Transcript 2003 Water depth (cm) - Fertő-Hanság Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság

Vegetation monitoring of the
wetland reconstruction area in
Hanság (Hungary)
Katalin Margóczi
(University of Szeged, Department of Ecology)
Gábor Takács
(Fertő-Hanság National Park Directorate)
László Körmöczi
(University of Szeged, Department of Ecology)
The hiStory of Hanság
Wien
Lake Fertő
Bratislava
(Neusiedler see)
Till the 19th century Hanság was a
50 000 ha large wetland, connected
with the Lake Fertő.
Today only the Fertő is indicated as
wetland on the map.
Hanság
There are tree plantations, meadows, ploughlands on the former fen
area (outlined by red line)
The blue line shows the outline of wetland reconstruction.
The area of wetland reconstruction (red line) on the military map from
1783-84.
The ancient Hanság was a large, mostly floating fen, with small lakes, sedges,
reeds and some alder forest patches.
In 1883-1884 the main drainage channels can be seen on the map, and
mainly wet meadows instead of floating fen
The drastic drying-out of the fen was „successful” only in the early 20th
century, using machines to dig channels. Secondary meadows formed in
the place of the fen, and most of the lakes disappeared. A large part of the
area was ploughed, afforested, and peat mines were opened.
Nature protection
Hottonia palustris in a channel
In spite of drainage and a lot of
human disturbance, the
Hanság could save a relatively
large part of its natural
values. Patches of natural
vegetation survived in the wet
meadows and forests, and the
aquatic communities partly
survived in drainage channels.
Hanság became a protected
natural area in 1976, and since
1994 it has been a part of the
Fertő-Hanság National Park.
The most serious deficiency of the protected area is the very few
remaining wetland, so the National Park Directorate decided to
restore wetland areas.
Restoration of a larger area of the
former fen by closing the
channels would be nice, but
present human activities,
demands and the changes of
hydrology make it impossible.
Technical possibilities, safety,
ownership and economical
criteria were considered in
priority when choosing the 400
ha area to be flooded.
The restoration was supported by
Hungarian and Dutch
Governments
The main goals of restoration:
• To create wetland with open water, suitable
habitat for water-birds and fen-plants.
• To have a model area, and to get experiencies
of rewetting.
• To decrease invasive plant species (Solidago
gigantea).
A habitat map were made before flooding.
Large sedges (57%) (Carex riparia, C. acutiformis), and wet
meadows (28%) (Alopecurus pratensis, Festuca arundinacea) were
the dominant vegetation types and some reeds (5%) (Phragmites
australis, Glyceria maxima) also occured.
Technical aspects of reconstruction
Dikes were built around the planned wetland pools, and water was
transported by gravitation through sluices from the river Rábca and the
channel Kismetszés. The 1st and 2nd unit was flooded in spring 2001, and
the 3rd unit in autumn.
The water-level is intended to keep constant.
The water depth is between 0-100 cm.
Rekonstrukció határa
112_6m-es
113.4m-es
vízállásnál
vízállásnál
tszf 113m-es
vízállásnál
Elevation Range
Szárazulat
Szárazulat
Szárazulat
Szárazulat
Szárazulat
Idõszakos vízborítás (0-0,4m)
Szárazulat
Szárazulat
Sekély víz vízborítás
(0,4-0,8m)(0-0,4m)
Idõszakos
Idõszakos
(0,8-1,2m)(0-0,4m)
Sekély
víz vízborítás
(0,4-1,8m)
Sekély víz(>0,4m)
(>1,2m)
Mélyvíz
(>0,8m)
The year 2001 and 2003 was very dry, so the water level
was about 20 cm lower.
Aerial photos from the first year of flooding.
2001.06.15.
2001.04.27.
2001.09.19.
The landscape of the reconstructed area is really beautiful, it is one of
the main „attractions” of the National Park.
Autumn wiev of sedges
Tussoks of sedges
Open water area
Persicaria amphibia field
Monitoring methods
• Small scale monitoring: 5x5 m
phytosociological relevés along 21+4
permanent transects every year.
• Large scale monitoring: vegetation
mapping using aerial ortophotos in every
3rd year, and developing GIS database.
Location of permanent transects
Small scale monitoring method:
permanent transects
The percent cover of plant species
were recorded in 20 pieces of 5x5 m
quadrates along each transect.
The end of the transects
were marked by wooden
sticks, and positioned
using GPS.
5m
100 m
Results of small scale monitoring
Transects (2003)
100%
Open water
80%
Water-plants
60%
Sedges
Typha
40%
Phragmites
20%
Glyceria
Other
0%
