Adriatic Flyway – Closing the gap in bird Conservation preface Dinaric Karst Poljes — Floods for Life Edited by: Peter Sackl, Romy Durst, Dražen Kotrošan and Borut Stumberger 1 Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life Edited by: Peter Sackl, Romy Durst, Dražen Kotrošan and Borut Stumberger Proceedings of the 1st Workshop on Karst Poljes as Wetlands of National and International Importance, Livno, 30 September - 1 October 2014 EuroNatur, 2014 Konstanzer Str. 22, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany http://www.euronatur.org/ All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without prior written permission of the publisher. Permissions may be sought directly from Euronatur Geschäftsstelle Radolfzell Konstanzerstr. 22, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany phone +49(0)7732 - 92 72 - 0 or +49(0)7732 - 92 72 - 0 fax: +49(0)7732 - 92 72 -22 email: [email protected] ISBN 978-3-00-045287-1 Recommended citations: Sackl P., Durst R., Kotrošan D. & Stumberger B. (eds.): Dinaric Karst Poljes - Floods for Life. EuroNatur, Radolfzell. Bonacci O. (2014): Ecohydrology of karst poljes and their vulnerability. In: Sackl P., Durst R., Kotrošan D. & Stumberger B. (eds.). Dinaric Karst Poljes - Floods for Life. EuroNatur, Radolfzell; p. 25-37. Cover design & design: Jasna Andric´ Language editor: Peter Sackl Typesetting by Camera d.o.o. (Slovenia) Printed and bound by Tiskarna Povše d.o.o. (Slovenia) Number of copies: 400 The project “Identification and Promotion of Karst Poljes in Bosnia-Herzegovina as Wetlands of National and International Importance” was financial supported by MAVA Foundation” In cooperation with Naše ptice, Sarajevo (BiH); Naša bastina Tomislavgrad (BiH) and Zagreb (HR); Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (AT) Cover photo: Flooded Livanjsko polje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 4 May 2010 (Photo: Martin Schneider-Jacoby) 2 Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life Contents Contents I. Preface Prof. dr. sc. Jaroslav Vego, NFP Ramsar Convention for Bosnia and Herzegovina 5 Karst polje conservation – the legacy of Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby 7 Borut Stumberger, Romy Durst and Peter Sackl II. Karst Poljes as Wetlands of National and International Importance, Workshop Proceedings and Project Results Wetlands in drylands: the global importance of Karst poljes 11 Tobias Salathé General aspects of the Karst Poljes of the Dinaric Karst 17 Ivo Lučić Ecohydrology of karst poljes and their vulnerability 25 Ognjen Bonacci Flooding analysis of the karst poljes in Bosnia and Herzegovina 39 Ulrich Schwarz Floristic values of the Karst Poljes of Bosnia and Herzegovina 45 Sabaheta Abadžić & Nermina Sarajlić A preliminary survey of the wet- and grassland vegetation of the karst poljes of Bosnia-Herzegovina 59 Gerhard Bronner Endangered Proteus: combining DNA and GIS analyses for its conservation 71 Gregor Aljančič, Špela Gorički, Magdalena Năpăruş, David Stanković & Matjaž Kuntner The wintering population of Hen Harrier Circus cyaneus in Glamočko, Duvanjsko and Kupreško polje (Bosnia- Herzegovina) 77 Ena Šimić-Hatibović Spring Migration 2013 of Eurasian Crane Grus grus of the Adriatic Flyway population in the Western Balkans and in the Eastern Adriatic 83 Goran Topić, Ana Vujović, Bariša Ilić, Ivan Medenica & Nermina Sarajlić The distribution and population numbers of Corncrakes Crex crex in the karst poljes of Bosnia-Herzegovina – results of a large-scale survey in 2012 and 2013 91 Peter Sackl, Ilhan Dervović, Dražen Kotrošan, Goran Topić, Sumeja Drocić, Mirko Šarac, Nermina Sarajlić, Romy Durst & Borut Stumberger The ecological value of free-ranging livestock 105 Waltraud Kugler & Elli Broxham An ecological approach to the management of the Dinaric Karst’s renewable natural resources 115 Jozo Rogošić & Branka Perinčić Grabovica trail – rediscovering the natural heritage at the border of Duvanjsko polje 121 Denis Radoš, Mirko Šarac-Mićo & Maja Perić III. Dossiers of the Karst Poljes of Bosnia and Herzegovina List of Karst poljes in Bosnia and Herzegovina 129 Borut Stumberger, Romy Durst, Dražen Kotrošan & Jasminko Mulaomerović Index 197 3 Livanjsko polje, 6 January 2008 (Photo: Kenan Pašić) 4 Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life Preface Preface Prof. dr. sc. Jaroslav Vego NFP Ramsar Convention for Bosnia and Herzegovina I am pleased to address a few words to the participants of the “First International Workshop on Dinaric Karst Poljes as Wetlands of National and International Importance”. It is gratifying that the agenda of the Workshop covered a wide range of very interesting topics related to the various important aspects of Dinaric karst poljes. The Workshop aimed at the development of adequate approaches for mastering the