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During growing seasons 2018-2019 and in winter 2021, the flora of vascular plants and bryophytes of the Nature Monument Vrelo Une in southern Croatia was studied. The previous floristic data available for this area, covering 9.58 ha, are sparse, and this study recorded 219 taxa of vascular plants from 59 families. The species-richest families are Compositae (10.5%), Fabaceae (8.2%), Poaceae (7.8%), and Lamiaceae (6.4%). Additionally, 64 bryophyte species (14 liverworts and 50 mosses) were recorded. The spectrum of biogeographic elements of vascular plants places the study area in the Euro-Siberian region, at the meeting point of two vegetation sub-zones within the European broadleaf deciduous forests zone – thermophilic, sub-Mediterranean forests of the class Quercetea pubescentis and mesic forests of the class Carpino-Fagetea sylvaticae. The species of the South-eastern European and Illyrian elements give a local distinctiveness to the flora. The biogeographic elements of bryophytes are less sensitive but reflect the same biogeographical pattern. Since most of the researched area is covered by forests and thickets, the largest number of species of vascular plants are associated with these particular habitats, while rocks and aquatic habitats are the most important for bryophyte diversity. In terms of the IUCN categories, four species are classified as near threatened, three as least concern and three as data deficient. Invasive species have not been recorded.

The rare boreo-alpine moss Herzogiella striatella was found on Mt Snježnik (W Croatia) in 2015 and constitutes the first national record. Two populations were recorded inside an old and hardly accessible spruce forest on steep boulders (Lonicero caerulae-Piceetum) along the Frankopanski Put hiking path. The markedly cool and humid microclimate ensured by small karst dolines within the forest shapes the specific bryophyte species composition with the elements of snowbed and timberline pine krummholz vegetation and the domination of boreal and arctic taxa. Due to its pronounced isolation from other European populations, the species is certainly of relict origin in Croatian Dinaric Alps.

An extensive survey of aquatic vegetation in Croatian watercourses was conducted to assess the ecological status according to the Water Framework Directive. Macrophyte cover and abundance were assessed along 100 m-long transects using the extended Braun-Blanquet scale. The survey yielded 80 bryophyte species from 208 sites on 144 different watercourses. Direct multivariate ordination of vegetation data paired with 18 environmental variables revealed that freshwater bryophytes and their assemblages were segregated along the gradients of water chemistry and the proportion of natural and urban area within the catchment. Furthermore, the ecological responses of individual species were explored with generalized additive models. The majority of the species preferred watercourses with unaltered catchments, clean, well-oxygenated water with low nutrient and organic matter content, as well as low electrical conductivity. However, the most frequent and widely distributed species, such as Fontinalis antipyretica, Rhynchostegium riparioides, Cratoneuron filicinum, Fissidens crassipes, Cinclidotus fontinaloides and C. riparius, had a wide ecological tolerance. Several species with narrow ecological niches, indicative of good water quality were identified as well, while only Riccia fluitans and Leptodyctium riparium had optima in hypereutrophic waters with high electrical conductivity and organic content and were frequently associated with a high share of intensive agriculture within the catchment area. When only bryophyte-dominated sites were considered, five communities segregated along the gradient of several climatic, physiographic and water chemistry parameters were recognized. The geographical patterns of the bryophytes and their communities revealed that clean, fast and cold karstic rivers with larger substrates and larger catchment areas, which are characteristic of the Dinaric Ecoregion, provide the most suitable habitats supporting their greatest diversity.

Mannia triandra (Scop.) Grolle is a rare thalloid liverwort species, known from a few, mostly sporadic, historical records in Croatia. In the recent years, two findings have been recorded on Mt Žumberačka Gora and one from Plitvice Lakes, and subsequently published. During 2022, two adjacent populations close to these previously known localities were found, but also a first locality in Gorski Kotar region (in the canyon of the River Kamačnik) was recorded. In addition, an old literature record from the area of Dubrovnik city from the beginning of the 20th century was found while browsing literature for this paper. Thanks to these new findings, we are now closer to a better understanding of the species ecology and habitat preferences in Croatia., Mannia triandra (Scop.) Grolle je rijetka talozna jetrenjarka. U Hrvatskoj je donedavno bila poznata samo iz povijesnih sporadičnih nalaza. U proteklih nekoliko godina objavljena su dva nalaza sa Žumberačke gore i jedan s Plitvičkih jezera. Tijekom 2022., zabilježene su dvije populacije blizu tih ranije poznatih nalazišta, ali i prvi nalaz u Gorskom kotaru, u kanjonu rijeke Kamačnik. Tijekom pisanja ovog priloga pronađen je i stari literaturni nalaz ove vrste s početka 20. stoljeća iz okolice grada Dubrovnika. Zahvaljujući recentnim nalazima, na korak smo boljem razumijevanju ekologije i potencijalnim staništima ove vrste u Hrvatskoj.

