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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

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

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In cooperation with Naše ptice, Sarajevo (BiH); Naša bastina Tomislavgrad (BiH) and Zagreb (HR); Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz (AT)

The project “Identification and Promotion of Karst Poljes in Bosnia-Herzegovina as Wetlands of National and International Importance” was financial supported by MAVA Foundation”

EuroNatur, 2014Konstanzer Str. 22, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germanyhttp://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 fromEuronatur Geschäftsstelle RadolfzellKonstanzerstr. 22, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germanyphone +49(0)7732 - 92 72 - 0 or +49(0)7732 - 92 72 - 0fax: +49(0)7732 - 92 72 -22email: info@euronatur.org

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 AndricLanguage editor: Peter SacklTypesetting by Camera d.o.o. (Slovenia)Printed and bound by Tiskarna Povše d.o.o. (Slovenia)Number of copies: 400

Cover photo: Flooded Livanjsko polje, Bosnia-Herzegovina, 4 May 2010 (Photo: Martin Schneider-Jacoby)

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Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life Contents

Contents

I. PrefaceProf. dr. sc. Jaroslav Vego, NFP Ramsar Convention for Bosnia and Herzegovina 5Karst polje conservation – the legacy of Dr Martin Schneider-Jacoby 7Borut 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 11Tobias Salathé

General aspects of the Karst Poljes of the Dinaric Karst 17Ivo Lučić

Ecohydrology of karst poljes and their vulnerability 25Ognjen Bonacci

Flooding analysis of the karst poljes in Bosnia and Herzegovina 39Ulrich Schwarz

Floristic values of the Karst Poljes of Bosnia and Herzegovina 45Sabaheta Abadžić & Nermina Sarajlić

A preliminary survey of the wet- and grassland vegetation of the karst poljes of Bosnia-Herzegovina 59Gerhard Bronner

Endangered Proteus: combining DNA and GIS analyses for its conservation 71Gregor 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) 77Ena Šimić-Hatibović

Spring Migration 2013 of Eurasian Crane Grus grus of the Adriatic Flyway population in the Western Balkans and in the Eastern Adriatic 83Goran 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 91Peter Sackl, Ilhan Dervović, Dražen Kotrošan, Goran Topić, Sumeja Drocić, Mirko Šarac, Nermina Sarajlić, Romy Durst & Borut Stumberger

The ecological value of free-ranging livestock 105Waltraud Kugler & Elli Broxham

An ecological approach to the management of the Dinaric Karst’s renewable natural resources 115Jozo Rogošić & Branka Perinčić

Grabovica trail – rediscovering the natural heritage at the border of Duvanjsko polje 121Denis Radoš, Mirko Šarac-Mićo & Maja Perić III. Dossiers of the Karst Poljes of Bosnia and HerzegovinaList of Karst poljes in Bosnia and Herzegovina 129Borut Stumberger, Romy Durst, Dražen Kotrošan & Jasminko Mulaomerović

Index 197

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Livanjsko polje, 6 January 2008 (Photo: Kenan Pašić)

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PrefaceDinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life

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.

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Duvanjsko polje, 27 June 2010 (Photo: Mirko Šarac)

Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life

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Workshop and project results

Summary

Grabovica, i. e. in local language Grabovica Mountain, is

a karst plateau which is situated between Buško blato

(nowadays also known as Buško Lake), Duvanjsko polje and

Roško polje in the Outer Dinarides of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Except the Midena anticline, the area shows low hypsometric

energy. Surely, the most significant features of the relief are

sinkholes or dolines. In the area more then 8,500 of it exist.

The most interesting of the area’s sinkholes are the collapsed

dolines in the northern part of Grabovica. Gradual changes of

the socio-economic situation of the area during the last 50

years resulted in the final abandonment of traditional cattle

grazing which was practized in Grabovica since pre-Roman

times. With cattle grazing the stockman’s houses in the

mountains – locally called stanovi – have been abandoned,

too, and human life retreated from the mountainsback to

lower areas at the bottom of the surrounding karst poljes.

After the disappearance of people from Grabovica plateau

former infrastructure, like houses, trails and puddles, which

have been used until recently were overgrown by vegetation.

For the Project “Grabovica trail“ which was implemented

by the local NGO “Naša baština”, some of the old trails on

Grabovica plateau, in particular those of the northern part, wil

be reused. By the renovation of old trails the project intends

to make the karst phenomena of Grabovica plateau, like

the collapsed dolines Veliki Samograd, Mali Samograd and

Surdup, accesssible for the public. There are also plans for

information tables and trail marks which will transform the

old trails into a new recreation and education trail which will

be suitable for people of all ages.

