Part Two - Fact sheets of regions surveyed
Fig: 40: Cross section through Zuvand creek valley willow species (Salix purpurea, S. x rubens; S. caprea), Hippophae rhamnoides and some Crataegus rhipidophylla also grow on the floodplains. They are associated with other riparian plant species such as Myricaria germanica, Calamagrostis pseudophragmites and Epilobium hirsutum. Wet meadows at the edge of the floodplains sometimes grow on up to 10 cm thick peat layers over loamy sands. They can be characterised as initial surface flow mires, because water seeps out at the footslopes and flows down through the meadows. Sedges (Carex distans, C. panicea, C. nigra), Festuca arundinacea and Eleocharis uniglumis are the species with the highest abundance. Mires: Due to the limited availability of water as well as the limited water retention potential of the landscape, mires are not at all common in the Zuvand region. A spring mire at the foot of Mt. Kürakend (38,77040° N; 48,27134° E), located at an altitude of 2090 m a.s.l.; was investigated. The mire is located in the upper part of a smooth, north-west inclining valley. Open rock formations of volcanogenic stone (M 1963) occur at the slopes, while the valley itself is filled with denuded clays and loams. Due to the regional climate, xerophytic tragacanthic Astragalus species cover the
catchment of the mire. A wet meadow with an extension of approximately five hectares lies at the bottom of the valley. Festuca rubra, Vicia cracca, Anthriscus nemorosa and Papaver orientalis are the most dominant plants of this meadow community. Th e mire is situated in the middle of the meadow, has an extension of about 40 x 50 m and is divided into three small terraces. Groundwater reaches the top of the surface, which bulges 50 cm above its surroundings, but the steep edges consist of dry and degraded peat. Coring of the spring dome showed a maximum thickness of the peat layer of about 90 cm. A soil profile at the centre of the dome revealed a 50 cm thick peat layer free of carbonates. In the upper 5 cm, the peat is dark black and consists of brown mosses and sedge roots that are strongly decomposed. The lower horizon has a homogenous structure and is made up of brown, slightly decomposed radicell peat. Species occurring at the centre of the spring mire are, among others, Carex nigra, Poa palustris, Veronica anagallisaquatica, Catabrosa acquatica, Blysmus compressus, and Agrostis stolonifera. Plants at the edge of the mire included Stellaria graminea, Rumex crispus, Bupleurum boissieri, Nepeta teucriifolia, Silene talyschensis, Alopecurus
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