Long term grassland vegetation changes: Case study Nature Park Stara Planina (Serbia)

Changes in grassland flora and vegetation Caused by inadequate management, primarily under-grazing and grass-lands abandonment were studied in the south-east region of Serbia - Mt. Stara Planina, the largest mountain massif of the country. This mountain is one of the major centres of tertiary and endemic-relict plant species that remains in ravines, and glacial relics and mountain endemic species. The paper presents an analysis and comparison of previous (about 30 years ago) and current biodiversity of the most common grasslands, such as: ass. Festuco-Agrostietum vulgaris, Agrostio-Asphodeletum albae. Koelerietum montanae, Agrostietum vulgaris, Festucetum spadiceae, Nardetum strictae, Poetum molinerii-Plantaginetum carinatae, Poetum violaceae and Seslerietum coerulantis. Both environmental and human impacts on grassland vegetation were discussed and a proposal of sustainable grassland use and management is given.