Biodiversity of the Plitvice Lakes National Park

a l p i n e l o n g h o r n b e e t l e Rosalia alpina

Biodiversity of the Plitvice Lakes National Park

l a d y ’ s - s l i p p e r o r c h i d Cypripedium calceolus

Biodiversity of the Plitvice Lakes np g ro u p

number of species in the plitivice l akes np

Butterflies (diurnal and nocturnal)

more than 450

Caddisflies (Trichopter a )

90

M a l a co s t r a c a

2

Fish

9

amphibians

14

reptiles

13

birds

168

mammals

a p p r ox i m at e ly 6 0

b at s

22

va s c u l a r p l a n t s

more than 1400

orchids

a p p r ox i m at e ly 6 0

Life in the forest Forests cover 81% of the Park’s surface area. Alpine beech forests and beech-fir forests are predominant. Among them, the Čorkova uvala virgin forest has special value. Preserved forests are an ideal habitat for numerous plant and animal species. They are the home of three large European beasts: the wolf Canis lupus, the Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx and the brown bear Ursus arctos. Some important representatives of saproxylic beetles (that live and feed on dead wood) – Morimus funereus, the Alpine longhorn beetle Rosalia alpina and the stag beetle Lucanus cervus – indicate the quality of woodland habitats. Lady’s-slipper orchid Cypripedium calceolus is one of approximately 60 orchid species in the Park. It is usually found in beech forests. Many call it the most beautiful European orchid.

e u r a s i a n ly n x Lynx lynx

Camarops tubulina is a fungus that lives on the remains of old thick trunks of dead firs and, less often, spruce or beeches. It is one of several very rare species that are a good indicator of virgin spruce or fir forests. The barbastelle Barbastella barbastellus is a species of forest bat that resides in the Park. It finds shelter under tree bark and in tree hollows.

It is a very sensitive species. Eight species of owls and nine species of woodpeckers reside in the Park. The Ural owl Strix uralensis is an owl whose population in the Park’s beech-fir

forests has been recorded as the densest population of this species in Croatia and one of the largest in Europe. The Eurasian three-toed woodpecker Picoides trydactylus and the white-backed woodpecker Picoides leucotos, the rarest species of woodpecker in Croatia and beyond, are important inhabitants of preserved natural forests.

stone crayfish Austropotamobius torrentium

Life on the rock The limestone rocks of the Korana River Canyon and the surrounding parts of the Park are the habitat for some interesting and rare plant and animal species. The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) nests in the Korana River Canyon. It is a cosmopolitan and one of the fastest birds in the world. It attacks prey in its hunting stoop, reaching the speed of 350Â km/h. Plant species which have adapted to live in specific conditions grow on the cliffs of the Korana River Canyon. Some of those rare and interesting plants are Saxifraga petraea, Spiraea cana and the fringed pink (Dianthus monspessulanus), which in spring hangs off the cliffs in larger clusters spreading an intoxicating scent along the paths.

Life in the water

Saxifraga petraea

Less than 1% of the entire surface area of the protected zone of the Plitvice Lakes NP is covered with water, but it represents its most attractive part. All inland water, from the smallest pond to the largest lake, is inhibited by insects.

Odonata is one of the evolutionary oldest animal orders.

Due to their specific life cycle, they connect aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Approximately 30Â species of odonata are found in the Park. The hard water of the Plitvice Lakes, rich in limestone, enables animals such as crayfish to form a calcium carbonate exoskeleton. The water is also rich in oxygen, which benefits active predatory fish such as the brown trout (Salmo trutta). The waters of Plitvice are inhabited by nine species of fish. However, as many

Life in the cave To date, 114 speleological structures (caves and pits) have been recorded in the karst landscape of the Park.

