Mediterranean vineyards and olive groves in Croatia harbour some rare and endemic invertebrates

By

Anđelić Dmitrović, Barbara
Ivanković Tatalović, Lara
Kos, Tomislav
Crnčan, Petar
Gajski, Domagoj
Jelić, Mišel
Šerić Jelaska, Lucija

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-04-20

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

11

Pages

1--28

Subjects

Araneae , Balkan Penninsula , Carabids , Endangered species , endemics , Gastropoda , Mediterranean

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.11.e100963
eLocator: e100963

 

Abstract

The Mediterranean is characterised by high biodiversity and numerous endemic species. These species are not only present in natural habitats, but also inhabit areas under human influence, such as agricultural lands. In the biodiversity assessment of Mediterranean vineyards and olive orchards within Zadar County, in Croatia, we identified eight endemic species with Mediterranean distribution, six with a Balkan Peninsula distribution, four with Dinaric Alps distribution and three species rare and endangered in Europe. Alongside these species, we have recorded five new species for Croatian fauna, many of those identified by combining morphological characteristics and the DNA barcoding tool. Araneae and Coleoptera contributed the highest number of endemic species and groups with new record were the following: Coleoptera, Diptera and Araneae. Compared to other sites, an olive orchard with ecological pest management (EPM), surrounded by natural ecosystems, had the highest ratio of endemic and rare species. Our findings emphasise that agricultural lands in the Mediterranean can be habitats for endemic and rare species and that future biodiversity research of these habitats is highly important, to monitor potential biodiversity changes and motivate future species and ecosystem conservation.