nemorosa), turk's cap (lilium martagon) and others. The other tree species which occasionally appear in this forest are mountain maple, mlijec and in lowest zones pedinculate oak species.
The Plitvice beech mountain forest plays exceptionally important role in keeping the natural balance of this area, which is particularly related to regulation of hydrogeological conditions.
The second largest represented forestry community is Dinaric beech and fir forest (Abieti - Fagetum dinaricum Treg. 75), considered to be one of the most beautiful forests in the higher Park areas, in the zone above 700 meters of altitude.
Its ecological value is more significant than the value of other forestry communities, due to the presence of fir tree which gives a very special characteristic to this ecosystem. Being one of coniferous species, a fir tree has a significant influence on its living space even then when vegetation period finishes. A fir tree has also a significant influence on hydrological and climatic conditions, besides, it cleans very efficiently polluted air by its thick crown, while the amount of fir needles is up to 15 times bigger than the ground covered by crown. A fir tree is alike to beech tree when it comes to water use by transpiration it uses about 300 mm of water per year.
Dinaric beach - fir forest is important for its beech tree, fir tree, juniper tree, mountain maple and mountain elm tree, while in low shrubbery layer most frequently appear: common daphne (Daphne mezereum), obicna bujadika (Athyrium filix femina), common fern (Dryopteris filix mas), sumski kostris (Senecio nemorensis), svilencica (Lunaria rediviva), lukovicasta rezuka (Cardamine bulbifera) as well as many other species, depending on microconditions.
Except for the two listed forestry communities, there are others, depending on zones in the Park:
- forest of black hornbeam and reed (Selestrio - Ostryetum Ht 38). - black hornbeam forest with "crnjusa" (Erico - Ostryetum Ht 38). - common - and black pine forest with "bozicnjak" (Heleboro - Pinetum typicum piceetosum Ht 38) - oak kitnjak and hornbeam forest (Querco - Carpinetum croaticum Ht 38) Forestry communities listed above are covering an area of about 4% of all the Park forests, which however does not diminish their importance in increasement of varieties. Out of the total Park area, the forests are occupying 79%. According to the most recent decision of the Croatian Parlament, the National Park has been enlarged for approximately 10 000 ha, and the mentioned relation is going to be changed for about 6 000 ha. During the Serbian occupation of the National Park from 1991 till 1995, forest has been cut off with no legal rights and no experts participation, which however has not diminished ecological value of the Plitvice forest as the effected area was small. The park forests are not being used for production of raw material, and cultivation actions are being implemented aiming at ecological potentials to be preserved. |