Among the discovered caves, there are as many as three

geomorphological nature monuments: Golubnjača, Šupljara and Crna pećina (Black Cave) or pećina Vile Jezerkinje (Lake Fairies’ Cave). These places of eternal darkness, with limited availability of nutrients, high level of air humidity and stable temperature are inhabited by cave animals (troglobionts and stygobionts). Due to specific conditions and a lack of vegetation, they feed on guano (bat faeces), other organic residue and bacteria. Machaerites udrzali is one of the six endemic species found in the latest explorations of the Park’s speleological structures. 22 species of bats, most of which find shelter in caves and pits, have been recorded in the area of the Plitvice Lakes. The species that prefer speleological structures as their refuge are three globally endangered species: the long-fingered bat Myotis capacini, the Mediterranean horseshoe bat Rhinolophus euryale and Bechstein’s bat Myotis bechsteinii. m e d i t e r r a n e a n h o r s e s h o e b at Rhinolophus euryale

as five of them are not indigenous to the Park area. The common chub Squalius cephalus is one of the introduced species and today it predominates in the Park’s lakes, while the brown trout Salmo trutta, an indigenous species, is a rare sight. The stone crayfish Austropotamobius torrentium and the European crayfish Astacus astacus are the two malacostraca species present in the Park. Given that they feed on anything they find, from plant material to dead animals, they are considered the cleaners of aquatic ecosystems. As many as seven species of green algae of the Chara genus (stoneworts) cover the bottom of the Plitvice Lakes. They incorporate calcium carbonate into their stems. Chara meadows are a hiding place for many animals. The European otter Lutra lutra is a very shy, solitary animal, active at night, at dawn and dusk, which is why it is difficult—almost impossible—to see one. Only the most fortunate visitors can see it elegantly swimming around the lakes, searching for prey. It has waterproof fur, webbed feet and tough whiskers that help it sense the movements of its prey under water. Its prey includes fish, crayfish and other aquatic animals.

Tufa cascades as a habitat The most attractive part of the Plitvice Lakes NP are countless tufa cascades. Mosses and vascular plants hide an abundance of microscopic forms of life: algae, bacteria, larvae of insects and invertebrates. These organisms participate in the complex and interesting process of tufa formation, which has been going on for thousands of years.

Life on the grassland

Three species of this genus live in the Plitvice Lakes NP: Phengaris alcon alcon – the swamp blue, Phengaris alcon rebeli – the mountain blue and Phengaris arion – the large blue.

Ligularia sibirica grows along the streams wet valley meadows.

The Plitvice Lakes NP is the only finding site of this species in Croatia and entire Southeast Europe.

m o č va r n i p l ava c Phengaris alcon alcon

Grasslands (meadows and pastures) cover about 15% of the National Park’s surface area. They abound primarily in plant species, but also in animal species, especially insects.

Dry continental grasslands predominate in terms of surface area. Although they have a significantly smaller surface area, wet grasslands are particularly interesting because of their specific flora and fauna. The corn crake Crex crex is a bird that nests on the grasslands across the Park, and its largest population is found in the Homoljačko and Brezovačko field (the largest grasslands of the Park). The large blue of the Phengaris genus is currently one of the most endangered European diurnal butterflies.

Life cycle: The female butterfly lays eggs on the host plant.

Caterpillars (larvae) hatch from the eggs and are hosted by ants of the Myrmica genus. The ants carry them into their anthills, where the larvae winter. The larva makes a chrysalis in spring and gets out as a butterfly in summer. Every species from the genus of the large blue butterflies needs “its own” type of host plant and host ant to complete its life cycle.

Coenagrion ornatum

co r n c r a k e Crex crex

e u r o p e a n o t t e r Lutra lutra

f r i n g e d p i n k Ligularia sibirica

p e r e g r i n e fa l co n Falco peregrinus

u r a l o w l Strix uralensis

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Plitvice Lakes National Park is part of Lika Destination – destination of protected areas and a gastro-destination which offers an unique combination of inland and the sea, where you have the opportunity to experience no less than three climates in an only 30-minute drive, like in few other places, and truly experience this one-of-a-kind phenomenon of contrasts.

impressum — publisher Public Institution Plitivice Lakes National Park photos Marina Kipson, Tomislav Klanfar, Davor Krnjeta, Iva Mihoci, Dario Štefančić, Udruga Biom and Public Institution Plitivice Lakes National Park text National Park Conservation Service