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ŠUMARSKI LIST 13/2005 str. 143     <-- 143 -->        PDF

A. Durbešić Milković: AFFORESTING UNSTOCKED FORESTLAND ON THE SOUTHERN SLOPES ... Šumarski list- SUPLEMENT (2005), 133-143
diagcnesis. Also, in Middle Triassic, as a consequence
of magmatic drifts along the rift faults, igneous rocks of
diabases and spilites occurred here, as well as deposits
of tuff, the so called "pietra verde" (B e 1 ak, 2000).


At the end of Ladinian, after sedimentations of shallow-
water limestone, emersion occurred in these areas
lasting until the Younger Carnian period. Transgressive
Carnian conglomerates with fragments of Ladinian limestone
mark the end of the emersion phase and are
found in the basement of Upper Triassic "Hauptdolomites".


Shallow-water liass limestone continuously occurs
on "Hauptdolomites" and is followed by shallow-water
limestone dogger. Permanent shallow marine sedimen


tation continues in the Lower Malm period. In early
Upper Malm, tectonic movements lead to the deepening
of the sedimentary environment, resulting in the
sedimentation of plated limestone with fragments of
cherts, (the so-called "lemeške sediments") in the relatively
deeper water environment of the intraplatform
bed (I vanković etal. 1978).


Soil development was determined by geological
classification and climatic features. Thus, soil classification
discriminates shallow rendzinas on dolomites,
rendzinas on carbonates, rendzinas carbonate and silicate
carbonate regosol, brown soil on limestone and
colluvial soil.


2.3 Hydrological conditions
The previously barren areas, the characteristic geological
structure and the petrographic system have led
to erosion processes and the formation of a rich network
of torrents and their tributaries.


Limestone sediments cause water to seep down until
it reaches impermeable layers, from which water heads
towards the sea. As a result, there are no watercourses or
water sources in the entire limestone area. Watercourses
and water sources occur on impermeable layers.


The torrents in the Muć valley are characterised
by channels that cut deeply into the deposits of Lower
and Middle Triassic. The river Sutina with a length of


4.5 km and the Suvava with a length of 14 km have distinctly
long torrential flows, while Romića Stream,
Zmijavac, Radač and Srednjomućke Jaruge have shorter
torrential flows. The figure shows the watersheds of
Muć torrents (Figure 5).
2.4 Climate
The proximity of the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean
climate) and the Dinaric mountain range (continental
climate) balances continental and maritime climatic
conditions and gives this area the characteristics of the
sub-Mediterranean climate. The mean annual air temperature
is 12.9 °C, with the temperature minimum in
January and maximum in June. The average annual


precipitation quantity amounts to 1,262 mm, which
marks this area as humid. Snow regularly occurs in
winter, but may sometimes fall in April. According to
the Hydromcteorological Office data, this area is characterised
by winter periods with maximal precipitation
interspersed with shorter dry periods, and with
hot, cloudy and less dry summers.


2.5 Vegetation
Vegetation conditions in the area are the results of
geographic position, climatic conditions, geological
structure and soil distribution. Unfortunately, the forest
communities in the study area, like the communities elsewhere
on karst, have for centuries been exposed to
negative human impacts. Absence of fertile soil has
forced man to exploit forests, resulting in their destruction
and the growth of sparse vegetation of bare land.
Those forests which have managed to survive over
smaller areas are for the most part degraded.


There are four climatogenic forest communities in
the study area:


Mixed forest of pubescent oak and oriental hornbeam
(Querco-Carpinetum (mentalis H-ic, 1939).
Forest of hop hornbeam and autumn moor grass
(Seslerio-Ostryetum Ht. Et H-ic 1950),
Forest of beech and autumn moor grass (Seslerio-
Fagetum sylvaticae /Ht. 1950/ M. Wraber 1960),
Forest of Dalmatian black pine (Pinus nigra subsp.
dalmatica).