Projekt
Natura 2000 - Scientific analysis of subterranean species (Congeria kusceri and Leptodirus hochenwartii) listed in the Annex II of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora)
The project Natura 2000 - Scientific analysis of subterranean species (Congeria kusceri and Leptodirus hochenwartii) listed in the Annex II of the Habitats Directive (Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora) was conducted from 2007 to 2009. The project was financed by the State Institute for Nature Protection, and Branko Jalžić was the project leader. The first part of the project included the collection of all available data on these two species followed by extensive field research. Primary research was biogeographical, but a part of the fieldwork was focused on the inspection of known sites and determination of the status of habitats and populations of these two species in them.
The only cave bivalve in the world (Congeria kusceri) is endemic to Dinarides. It lives in Slovenia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has been placed on the European list of protected species at the request of Slovenia in which only shells were found on just one locality. In Croatia the species was reported from a total of fifteen sites. However, on most sites only shells were found and live populations were recorded from just 5 sites so far. Unfortunately, this research revealed that two populations are missing and that only three populations remain today in Croatia. These populations are highly endangered. The one from Markov ponor has been severely influenced by the hydrological interventions for the hydroelectric power plant HE Senj, and a planned construction of HE Kosinj will have further impact. Groundwater in the Jama u Predolcu is exposed to a series of pollution, and furthermore a population of bivalves that lives in it could be completely wiped out if the planned bypass around the city of Metković is constructed.
Although the distribution of the species was most intensely researched, complex hydro geological relationships in karst, and a finding of one population in Lika, leave space for the discovery of new populations on almost the entire Croatian karst area. Also, detailed studies have been conducted from Imotski to the area south of the Metković but speleological map of the area is incomplete and we certainly do not know all the caves where you can get to the level of groundwater. Given that one can enter deeply underground only in a limited number of sites, it would be important to explore all existing as well as future caverns that will open during the construction grips in the area and beyond.
Leptodirus hochenwartii Schmidt, 1832 was also placed on the European list of protected species at the request of Slovenia. Four subspecies are living in Croatia, three of which are endemic. This species was recorded on a total of forty-seven localities. Although biogeographical research has been carried out for many years, it has not been systematic and the degree of exploration of certain areas is dependent on the interest of researchers and varies for different areas. In addition, most data is gathered in the one-time research and some of the older data is quite arguable or the situation in the area has changed. The presence of this species in some localities (eg, Lasić špilja, Jelar ponor) was not confirmed in the research for this project. It would be necessary to repeatedly put live-traps with baits over a longer period of time to know whether Leptodirus dwells on these sites still.
A good part of the data was collected due to unselfish help from fellow cavers and we owe a big thanks to: Tomica Rubinić for information on the findings of Leptodirus in Žumberak and Risnjak, Dalibor Reš for information on the findings of Leptodirus in the hinterland of Rijeka, Nenad Kuzmanović for help with the decipherment of the localities on Ćićarija Mountain, Hrvoje Cvitanović for information about the findings in Jelar ponor and Mladen Kuhta and PhD. Srećko Božićević for assistance with the hydrogeological situation in the field.
Project executers:
Branko JalžićInvolved in the cabinet work were:
Helena Bilandžija
Fanica Kljaković Gašpić,Involved in the field research were:
Ana Komerički
Robert Baković (CBSS, SKS),
Jana Bedek (CBSS, SOV),
Petra Bregović (CBSS; SOŽ),
Tvrtko Dražina (CBSS; SOL),
Goran Gašparac (CBSS),
Aleksandar Hadeljan (CBSS, SOV),
Vedran Jalžić (CBSS, SOŽ),
Alen Kirin (CBSS, SKS),
Fanica Kljaković Gašpić (CBSS, SOŽ),
Petra Kovač Konrad (CBSS),
Marko Lukić (CBSS, SOV),
Martina Pavlek (CBSS, SOŽ),
Domagoj Tomašković (SKS) i
Ivna Vukšić (CBSS, SOŽ).