Katalin Margóczi

Restoration of peat-forming vegetation by rewetting species-poor fen grasslands

ABSTRACT Questions: Does succession of rewetted species-poor fen grasslands display similar trends when different water levels, sites and regions are compared? Will restoration targets as peat growth and waterfowl diversity be reached? Location: Valley fen of the river Peene (NE-Germany) and the Hanság fen (Lake Neusiedler See, NW-Hungary). Methods: Analysis of permanent plot data and vegetation maps over a period of up to seven years of rewetting. The general relations between newly adjusted water levels and changes in dominance of helophytic key species during early succession are analysed considering four rewetting intensities (water level classes) and eight vegetation types (Phalaris arundinacea type, Carex type, Glyceria maxima type, Phragmites australis type, Typha type, aquatic vegetation type, open water type and miscellaneous type). Results: The initial period of balancing the site conditions and vegetation is characterised by specific vegetation types and related horizontal vegetation structures. Most vegetation types displayed similar trends within the same water level class when different sites and regions were compared. A significant spread of potentially peat forming vegetation with dominance of Carex spp. or Phragmites as desired goal of restoration was predominantly restricted to long-term shallow inundated sites (water level median in winter: 0–30 cm above surface). Open water patches as bird habitats persisted mainly at permanent inundated sites (water level median in winter > 60 cm above surface). Conclusions: Site hydrology appeared as a main force of secondary succession. Thus the rewetting intensity and restoration targets have to be balanced adequately.

Fen Management and Research Perspectives: An Overview

A fen has vegetation that is actively forming peat and is fed by ground-or sur- face water (Joosten and Clarke 2002). In Europe a “fen meadow” is a ground- or surface water-fed mown grassland that does not form peat, since it was formed after modest drainage of a fen or it developed on a predominantly moist soil (Grootjans and Van Diggelen 1995). Therefore, fens and fen mead- ows are considered to be different ecosystems by most European authors. Others do not make a distinction between fens and fen meadows because the species composition of both ecosystems may overlap considerably (Wheeler et al.1995). In North America, fens dominated by tussock-forming sedges are referred to as ‘sedge meadows’, which are often grazed. Since there is not yet scientific agreement on whether sedge meadows are fens or fen meadows, we will refer to them as fens in this chapter.

Landscape ethnoecological knowledge base and management of ecosystem services in a Székely-Hungarian pre-capitalistic village system (Transylvania, Romania).

BackgroundPrevious studies showed an in-depth ecological understanding by traditional people of managing natural resources. We studied the landscape ethnoecological knowledge (LEEK) of Székelys on the basis of 16-19th century village laws. We analyzed the habitat types, ecosystem services and sustainable management types on which village laws had focused.MethodsSzékelys had self-governed communities formed mostly of “noble peasants”. Land-use was dominated by commons and regulated by village laws framed by the whole community. Seventy-two archival laws from 52 villages, resulting in 898 regulations, were analyzed using the DPSIR framework. Explicit and implicit information about the contemporary ecological knowledge of Székelys was extracted. We distinguished between responses that limited use and supported regeneration and those that protected produced/available ecosystem services and ensured their fair distribution.ResultsMost regulations referred to forests (674), arable lands (562), meadows (448) and pastures (134). Székelys regulated the proportion of arable land, pasture and forest areas consciously in order to maximize long-term exploitation of ecosystem services. The inner territory was protected against overuse by relocating certain uses to the outer territory. Competition for ecosystem services was demonstrated by conflicts of pressure-related (mostly personal) and response-related (mostly communal) driving forces. Felling of trees (oaks), grazing of forests, meadows and fallows, masting, use of wild apple/pear trees and fishing were strictly regulated. Cutting of leaf-fodder, grazing of green crops, burning of forest litter and the polluting of streams were prohibited. Marketing by villagers and inviting outsiders to use the ecosystem services were strictly regulated, and mostly prohibited. Székelys recognized at least 71 folk habitat types, understood ecological regeneration and degradation processes, the history of their landscape and the management possibilities of ecosystem services. Some aspects of LEEK were so well known within Székely communities that they were not made explicit in village laws, others remained implicit because they were not related to regulations.ConclusionsBased on explicit and implicit information, we argue that Székelys possessed detailed knowledge of the local ecological system. Moreover the world’s first known explicit mention of ecosystem services (“Benefits that are provided by Nature for free”) originated from this region from 1786.

