Biebrza Marshes
Encyclopedia
The Biebrza Marshes are a complex series of habitats, located on the Biebrza river
valley, in Suwałki, Łomża in the northeast of Poland
. The area encompasses river
channels, lakes, extensive marshes with wooded areas on higher ground and well-preserved peat bogs that occupy around 1,000 km2. The area shows a clear succession of habitats from riverside fen
through to raised bogs, grading into wet woodland
. Because of this unique succession, the area supports vast numbers of wildlife with many birds and mammals common.
The water marshes in the area are commonly flooded and the resulting alluvial soil supports an array of waterside vegetation.
It is one of the largest wildlife refuges in Europe. Biebrza flood waters is a real kingdom of birds - seen here over 250 species, more than 80% of Polish avifauna. Starting in the early spring mating birds attract birdwatchers from around the world.
The greater part of this area is the Biebrza National Park
, covered by the Ramsar Convention
to protect the wetlands and bird breeding grounds.
, birch
, riparian forests). Particularly valuable is a large group of sedge-moss communities, containing many rare and relict species, disappearing in other parts of the country.
The vegetation is characterized by great diversity, a high degree of naturalness and the presence of many rare species, such as:
and Western Europe
, breeding area for many bird species associated with the marsh environment. Biebrza Valley is an ornithological particular importance, especially as the wetlands are disappearing in the landscape of Europe, and the birds of these groups lose their basis of their existence. There are also isolated position boreal breeding species, and species whose geographical center is located in the taiga and tundra zone. In addition, Biebrza Valley is of great importance for many species of birds feeding and resting during the annual migrations. Bird siewkowatych, requiring vast wetlands, Biebrza is one of the most important sites in Central Europe.
Among the mammals in the Biebrza Marshes are:
In the waters of Biebrza, there are approximately 36 species of fish such as pike
, catfish
, eel
, and also typical of the foothills of chub
and barbel.
Biebrza
Biebrza is a river in north-eastern Poland, a tributary of the Narew river , with a length of 155 kilometres and the basin area of 7,057 km2...
valley, in Suwałki, Łomża in the northeast of Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. The area encompasses river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
channels, lakes, extensive marshes with wooded areas on higher ground and well-preserved peat bogs that occupy around 1,000 km2. The area shows a clear succession of habitats from riverside fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
through to raised bogs, grading into wet woodland
Wet woodland
Wet woodland is a biodiversity habitat in the United Kingdom.This is a woodland that occurs on poorly drained or seasonally wet soils. They are typical of river valley, the surroundings of mires and raised bog, the transition zones between open water and drier ground, and beside small winding...
. Because of this unique succession, the area supports vast numbers of wildlife with many birds and mammals common.
The water marshes in the area are commonly flooded and the resulting alluvial soil supports an array of waterside vegetation.
It is one of the largest wildlife refuges in Europe. Biebrza flood waters is a real kingdom of birds - seen here over 250 species, more than 80% of Polish avifauna. Starting in the early spring mating birds attract birdwatchers from around the world.
The greater part of this area is the Biebrza National Park
Biebrza National Park
Biebrza National Park is a national park in Podlaskie Voivodeship, northeastern Poland, situated along the Biebrza River.The largest of Poland’s 23 National Parks, the Biebrza National Park was created on September 9, 1993...
, covered by the Ramsar Convention
Ramsar Convention
The Ramsar Convention is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, i.e., to stem the progressive encroachment on and loss of wetlands now and in the future, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural,...
to protect the wetlands and bird breeding grounds.
Flora and vegetation
In the area of the Biebrza Marshes 43 plant associations were distinguished, some rarely seen in other parts of the Polish. Communities are water, marsh, peat, reeds and forest communities (alderAlder
Alder is the common name of a genus of flowering plants belonging to the birch family . The genus comprises about 30 species of monoecious trees and shrubs, few reaching large size, distributed throughout the North Temperate Zone and in the Americas along the Andes southwards to...
, birch
Birch
Birch is a tree or shrub of the genus Betula , in the family Betulaceae, closely related to the beech/oak family, Fagaceae. The Betula genus contains 30–60 known taxa...
, riparian forests). Particularly valuable is a large group of sedge-moss communities, containing many rare and relict species, disappearing in other parts of the country.
The vegetation is characterized by great diversity, a high degree of naturalness and the presence of many rare species, such as:
- shrub birchBetulaceaeBetulaceae, or the Birch Family, includes six genera of deciduous nut-bearing trees and shrubs, including the birches, alders, hazels, hornbeams and hop-hornbeams, numbering about 130 species...
and willow LappishSalicaceaeSalicaceae are a family of flowering plants. Recent genetic studies summarized by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group has greatly expanded the circumscription of the family to contain 55 genera.... - Forkbeards: lycopodium annotinumLycopodium annotinumLycopodium annotinum L. is a species of clubmoss native to forests of the Holarctic Kingdom. A new genus, Spinulum A. Haines, has been proposed for this and closely allied species, but phylogenetic analysis has shown that this small clade is very close to the Lycopodium clavatum...
