Alpine and subalpine calcareous grassland of the Balkan and Apennines

These habitats built by many alpine plant species have been a source for fodder during summer period. Grasslands can be divided into two main groups: grasslands over calcareous and acid bedrock. They are further divided into two groups according to altitude: one is of primary origin that appears above the timberline, where site conditions are too severe for woody species to grow. The other is secondary and developed in the subalpine vegetation belt, where the forest surfaces were deforested and transformed into pastures and the timberline was lowered for somewhere 300-500 meters. But it is very difficult to draw the line between the primary and secondary grasslands and they often overlap. The subalpine grasslands extend at altitude between 1650 and 2250 m and the alpine ones are above them. Geographically subalpine and alpine grasslands are divided into two orders, Seslerietalia tenuifoliae, comprising alpine and subalpine grasslands of the northern Balkan and Apennines, and Onobrychido-Seslerietalia, comprising those of central and southern Balkans. In the alpine vegetation belt we can find the vegetation alliances Seslerio juncifoliae-Caricion firmae on the northern Dinarides, Seslerion apeninae on the Apennines, Oxytropion dinaricae on southern Dinarides and Anthyllido-Seslerion klastersky in the central part of the Balkans. In the subalpine belt we can find Seslerion apeninne in the Apennines, Seslerion juncifoliae on wind exposed slopes and Festucion pungentis in sheltered sites in Dinarides and Festuco-Knaution longifoliae in Serbia, Festucion xanthinae in the southern Dinarides, Campanulion albanicae in Montenegro and Kosovo and Seslerion nitidae in the central part of the Balkans. But the division between alpine and subalpine is not fixed as alpine communities can appear in the subalpine and even in montane vegetation belt in exposed sites and vice versa in sheltered sites. At the same time, the subalpine communities are well differentiated by the presence of species from dry grasslands that appear in those communities.

Indicators of good quality:

Grasslands in the alpine zone are of primary origin and do not undergo the natural process of afforestation. The only threat is the abandonment of grazing that may change the species composition. It is also expected that global warming will raise the timberline and, therefore, the vegetation zones will shift upwards, however mountains are generally not high enough to allow such an altitudinal shift on the long term.

In the subalpine zone, the situation is much more complicated. With the abandonment of grazing the afforestation process begins. This process is due to severe site condition slower than in lowland, but we can expect that we will lose a great part of subalpine grasslands in the near future.

The following characteristics may be considered as indicators of good quality:

-                  species richness of the grasslands and presence of diagnostic species,

-                  presence of regular grazing (overgrazing can appear near to the stable),

-                  absence of afforestation, absence of high tall herb, shrub and tree species.

Synthesis of Red List assessment

Confidence in the assessment

Pressures and threats