Sažetak

Grabovica (lokalno Grabovička planina) krška je zaravan

smještena između Buškog blata (danas jezera),

Grabovica trail – rediscovering the natural heritage at the border of Duvanjsko polje

Denis Radoš1, Mirko Šarac-Mićo2 & Maja Perić3

1 University of Zadar, Department of Geography, Center for Karst and Coastal Research & Naša Baština, Tomislavgrad; Domovinskog rata 8, HR-23000, Zadar, Croatia; E-mail: denisrados@gmail.com2Naša Baština, Donji Brišnik, bb, BA-80240, Tomislavgrad, Bosnia and Hrzegovina; E-mail: sarac.mirko@tel.net.ba3University of Zadar, Department of Ecology, Agriculture and Aquaculture & Naša Baština, Tomislavgrad; Matije Vlačića 16, HR-23000, Zadar, Croatia; E-mail: majapericc@gmail.com

Duvanjskog polja i Roškog polja u Vanjskim Dinaridima

Bosne i Hercegovine. Karakterizira je blaga hipsometrijska

energija, od kojih najviše odstupa antiklinala Midene

planine. Najznačajnija pojava na Grabovici svakako su

ponikve, kojih ima preko 8,500, no najzanimljivije među

njima su urušne ponikve na sjevernom dijelu Grabovice.

Postupne promjene socijalno-gospodarske situacije u ovom

kraju u posljednjih 50-ak godina dovele su do konačnog

napuštanja tradicionalnog točarstva prisutnog na ovim

prostorima od predrimskih vremena. Samim time, nestale

su i stočarske nastambe na planinama, zvane stanovi, te

se život premjestio u niže predjele, na razine okolnih krških

polja. Nestankom ljudi na Grabovici dolazi do sukcesije

vegetacije i zarastanja infrastrukture korištene do nedavno

– stanova, putova, lokava i sl. Projekt Staza Grabovica kojeg

provodi udruga Naša baština, predviđa ponovno vraćanje u

uporabu pojedinih staza na Grabovici, osobito na njezinom

sjevernom dijelu. Obnovom starih putova planira se javnosti

predstaviti krške fenomene ovog dijela Grabovice, urušne

ponikve Veliki i Mali Samograd, te Surdup. Postavljanjem

info ploča i putokaza staza će istovremeno biti rekreativnog,

ali i edukativnog karaktera za ljude svih naraštaja.

Keywords: Grabovica plateau, karst, nature management,

educational trail, Grabovica Trail

Introduction

Grabovica Trail is situated near Tomislavgrad in the

northern part of the Grabovica karst plateau between

Buško blato and Duvanjsko polje in the High Dinarides of

Bosnia and Herzegovina. Grabovica karst plateau is mostly

made up of Cretaceous limestone. Structurally, it is highly

distorted and features many pit caves and dolines.

Cattle grazing and animal husbandry are thought to have

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been present in the area since the beginning of human

settlement. Until World War II there were little changes in

the way the land was used. Human life was characterized

by seasonal migrations between the polje and nearby

mountains. Many of the secondary habitations in the

mountains gradually became real settlements and turned

into human oasis in the karst landscape. After World War II

the number of livestock decreased and people abandoned

traditional agricultural practices. As a result people

were leaving the mountains and abandoning ancient

infrastructure – houses, wells, pathways, etc. – and what

used to be pastures became areas covered with high plants

and forests. Today, agriculture plays no important role in

the life of local people and regularly used paths and tracks

do not go beyond Grabovica. Because of that, human

presence has been reduced to a minimum on Grabovica

karst plateau.

The idea to build an educational trail on Grabovica is based

on the concept of interesting people for nature, although

in a different way as in former days. Establishing a

recreational trail should promote education about natural

and historical values and help to preserve the original

landscape – all of it by walking and trekking as a healthy

lifestyle. The northern part of Grabovica, from Kovači to

Drmića staja, was chosen as the main part of the route due

to its many natural and historical resources. Later, more

parts will be added, most notably towards the eco-village

of Grabovica. Most of the main route has been already built

and marked. Information tables will be set up along the

way with maps, information on wild animals, educational

panels and similar contents.

Heritage sites

Grabovica trail connects local sites of interest in Duvanjsko

polje, on Grabovica plateau and at Buško blato. One of

its paths goes along the western edge of Duvanjsko

polje, connecting the site where the prehistoric elephant

Gomphotherium was found with Dahna cave and Kovači

swallow hole. The second path is running from Kovači

village to Drmića staje village with collapsed dolines on its

way. A third path is separating from the second path and

goes towards Grabovica village.

