ANNALES • Ser. hist. nat. - 13 • 2003 • 1 original scientific arhc le UDK 551:312.2:582.623(439) received: 2003-04-18 A PRELIMINARY REPORT ON A NEW TYPE OF FLOATING MIRE FROM HUNGARY Janas NAGY £ Of- r I. OAT ING M1RC fROM I iUNCARY, 77-W INTRODUCTION There are several types of floating vegetation formation (Sculthorpe. 1985) occurring mainly as a tropical phenomenon known as sudd (sadd) or floatant, which according to Sculthorpe (1985) forms in two main ways. Sudd may be pioneered by free floating plants, such as Eichornia crassipes and Pistia stratioles, whose stolo-ntferous habit creates a compact floating mat spreading from sheltered marginal sites out over open water. This mat of living plants and organic debris provides a favourable rooting medium for emergent hydrophytes. Sudd may also develop directly from fringing stands of emergent sedges extending from the shore in calm shallows. The rhizomes and roots do not become anchored in the substrate, but form a stable raft floating at a depth of a few centimetres. By definition of Steffen (1931). the first type is like a succcssional formation of floating meadow, which develops where the water has steep banks and where the open water surface is gradually overgrown by floating or submerged aquatics. The second type is a simultaneous formation of floating meadow (Steffen, 1931). This can be observed on shallow margins of the water, where rhizomes of waterside plants (e.g. Phragmiles austraiis, Typha an-guntifolia, Schoenoplectus lacuntris iri tc-rnperate zone) are creeping on and where rooting in the bottom sediments continues into the open water as a self-supporting rhizome mat (Steffen, 1931; Kulczynskt, 1949: Dan-sereau, 1957; Junk, 1970; Sioli, 1975; Lajer, 1998; Ba-logh, 2000a, b). However, data on the floating mire formation in Sphagnum dominated mires under temperate, continental conditions are sparse. During our phytocoenological research between 1992 and 2002 on the Sphagnum dominated mires of the Northeast Plain in the continental temperate climate in Hungary we observed many similar and some different (and hitherto uncJescribed) processes of floating mire formation, which can also be found in other parts of Hungary. In this preliminary paper we present till now undescribed but widespiead floating mire type. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study site The investigated mires (Bence-ld 48"8'55;' N, 22' 2535" E; Nyfres-to 48'11'3" N, 22*30'6" E; Navad-patak 48"10'32" N, 22'30'45" E; Bab-tava 48'11 '16" N, 22'29'0" E; Zsid-td 48'11 '87" N, 22'29'6" E) lie in the northeastern corner of the Great Hungarian Plain in Hungary on the Bereg-Szatmtir Plain in Bereg-Szatm^r County (East-Central Europe). These mires belong to the Sam/cum plant-geographical region. The mires have formed in abandoned riverbeds (silted oxbows), in a ring indicated by Bcregdardc, Geienes, Takos, and Csaroda villages (Fig. 1). The fieldwork has been carried out since 1994. In the Koppen (1923) system, the climate of the study-area is Chfx (between moderate warm and moderate cool). The mean annual number of sunny hours is ca 1950, while the annual mean temperature oscillates between 9.4 and 9.5 °C. Yearly precipitation is 630-660 mm, with 370-380 mm during the growing season (Ma-rosi & Somogyi, 1990). The distribution and amount of precipitation and the ground water level can vary greatly in successive years. Methods The Braun-Blanquet method (1951) was used to describe the vegetation dynamics. In the sample plots, species by species on a percentage scale was estimated in the case of higher plants in all of the associations, in the middle of the flooded willow and aider carr, we coutd proceed only on foot, swimming or by mud-walking. We used an Irish word, "scraw", for floating mires. The coenological examinations were made in this way, which provided an opportunity to observe the mechanism of formation of the scraw. The size of the scraws was estimated by eye. Here we give the relevant interpretation of our observations. Taxonomical and syntaxonomical nomenclature follows Simon (1992). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION After natural or artificial floods, the peatmoss cushions were submerged in base-rich water and failed to survive. On these former peatmoss mires secondary scraw formation processes could be observed, whose first stage was named "skirt-mire" after its shape. They develop as follows {f ig. 2): all the willow species (Saltx cinerea, S. pentandra, S. fragilis, S. alba, 5. aurita and their hybrids) that can be found in the examined areas are able to develop adventitious roots from their shoots near the water surface after flooding. Root formation is independent of the age of the shoots of the willow species (Fig. 3). The dead broken fragments of plants floating in large quantities in the mire water mat with each other, with the long and bushy hair-shaped willow roofs of stem origin and with the plant residues at the bottom of the lake. Thus a matted carpet forms, which fails as a "skirt" from the water surface to the bottom of the lake. The broken fragments deposited in the water enlarge mainly the bottom of the skirt, as the movement of the water erodes more strongly the parts near the water surface. In the first summer of their formation, tire thickness of the skirts near the surface are therefore only a half to a third (20-30 cm) of that at the bottom of the bed (4070 cm). These skirts average 3-6 m in diameter in the areas examined around individual Salix cinerea shrubs. 78 ANNALES • Ser. hist. nal. • 13 • 2003 • 1 ïîrifK NAQV s ;'o!un TUCA a FiiïTÎMÎNÂRV REPORT ON a nfw TYPE OP riOATiNG MIRI.' l'ROM HUNGARY, 77 « The location of the Bereg-pfaîn in Hungary j j - . .............. : : ! ' 1 Gelénes ' ;"■': b ...........\ T 17" [zsid-Có mire j • i ) ; r i 1 * . f I__l ÜOÍ(Jo c s of H r/ •••-■ ............ j .„iteíitaitúnww ESS Mí»* ftfid 2l<¡ y.. I Csaroda -^vj Navad-patak mire ¡ « "hj Bence-tó mire V®^ • c.'.i I •• V ''^^¿"""Zr;""1 W^^'V The locution of the investigated mires TV*.-. v. *«* b ; >-\ o/i //z¿' Bereg-phfin Mats ft: XZiEKCI rèSVSFOMÎA FIXAI XTÚDÍO Fig. 1: Location ofthe stud ¡cd area. SI. 1: Lokacija preučevanega območja. The skirts can be formed around numerous wiliows as weli, forming several ten square metres large scraws. Such mat-like scraws can be observed in the dense Clycerietum maximae among the leaves of the bottom rooted Clyceria maxima specimens of the stands. Water under the skirt is much colder than around it. The first colonists that can be found on the surface of the scraw include Cicuta virosa, Carex pseudocyperus, Galium palustre, Lycopus europaeus, Poa palustris, Glyceria maxima, Thelypteris palustris, Polygonum iapathifoltum or Typha latifolia, Typha angustitblia, as well as drifted Salvinia natans, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Lemna minor and sometimes Stratiotes abides, and Oenanthe aquatics. Sometimes, Cicuta virosa and Glyceria maxima may be missing from these bare surfaces in the first year. in the second year, the C/cuto-Caricefum pseudocy-peri becomes almost predominant on the skirt-mires, but its dominance decreases gradually in the next few years. For a few years, rh i zoma tous, emergent species, mainly Glyceria maxima, Thelypteris palustris, and Lythrum salicaria and occasionally Comarum palustre will be dominant (Tab. 1). The plants of the initial