Wetlands in the Gorce National Park

Abstract

Wetlands are important component of the natural environment. This work presents the characteristics of selected wetlands in the Gorce National Park. During the field studies physical and chemical characteristics of the wetlands were measured and plant species were indicated. On this basis, the wetlands have been classified on the hydrological, trophic and peat bogs criteria. The study shows a great wetlands diversity in the small area of the National Park. Peat bogs and associated wetlands in the Gorce Mountains are complex of multiple natural communities. The bogs are often small, dispersed, and hydrologic regimes are quite differentiated from site to site. Most often they are fed by seepage or springs, however some are associated with impoundment of surface waters. Some are permanently wet, some intermittently dry, and still others contain both wetter and dryer areas. Generally, they are underlain by wet organic or mucky mineral soils, which are very acidic, though a few can be relatively basic. Wetlands in the Gorce Mountains contain a very diverse mix of herbaceous and arborescent vegetation. Other types of mountain wetlands are dominated by herbaceous vegetation only. The composition of vegetation is dependent upon numerous factors including: hydrology, soils, geographic location, disturbance history, current land use activities, and other factors. In fact, the hydrology and current land use of particular sites may be the most important factors that determine the current vegetation composition and structure of the mountain bogs. Human activities such as sheep grazing play a major role in the current vegetation makeup of the wetlands. For some, natural hydrologic factors result in what appears to be a relatively stable plant community dominated by sphagnum. Others seem to be more subject to natural successional processes that may, over time, shift the communities from open, herbaceous dominated areas towards more arborescent communities. The conditions of the Gorce wetlands is quite diversified. Significant amounts of the mountain bog habitats have been transformed and degraded. Further surveys are required in order to gather more information on the distribution and status of the wetlands and their vegetation