Prehistoric elephant discovery site

In August 2011 local archaeologist Vinko Ljubas found

the teeth of an unknown animal in the quarry of Cebara.

Later scientific analyses showed that they belong to the

prehistoric species of elephant Anancus arvernensis,

which lived in the Miocene some 8 million years ago

Establishing a recreational trail should promote education about natural and historical values and help to preserve the original landscape

Fig. 1 Map of Grabovica trail

Fig. 2 (a) Reconstruction of the ancient elephant Gomphotherium (Source: http://i1608.photobucket.com/albums/u454/linnaeus1758) and (b) fossilized teeth found in Cebara quarry (Photo: M. Šumanović)

Dinaric Karst Poljes – Floods for Life

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Workshop and project results

(Mandić et al. 2013). The exact site is located in the

quarry which was partly destroyed by digging machines.

Sediments found in the pit date from the Miocene, while

the surrounding limestone is from the Cretaceous period.

So far, only preliminary results of the excavation , mainly

based on tusks and teeth are available, but the material

was sent to the Natural History Museum in Vienna (Austria)

for further analyses. A Board on Research on the Historical

Elephant Gomphotherium was formed in Tomislavgrad which

coordinates all relevant activities concerning the research

and protection of the locality. A detailed research project and

the conservation of the locality is expected soon, in order to

establish a museum with various information for tourists.

Dahna cave

A few hundred meters away from the site where the

elephant teeth were found, in the village of Omerovići, at

the slope of Grabovica plateu, the 750 meter long Dahna

Cave is situated. The cave is important as an attractive

display of underground geomorphology in the karst

terrain, but also as an archaeological and palaeontological

site. A tooth of the cave bear Ursus spelaeus was found

in the cave a few years ago as well as some valuable

archaeological artifacts. Due to such findings, the cave

is disturbed by thieves who misuse and may steal many

artifacts. Because of that the cave should be immediately

physically and legal protected. Dahna Cave was first

mentioned in the magazine Hrvatski planinar, in an article

written by Ljubomir Stipić in 1938. In this paper L. Stipić

presents information on the ritual importance of the cave

for local Muslim people which is especially interesting

from an ethnological point of view.

Kovači ponor

Kovači Ponor is one of the largest of its kind in the

Dinarides. It drains the water from Duvanjsko polje and

the surrounding mountains as well as waters from Šujičko

polje and a part of Kupreško polje. It is impressive in its

appearance, featuring a dome formed in Cretaceous

limestone. Although the ponor is large in size, it is

not possible to enter the hole without proper diving

equipment, because of the water that stays in its siphons.

Investigations by using the colouring method have proved

a direct or indirect connection between the waters that

drain into Kovači ponor and the numerous springs in the

Cetina river catchment area, all the way to the Adriatic Sea.

Initial researches of Kovači Ponor were performed in 1961

(Ozimec et al. 2013). In the last few years the ponor was

extensively investigated, especially during speleological

camps in 2012 and 2013. For the first time during these

researches the swallow hole was explored in its depths as

well as from its other side near the Ričina spring at the

level of Buško blato.

Roman pathway Klanac and Gradina Kovači

In the same village not far from Kovači Ponor a path is

running which steeply climbs up the slope of Grabovica

Mountain. Until recently, the pathway connected people

from Duvanjsko and Roško polje, and was used for the

transport of livestock. The path is wide and bordered by dry

stone walls. Near the path the hill of Gradina Kovači can be

found which was first inhabited by domicile Illyrians, and

later by their Roman conquerors (Benac 1985). Gradina hill

dominates over the north-western part of Duvanjsko polje

and was probably used by local people to control the entry

to the polje. According to Radimsky (1894) two Roman

buildings exist at the bottom of the hill, but they are not

visible today, although it is proofed that the hill was even

later, after the Roman conquest of the Illyrians, used for

the surveillance of the area.

From Gradina hill, through the Grabovica karst, the path

continues in several directions – to Vrilo, Grabovica and

to Gornji Brišnik. Some of these paths follow the ancient

Roman network which led through Dalmatia, across

Duvanjsko polje, and further into Bosnia. This is proven

by numerous visible marks of carriage wheels etched into

the karst’s bedrock which resemble railway tracks. These

Fig. 3 View out of Kovači Ponor (Photo: M. Šumanović)

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Roman tracks are particularly interesting; although they

show a small number of turns, they mostly stretch linearly

across the limestone bedrock regardless of any obstacles.

Collapse dolines

Due to tectonic cracks in the terrain as well as ancient

and recent hydrological activity in the underground,

in the northern part of Grabovica numerous collapsed

dolines with impressive dimensions exist. The most

important are Mali and Veliki Samograd, and Surdup.