Elodea canadensis Michx. and Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) H. St. John, two invasive aquatic plants from North America, have coexisted in European waterways since the early 20th century. They were first documented in Croatia in 1894 and 2006, respectively. New localities of both species were discovered during the study which ran from 2016 to 2022 as part of the annual Water Framework Directive monitoring that covered the entire Croatian territory (786 sampling points in total). Elodea canadensis was found in 30 sampling points, mostly in rivers and E. nuttallii in 15 sampling points, mostly in channels. Nearly three quarters (72, 5%) of all Elodea sampling points are in the Pannonian ecoregion, while 15% are in the Continental-Dinaric region. Elodea canadensis was discovered for the first time in the Mediterranean-Dinaric region in five sampling points (12, 5% of records) in the river Cetina. Chemical and hydromorphological analyses were performed, as well as plant relevés. Fitting multivariate models to species abundance revealed the ecological reaction of E. canadensis and E. nuttallii to environmental descriptors.

Sphagnum bogs are wetland habitats characterised by acidic soil reaction, low nutrient content, peat accumulation and the dominance of sphagnum mosses. Those habitats are among the most endangered ecosystems in Montenegro, occupying small and isolated areas. Fungi are a regular component of sphagnum bogs and some species are exclusive to such habitats. The first research on macrofungal biodiversity of sphagnum bogs in Montenegro was conducted between the end of May and the end of October in 2017 and 2018. Three mountain sphagnum bogs were explored, two on Sinjajevina mountain (on Semolj saddle) and one on Durmitor mountain (Lake Barno), with thirteen field visits in total. Several fungal species new to Montenegro have been discovered so far, two of which are presented here: Galerina hybrida and G. tibiicystis, which always live on dense carpets of sphagnum mosses. In this presentation, both species are illustrated, shortly described and compared with similar taxa.

An extensive macrophyte field survey of running and standing waters was conducted from 2016 to 2021 at 786 sampling sites across Croatia. This survey is the first to present a comprehensive floristic catalogue of the freshwater bryoflora, along with an analysis of the distribution and diversity patterns on a national level. In all, 83 bryophyte species (68 mosses and 15 liverworts) were recorded in 228 sites, with average species richness of 4.17 species per site. The most frequent species were Fontinalis antipyretica, Rhynchostegium riparioides, Leptodictyum riparium and Cratoneuron filicinum. The majority of the species encountered were rarely found with over 70% of species recorded on less than 10 sampling sites and the majority of the species not being truly aquatic, rather being classified as facultative aquatics. Bryophytes were the dominant component of the macrophyte vegetation in 76 sites. Classification and ordination analyses of these sites revealed five community types segregated across the gradients of several climatic, physiographic and water chemistry parameters. The Didymodon tophaceus–Apopellia endiviifolia and the Berula erecta-Cratoneuton filicinum communities were associated with basic and alkaline, clean water with low nutrient content. They were mostly recorded to karstic rivers of the Dinaric Ecoregion under the influence of the Mediterranean climate. Didymodon tophaceus–Apopellia endiviifolia community was a tufa-forming community associated with seasonally dry watercourses of a small catchment area and cascades along the karstic rivers, while Berula erecta-Cratoneuton filicinum community was associated with Mediterranean rivers with a larger catchment area and permanent flow. On the other hand, the Oxyrrhynchium hians-Chiloscyphus pallescens and Fissidens pusillus-Veronica beccabunga communities were mainly restricted to small rivers of the Pannonian Ecoregion under the influence of the temperate climate, associated with water of low alkalinity and higher nutrient content. Finally, the Cinclidotus community was the most represented and widespread in Croatia with a wide ecological range, however, with the majority of the sites situated on karstic rivers of the Dinaric Ecoregion. Both, floristic and vegetation analysis have revealed that this region provides more aquatic habitats and microhabitats suitable for the freshwater bryophytes, while in the Pannonian Ecoregion freshwater bryophytes are restricted the periodically submerged riparian zones and are more threatened by unsuitable water management.

