Karst Dry Grasslands
Karst dry grasslands may appear barren and rocky at first glance, but it is in fact a very species-rich habitat of the Karst. It developed as a result of centuries of grazing by cattle, sheep and goats. Plants growing here have adapted to trampling, as well as to the strong Karst bora wind. They are therefore low-growing and adapted to rocky ground with only a thin layer of soil. This habitat probably began to develop in the Bronze Age, when livestock farming and herding first appeared in this region.
In the recent past, Karst grassland covered a large part of the Karst region. Today, due to the abandonment of traditional agriculture, it is becoming overgrown. In addition, people have also deliberately encouraged afforestation, a process that began with the planting of black pine in the 19th century. Although the forest is the original vegetation type of this area, human coexistence with the landscape has created a rich and diverse habitat that is now disappearing without continued human management.
Characteristic plant species of Karst grassland include various grasses and sedges, rock knapweed (Centaurea rupestris) and soft thistle (Jurinea mollis). In early spring, the hairy mountain pasqueflower (Pulsatilla montana) appears, followed later on by the Illyrian iris (Iris illyrica). In the summer, the grassland takes on the blue-violet hue of the amethyst eryngo (Eryngium amethystinum). These plants attract many insects. Among the most vulnerable is the false ringlet (Coenonympha oedippus), which has one of its larger populations in the cross-border area on the Karst, more precisely near Cerje. Unfortunately, the populations of this butterfly are facing strong declines due to overgrowth. Among the threatened butterflies, the beautiful southern festoon (Zerynthia polyxena) is also worth mentioning, although this species can benefit from some degree of overgrowth. In the karst grasslands, there are also many grasshoppers, beetles, wild bees and other invertebrates. Dry-stone walls provide excellent conditions for some reptiles, including the Dalmatian wall lizard (Podarcis melisellensis).