On the Hydrological Relationship Between Petrifying-Springs, Alkaline
On the hydrological relationship between Petrifying-springs, Alkaline-fens, and Calcareous-spring-mires in the lowlands of North-West and Central Europe; consequences for restoration Ab P. Grootjans1, Lesław Wołejko2, Hans de Mars3, Alfons J.P. Smolders4,5, Gijs van Dijk4,5 1 Integrated Research on Energy, Environment and Society (IREES), University of Groningen, The Netherlands 2 West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland 3 Royal Haskoning DHV, Maastricht Airport, The Netherlands 4 B-WARE Research Centre, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands 5 Institute of Water and Wetland Research, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands _______________________________________________________________________________________ SUMMARY (1) Petrifying-springs and Calcareous-spring-mires are threatened ecosystems in Europe and are protected under the Natura 2000 Habitats Directive. In European and national legislations Petrifying-springs and associated tufa cascades, small streams and flushes (7220) are treated as separate entities from Alkaline- fens and Calcareous-spring-mires (7230), each with their own protection and restoration measures. This may, however, create conflicts if the two habitats are physically connected or adjacent to one another: restoration measures aimed at one of the two may have negative effects on the other. (2) The present study focuses on the spatial and temporal relationships between Petrifying-springs and Alkaline-fens with tufa deposition, and discusses consequences of this relationship for restoration of degraded sites. When a Petrifying-spring co-occurs with an Alkaline-fen or Calcareous-spring-mire, restoration measures should take account of the needs of both habitat types. KEY WORDS: Caricion davallianae, Cratoneurion, drainage, hydrology, restoration, tufa _______________________________________________________________________________________ INTRODUCTION ‘moss tufa’ by Sanders et al.
[Show full text]