This paper presents a checklist of the freshwater oligochaetes of Croatia, including data related to the ecoregions, river basins and habitat types in which species were recorded. The checklist is based on literature data and new records from unpublished research conducted since 1975. A total of 71 freshwater oligochaete species were recorded at 345 sampling sites. The family Naididae was most species rich (31 species), followed by the family Tubificidae (27 species), Lumbriculidae (6 species) and Pristinidae (4 species). The families Haplotaxidae, Propappidae and Lumbricidae were least diverse, with only one species recorded for each. Approximately two-thirds of the oligochaete species occurred in both the Dinaric western Balkan and the Pannonian lowland ecoregions. Similar patterns in species richness were detected for the Black Sea and the Adriatic Sea basins. Species richness varied between habitat types, with rivers as the most speciose habitats. In comparison to adjacent countries, the Croatian oligochaete fauna was most similar to that of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Austria.

Amorpha fruticosa is an invasive plant species that occurs in wide range of habitat types, including lowland floodplains. It grows very dense and changes the composition of communities by suppressing indigenous species, resulting in significantly reduced variety of flora in the area. In Odransko polje Amorpha fruticosa is widely spread. One of the tasks of Appropriate assessment of project "Flood protection system of Sisak area" was to determine the locations where material for embankment construction should be taken. The locations should be acceptable both from the aspect of nature protection and from the economic point of view (proximity to embankment due to lowering material transport costs, locations which are not private property, etc.). The locations where A. fruticosa is dominant plant were suggested for excavation. This paper will give overview of removal and disposal methods for this invasive species, which reduce the possibility of its spreading and re-appearing. Also, positive impacts of using proposed locations for material excavation will be shown – decrease in A. fruticosa abundance, increase of habitat diversity, increase in the presence of target habitats and target species habitats etc. Additionally, good practices for selection of excavation sites will be given, including guidelines for their sanation and landscape design.

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