Floristisch-vegetationskundliche Untersuchung der Moorwiese bei Galgahévíz zur erstellung eines biotoppflegeplanes

Abstract

In order to design restoration strategies of abandoned fens, in the 2005 vegetation period a wet meadow of the Galga valley near Galgahévíz NE Budapest was investigated in detail.
It shall be shown on the example of this fen unmanaged since the change of the system in 1989, how to develop an effective biotope management based on floristic inventory and vegetation mapping. The localisation of endangered species and the vegetation mapping were performed with GPS.
The fen in all is composed by reed, large sized sedges (Magnocaricetalia) and different fen associations. The wet meadow covers about 5.7 ha; it is dominated by calcicolous plant associations: Succiso-Molinietum hungaricae, Caricetum davallianae and Juncetum subnodulosi. Only a limited area is well structured and rich in rare and endangered species. Extensive areas, however, are characterized by effects of degradation, predominantly caused by expanding reed. Among the reed nitrophyts occur locally. Altogether 12 protected plant species were detected, some with considerable population sizes.
For the realisation of maintenance two different vegetation types have to be differed: areas without or with only sparse reed should be mowed once a year in a traditional manner in late summer. Those extensive areas, however, which are predominantly covered by reed, should be managed in a different way: they should be mowed twice or three times a year, the first time early in May, to repel invaded reed efficiently. In this manner the competitive ability of reed will be weakened, its further invasion from the margins will be stopped and the vegetation structure will be upgraded. When the population of reed is repressed sufficiently, these areas should also be managed in the traditional manner: once a year in late summer.