Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 53. (Budapest 1961)
Halász, M.: The microvegetation of the acrothermae of Harkány
ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 53. PARS BOTANICA 1961. The Microvegetation of the Acrothermae of Harkány By MARTHA HALÁSZ, Budapest The most characteristic and both quabtatively and quantitatively richest acrothermatic microvegetation in Hungary belongs to the highly medicinal hot springs of Harkány. The acrothermatic wells of Harkány (27,5 km south of Pécs, Com. Baranya, South Hungary) rank in the very first une among the natural thermal springs of the country, by dint of the extraordinary heabng power, the high temperature (62,0—62,6° C), and the exquisite chemical composition of their waters, which latter favourably compares with those of the famous acrothermal waters of Piestiany (ÉSR), and Spa Herkules (Roumania). Above all these advantages, Harkány excels by a circumstance not appreciated before : the rich microvegetation of its acrothermal biotopes. In the present work, I try to give a detailed and systematic study of this microvegetation. Geology. On the hasis of the results of recent geological investigations, the waters of the acrothermae of Harkány are to be considered (Vadász 1945, 1949) as juvenile thermal waters, erupting from Mesozoic (Triassic) lime layers. The thermal waters erupt through definite tectonic faults along the Mesozoic and isolated rocks emerging from the Alluvial plains of southern Baranya. The origin of these thermal waters may be brought into connection with the Mesozoic Villány Range, of a squamous structure (Strauss 195 2). The juvenile origin of the thermal waters of Harkány are substantiated by the following facts : 1. The determination by geological factors of the course of eruption of the thermal waters ; 2. The stability of the water output independent of climatic changes or the amount of precipitation ; 3. The unchanged temperature of the spring waters ; 4. The constancy of the water level ; 5. The circumstance that the temperature of the tepid wells in the wider neighbourhood of the spring group of Harkány decreases in proportion to their distances from the main springs, as observed already by V. Zsigmondy in 1873 (Zsigmondy 1873). Chemical composition. The chemical composition of the waters was thoroughly studied by K. T ha n, already in 1867 (Than: A Harkányi kénes víz vegyi elemzése, Acad. Ért., 1869). The results of his findings were wholly corroborated by the recent chemical analyses of the water (E m s z t 1927 ; Sarló 1948). The results of E m s z t's analysis concerning the soluble mineral substances and absorbed gases in the waters are shown in the following table : (The component substances reduced in the usual way into salts, there are, in 1000 gr of water) :
