The Maros/Mure§ River Valley

259 Pages·2012·9.4 MB·English

T I S C IA monograph series
The Maros/Mure§ River Valley
A study of the geography, hydrobiology and ecology
of the river and its environment
Szolnok - Szeged - Tirgu Mure§
1995

The Maros/Mure§ River
Valley
A study of the geography, hydrobiology
and
ecology of the river and its environment
Editors
Hamar, J. & Sarkany-Kiss, A.
Szolnok - Szeged - Tirgu Mure§
1995
>
Contributing Organizations
Hungarian Water Fund
Friedrich Naumann Foundation
Project Editors: J. Hamar & A. Sárkány-Kiss
English language Editor: Anne-Marie Nicoara
Copy Editors: Ilona Bárány-Kevei, L. Csizmazia,
K. Györe, Gy. Kádár, G. Matus, Katalin Nagy,
Judit Padisák, A. Szabó, A. Szító, Erzsébet O. Tóth,
C. Tudorancea,
Cover design and layout: L. Körmöczi
First Edition published by Tisza Klub
Tisza Klub
for Environment and Nature
5000 Szolnok, pf.148., Hungary
Printed by Kanalasgém Kft.
ISBN 963 04 5103 4
Contents
Preface 3
Foreword 4
The geography of the River Maros (Mure§) and its river system 7
Soils of the flood plain of the Mure§ (Maros) River 25
The flora and vegetation of the Mure§ (Maros) valley 47
Data on the chemical composition of the Mure§ (Maros) River 113
Physical and chemical characteristics of the Maros (Mure§) River 119
Study on organic micropollutants of the Maros (Mure§) River 135
Data on the estimation of the hygienic bacteriological condition of
the Maros (Mure§) River 143
Algological studies of the Maros (Mure§) River 149
The protozoan plankton and their saprobity relations in the Maros (Mure§) River.... 165
Zooplankton investigation in a longitudinal section of the Maros (Mure§) River 175
Macrozoobenthos in the Maros (Mure§) River 185
Malacological survey on the Mure§ (Maros) River 193
Snail assemblages of gallery forests between Lippa (lipova) and Mako 203
Fish of the Mure§ (Maros) River: systematics and ecology 225
The birds of the Mure§ (Maros) River 235
Muskrats (Ondatra zybethica L. 1766) in the Mure§ (Maros) River Valley 245
Appendix 251
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"The river is present itself
If you touch it
You have encroached upon
The last drop of the past
And the first of the future. "
Leonardo da Vinci
Preface
The Maros/Mure§ River with its 768-km length is the largest waterway in the Tisza
River catchment area, and like the other rivers in the Carpathian Basin it is the lifeblood of
the settlements, industrial and agricultural facilities in its valley. The ecological condition of
these rivers and of their catchment area is economically important, but its value increases
exponentially if we consider the natural values here, and their conservation. The rivers of
the region connect the neighboring countries, making the environmental problems of these
rivers international; the solutions must also be international, and cooperative.
Since 1991 Hungarian and Romanian non-governmental organizations (NGOs), by
calling in experts from both countries, has started interdisciplinary research to assess the
common river's environmental condition (see Appendix). The cooperating social
organizations have aimed to create a database for public awareness and protection.
This book is the first published results of the cooperation between Tisza Klub and the
Environmental Group of Liga Pro Europa. The information here may serve as a basis for
future comparisons on the condition of the environment. It may also provide a foundation
for NGOs to outline proposals for the organizations and agencies concerned.
We would like to offer our thanks to all who have helped us with our work: the
generous support of other NGOs, media representatives, ministeries, universities, museums
and research institutions in both countries made this project possible.
We would like to particularly express our thanks to the Hungarian Parliament, the
Regional Environmental Center and the Council of Europe.
In the course of our work we have covered the Szamos/Some§ in 1992, and in 1994 the
Fekete and Fehér Körös/Cri§ul Negru and Alb. Next will be the Sebes Körös/Cri§ul Repede
and the Berettyó/Beratau River, culminating with the Upper Tisza.
József Hamar Andrei Sárkány-Kiss
Tisza Klub, Szolnok, Hungary Liga Pro Europa, Environmental
Group, Romania
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FOREWORD
Just when modern, urban man is losing contact with wilderness, the interest to
reestablish this contact — to know as much as possible about plants, animals, wilderness —
spreads. People are increasingly turning to the forests, caves, seashores for their recreation;
even indoor nature lovers — aquarium hobbyists, flower gardeners — are increasing.
Hundreds of amateur and professional field books are published annually in a variety of
languages. And from all this, people are increasingly interested in nature conservation,
especially the protection of threatened or endangered species.
Some quiet observer once noted that the disappearance of any species equals the loss
of a cultural document. In truth each species is a document that clarifies just a single small,
but vital, detail in the dazzlingly complex process of organic evolution. Collections are
