Gymnázium F.G. Lorca, Hronská 3
Danube
(English project)
Michal Kultan
septima B
2003/2004
Content:
1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 3
2 VEGETATION ......................................................................................................... 3
3 FAUNA .................................................................................................................... 4
4 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE .................................................................................. 4
5 CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS ..................................................... 5
6 DANUBE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES .............................................................. 6
6.1 Germany ............................................................................................................... 6
6.2 Austria .................................................................................................................. 7
6.3 Slovakia ................................................................................................................ 7
6.4 Hungary ................................................................................................................ 8
6.5 Croatia .................................................................................................................. 8
6.6 Bulgaria ................................................................................................................ 8
6.7 Romania ................................................................................................................ 9
7 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................. 10
1 INTRODUCTION
I choose this topic because I wanted to know something more about our one of largest
river. Most interisting thing for me were the diferences and similarities of nature near the river
and in the delta of the river because there live lot of animals and lot of them are in danger.
However this topic was interesting I would like to write about something more scientific in
future.
The Danube (ancient Danubius, and in the
lower part of its course, Ister; German Donau; Slovak
Dunaj; Hungarian Duna; Serbo-Croatian and
Bulgarian Dunav; Romanian Dunãrea; Ukrainian
Dunay) is the second-longest river of Europe (after
the Volga). It rises in Germany, then crosses Austria
(it waters Vienna), Slovakia (it waters Bratislava) and
Hungary (it crosses Budapest). It then forms the
Serbo - Croatian border, crosses Serbia and waters
Belgrade. The river then forms the border between
Romania (North) and Bulgaria (South). It then enters Romania, forms a part of the border with
Ukraine before entering the Black Sea through a large swampy delta which is an important
natural reserve. Length of the river is 2850 km and basin area: more than 800 000 km2)
The Danube flows through many countries and
connects many nations and cultures. Since people learned to
float rivers they used the stream of the Danube to transport
people and goods. For ages they had been travelling on
Danube not only to make business, but also to get know other
countries, other nations and their culture.
The society demand that there will not be a shortage in
water supply and that people can get enough clear drinking
water. Another demand is that the lakes and rivers should be clean and suitable for swimming
and relaxing. Furthermore, people do not want to live in the danger of floods, and it is
essential that no clear water is wasted in any ways.
2 VEGETATION
This is the largest continuous marshland in Europe which includes the greatest stretch
of reed beds probably in the world. The marsh vegetation is dominated by reeds Phragmites
australisaa which form floating or fixed islands of decaying vegetation with some Typha
angustifolia and Scirpus sp. Reeds cover some 1,700 km2. There are also water lilies
Nymphaea alba and Nuphar luteus and Stratiodes alloides. The higher ground supports stands
of Salix, Populus, Alnus and Quercus. Sandy areas are covered with feather grass Stipa sp. and
other steppe species. Forest elements are best observed in Letea Forest, occurring in a series of
bands along dunes up to 250m long and 10m wide, where trees reach 35m in height. The
species present are Quercus robur, Q. pedunculiflora, Populus alba, P.nigra, Fraxinus ornus,
F. angustifolia, F. palisae, Pyrus pyraster, Tilia tomentosa, Ulmus sp., and the occasional
Alnus glutinosa. Among the shrubs are Crataegus monogyna, Euonimus europea, Cornus mas,
C. sanguinea, Rhamnus frangula, R. catharctica, Viburnum opulus, Berberis vulgaris,
Hippophae rhamnoides, Tamarix spp. and occasional Corylus avellana. The distinctive feature
of the forest is the abundance of climbing plants including Clematis vitalba, and Humulus
lupulus. In spring, the ground is carpeted with Convallaria majalis. Particularly rare and
threatened plants include Convolvulus persica, Ephedra distachya, Merendera sobolifera,
Plantago coronopus and Petunia parviflora (IUCN, 1986).
3 FAUNA
Over 300 species of bird have been recorded, of which over 176 species breed, the most
important being: cormorant, pygmy cormorant (2,500 pairs comprising
61% of the world's population), white pelican (2,500 pairs comprising
50% of the Palaearctic breeding population), Dalmatian pelican
(estimated at 150 pairs, perhaps now only 25-40 pairs, which
represents 5% of the world population), night heron (2,100 pairs),
great white heron, purple heron, glossy ibis, white stork, mute swan,
white-tailed eagle, marsh harrier, osprey, Saker falcon, red-footed
falcon (150 pairs), Sandwich tern, and black tern. White-headed duck
possibly still breeds.. The Delta holds huge numbers of Anatidae in the
winter with counts of 500,000 white-fronted goose, up to 500 lesser
white-fronted goose red-breasted goose (a globally threatened species
with almost 95% of the world wintering population present here).
