7.3 Living resources

7.3.1 Flora

The area of Tivat Salina is characterised by vegetation populating halophyte wetlands. These are primarily meadows of Salicornia and Limonietela, Junicetalia maritime and brackish water vegetation such as Phragmitetalia. The distribution of certain halophyte species participating to the construction of this vegetation in Montenegro is limited to this area and the Ulcinj Salina only.

Therefore, the species registered for these two saltpans are protected by national legislation. List of important flora: Salicornia fruticosa, Salicornia herbacea, Suaeda maritime, Limonium angustifolium, Scripus litoralis, Juncus acutus, Plantago maritime (Savlejic, 2007).
Currently, 114 plant species have been described in the Ulcinj Salina. Besides open fields of halophytes (60 ha), there are more than 8 ha of Phragmites reedbeds. The dikes are no less interesting: meadows of orchids in the spring, mostly Ophrys bertolinii and Orchis laxiflora, give way to xenomorphic vegetation during the hot summer days. Salicornia herbacea is the dominant species in the Salicornietum herbaceae association, together with Sueda maritima, Limonium angustifolium and Artiplex portulacoides. In addition, the Archocnemetum fruticosi association is also sometimes recorded. Vegetation growing in the sludge of the Ulcinj Salina is mostly present in the channels where water and ground salinity are much lower.

This vegetation is represented by Narcissus tarzetta and Romulea bulbocodium. Later in the year, these give way to Avena barbata, Phragmites communis, Carex sp., Tripholium nigricens and others. They are rather aggressive and have expanded more and more over the years, Tamarix africana, Juncus acutus and Juncus maritimus grow adjacent to the reeds. Beta vulgaris ssp. maritime is a species that in Montenegro lives only in the Ulcinj Salina (Saveljic, 2008).

7.3.2 Aquatic fauna

Crustaceans: Kanjoc, Upogebia pusila and 14 species of amphibians and reptiles are registered for the territory of Tivat salina. Ten vulnerable and three endangered species are on the IUCN Red list of endangered species. Species of particular interest protection in the Tivat salina are the Skadar frog, Rana shqiperica and the European legless lizard, Ophisaurus apodus.
Amphibians: Hyla arborea, Rana shqiperica, Triturus vulgaris
Fish species: Mugil cephalus, Liza ramada, Chlelon labrosus, Atherina hepsetu, Diplodus puntazzo, Gobius geniporus (Borovic, et al., 2000, Saveljic, 2008, Jokismovic, 2006).
Reptiles: Caretta caretta, Emys orbicularis, Ophisaurus apodus, Testudo hermani, Vipera amodytes
In Ulcinj Salina, 23 economically important species are recorded: Mugilidae, Liza Ramada, Liza saliens, Liza aurata, Chelon labrosus, Mugil cephalus, eel, Anquilla anquilla, European seabass, Dicentrachus labrax, Atherinidae and Cyprinodontidae. In basins and channels where salinity increased (beyond 100 percent), only eels and killifish (Aphanius fasciatus) can be found (Borovic, 2000; Mandic, 2004; Saveljic, 2008).
Twelve species of amphibians and 28 species of reptiles survive in the hot summer conditions of Ulcinj Salina. Amphibians barely survive in the salty or freshwater channels, where they are an easy catch for numerous birds. Along with numerous insects, these make the ideal food for the reptiles-unless they are eaten by birds themselves. Amphibians can hide in the high grass and in the numerous stone walls or cavities in the dikes (Mandic, 2004, Saveljic, 2008).
Brine shrimps, Artemia salina, are recorded in the Ulcinj Salina. Brine shrimp are used in food and in the pharmaceutical industry. More than 24 tonnes of this shrimp were present in 1999 in the lagoon (Mandic, 2004; Saveljic, 2008).
Some insects, such as Oecanthus pellucens, Pteronemobius heydenii, Xya cf. variegata, Anacridium aegyptiacum and Locusta migratoria are often present on dikes. Butterflies (Lepidoptera) are numerous in summer. Dragonflies (Odonata) are mainly found near channels or halophyte vegetation. However, keeping in mind the large areas under water, dikes and large vegetation cover, great diversity of ground and water insects is expected (Mandic, 2004; Saveljic, 2008).

7.3.3 Wildlife

Shallow salty water with fish and sludgy ground, and rich in benthic organisms, attracts water birds for feeding, wintering and resting during their autumn and spring migrations. Until now, 47 species of birds associated with water habitats have been registered in the Tivat Salina. Four of them are permanently present, approximately 35 are wintering and six are probably nesting. With other bird species such as passerines, raptors, a total of 111 species of birds have so far been registered in the Tivat Salina. However, the list is not even nearly complete because every year, a few new species for the area are registered. The number of birds present in this lagoon corresponds to 21 percent of the total species of European avifauna.
Nesting birds: Alcedo attis, Actitis hypoleuctos, Cettia cetti, Charadrius alexandrinus, Rallus aquaticus.
Wintering birds: Anas penelope, Ardea cinerea, Charadrius dubius, Egretta alba, Egretta garzetta, Fulica atra, Galinago galinago, Phalacrocorax pygmeus, Tringa tetanus.
Migrating: Anas querquedula, Limosa limosa, Vanelus vanelus (Saveljic, 2008; White, 2001; Sadoul, 1998).
Currently, 241 bird species have been registered in this “cultural lagoon”, Ulcinj Salina, which is 50 percent of total bird species in Europe. Results of the IWC winter census, which has been performed since 1999 in the Ulcinj Salina, show the presence of 20 000 birds every year. Regarding the IUCN Red List of endangered species, Ulcinj Salina is a residence for one bird species –the slender-billed curlew, Numenius tenuirostris, which is critically endangered, and 3 vulnerable bird species: the Dalamatian pelican, Pelecanus crispus, the lesser white-fronted goose, Anser erythropus and the spotted eagle, Aquila clanga (Saveljic, 2008).