challenges of karst polje conservation; I did hope that one of the results of the workshop could be the demonstration of the national and international importance of the Dinaric’s karst poljes, as well. It is my great pleasure that such workshop, the first one of its kind, has been realised in the area of Livanjsko polje, the largest karst polje in Bosnia and Herzegovina, recently identified as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s karst areas are probably among the best preserved in the region, but until the present day, they are still unprotected. Unfortunately, some of them are directly threatened by water extraction, drainage and unsustainable use of their natural resources. Their protection is not only vital for maintaining the unique natural and cultural assets of the karst environment and its inhabitants but will also make all the difference between short term - and perpetual sustainable use of the area’s resources for the benefit of local societies. This is why I am sure that the conducted workshop will contribute to the evolution and implementation of the Ramsar Convention in Bosnia and Herzegovina. My gratitude goes to all those who show interest in the conservation of the Dinaric karst poljes, and to the participants of the First International Workshop on Karst Poljes as Wetlands of National and International Importance who came to Livno from near and far to take part in our discussions and exchange. Not only was the Workshop an enjoyable stay in the unique Livanjsko polje, one of the best preserved karst poljes in the Dinaric region, more importantly, it has opened up an interesting and urgently needed debate on the ecology, protection and future use of the karst environment. 5 Duvanjsko polje, 27 June 2010 (Photo: Mirko Šarac) 6 Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life Preface Karst polje conservation – the legacy of Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby Borut Stumberger, Romy Durst & Peter Sackl When looking back at the very beginning of the global nature conservation movement and the dawn of ecological awareness, we find that it basically started growing from the feeling of in-measurable loss. Sacrificing the major part of formerly pristine wilderness and its wildlife to economical benefits or fun sports like trophy hunting and turning wilderness into urban, industrial and intensive agricultural lands, was suddenly perceived a deficiency. Remember the implementation of the world’s first national park in the United State’s Yellowstone Valley. Or the causes for first formal acts for the protection of birds in modern history, following the exploitation of the North Atlantic Ocean’s seabird colonies as food for seafarers and fishermen. Also the flourishing feather industry at the turn of the th19 /20th centuries in the favour of fashionable ladies and commercial profits had caused a dramatic decline of egret and heron populations in Western and Southern Europe at that time. The same appears to be true for the Dinaric karst poljes in the hinterlands of the Eastern Adriatic. Almost simultaneously to During the 19th and early first inventories of their natural values, started by scientists like 20th centuries, Austro- the ornithologist Othmar Reiser (1861-1936), karst geographer Hungarian engineers Jovan Cvijić (1865-1927) and the paleontologist and zoologist Karel started to tame the th th Absolon (1877-1960) during the 19 and early 20 centuries, Austro- seasonal floods in the Hungarian engineers started to tame the seasonal floods in the karst poljes. karst poljes. Simultaneously, the economical exploitation and amelioration of these invaluable wetland habitats started. Although a few outstanding examples of karst wetlands, like the Plitvica Lakes and Hutovo blato, were protected as national or nature parks in former Yugoslavia, many karst poljes were drained or used for construction of large hydro-accumulations for energy production back then. One of the most devastating examples worldwide is the Popovo polje (Trebišnjica River) in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Nowadays, politicians and other officials still perceive the karst areas as economically useless wastelands. In the wake of the upheavals of the last wars which have changed the cultural landscapes of the Western Balkans, the natural and cultural heritage of the karst hinterlands, beyond the Adriatic Sea’s Eastern shores, was almost forgotten by international conservationists and for some time even by the scientific community. But fortunately, there are historic records of the bird fauna in the uplands of Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared by Othmar Reiser which may have nurtured that feeling that there is something - something really significant and invaluable - behind the coastal mountains. This idea of