Natura Croatica Issue number: Natura Croatica, Vol. 32 No.2

Synanthropic spread of some salt tolerant plant species along roadsides in the continental part of Croatia

Authors: Dávid Schmidt, Réka Fekete, Szabolcs Kis

Authors and affiliation

  • Dávid Schmidt Sopron University, Faculty of Forestry, Department of Botany and Nature conservation, Bajcsy- Zsilinszky str. 4., H-9400 Sopron, Hungary
  • Réka Fekete University of Debrecen, Department of Botany, H-4032 Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, Hungary
  • Szabolcs Kis ELKH-DE Conservation Biology Research Group, H-4032 Debrecen, Egyetem sq. 1, Hungary

Abstract

Our research was carried out in northern Croatia from 2018 to 2022 and we investigated the distribution of salt-tolerant plant species along roads (mainly along motorways) in a total of 51 study sites. We were the first to detect Cochlearia danica, a halophyte characterized by an Atlantic distribution, in the Croatian flora. We demonstrated the distinct roadside spread of Desmazeria marina, Parapholis incurva and Sagina maritima in a northerly direction towards the interior of the mainland. We recorded the mass occurrence of several salt-tolerant species already well documented in Central Europe along the surveyed motorways (e.g. Plantago coronopus, Spergularia marina) and provide data on other weeds that have spread along major roads. Three species found (Desmazeria marina, Puccinellia distans subsp. distans, Parapholis incurva) are included in the Croatian Red List.

Keywords

motorways, road ecology, rest area, salt tolerant species, propagation vector

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