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 1 2 "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 3 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 4 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 5 (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. 6