underway, across countries and continents, for both plants and animals that will soon
disappear altogether. Everything from subject-specific areas, to drastic modifications to life
conditions (so-called "development"), are being collected for historical preservation in
herbaria and museum collections.
But this is not a solution; not even for pure science. The phyletic position of any
species cannot be established solely through morphological study; biochemical, molecular,
and other characteristics which cannot be determined in preserved specimens, are presently
used. Other, perhaps more significant characteristics will surely be discovered in the near
future. But these can only be established in living specimens.
Wilderness preservation is necessary not only to satisfy the scientific curiosity of
zoologists and botanists. Each species plays a role in nature; nothing is isolated. Every
species for a given location is intimately interrelated and interdependent within that
community. Man is a member of that community. And human survival depends on a "sane"
nature, an ecological stability with other species. Air and water pollution, deforestation
(invariably followed by wholesale modification of the local climate) have drastic effects on
all life.
The resistance of different species to environmental modifications varies; the most
sensitive disappear at the slightest deterioration in their environment. Others can withstand
substantial changes — some species actually favor moderate levels of water pollution,
climate modification, etc.
But the total number of species, the biodiversity, is diminishing constantly. Within a
given community, the higher the biodiversity, the more stable is a biotic community
(biocoenosis). When biodiversity diminishes, a true ecological catastrophe becomes
possible, spilling inevitably into the human realm.
To prevent such catastrophes, we need detailed information on biodiversity, species
composition. Specialists must establish floral and faunal communities (zoologists and
botanists), as well as other scientists trained to determine life conditions: temperatures, soil
and water chemistry, geology, hydrology.
The following works comprise one such multi-disciplinary study, devoted to the
Mure§/Maros River, the largest tributary to the Tisza, itself the largest tributary of the
Danube River system. The Mure§ is also the largest river system in Translyvania and
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Romania. It has sources in eastern Translyvania, and drains the majority of this historical
province as well as the more western provinces of Romania (Cri§ana and Banat) and
southeastern Hungary, joining the Tisza in Hungary just north of the Serbian frontier.
The Mure§/Maros' upper reaches flow through an almost horizontal plateau, lacking a
true montane (trout) zone; it develops a montane character further downstream, between
Topli§a and Deda. Throughout most of its Translyvanian path the river is again a lowland
stream, becoming once again a rapid river as it crosses the western Carpathians between
historical Translyvania and western Romania.
This study is the result of a collaborative effort between Romanian and Hungarian
scientists. Most of the data in this volume was collected on two expeditions along the river,
from its source to its confluence with the Tisza. At the time of the expeditions, the
Mure§/Maros River itself was already in an advanced state of pollution. The water
chemistry, bacteriological conditions (as relates to public health), and faunal community
compositions clearly demonstrated good conditions in the upper reaches of the river,
deteriorating downstream. The terrestrial vegetation of the flood plain and river valley is
also more degraded. Currently, data in the scientific literature is scarce, particularly
concerning conditions prior to industrialization; early data refers only to molluscs, fish and
bird life.
The Mure§/Maros Project was extraordinarily successful: rich, detailed information on
the biological status of the river has been collected in just one year of investigation.
Continuing studies will be necessary, to collect more data (primarily on the aquatic groups
not dealt with in the present study - various orders and families of aquatic insects,
amphibians) and to extend the study along the tributaries of the Mure§, all of which
influence the life of the main river.
Petru M. Banarescu
corresponding member
Romanian Academy of Sciences
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(rkm)
0.1 Izvorul-Mures 1
10 3 = Seneta 2
16 Suseni 3
62 ~ Sarmos 4
105 -- Rastolita 5
188 -- Tirgu Mures 6
207 Ungheni 7
282 Gura Aries 9
355 Sintimbru 10
376 Alba Julia 11
455 -- Deva 12
520 — Zam 13
MURES
675 - Pecica 14
766 _ Szeged 15
TISZA
No. of
sampling
sites
The schematic longitudinal section of the Mure§/Maros river. Distance of the sampling
regions from the source in river kilometer is indicated at the left side. Numbers at the right
side are used in most of the contributions to identify the sampling sites.
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