1st unit
2nd unit
3rd unit
Each of the 420 relevés were categorized into vegetation
types, named according to the dominant species. The
vegetation is slightly different in the three units of restoration
area.
The main vegetation categories
Water-plants
Glyceria (maxima)
Typha (latifolia, angustifolia)
Phragmites (australis)
Sedges (Carex acutiformis, C. riparia)
The depth of the water is one of the main environmental factor affecting
vegetation development
Occuring vegetation types at different water depths
70
Water-plants
Glyceria
50
Phragmites (?)
40
30
Sedges
20
Finer categories, differentiated by cluster analysis
Pa
Pa
Pa
Pa
Gm
Gm
Gm
Ba
Gm
Pa
Ph
Ta(U)
Ph
MsNm
Ca
Pa
Ph
UvCd
Cr
Cr
Cr
TlCr
TlTa
Ca
Cr
Cr
TlTa
Tl
Tl
CrCa
0
SaBa
Typha
10
TlPh
Water depth (cm)
60
Changes of vegetation in the first 3 years after flooding
Second unit
First unit
100%
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Open water
Open water
Water-plants
Sedges
80%
Water-plants
60%
Sedges
Typha
Typha
Phragmites
40%
Phragmites
Glyceria
20%
Glyceria
Other
Other
0%
2001
2002
2001
2003
Third unit
100%
Open water
80%
Water-plants
60%
Sedges
Typha
40%
Phragmites
20%
Glyceria
Other
2002
2003
• Dryland vegetation disappears
(2nd year)
•Typha increases
•Open water and water-plants
increase
0%
2001
2002
2003
•Sedges decrease (3rd year)
The permanent transect method is suitable for fine
detection of local vegetation changes
100
90
Percent
cover of
species
80
70
Persicaria amphibia
60
50
40
Phalaroides arundinacea
30
20
Carex ac+rip
Iris pseudochorus
Glyceria maxima
Carex gracilis (0,5cm)
Egyéb
10
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
Sequence of individual relevés
Species
Transect 1.2
Glyceria overgrows in the deep water, Carex survives at 50 cm water
depth.
120
100
90
80
70
Persicaria amphibia
60
50
40
Phalaroides arundinacea
30
20
Carex ac+rip
Iris pseudochorus
Glyceria maxima
100
Persicaria amphibia
Iris pseudochorus
80
Phalaroides arundinacea
60
Glyceria maxima
Carex gracilis (0,5cm)
Egyéb
10
0
Carex gracilis (0,5cm)
40
Carex ac+rip
Egyéb
20
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
1
3
5
7
9
11
2001
13
15
17
19
2002
Vízmélység
100
90
80
Persicaria amphibia
70
60
Iris pseudochorus
50
Glyceria maxima
40
30
Carex gracilis (0,5cm)
20
10
Egyéb
Phalaroides arundinacea
Carex riparia
100
80
60
40
20
0
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
2003
15
17
19
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
Water depth (cm)
19
Transect 1.5
Glyceria overgrows Phalaroides, but disappears in the 3rd year in 80
cm deep water
100
120
100
Typha angustifolia
Phragmites australis
80
Carex ac+rip
60
Persicaria amphibia
Phalaroides arundinacea
40
Glyceria maxima
Egyéb
20
90
80
Typha angustifolia
70
60
Phragmites australis
50
40
Persicaria amphibia
30
20
Glyceria maxima
Carex riparia
Phalaroides arundinacea
Egyéb
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
1
3
5
7
9
11
2001
13
15
17
19
17
1
15
10
0
0
2002
25
Egyéb
5
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
2003
17
19
19
Glyceria maxima
13
Phalaroides arundinacea
11
Persicaria amphibia
10
9
Carex riparia
7
15
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
5
Phragmites australis
3
Typha angustifolia
1
20
Water depth (cm)
Transect 2.4
Carex disapperars in the 3rd year from 80 cm deep water, Persicaria
grow up in the open place.
120
120
100
100
Ceratophyllum demersum
Ceratophyllum demersum
80
Glyceria fluitans
Phalaris arundinacea
60
Persicaria amphibia
Carex riparia
40
80
Glyceria maxima
Phalaris arundinacea
60
Persicaria amphibia
Carex riparia
40
Egyéb
Egyéb
20
20
0
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
1
3
5
7
9
11
2001
13
15
17
19
17
3
15
0
1
2002
140
120
100
Ceratophyllum demersum
140
Glyceria maxima
120
80
Phalaris arundinacea
100
60
Persicaria amphibia
Carex riparia
40
Egyéb
80
60
40
20
20
15
2003
17
19
0
19
13
13
11
11
9
9
7
7
5
5
3
3
1
1
0
Water depth (cm)
Transect 2.3
Typha latifolia outcompetes Carex riparia in the 3rd year at 40-50 cm
water depth.
100
120
100
Phalaris arundinacea
Typha angustifolia
80
Typha latifolia
60
Ceratophyllum demersum
Phragmites australis
40
Carex ac+rip
Egyéb
20
90
80
Phalaris arundinacea
70
60
Typha angustifolia
50
40
Ceratophyllum demersum
30
20
Carex riparia
Typha latifolia
Phragmites australis
Egyéb
10
0
0
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
1
3
5
7
9
11
2001
13
15
17
19
2002
90
80
70
Phalaris arundinacea
70
60
Typha angustifolia
60
Typha latifolia
50
50
Ceratophyllum demersum
40
Phragmites australis