Nature Park Kopački Rit is situated in eastern Croatia, northwest of the confluence of the Drava and the Danube, and it is one of the largest and most important fluvial-wetland areas in Europe. It was founded in 1973 as an Ornithological Reserve and in 1993 designated as Natural Park comprising the surface of 177 km2. According to the „flood pulse concept“ flood areas are defined as aquatic/terrestrial transit zones where flood dynamic is the main factor shaping habitats and communities. In order to study diversity, composition and conditionality of macrophyte communities we have conducted research during three years on 15 preselected localities with different flood regimes. Regarding the vegetation, the researched localities can be divided into two groups, those with very lush macrophytic vegetation and those without or with very scarce vegetation, where the absence of direct influence of the flood waters of the Danube is the main factor enabling development of the macrophytic vegetation. The vegetation is developed in the area inside the main dam, in very slow flowing or almost stagnant waters with moderate water level fluctuations where several ecological gradients shaping macrophyte communities can be recognized. According to current phytosociological system, the vegetation belongs to three classes, each represented with several orders and alliances: (a) free-floating communities of the class Lemnetea (b) rooted floating or submerged macrophytes from the class Potametea, and (c) the reed vegetation of the class Phragmito-Magnocaricetea. However, in the field, due to the complexity of stands is almost impossible to divide the vegetation in discrete and hierarchically ordered units. Currently favorited splitter approach in describing macrophyte syntaxa is not applicable in the areas with high diversity and complexity of such vegetation. Considering occupied surfaces and populations sizes, Kopački rit is the largest and richest area in Croatia with macrophyte vegetation of shallow, eutrophic, slow flowing or stagnant waters. However, serve droughts in last years have negative influence on these habitats and its vegetation.

U elaboratu se iznose i komentiraju rezultati godišnjeg istraživanja fizikalno-kemijskih, bioloških i ihtioloških značajki nadzemnih voda rijeke Drave na području utjecaja hidroelektrana Varaždin, Čakovec i Dubrava tijekom 2021. godine.

Traditional Christmas nativity scenes (manger scenes, nativity sets) depicting the birth of Christ are commonly decorated with both vascular plants and bryophytes. Although the tradition of using bryophytes as ornamentals in nativity scenes is widespread and found in many countries (a long tradition in Croatia dates back to the 17th century), there are almost no comprehensive studies of bryophyte diversity engaged in this tradition. The aim of this study was to document the diversity of decorative bryophytes sold during the Advent season at farmers’ markets in Croatia (Southeastern Europe). Twenty-eight farmers’ markets in the two largest Croatian cities (Zagreb and Split) were studied in the search for local vendors selling bryophytes during the pre- Christmas season. Among 275 collected specimens, 43 moss and four liverwort species were identified. The most frequent species were Hypnum cupressiforme, Homalothecium sericeum and Ctenidium molluscum. Mats, wefts and tufts were the most common life-forms, while pleurocarpous prevailed over acrocarpous mosses, as they are usually pinnately branched and form large carpets, suitable for decorations. The overall selection of bryophytes and the decorations made of them were more diverse and abundant in Zagreb, where 49 vendors at 15 farmers’ markets sold 43 species. In Split, at six farmers’ markets only 29 vendors sold 18 species. A significant number of species (all liverworts, most acrocarpous mosses and some pleurocarpous), which are less attractive to harvesters, was collected non-intentionally, entangled in carpets of other, more frequent species. Among them, Rhodobryum ontariense and Loeskeobryum brevirostre are rare and insufficiently recorded in Croatia so far. The present study provided a first perspective on the use of bryophytes in traditional nativity scenes in Croatia and Southeastern Europe, contributing to scarce ethnobotanical documentation of the decorative use of bryophytes in Christmas festivities in Europe and globally.

Although Croatia is bryologically one of the best- known regions of former Yugoslavia, most of the data originates from the time of the Austro– Hungarian Monarchy, gathered during the 19th and early 20th century. Until recently, the state of knowledge of the bryophyte flora of Croatia was largely insufficient, mostly due to the lack of local bryologists. In the last eight years a great effort was done in order to collect and digitize all literature and herbarium archives containing bryophyte data from the territory of Croatia. This yielded a large dataset which was finally incorporated into the national Flora Croatia Database as a new Bryophyte Modul, interconnected with Herbarium Croaticum Virtual Herbarium Webpage. In total, 160 literature references in several languages dating from 1832 to recent times were digitized resulting in more than 25, 000 spatio-temporal records. After a decade of digitization focused solely on vascular plants, a comprehensive systematization, digitization and nomenclature updating of bryophyte collection in Herbarium Croaticum was performed. This revealed around 12, 000 specimens belonging to as many as 1177 taxa from 408 genera, originating from all continents and major archipelagos. A new updated catalogue of Croatian liverworts and hornworts, containing all relevant literature data and contemporary records, was published in 2021, while a checklist of mosses is in preparation. Intensified field surveys and inventories across the whole country revealed over 40 new national records in the last ten years. Special focus was put towards some endangered bryophyte habitats such as peatbogs and fens and macrophyte vegetation of rivers and lakes, the research into altitudinal patterns of bryophytes diversity, Mediterranean ephemeral bryophyte flora, as well as monitoring of invasive Campylopus introflexus (Hedw.) Brid. Consequently, data on national bryoflora have been constantly increasing, resulting in stepping beyond 800 taxa.

