A plea for the conservation of Western Balkan peatlands – a case study from Croatia

Peatlands are among the most threatened habitats in Europe, particularly near the southern edge of their distribution in the Western Balkans. However, baseline data on their ecological condition are lacking in many countries, including Croatia. To provide a basis for effective conservation and management of these priority habitats, this study presents a comprehensive overview of habitat characteristics, main threats, and plant and invertebrate assemblages for 80% of the known Croatian peatlands. Furthermore, we assess the conservation status of each peatland and analyse their similarities in terms of habitat condition, threat intensity and current management. Nearly two-thirds of the investigated peatlands were found to be in highly unfavourable conditions, with transition mires being especially vulnerable to advanced vegetation succession and hydrological degradation, typically caused by artificial drainage. In some Croatian peatlands, these processes have resulted in the loss of typical peatland plant species and may lead to local extinctions of rare tyrphophilous and stenotopic invertebrates. In line with our findings, we propose general guidelines for active peatland conservation measures, including restricting vegetation succession, improving hydrological conditions and minimizing anthropogenic impacts, which can be applied to other peatlands facing similar challenges. Targeted, site-specific management efforts will be essential to secure the long-term persistence of peatland habitats in Croatia and the wider region of the Western Balkans. • 20 years of Croatian peatland research integrating botanical and zoological data • nearly two-thirds of the investigated peatlands are in highly critical condition • vegetation succession and drainage are the principal threats to Croatian peatlands • site-specific management is vital for the conservation of Western Balkan peatlands