, clubmoss, firFirFirs are a genus of 48–55 species of evergreen conifers in the family Pinaceae. They are found through much of North and Central America, Europe, Asia, and North Africa, occurring in mountains over most of the range... - pink sandCaryophyllaceaeThe Caryophyllaceae, commonly called the pink family or carnation family, is a family of flowering plants. It is included in the dicotyledon order Caryophyllales in the APG III system, alongside 33 other families, including Amaranthaceae, Cactaceae and Polygonaceae...
, chimaphila umbellataChimaphila umbellataChimaphila umbellata is a small perennial flowering plant found in dry woodlands, or sandy soils. It is native throughout the cool temperate Northern Hemisphere....
, polemonium caeruleumPolemonium caeruleumJacob's Ladder or Greek valerian is a hardy perennial flowering plant. The plant produces cup-shaped, lavender-coloured or white flowers... - sundew: drosera rotundifoliaDrosera rotundifoliaDrosera rotundifolia is a species of sundew, a carnivorous plant often found in bogs, marshes and fens...
, drosera anglicaDrosera anglicaDrosera anglica, commonly known as the English sundew or Great sundew, is a carnivorous plant species belonging to the sundew genus. It is a temperate species with a generally circumboreal range, although it does occur as far south as Japan, southern Europe, and the island of Kauai in Hawaii, where... - Pedicularis sceptrum-carolinumPedicularis sceptrum-carolinumPedicularis sceptrum-carolinum is a plant species in the genus Pedicularis....
, durableDurableDurability is the ability to endure. It can refer to:*Durable goods, goods with a long usable life in economics.*Durability , one of the ACID properties.In safety and technology:*Dust resistant*Fire resistant*Rot-proof... - Siberian iris.
- orchids (20 species), among others: Lady's slipper orchid, dactylorhiza incarnataDactylorhiza incarnataThe Early Marsh Orchid, is a perennial, temperate-climate species of orchid generally found growing in wet meadows, and generally on base-rich soils, up to about 2100m asl...
.
Fauna
Biebrza Marshes are the most important in Poland and throughout CentralCentral Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
, breeding area for many bird species associated with the marsh environment. Biebrza Valley is an ornithological particular importance, especially as the wetlands are disappearing in the landscape of Europe, and the birds of these groups lose their basis of their existence. There are also isolated position boreal breeding species, and species whose geographical center is located in the taiga and tundra zone. In addition, Biebrza Valley is of great importance for many species of birds feeding and resting during the annual migrations. Bird siewkowatych, requiring vast wetlands, Biebrza is one of the most important sites in Central Europe.
Among the mammals in the Biebrza Marshes are:
- moosMoos-People:* Carolyn Moos* Jeanne Moos* Ludwig von Moos* Lotte Moos* Malcolm Moos* Moos * Silvia Moos-Places:* Moos in Passeier, South Tyrol, Italy* Moos, Baden-Württemberg, in the district of Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany...
e, which only survived here for World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and was protected by multiply and spread on Polish territory - red deerRed DeerThe red deer is one of the largest deer species. Depending on taxonomy, the red deer inhabits most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Asia Minor, parts of western Asia, and central Asia. It also inhabits the Atlas Mountains region between Morocco and Tunisia in northwestern Africa, being...
, roe deerRoe DeerThe European Roe Deer , also known as the Western Roe Deer, chevreuil or just Roe Deer, is a Eurasian species of deer. It is relatively small, reddish and grey-brown, and well-adapted to cold environments. Roe Deer are widespread in Western Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, and from...
, wild boar, brown hare, european beaverEuropean BeaverThe Eurasian beaver or European beaver is a species of beaver, which was once widespread in Eurasia, where it was hunted to near extinction both for fur and for castoreum, a secretion of its scent gland believed to have medicinal properties... - wolf, foxFoxFox is a common name for many species of omnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail .Members of about 37 species are referred to as foxes, of which only 12 species actually belong to...
, raccoonRaccoonProcyon is a genus of nocturnal mammals, comprising three species commonly known as raccoons, in the family Procyonidae. The most familiar species, the common raccoon , is often known simply as "the" raccoon, as the two other raccoon species in the genus are native only to the tropics and are...
, badgerBadgerBadgers are short-legged omnivores in the weasel family, Mustelidae. There are nine species of badger, in three subfamilies : Melinae , Mellivorinae , and Taxideinae...
, polecat wort, pine martenPine MartenThe European Pine Marten , known most commonly as the pine marten in Anglophone Europe, and less commonly also known as Pineten, baum marten, or sweet marten, is an animal native to Northern Europe belonging to the mustelid family, which also includes mink, otter, badger, wolverine and weasel. It...
, otterOtterThe Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
, stoatStoatThe stoat , also known as the ermine or short-tailed weasel, is a species of Mustelid native to Eurasia and North America, distinguished from the least weasel by its larger size and longer tail with a prominent black tip...
, weaselWeaselWeasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family. They are small, active predators, long and slender with short legs....
In the waters of Biebrza, there are approximately 36 species of fish such as pike
Pike
-Transit:*Pike or toll road, a course in which fees are collected. Sometimes a historical name of what once was a toll road.-Fish:*Esox, genus of pikes**Northern pike, common north hemisphere pike*Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct freshwater fish...
, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
, and also typical of the foothills of chub
Chub
The European chub , sometimes called the round chub, fat chub, chevin, pollard or simply "the" chub, is a freshwater fish of the family Cyprinidae...
and barbel.