The Delta is very important for fish with 45 fresh water
species present including threatened representatives of the
Acipensenidae (Anon., 1990). Otter Lutra lutra, stoat
Mustela erminea, and European mink Mustela lutreola (E),
as well as wild cat Felis sylvestris are to be found on the
floating islands. It appears that little work has been done on mammals since 1970 largely as a
result of lack of funding, but the mink population, although its size is unknown, is apparently
significant in European terms.
The forest areas contain several rare reptiles.
4 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
The waters of the Danube have served as a vital
commercial highway between nations for centuries. The
river is of great economic importance to the nine countries
that border it. They use the river in various ways. Freight
transport, hydroelectricity, water supplies, irrigation, and
fishing are all found on the Danube. The most important
use of the Danube is the movement of freight. The major
ports include all the cities mentioned earlier. Industrial
supplies as well as agricultural products are brought from The Danube River flows
the Balkans to the inner lands or downstream from through Hungary. In the
Germany to the Black Sea. In the second half of the 20th background: the Parliament in
century navigation has been improved. In some places the Budapest next to the river
river bed has been enlarged and deepened, but more
importantly, the construction of a series of canals along the Danube has helped river traffic
increase considerably. The two major canals are the Danube-Black Sea Canal and the Main-
Danube Canal. The first is a Romanian project; it is a 64 km canal that was completed in 1984
with the purpose of shortening the route to the Black Sea by 370 km. It provides a more direct
and navigable link to the Sea. The Main-Danube Canal is perhaps the most important one. It
was opened in 1992 to link the Danube to the Rhine, consequently providing a commercial
route between the Black and North seas. This was a great idea as it cut the link from the North
Sea to the Black and Mediterranean seas tremendously.
The Danube is also used for power resources. Several countries have built dams and
hydroelectric power plants on the River. These hydroelectric dams provide power for many
countries along the course of the river. The major dam is the Iron Gate project, completed in
the early 1970s. It involved both former Yugoslavia and Romania to construct a large
hydroelectric power station. The project was actually composed of a dam and two power
plants located at the Iron Gate Gorge, on the border of Romania and Serbia. Another large
dam (the Gabcikovo dam) was built in southern Slovakia and completed in 1992.
Industrial use of the Danube is mainly
present in the major cities, namely Vienna,
Budapest and Belgrade. The irrigated areas
are in the second half of the river, especially
in Hungary and Bulgaria, both countries for
Status of Gabcikovo system which agricultural economy is quite large.
Fishing in the delta and in the river is well developed as the basin provides a marine habitat for
lot of species of fish including some endangered species such as the sturgeon. However, the
next section will show how the river has nearly become unfit for irrigation as well as for
drinking water because of the lack of regulations and the increase in traffic and pollution.
5 CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS
The Danube was once a great center for human daily
life and at the same time a fabulous ecosystem with
hundreds of species living in its waters or on its banks.
Today, the most romantic river in the world no longer
exists as such. The density of the local species has
decreased to a point where several of the mammals, birds,
and fish are endangered species, such as the white-tailed
eagle, the black stork, the dalmatian pelican, and the
sturgeon. Because of human overuse and pollution, "the
Danube now attracts raw sewage from cities, chemicals Rivers in Romania and Hungary
from agricultural run-off, waste from factories and bilge were hit by a spill of 100,000 m3
oil from ships. Much of this pollution is later washed up of toxic mining water containing
on coastal beaches, spreading disease and making them cyanide. In Hungary, 200 tonnes
unsafe for residents and tourists alike. Chemicals in the of dead fish had to be taken from
water have killed much of the marine life and destroyed the river Tisza that empties into
the Danube's fishing industry." (Lovatt) Unfortunately the Danube
scientists and environmentalists have been able to study the full extent of the pollution only
relatively recently, after the fall of Communism in 1989.
An example of human negligence that leads to an environmental disaster is the following.
On January 31st 2000, 100,000 cubic meters of wastewater, contaminated with cyanide and
heavy metals, spilled from the dam of a tailings lagoon at a mine in Baia Mare, into the River
Lapus. The toxins flowed into the Somes, the Tisza, and finally the Danube rivers. The effect
on the Tisza, Hungary's second largest river and one of the Danube's main tributaries, have
been particularly grave: much of its wildlife has been destroyed. Hundreds of tons of dead fish
are only the most visible sign of the disaster, which has virtually eradicated all life in parts of
the rivers and endangered people's livelihoods and drinking water sources. In order to fully
understand what impact such an incident has on the ecosystem, one should consider that the
concentration of cyanide 700 km downstream from the mine in Baia Mare was 2 mg/l, and
that scientists consider a concentration as low as 0.1 mg/l to be fatal for humans and the
environment. Unfortunately these disasters occur relatively often because of improper or old
facilities. Shortly after the accident, water pumps were shut off in Belgrade and fresh drinking
water was delivered by truck for several days.
