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• Natural values of Mt Somsich near Villány, threatening factors and necessary conservation actions

  55–62

  Dolly Tolnay

  Views:

  94

  Although Mt Somsich is very rich in natural values, it is still a poorly-known part of the Villány Mts. Apart from a few scattered floristic data and a short habitat description, its vegetation is virtually unexplored. The aim of this paper is to characterize the natural and semi-natural habitats of Mt Somsich, give the current population sizes of the protected plant species, survey their threats, and offer suggestions for further conservation activities. Disregarding the totally artificial habitats, five habitat types were distinguished on Mt Somsich, of which the pubescent oak scrub is the most valuable. A total of 15 protected plant species have been reported so far, of which 11 are currently recorded on Mt Somsich. The local wildlife is affected by loss and fragmentation of habitats as well as illegal activities. The negative influences cannot be fully eliminated, but could be minimized.

• Data on the pioneer vegetation of the Lake Velence

  203–208

  Norbert Riezing

  Views:

  235

  Lake Velence is one of Hungary's largest saline lakes. Part of its natural dynamics is that certain parts of the lake bed regularly dry out, providing pioneer surfaces suitable for the emergence of plants of the mudflats and drying (saline) ponds. During the particularly dry year of 2022, the water level was per­manently and significantly low, allowing to study the vegetation of the dry lake bed. In the first half of the last century, the natural vegetation of the lakeshore (including salt steppes) was studied, but there are very few records of the pioneer species of the lake bed. The salt steppes around the lake have now largely declined, but due to low water levels, some of their characteristic species are still present in the lake bed (though, usually in low number of individuals). Examples include Crypsis aculeata, Cyperus pannonicus, Suaeda pannonica, the once abundant Suaeda prostrata, and the previously rare Crypsis schoenoides and Spergularia salina. Spergularia maritima was once widespread but currently not found in the lake bed. Although, Schoenoplectus litoralis is not a member of the ephemeral vegetation, but is a characteristic plant of the littoral zone of Lake Velence. This species probably appeared therein the middle of the last century and is currently spreading.