state can be seen just on the growing edge of the scraws. Concentric structure of the floating mire develops. CONCLUSIONS The skirt-mire formation briefly outlined above has not been described yet in literature, although it can be observed in Hungary in many willow swamps flooded with water, and it is probably widespread where conditions (willows, water flooding, floating plant debris suitable for matting) are suitable. We found similar processes near the study site in Bodrogkôz, Nt Hungary. It is worthy of note that scraws can be formed in any place where peat form-ing-plarrts are able to settle, survive and propagate on living or lifeless substratum on the surface ofthe water. 79 ANNALES • Ser. hist. nat. - 13 • 2003 • 1 Mm* NACY & ZnlUii TUBA: A PRi.llMINARY REPORT ON A NEW TYPE OF FLOATING MISE FROM HUNGARY. 77-82 dm? Peatmosses (Sphagnum syuarrotum, ™ Sphagnum flmbritaum ssp. ftmiriatnm) Polygonum iapalhifolium v K If jj^ f Glycerin maxima Chula virosa Drying peatmoss dominated wiliow-swamp i.. ! i anguMtfttlia, Typha laiifolta Care.v pseudocyperus % y i l'halaroidós arundmaciu F'irst year of floating. The willows strike roots of stem origin. There aro a tot of swimming pieces in the water. Second year of floating. Forming a "skirt" from the 'JTtc.lypterispaiustra, swindling pieces. Oryopleris ckartusiana uteKnw» stratiolex abides . . third year of floating. —¿/¿'ji&s.__— The absolutely d»minant plant on the skirl-mire the Ciaila vircsa. The bigining of fusion of the skirt-mire and the floating-fields. ____Leinna minor Hydrocharis morsus-rajtuc SaMnia ttaians .J^í Utricularia vulgaris The fourth year of floating. The amount of Ttiefyplerispalustns is foun-,1 more and more on the skirt-mire. On the margins of skirl-mire arc Typha laiifntiii and (only in the Bence-to) Typha anguxtifalia. Plant debris, peat A D R Y I m / G Peatmosses are appearing and spreading Fig. 2: Scheme of the formation and the succession of the skirt-mires in their first four years in Bence-tč mire, N£ Hungary, between 1998-2002. SI. 2: Shcma nastajanja in sukcesije "zavesastih" barij v prvih štirih letih. Barje Bence-t6, SV Madžarska, med letoma 1998 in 2002. 80 ANNALES • Ser. hist. nat. - 13 • 2003 • 1 Mw» NAGY & Zoll;!!) TURA: A PRELIMINARV RETORT ON A NEW Tift OF FIOATINC MISE F KOM HUNGARY. 77452 Tab. 1: Phytosociological relevés of différent skirt-mires (Bereg-plain, NE Hungary). Tab. 1: Fitosociološki popisi različnih "zavesastih" barij (pusta Bereg, SV Madžarska). Place of samples Navad-patak mire Zsid-tó mire Bencu-tó mire Date 17.07.1997 17.07.1997 29.07.1999 29.07.1999 29.07.1999 14.07.2000 14.07.20001 Age of the skirt-mire ~ 3 years - 3 years - 5 years ~ 5 vea rs - 5 years - 2 years ~ 2 years Plot size 9 irr 9 m¿ 25 m- 25 nr 25 rrr 9 irr 9 nr Cover (%) Shrub level Salix pentandra 2 40 Frangula alnus 3 Salix cinerea 40 25 90 5 10 3 (ctead) 5 (dead) Herb level Bi Jens cernua 40 Ca rex ps eudoeyperus 1 5 10 Carex riparia 1 Cicuta virosa 7 10 40 Comarurn pahistre 5 Galium palustre 1 1 Glyceria maxima 5 1 7 3 5 Hydrocharis morsus-ranae 2 3 5 70 7 Lemna minor 0.1 10 40 20 Lvthrum salicaria 30 Lycopus europaeus 0.1 20 1 Lvsimachia vulgaris 2 (J.S 0.1 Oenanthe aquatica 1 7 Polygonum lapathifolium 20 I Salix cinerea 1 « Salvinia natans 2 2 5 Scutellaria galericulata 10 Solanum dulcamara 3 2 Sparganium erecium 1 Stratiotes ailoides 1 Thelypteris palustris 13 40 90 0.1 Typha angustitolia 90 10 Tvpha latifolia 4 10 \ Utricularia vulgaris 70 1 The vegetation changes of the skirt-mires are very-quick and to a great extent conditioned by the rhythm and rate of the water suppiy (Nagy, 2002). The water retention peat forming process takes place on terrestrial mire in dry periods and on floating mires in wet periods. When developing an adequate peat thickness, it can counterbalance the effect of fluctuation of the water supply under the established plant communities. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors are indebted to Prof. Dr. Michael C. F. Proctor and Dr. Marton Balogh for their useful advice and suggestions and to Mrs. Katalin Reti for checking the English text. Financial support by the Directorate of the Hortobagy National Park (Debrecen) is acknowledged. Nagy) Fig. 3: First phase of the skirt-mire formation: branches of Salix cinerea develop adventitious roots (Bence-to mire, NE Hungary, 30 March 2000). (Photo:}. Nagy) SI. 3: Prva faza oblikovanja "zavesastega" barja: veje vrste Salix cinerea razvijejo adventivne korenine (barje Bence-td, SV Madžarska, 30. marec 2000). (Foto: ). 81 ANNALES • Ser. hist. not. • 13 • 2003 - 1 I4fl(» NACiV f, Zollon TUBA: A PRELIMINARY RCPOPT ON A NEW TYPE OF FLOATING MI*C FROM HUNGARY. 77.112 PRELIMINARNO POROČILO O NOVEM TIPU "ZAVESASTEGA" BAR)A NA MADŽARSKEM Janos NAG)' & Zoltan TUBA Department ot Botany and Piani Physiology. Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental 5ciences, Szent Istvan University, Godollo, H-21G3 Codollo, Pater K. u. 1 E-rnail: nagyiano@yahoo.com POVZETEK Med letoma 1992 in 2002 sta avtorja opravila vrsto fitocenoloških raziskav barij s prevladujočim šotnim mahom Sphagnum (Ny(res-t6, Bab-tava, Navad-patak, Zsid-to in Bence-to) v madžarski pusti Bereg. V omenjenem obdobju sta preučevala doslej neopisani in v tem članku preliminarno orisani proces oblikovanja tako imenovanega "zave-sastega" barja, potem ko je bila naravno ali umetno poplavljena n/egova vrbovina. Vse preučevane vrste vrb (Saiix cinerea, S. pentandra, S. fragilis, S. alba, S. aurita in njihovi hibridi) po poplavljenju poženejo adventivne korenine iz svojih poganjkov pod vodnim površjem. Oblikovanje korenin je neodvisno od starosti poganjkov in vrste vrb. Na teh dolgih, košatih, lasastih koreninah se v vodi odmrli delci rastlin v velikih količinah prepletajo in spajajo med seboj, z vrbjimi koreninami steblastega izvora in z rastlinskimi ostanki na vodnem dnu. Tako se oblikuje nekakšna "zavesa", ki s korenin, rastočih iz vrbjih stebel na vodnem površju, pada vse do vodnega dna. Med prvimi naseljenci, ki jih je mogoče najti na površju zavese, so Cicuta virosa, Carex pseudocyperus, Galium pa lustre, Lyco-pus europaeus, F'oa paiustris, Glyceria maxima, Thelypteris palustris, Polygonum iapathifolium all T. latifolia, Typha angustifolia kot tudi Salvinia natans, Hydrocharis morsus-ranae, Lemna minor ter včasih Stratiotes abides in Oe-nanthe aquatica. V prvem letu lahko s teh golih površij izgineta Cicuta virosa in Glyceria maxima. V drugem letu poslane Cicuta virosa skorajda dominantna vrsta v teh "zavesastih" barjih, vendar se njena prevlada v naslednjih nekaj letih sčasoma zmanjša. Takrat začnejo prevladovati plezajoče (rizoidne) vrste fGlyceria maxima, Thelypteris palustris, Lythrum salicaria in Comarum palustre). Rastline v začetnem stadiju je mogoče videti le na rastočem robu zaves, in v barju se začnejo oblikovati koncentrične strukture. Vegetacijske spremembe v "zavesastih" barjih so zelo hitre ter močno odvisne od ritma in stopnje vodnega dotoka. Ključne besede: "zavesasto" barje, vrbovina, Sphagnum, madžarska pusta, zmerna klima, celinska klima REFERENCES Balogh, M. (2000a): Classification of rnires. In: Szurdoki, E. (ed.): Sphagnum dominated habitats in Hungary. Research, Managemant, Conservation. CEFWEB, Munkac-soport, Miskolc, p. 57-65. ßalogh, M. (2000b): The problems of the succession of floating mires I. 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