Kopački rit is situated in eastern Croatia, northwest of the confluence of the Drava and the Danube, and it is one of the largest and most important fluvial-wetland areas in Europe. It was founded in 1973 as an Ornithological Reserve and in 1993 designated as Nature Park comprising the surface of 177 km2 . According to the „flood pulse concept“ flood areas are defined as aquatic/terrestrial transit zones where flood dynamic is the main factor shaping habitats and communities. In order to study diversity, composition and conditionality of macrophyte communities we have conducted research during three years on 15 preselected localities with different flood regimes. Regarding the vegetation, the researched localities can be divided into two groups, those with very lush macrophytic vegetation and those without or with very scarce vegetation, where the absence of direct influence of the flood waters of the Danube is the main factor enabling development of the macrophytic vegetation. The vegetation is developed in the area inside the main dyke, in very slow flowing or almost stagnant waters with moderate water level fluctuations. The vegetation belongs mainly to free-floating communities of the class Lemnetea intermixed with fragments of the rooted floating or submerged macrophytes from the class Potametea. The most widespread order belonging to the first class is Hydrocharition morsusranae with number of species as Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Lemna minor, L. trisulca, L. minuta, Wolffia arrhiza, Spirodella polyrhyza, Utricularia vulgaris and ferns Salvinia natans and Azolla filiculoides. Representatives of rooted vegetation are Nymphoides peltata, Nuphar lutea and Nymphaea alba. Omnipresent is Ceratophyllum demersum. Considering occupied surfaces and populations sizes, Kopački rit is the largest and richest area in Croatia with macrophyte vegetation of shallow, eutrophic, slow flowing or stagnant waters. However, severe droughts in last years have negative influence on these habitats and its vegetation.

This presentation aims to describe and compare moss diversity and vegetation of two large areas with tufa forming vegetation dominated by bryophytes – the Plitvice Lakes (Alpine Biogeographical Region) and the Krka River (Mediterranean Biogeographical Region). The Plitvice lakes are a system of 16 larger and several smaller lakes, separated by tufa barriers, which stretches along 8 km, representing the largest habitat of the tufa forming moss communities (Cratoneurion commutati) in Croatia and the whole of Europe. The Krka River is a large karstic river with tufa barrages forming a complex system of interchanging fast and slow water flow, waterfalls and barrage lakes. Seven waterfall systems harbouring tufa forming bryophyte communities are situated along the 73 km of the river course before the mouth into the Adriatic Sea. Ninety phytosociological relevés were made on the Plitvice Lakes and 52 on the Krka River. They were analyzed using various multivariate techniques (TWINSPAN, DCA), Ellenberg’s ecological indicator values and fidelity indices. Phytosociological affiliation of species and biogeographic elements were also analysed. Moss communities could be assigned partially to the Cratoneurion commutati and partially to the alliance Adiantion Br.Bl. ex Horvatić 1934, but sharing a large proportion of species. Comparison of floristic composition of communities from two the biogeographic regions reveals high resemblance in main species as well as the low proportion of species assigned as characteristic for the class Montio-Cardaminetea Br.-Bl. et Tx. ex Klika et Hadač 1944, where Cratoneurion commutati is placed. Light, moisture (including water velocity) and temperature are the most important environmental factors influencing vegetation difference among these areas. In both areas, considering the eastern limit category, dominant circumpolar species are followed by European ones. Considering major biomes in both areas boreo- temperate and southern-temperate elements are the most prominent. Boreotemperate element has the highest proportion of species followed by southern-temperate element on the Plitvice Lakes, while these proportions are reversed on the Krka River. We can conclude (1) that differences between communities of the two areas are based rather on the quantitative proportion of species than on qualitative differences in species composition, (2) that differences inside communities of a certain area are higher than between areas and (3) that ecological gradients reflected in species composition are similar in both areas.