Within Activity 7.2. of the NATURAVITA project: Implementation of research works, establishment of a system and implementation of monitoring, with interpretation of results, ie project task: Monitoring and research service for the purpose of preparing a study of the revitalization of aquatic ecosystems of the floodplain of the Kopački rit Nature Park, the implementation of Group 1 activities: Habitat and flora monitoring began on April 6, 2021. Employees of the Faculty of Agrobiotechnical Sciences Osijek and the Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, with the logistical support and supervision of employees of the Public Institution “Kopački rit Nature Park” participate in the monitoring. According to current knowledge, the diversity of flora of the Nature Park “Kopački rit” consists of a total of 595 species, of which 40 species of aquatic and terrestrial mosses, and 555 species of vascular flora, which includes 9 species of ferns and 546 species of angiosperms. Compared to the number of vascular flora of the Republic of Croatia (5,027 species and subspecies), the share of the flora of Kopački rit is 11%. According to the endangered status, 60 species (11%) is listed in the Red Book of Vascular Flora of Croatia, and 53 species are strictly protected according to the Ordinance on strictly protected species.
Habitat and flora monitoring activities will last 24 months. Multiple field visits to selected localities within the boundaries of the Nature Park “Kopački rit” will record the present species of vascular flora and make a flora list and make a taxonomic analysis and analysis of ecological characteristics of flora. For endangered and rare species of flora, it is necessary to record their localities and assess the density (coverage) of populations in individual localities. Special attention should be paid to the emergence and spread of invasive alien species and their impact on indigenous flora.
For the purpose of continuous monitoring, 12 permanent plots will be set up, which include selected terrestrial (forest, grassland, ruderal), water and wetland habitat types in the floodplain and in the flood-protected area. Priority is given to the establishment of permanent plots for target habitats from the area of the ecological network HR2000394 Kopački rit, as well as some rare and endangered habitats. Locations of permanent plots will be recorded, and using GIS, their spatial distribution will be mapped. On each of the permanent plots, it is necessary to determine the initial state, record data on habitat type and flora, and assess the characteristics of populations of rare, endangered or invasive alien species.
Habitat monitoring includes determining the distribution and assessment of the conservation status of endangered and rare habitat types. Locations of endangered, rare and target habitat types need to be marked and a mapping of their spatial distribution can be made using GIS.
The monitoring began with the installation of the first permanent surface, on April 6, 2021, on the habitat of the endangered and protected species, the common gnats (Fritillaria meleagris) in the Special Zoological Reserve “Kopački rit”. The locality of this species is also its newly recorded site in Croatia. Another permanent surface was set up on May 7, 2021 in the forest area around Tikves Castle, where a large number of populations of forest orchids were found, among which the purple orchid (Orchis purpurea), one of the nine recorded species from the orchid family in the Nature Park ” Kopački rit “.