Industry and mining are responsible for most of the discharges of hazardous substances
into the Danube basin. The increased amount of nutrients in the water causes high levels of
nitrate in drinking water. Furthermore, the agricultural sector contributes largely in the load of
nitrogen and phosphorus in the Danube, and transport is an important source of oil pollution
and lead contamination.
On top of pollution from hazardous substances, the
NATO bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 considerably
clogged the waterway. Rubble from bridges over the Danube
destroyed during the 11-week bombardment have blocked
traffic on the river and tied up freight shipping between
Yugoslavia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. The United
Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) has expressed
worries over chemical spills from bombed factories near the
river. The effects of the Kosovo conflict on the Yugoslav
environment have been devastating. An international
environmental expert team from the FOCUS group has
reported that "Yugoslavia is faced with an ecological disaster unless urgent measures are taken
to alleviate the areas worst affected by the bombing." Clearing of the Danube is estimated to
cost more than 25 million dollars.
6 DANUBE IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
6.1 Germany
Danube springs in the Black Forest Mountains. Downstream as
far as Ulm the young Danube enjoys a carefree youth, until she
gradually blossoms from a girl into a young lady. Seen here it is hard
to believe that this river will grow to become Europe's second longest.
Germany today includes mostly areas that have long been cleared.
However, forest conservation since the 18th century has preserved
large areas of oak, ash, elm, beech, birch, pine, fir, and larch. About
one-third of the country is woodland. Of the many animals that once
roamed the forests, deer, red foxes, hares, and weasels are still
common, but these animals and wilder game such as wild boars,
wildcats, and badgers depend increasingly on conservation efforts. Private hunting licenses are
extremely expensive, and even fishing in the streams and lakes where edible species abound is
not encouraged. Instead, there is a good deal of fish farming, including trout and carp; deer are
also commercially produced to satisfy the demand for venison. Many species of songbirds
migrate to Germany every year, as do storks, geese, and other larger fowl that fly in over the
Mediterranean Sea from Africa. Herring, flounder, cod, and ocean perch are found in coastal
waters.
6.2 Austria
In Austria there are more than 80 species of fishes. In
the Danube river there live 60 different species. Whereas the
Alpine regions are the habitat of trouts, sea saiblings, umbers
and tenchs, in the Danube river perchs, catfishes land eels are
found. A large part of the carps lives in the ponds in the
Waldviertel region. The ponds are inhabited by salamanders
and aquatic frogs. They belong to the class of the amphibians which is legally protected in
Austria. When walking through the forest after a rainfall, it could be possible to see the
yellow-black fire salamander. The European tree-frog lives in the trees of the Alpine foothills.
In the meadows of the Danube (national park March-Donauauen) one can observe the
European mud turtle threatened by extinction. On warm rocks and walls lizards can be found.
Bats and insectivores like hedgehogs, moles and shrewmouses are legally protected. The forest
is the habitat of dormouses, edibles and squirrels and the sunny soils of the Pannonische
region are inhabited by hamsters and susliks. Also many predators like foxes, badgers and
martens live here. The animals that are hunted the most are hares and rabbits. The wild big
which once was found only in the Leitha mountains, lives now also in the forests Ernstbrunner
and Ellender and in parts of the Wienerwald forest. Mufflons and fallow deers still exist in
closed territories (Lainzer zoo, Sparbach). Herds of deers inhabit meadows and forests and in
mountain forests red deers are found. The characteristic artiodactyla of the Alps, the chamois
has had a higher rate of reproduction in the last few years.
6.3 Slovakia
The Slovak Danube region is located in the southwestern
part of the country. The region is in fact the Danube's biggest
island, which stretches from the capital Bratislava to the
confluence of the Váh and Danube. It is not just the biggest
river island in Europe, but also the most fertile and warmest
region in Slovakia: a special environment created by the
Danube and Malý Dunaj, or "Small Danube", with their
innumerable winding side branches and streams. This dense network of river channels has
determined life in the area since ancient times. The original character of the landscape with its
marshes, ponds, luxuriant belts of reeds, wet pastures and poplar forests has been preserved.
Perhaps the most valuable part is the Cicovske Mrtve Rameno, a blind arm of the river, where
the flora and fauna of the deciduous forest has remained in its original pristine condition.
There are several important nature reserves in the region, for example the
Klátovskérameno. The Slovak Danube region boasts not only a unique natural environment
with many rare animals, plants, and historic boat-mills, but also the largest subterranean fresh
water reserves in central Europe.
6.4 Hungary
The flora and the fauna of the country do not basically
differ from those of Central and Eastern Europe. In Transdanubia
and in the northern mountainous regions beech and oak are the
most typical. Conifers are rather rare in the whole country.