They are, approximately, located above the underground

section of the Šujica river which is running towards Buško

blato. Most probably the underground river affected the

corrosion of the ceilings of caverns which caused their

collapse. The collapsed dolines are characterized by special

micro-climates which differ from the climate features of

its surroundings. This, and the fact that they are largely

isolated, resulted in specific biogeographical features. A

very interesting example is Mali Samograd, which harbours

a cave with unique life forms. The remains of a forest lodge

can be seen near Surdup sinkhole, which was used for a

house some 40 years ago, and which has been restored for

touristic purposes.

Vrilo

On the western side of Grabovica plateau, on the level

of Buško blato, the spring-caves of the Ričina river are

found, which are in fact continuations of the Šujica

river. Three spring-caves, which are generating water for

Duvanjsko polje, have been tectonically shaped and are

mutually connected by a strong underground waterflow

(Ozimec, 2012). These springs as well as the canal that

is leading inside Grabovica plateau were investigated

during speleological camps in 2012 and 2013. Of this canal

1.5 km are already mapped. Further investigations of the

system of the swallow holes Kovači Ponor and Vrilo are

expected in the next years, which may eventually result in

the discovery of a connection between both underground

canals.

Conclusions

The area of the Grabovica karst plateau, especially its

northern part, harbors a number of natural and cultural

values which are very characteristic for the Dinaric Karst.

Consequently, the local non-governmental organization

Naša baština (“Our Heritage”) started a project for the

preservation and evaluation of all natural and cultural

objects in the area, in order to keep them intact in their

original surroundings. Their preservation will enable the

development of cultural and nature tourism which, so

far, has not been established in the area. Further steps in

the implementation of the project in the local community

should be the education of local people through activity

groups and seminars, and the inclusion of young people

into the promotion and management of the area’s natural

values.

References

Benac A. (1985): Utvrđena ilirska naselja I – utvrđenegradine na Duvanjskom polju, Buškom blatu, Livanjskom i Glamočkom polju. ANUBIH, Sarajevo.

Fig. 4 Collapsed dolines: Veliki Samograd (a), Mali Samograd (b) and Surdup (c) (Photos: M. Šumanović)

(b)(a) (c)

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Mandić O., Göhlich U., Hrvatović H., Mauch Lenardić J., Čvorović B., Glamuzina G., Radoš, D., (2013): New Proboscidean Site from the High Karst Dinarides in Southern Bosnia and Hercegovina. In: Cagatay N., Zabci C. (eds.)., Book of Abstracts 14th RCMNS Congress: Neogene to Quaternary Geological Evolution of Mediterranean, Paratethys and Black sea. Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, pp. 189-189.Ozimec R. (2012): Senzacionalno otkriće u podzemlju između Duvanjskog i Livanjskog polja. Hrvatska vodoprivreda, No. 201.Ozimec R., Kovačević A., Kovačević T. (2013): Možemo li podzemno povezati Duvanjsko i Livanjsko polje. Hrvatska vodoprivreda, No. 203.Radimsky V. (1894): Starine kotara Županjačkog u Bosni. Glasnik Zemaljskog muzeja Sarajevo, 283-319.Radoš D., Magaš D. (2012): Morfometrijska analiza prostornog rasporeda i gustoće ponikava Grabovičke zaravni. Međunarodni znanstveno-stručni skup “Čovjek i krš”, Knjiga sažetaka.Radoš D. (2013): Paleontologija, Prirodoslovno-povijesna baština općine Tomislavgrad. In: Ozimec R., Radoš M. M. (eds.), Prirodoslovno-povijesna baština općine Tomislavgrad. Udruga Naša baština, Zagreb &Tomislavgrad, pp. 155 – 174.Radoš, D., Perica, D., Krklec, K. (2013): Geologija, geomorfologija i pedologija područja Tomislavgrada. . In: Ozimec R., Radoš M. M. (eds.), Prirodoslovno-povijesna baština općine Tomislavgrad. Udruga Naša baština, Zagreb &Tomislavgrad, pp. 127 - 154Radoš, Denis, Radoš, Jozo (2013): Geografija. In: Ozimec R., Radoš M. M. (eds.), Prirodoslovno-povijesna baština općine Tomislavgrad. Udruga Naša baština, Zagreb &Tomislavgrad, pp. 73 – 126.Roglić J. (1940): Geomorphologische Studie über das Duvanjsko polje (polje von Duvno) in Bosnien. Mitteilungen der Geographischen Gesellschaft, WienStipić L. (1938): Dahna. Hrvatski planinar, Hrvatski planinarski savez.