40
30
Carex ac+rip
30
20
Egyéb
20
10
10
0
2003
19
19
17
17
15
15
13
13
11
11
9
9
7
7
5
5
3
3
1
0
1
Water depth (cm)
Large scale monitoring
Parameters of the aerial
photograph:
• Service: Telecopter Kft.
• Date of flight: 2003.07.15.
(12:00 – 12:15)
• Film material: K color III
2444
• Flying height: 1200m
• Camera: Wild RC-10
(f=153,1mm)
• Overlap: 60%
• Resolution: 1 m
Processing of the aerial photoghraph
• Scanning with 18μm
resolution and 16 bit
color depth.
Ortorectification with
field reference points
by ERMAPPER 6.1
and DIGITERRA
(Hungary) softwares.
• Outline the possible
patch contours in the
computer.
Developing GIS data base
(ESRI ArcView 3.2)
• Identification and
correction in the field.
(vegetation category,
main species and their
cover, total vegetation
cover)
• Data processing by raster
analysis (One pixel is 1x1
m)
• GRID statistics
Results of large scale monitoring
• Detailed description of vegetation
categories.
• Thematic maps about the restored area.
• Statistics.
Detailed description of vegetation categories
Code:
CaCr
National habitat B5
category:
Association:
Caricetum acutiformis és Caricetum ripariae
Alliance:
Magnocaricion
Short decription:
Sűrű, általában erősen zárt magassásos (60-100%). A Carex riparia
és a Carex acutiformis változó arányban fordul elő. Mellette a
gyékények és egyéb fajok csak max. 1-5%-ban fordulnak elő. A
sások helyenként zsombékolnak.
Species:
Dominant:
Carex riparia, Carex acutiformis
Subdominant:
Typha angustifolia, Typha latifolia
Abundant:
Lythrum salicaria, Phalaroides arundinacea, Typha angustifolia,
Typha latifolia, Phragmites australis
62 vegetation types were distinguished and described
Thematic maps about the restored
area.
Total plant cover above the water level
Total plant cover under the water level
Glyceria maxima
Phragmites australis
Carex riparia
Typha latifolia
Raster statistics
12.047 11.67
15.984
16.27
109.21
Open water
Aquatic plants
57.621
Sedges
Typha
Phragmites
Glyceria
Islands
Other
68.46
104.049
Area (in ha) of vegetation categories in the whole restored area in 2003.
Vegetation map
100%
Open ater
80%
Water-plants
60%
Sedges
Typha
40%
Phragmites
20%
Glyceria
Do the permanent
transects represent
appropriately the whole
restored area ?
Other
0%
1st unit
2nd unit
3rd unit
Transects (2003)
Glyceria is
overrepresented
100%
Open water
80%
Water-plants
60%
Sedges
Typha
40%
Phragmites
20%
Glyceria
Other
0%
1st unit
2nd unit
Water plants are underrepresented
3rd unit
Evaluation of restoration
 Natural wetland communities are developing in the area.
 The landscape is beautiful.
 It is a very important breeding and feeding area of birds.
(Zoological monitoring is being made as well!)
 The hydrology is considerably different from the original
situation.
 Natural communities are not the same, than before
drainage of the ancient fen.
Evaluation of restoration according to the SER Primer
Attributes of restored ecosystems
(SER 2002)
Present situation in Hanság
restoration project
1.The restored ecosystems contains a
characteristic assemblage of the species
that occur in the reference ecosystem
The dominant species after flooding were
abundant before drainage as well.

2. The restored ecosystems consist of
indigenous species
There are no abundant exotic species,
Solidago gigantea decreased strongly after
flooding.

3. All functional groups are represented.
Certain groups are underrepresented (e.g.
hydato-helophyta species)

4. The physical environment is capable of
sustaining reproducing populations.
The water quality is not very good.

5. The restored ecosystem apparently
functions normally
Further study is necessary to find out.
6. The restored ecosystem is suitably
integrated into a larger ecological matrix.
The new reconstructed wetland improves the
landscape level habitat diversity.

7. Potential threats have been eliminated.
Desiccation have been eliminated, but
eutrophication not.

8. The restored ecosystem is sufficiently
resilient.
The revegetation was spontaneous, so
resilience is quite good.

9. The restored ecosystem is selfsustaining.
Further study is necessary to find out.
?
?
Future
 The National Park is ready to follow wetland
restoration!
 Forestry and agriculture cause severe soil
degradation in this area, so wetland restoration
would become soon the only logic land use in
Hanság!
 The change of the water management in the
whole area of Hanság is necessary for saving
the natural values.
Gábor TAKÁCS
Katalin MARGÓCZI
László KÖRMÖCZI
Thank you
for your attention!