Characteristic trees of the lowlands are poplars, birch, acacia and
ash-trees. Further, you can still find several animals and plants in
Hungary which have already died out in many parts of Europe.
Certain typical species of the country`s flora and fauna can be
mentioned here: primrose, autumn crocus, leopard`s-bane, yellow aster, a special kind of
Hungarian sheep (racka), the typical sheep-dog (puli), the Hungarian retriever, the Hungarian
grey cattle, the mangalitsa pig from among the animals. The country is rather rich in red deer
and in fallow-deer, with lordly antlers, in wild boar, pheasant, partridge, quail and wild-duck.
Various kinds of herons are protected by law in the National Park near Lake Balaton (the so-
called Kis-Balaton, or Little Balaton area). Beside hunters, anglers can also find their
entertainment: with some luck they can catch a carp, a perch, a pike-perch or a sturcton
pickerel or eel.
6.5 Croatia
The young state of Croatia can call just a short stretch-188
kilometers,of Europe's second longest river its own, but the scenery is
not any less enchanting. The Danube marks a large part of Croatia's
eastern border with Serbia and Montenegro. In the broad expanse of the
Baranja, an extension of the Great Hungarian Plain, the Danube enters
Croatia from Hungary. It flows through fields, meadows and pastures
bordered by primeval marshes, which are the home of many species of
game. Famous as an area of swamps and marshes is Kopacki Rit, which
is situated between the Danube, Drava and Osijek. The preserve of innumerable swamp birds,
as well as pike, catfish, and pike-perch which thrive in the Danube's many side channels in a
natural environment barely touched by man.
6.6 Bulgaria
From the banks of the Danube, a plain slopes up to the
rounded summits of the Stara Planina. This east-west range runs
right across the northern half of the country from the Black Sea to
Yugoslavia. Southern Bulgaria is even more mountainous. Musala
Peak (2925 m) in the Rila Mountains south of Sofia is the highest
mountain between the Alps and Transcaucasia, and is almost
equalled by Vihren Peak (2915 m) in the Pirin Massif further
south. The Rodopi Mountains stretch east along the Greek border from Rila and Pirin,
separating the Aegean Sea from the Thracian Plain of Central Bulgaria. This plain opens onto
the Black Sea coast with great bays and coastal lakes at Burgas and Varna.
Climate in the northern parts of Bulgaria is dominated by continental conditions with
intense variation in annual average temperature. Cold winters are followed by hot and dry
summers. Milder air masses from the Mediterranean are being kept off by the mountainous
region of Southern Bulgaria, whereas the basin region in the southern part with a
predominantly Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry summers and humid winters.
The Balkans (as a natural border) offer genuine protection when it comes to masses of cold air
advancing from the north-east.
Approximately a third of Bulgaria's surface is forested, with oak and beech dominating
the lowlands, pine, spruce and fir in altitude regions. Conifers amount to app. 30% of timber.
In the southern parts of the country (given the favourable climatic conditions) Mediterranean
plants like various species of Macchie can be found. Quite a few animal species typical for
Central Europe, like roe deer, deer and chamois (horned antelope), can be found in Bulgaria.
Bulgarian forests even provide a sufficient habitat for bears and wolves.
6.7 Romania
The Delta is the meeting point of Palaearctic and Mediterranean
biogeographic zones and represents an unique dynamic wetland
ecosystem in Europe (the second largest delta) containing a rich
biodiversity of wetland habitats. It is also a vitally important buffer
system between the hydrographical basin of the River Danube and the
Black Sea. At the end of the great river Danube's journey through
Europe to the Black Sea there spreads out a natural paradise
unparalleled in Europe, where canals, lakes, reed islands, pastures and sand dunes cover over
5,165 km2 It is small wonder that UNESCO has designated the Delta a "Reservation of the
Biosphere".
Only 15,000 people make their living from fishing, livestock breeding, and reed
harvesting in this vast area. Their villages, lapped by the waterways, seem untouched by time.
Exploring the Reservation of the Biosphere: The starting point
for a Delta adventure is usually the ancient city of Tulcea, with
modern tourist hotels and special small cruise ships, plus a worthwhile
museum devoted to the natural history of the Delta. It is 72 km by boat
from the almost equally old settlement of Sulina at the other end of the
Sulina channel and cruises between the two give passengers a
panoramic view of wildlife. The site is internationally significant for
over 300 species of birds, both breeding and migratory, including a
number of globally-threatened species. You will see pelicans and cormorants, eagles, vultures,
fishes from royal sturgeon down to carp and perch, 1.150 kinds of plants range from sinuous
lianas suggesting tropical forests to gently blossoming water lilies.
7 BIBLIOGRAPHY
http://www.danuberiver.sk/
http://user.intop.net/~jhollis/danube2.htm
http://whc.unesco.org/sites/588.htm