Kasza Ferenc - Marián Miklós - Ábrahám Levente (szerk.): A Baláta-láp gerinces állatvilága, különös tekintettel a madarakra - Natura Somogyiensis 2. (Kaposvár, 2001)

KASZA F. És MARIÁN M.: A BALÁTA-LÁP ÉS GERINCES ÁLLATVILÁGA 91 surroundings, since there is no meteorological station in the Baláta. The annual rainfall-taking the mean of the last 20 years-was 712,6 mm, and the mean annual temperature was 9,77°C. As a result of the sandy soil, the high degree of ground moistening and evaporation caused by the thick flora, the local climate of Baláta is fairly characteristic. The cool, humid microclimate makes the island-like presence of the existing species of glacial origin understandable.During the summer, in day-time the surface of the coffee-coloured water heavily warms up, and it can even reach 30°C. This enables the survival of species of Mediterranean or tropical origin to be found, which annually flourish for a short period. Every inch of the moor is practically covered by vegetation. The plant associations, which ensures habitat for the animals living here, consist of the most diverse species. The sand-hills surrounding the moor, are covered by a forest of hornbeamoak trees, which consist of species of Querceto robori-cerris mrpinetosum and Quercetum robori-cerris pteridietoswn. There are lots of Crataegus monogyna shrubs on the clearings. One of its most beautiful ornaments is the Asphodelus albus. A small pine-grow was introduced in the south-east corner of the nature reserve. Within the belt of the forest the moor is surrounded by Cariceto elongatae Alneatum, resembling a wreath-shape. It is a dark forest, with close stand, whose old trees hold on to the ground by fantastic branch roots. The Hottonia palustris flourish among them in large numbers. One of the peculiarities of the Baláta is the Carieto elongatae Alnetum utricosum dioicae. An important character species is the Dryopteris thelypteris. Within the wreath of alders the almost opaque belt of the willow moor (Salicetum cinereae) follows. Its extension constantly changes depending on the water-level. Wide-spread boogies (Caricetum elatae) extend in the shallow water on the eastern and western side. Ludmgia palustris lives between the boogies. It is followed by reeds (Scirpo-Phragmitetum) and rushes (Scirpo Phragmitetum typhosum) in the deeper parts. There is a great variety of reed-grass associations in the 2-3 m (or during high water-level 5-6 m) deep water of the open waters. One of the most characteristic plants of the Baláta, an insect-catching plant called Aldrovanda vesiculosa, also flourishes here. It floats under the water surface and it is a relictum of tropical origin. It is know from only about fifty localities all over the world. During the last 40 years 85 breeding and 83 passing birds, thus on the whole 168 bird species were observed in the nature conservation area of the Baláta. Nearly half from the 373 bird species recorded in Hungary can be found in the area. The most characteristic hatching species are the followings: Aythya nyroca, Haliaetus albicilla, Gallinula chloropus, Alcedo atthis, Parus palustris, Coccothraustes coccothraustes. Notable passing birds: Aquila pomarina, Lanius excubitor. The picture of bird fauna is extremely varied, since due to the environ-