Hydrological background of the dune slack vegetation in the Kiskunság

Hydrological background of the dune slack vegetation in the Kiskunság In the southern Kiskunság the natural vegetation (sand steppe, fen meadow, fen or marsh and alkali vegetation) survived in the dune slack meadows (DSM). The vegetation of these meadows are species rich, and has high natural value. The main goal of this study is to reveal the hydrological backgrounds in order to help conservation of the natural values. Two DSM was investigated (MM and CS site): vegetation was sampled, observation wells were planted, and data of other wells in similar position were used to describe the hydrological background of the vegetation. The characteristic groundwater level of the same vegetation type in the relatively wet 2005 year was higher in MM site, than in the CS site. We suppose, that this is a consequence of the earlier vegetation change because of the strong decrease of groundwater level in the region of MM site. The model of hydraulic flow system showed that the DSMs are situated in hydraulic discharge zones. We suppose, that an upward flow plays an important role in development of alkali vegetation in the CS site. Cross-correlation coefficient between groundwater and previous precipitation indicated a quick infiltration of rainwater into the soil, and a pressure front of the groundwater stream reaching the area of well after 22-23 days after rainfall. The quick and strong regional hydrological changes, especially the decrease of groundwater level would endanger this valuable vegetation, but certain resistance and plasticity of it is rather possible. Tło hydrologiczne roślinności obniżeń międzywydmowych obszaru Kiskunság W południowej części obszaru Kiskunság roślinność naturalna (stepu piaszczystego, łąk bagiennych, torfowisk niskich lub mokradeł mineralnych oraz roślinność alkaliczna) zachowała się na łąkach w obniżeniach międzywydmowych (dune slack meadows DSM). Roślinność tych łąk charakteryzuje się dużą bioróżnorodnością oraz wysokimi wartościami przyrodniczymi. Głównym celem poniższego opracowania jest poznanie i określenie warunków hydrologicznych, tak aby wspomóc działania służące ochronie wartości przyrodniczych na tym obszarze. Badania terenowe przeprowadzono na dwóch obszarach łąk obniżeń międzywydmowych (obszary oznaczone MM i CS). Zakres badań obejmował określenie składu gatunkowego roślinności, instalacje studni (piezometrów) wód gruntowych. Dodatkowo wykorzystano dane z istniejących studni wód gruntowych, zlokalizowanych w analogicznych warunkach, w celu określenia tła hydrologicznego dla znajdującej się na tych obszarach roślinności. Charakterystyczne wartości położenia zwierciadła wód gruntowych dla tych samych typów roślinności w 2005 roku, który był stosunkowo wilgotny, były wyższe w przypadku obszaru MM niż dla obszaru CS. Przypuszczalnie jest to wynikiem wcześniejszych zmian roślinności spowodowanych wyraźnym spadkiem położenia zwierciadła wód gruntowych w regionie, w którym znajduje się obszar MM. Analiza wyników modelu hydraulicznego sytemu wód gruntowych wskazuje, iż obydwa obszary badawcze znajdują się strefach drenażu wód gruntowych. Sądzimy, że taki wznoszący ruch wody odgrywa istotną rolę w rozwoju roślinności alkalicznej w obszarze CS. Współczynnik korelacji pomiędzy stanami wód gruntowych a opadami poprzedzającymi wskazuje na szybką infiltrację wód opadowych w głąb profilu glebowego, oraz na docieranie wód opadowych na obszar lokalizacji studni wód gruntowych po okresie 22-23 dni od chwili wystąpienia opadu. Szybkie i wyraźne regionalne zmiany hydrologiczne, a w szczególności spadek położenia zwierciadła wód gruntowych, mogą stanowić zagrożenie dla wartościowych typów roślinności na tym obszarze. Jednakże, występująca tutaj roślinność charakteryzuje się również pewnym potencjałem odporności i przystosowania się do ewentualnych zmian o takim charakterze.