Upper Biebrza Basin :: Lower Biebrza Basin :: Middle Biebrza Basin :: Measurements
It will be a half day field trip (see an overview
map) to explore the Upper Basin of the Biebrza
Valley. Several characteristic for the area study sites
will be visited during the trip. The description and
explanation of the most important and specific features
and relationships of the vegetation-soil-water system
will be given on site. The trip will be focused on the
following aspects:
vegetation:
• characteristic vegetation of calcareous mires
(Szuszalewo village, Lipsk)
• effects of water feeding on vegetation development:
calcium indicators, rainwater accumulation on hummocks
with bog vegetation in the middle of depression,
option: influence of surface water close to the
river,
• paleobotanical data, peat borings and stages of mire
development,
• influence of management and effects of abandonment
(a gradient from managed fen meadows near the houses to
abandoned ones further away);
soil:
• characteristics of soil profiles associated with
characteristic vegetation;
water:
Collection of hydrological data in wetland areas;
groundwater-surface water interaction: • In the bus:
Introductory lecture on Upper Biebrza Basin;
geographical, geological and hydrometeorological
conditions
• Explanation of the surface water discharge
measurements,
• Gauge station Rogożyn village
• Divers, Rogożynek village
• Groundwater-surface water interaction in the
headwaters of the Biebrza and its wetlands (Rogożynek
village),
• Biebrza River in Lipsk after confluence with
Sidra
• Explanation of the groundwater piezometric network
in support of ecological gradients analysis
(piezometers and divers, Szuszalewo village),
• Importance and methods for positioning and altitude
determination in wetlands - Differential GPS and
leveling measurements (Szuszalewo village),
• Elevation/water level cross-section in valley -
Exercise: Locating piezometers by GPS navigation,
measurement of elevation and groundwater levels in
piezometers,
• Biebrza River in Sztabin - wetlands vs.
transportation needs - where to locate 'via Baltica'
highway?
• Biebrza surface water slope and step in slope:
geomorphological indicator of Upper Basin outlet
• Biebrza before and after confluence with Augustowski
channel
It will be a half day field trip (see an overview map)
to explore the Lower Basin of the Biebrza Valley.
Several characteristic for the area study sites will be
visited during the trip. The description and
explanation of the most important and specific features
and relationships of the vegetation-soil-water system
will be given on site. The trip will be focused on the
following aspects:
vegetation:
• characteristics of flooded communities on mineral
soils: tall sedge vegetation (Magnocaricion)
and nitrophilous pastures (Agropyro-Rumicion,
Biały Grąd area):
• vegetation structure as a condition for suitable
bird habitats,
• characteristics of sedge-moss vegetation near the
valley margin (the Tsar road area):
• effects of reed and scrub encroachment,
• paleobotanical data, peat borings and stages of mire
development,
• examples of mowing management re-established;
discussion of short-terms effects.
soil:
• characteristics of soil profiles associated with
characteristic vegetation;
water:
River and wetland, floods and floodplains -
relationship and interaction issues • Floodplain
visiting at Biały Grąd area. flood extent, water level,
frequency (Biały Grąd area),
• Ecological role of flooding (flood pulse concept,
Biały Grąd area),
• Water quality of the Biebrza River (Biały Grąd
area),
• Spatial relationship (panorama) of the floodplain
and the Bagno Lawki swamp (vicinity of Burzyn
village),
• Nature of flood in the Lower Basin: a role of the
Narew River and geomorphology on flood duration and
forming of the different water types of inundated area
(vicinity of Burzyn village),
• Gauge station at Burzyn - measuring of the
surface-water stage, relation: water stage and flood
extent (vicinity of Burzyn village),
• The Narew River and the valley after junction of the
Biebrza river,
• Different water sources of the Bagno Ławki swamp
area groundwater and snow-melt/precipitation, (the Tsar
road area),
• Water stage fluctuation during inundation period
(the Tsar road area).
This excursion will be an exploration of part of the Middle Basin of the Biebrza valley (see an overview map). Here we find quite a lot of extensive agriculture leading to some drainage and a significant impact on vegetation. A transect going from the river near Dolistowo Stare in the direction of Kopytkowo will be explored to see the impact of agriculture on the vegetation development. Special attention will be given to the development of tussocks and birch encroachment after cessation of mowing. The excursion will be supplemented by examining of soil profiles developed under different site conditions representing various stages of wetland transformation.
It will be a half day field trip devoted to presentation of monitoring schemes, measurement equipment and procedures used in data gathering in the wetland areas. The activities will be focused on two fields: soil (including vegetation recording) (site map) and hydrological measurements (site map). The participants will be divided into groups according their interest in particular type of measurements and will practice themselves some of the measurements. The program will be realised at two locations in the Middle Biebrza Basin and will include following aspects:
Field monitoring of:
• soil moisture content (TDR
method),
• soil moisture potential (tensiometer
method),
• saturated hydraulic conductivity (auger hole and
Guelph methods).
Hydrological measurements will be
determined in Biebrza River close to Bartek
Pension.
They will include three elements:
• determination of the river water
velocity and cross-section depth profile -
direct measurements of the components of discharge;
measurement equipment: OTT current meters;
• measurements of water surface slope
- direct surface-water elevation and distance
measurements using Differential GPS technology and
classical leveling survey instruments;
• discharge and slope post-measurement calculations in
the Bartek Pension.