A Study of Habitat Water Regime of Inundated Meadows near Osijek

The recent ecological investigations of the meadows on the inunda- tional area of the river Drava near Osijek show that floristical differences between the communities Serratula tinctoria—Plantago altissima I-ić and Carex gracilis—Poa palustris I-ić seem to be mainly conditioned by the distinct habitat water regime. The differences exist in the amounts of actual and available soil water, in the level of the ground water, and in the height and duration of inundation to which these meadows are exposed sporadically. Both the actual and available water were established to be relatively greater in the association Carex gracilis—Poa palustris in the vegetation period. The level of ground water in this community is higher than in the association Serratula tinctoria—Plantago altissima. Inundational water floods the soil surface earlier in the Caricetum than in the Plantaginetum