Agronomy journal, Vol. 67 No. 2-4, 2005.
Conference paper
Autochthonous woody species as an element of the Medditerranean urban area in Croatia
Roman Rosavec
Damir Barčić
Željko Španjol
Abstract
The Mediterranean area in Croatia is characterised by geomorphological, relief, climatic, pedological and vegetational synecological factors. Apart from autochthonous (climatozonal) species, a large number of alochthonous (foreign) species were introduced for the purpose of carrying out ameliorative operations in degraded sites and meeting the horticultural and landscape objectives. Unfortunately, unfamiliarity with biological-ecological properties of foreign species gave rise to a number of mistakes in terms of the choice of species. Horticulturally, the introduced species frequently failed to fulfil the desired aesthetic and composition effects.
However, there were also situations in which the newly introduced species adapted exceptionally well to the new conditions and developed far beyond expectations, suppressing the autochthonous vegetation from its original areas.
Wherever possible, autochthonous vegetation should be favoured over aloththonous vegetation because the former is already well adapted to the environmental and habitat conditions.
The possibilities and quality of autochthonous species as elements of urban vegetation in the Mediterranean are still insufficiently utilised. The auto-chthonous floral elements have, apart from their decorative-aesthetic values (the qualities shared with the alochthonous species), a historical-traditional value. For this reason old plantations of autochthonous species in urban areas should be replaced with the same (or similar) autochthonous ones.
The Croatian insular, coastal and hinterland areas are inhabited by a large number of mainly evergreen autochthonous species. The warmer eu-Mediterranean belt is characterised by the following interesting species: holm oak (Quercus ilex L.), strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.), laurustinus (Viburnum tinus L.), privet (Phillyrea latifolia L., Phillyrea media L.), bay laurel (Laurus nobilis L.), common myrtle (Myrtus communis L.), Italian buckthorn (Rhamnus alaternus L.), cyprus (Cupressus sempervirens L.), juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus L.), Juniperus macrocarpa Sibth. Et Sm., creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis Moench.), curry plant (Helichrysum angustifolium D. C.), tree purslane (Atriplex halimus L.) and others.
From an ecological-aesthetic standpoint, the colder, sub-Mediterranean area is characterised by the following species: pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.), manna ash (Fraxinus ornus L.), Montpelier maple (Acer monspessulanum L.), terebinth tree (Pistacia terebinthus L.), smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria Scop.), hop hornbeam (Ostrya carpinifolia Scop.), oriental hornbeam (Carpinus orientalis Mill.), whitebeam (Sorbus aria L.), wild service tree (Sorbus torminalis Crantz), Bosnian maple (Acer obtusatum Kit.), common juniper (Juniperus communis), winter savory (Satureia montana L.) and others.
Keywords
autochthonous species; Mediterranean area; urban vegetation
Hrčak ID:
2234
URI
Publication date:
10.5.2005.
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