BAST

Habitat types of European community importance

The territory of the Samogitia National Park contains 23 of the 54 habitat types of European community importance identified in Lithuania and their areas:

• 3140 Hard oligo-mesotrophic waters with benthic vegetation (1250 ha). This habitat type includes Plateliai and Ilgis lakes with their characteristic bottom-covering Chara spp. Charophyta algae beds.
• 3150 Natural eutrophic lakes with Magnopotamion or Hydrocharition-type vegetation (20 ha). This habitat type includes Burgis and Burgalis lakes. Floating plants such as duckweeds (Lemna), water solders (Stratiotes spp.)) are formed in lake shallows, and large pondweed (Magnopotamion) communities are formed in deeper open areas.
• 3160 Natural dystrophic lakes and ponds (8.1 ha). These are nutrient-poor, acidic residual swamp lakes. Several lakes belonging to this habitat type in the park are: Lestis, Piktežeris, Aklaežeris in the Rukundžiai Nature Reserve among others.
• 6230* Species-rich Nardus grasslands (2.3 ha). These are areas with acidic soils, dry or mesophilic Nardus habitats, with a characteristic composition of plant species. Small areas of them are common along wetlands, near lakes and streams.
• 6270 Species-rich dry to mesic grasslands (445.3 ha) Dry and medium-humidity, poor, usually acidic soil meadows with low-lying species-rich vascular plant communities, which developed as a result of the degradation of cultivated, unfertilized meadows affected by long-term grazing and mowing.
• 6410 Molinia meadows (2.9 ha). The habitat is formed by the grass – purple moor-grass together with other characteristic species in humid meadows. The largest areas of Molinia meadows are known in the Paburgė Landscape Reserve.
• 6450 Northern boreal alluvial meadows (0.6 ha). They are naturally formed in floodplains of rivers. Small areas of flooded natural meadows can be found by the Uošna and Babrungas rivers.
• 6510 Lowland hay meadows (33.8 ha). The habitat type includes continental, moderately moist, fertile grassland communities, but does not include overfertilized, sown grasslands with poor species composition and a predominance of one or more plants of the Poaceae (Grasses) family.
• 7110 Active raised bogs (7.7 ha). This habitat is formed in former lakes and fens, characterized by a raised central part. Only plants that tolerate a very acidic and mineral-poor environment grow in these raised bogs – sedges, heathers, sundews, black crowberry.
• 7120 Degraded raised bogs (23 ha). This habitat type includes former raised bogs where the natural hydrological regime has been damaged due to human activities (drainage, peat extraction). Such loss of specific habitats has a significant impact on the flora and fauna that existed before. Although this habitat contains plant species typical of raised bogs, their relative abundance is changing, and number of fast-growing birches and pines is increasing. The latter further accelerates the process of raised bog degradation.
• 7140 Transition mires and quaking bogs (175.7 ha). Such habitats are fed by rain, groundwater or marsh waters. Viscous bogs, swaying lawns – composed of low or medium-height sedge communities with sphagnum or green mosses. These types of communities form in the lowlands of hilly terrain – at the foot of slopes, near lakes, in the upstream of swampy streams. One of the most characteristic intermediate bogs can be found near Lake Burgis.
• 7160 mineral-rich springs and springfens (1.5 ha). Formed in places where springs of low calcareous, acidic or neutral reaction flow with characteristic wetland vegetation formed next to or due to the influence of springs.
• 7210 Calcareous fens with Cladium mariscus (1.3 ha). Most often formed in swampy lakesides, less often in water with reeds and bulrushes. Small habitats of this type have formed near Iešnalis and Plateliai lakes.
• 7220 Petrifying springs with tufa formation (0.6 ha). Hard water springs with intensively forming sediments or tuffs, found in forests or open areas. These habitats with dominant moss communities are almost always small, occupying spring outfalls and the edges of spring streams.
• 7230 Alkaline fens (32.8 ha). These are habitats with communities of small sedges, green mosses and plant species that are rare both in Lithuania and Europe. Alkaline fens are formed in soaked soils, constantly fed by ground water and, usually calcareous, water flowing from the bog. In the park, this type of wetland habitat is common along lakes, rivers, and in valleys between hills: Siberija, Briedinė, Velėnija, Pailgis and other wetlands.
• 9010* Western taiga (1209.7 ha). Natural old coniferous and mixed forests growing on infertile dry or moist sandy soils, characterized by scanty herbaceous vegetation and abundant moss cover. These habitats include true spruce forests, the largest areas of which extend in Plokštinė, Rukundžiai and other forest massifs.
• 9020* Broad-leaved deciduous forests (223.2 ha). They form in fertile areas with moderate or temporarily excessive moisture, but not waterlogged areas. The dominant tree species are mostly oak and linden forests, but with an admixture of spruce, maple, ash, and elm. In the park, this type of habitat is concentrated in the Liepijos Forest, the Kreiviškės Peninsula, and the Pilies Island of Lake Plateliai.
• 9050 Species-rich spruce forests (214.9 ha). These are mixed forests, the stands of which are dominated by spruce with species-rich shrub and herbaceous understory layers. The moss cover is poorly developed, while tall grasses and ferns are abundant. This is one of the most common forest habitat types in the national park.
• 9080* Deciduous swamp woods (358.8 ha). This type of habitat is characterized by excess moisture with water constantly accumulating on the surface. Tufts covered with moss and ferns form around tree trunks and stumps. These are usually black alder forests, formed along lakes, streams or in swamp forest complexes.
• 9160 Oak-hornbeam forests (30.8 ha). These are broad-leaved and mixed forests with hornbeams prevailing in the understory layer. Habitats are mostly found only in western and southern Lithuania. This habitat is characterized by a low diversity of shrubs and grasses typical of broad-leaved forests, and especially abundant spring ephemeral plants.
• 9180 *Forests of slopes, screes and ravines (28.6 ha). This is a habitat located in deep valleys and slopes of rivers, streams, lakes. Despite the often small area occupied, these forests are characterized by a great diversity of environmental conditions (air humidity, temperature regime, soil moisture) and an especially great diversity of species of mushrooms, lichens, mosses and herbaceous plants.
• 91E0* Alluvial forests (27.6 ha). This habitat type is most often formed by ash, black alder, white alder forests located in river valleys flooded by annual spring floods, however the water does not remain there constantly. Small alluvial forests are found along the Uošna, Juodupis, Šilinė and other streams.
• 91D0* Bog woodland (639.6 ha). This habitat type includes coniferous and mixed forests located on moist and wet peat soils with a characteristic cover of sedges. Mire spruce woods are a predominant subtype of the habitat in the national park.

The Samogitian National Park meets the BAST criteria not only due to the presence of above-mentioned natural habitats, but also due to 4 plant and 10 animal species of European importance.

Fen orchid (Liparis loeselii) is a perennial plant of the orchid family, 8–20 (25) cm tall. The most abundant populations of fen orchid are known in Siberija, Briedinė and other alkaline fens, intermediate bogs, where there is a well-developed cover of mosses and low grasses. The plant is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Annexes II and IV of the Habitats Directive (HD).

Varnished Hook-moss (Hamatocaulis vernicosus) is a moss that grows in fens, intermediate bogs, on river banks, along springs. It grows most abundantly in the Siberia fen. The plant is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Annex II of the HD.

Least moonwort (Botrychium simplex) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the family of Ophioglossaceae, up to 15 cm tall, reproducing by spores, a relic of the late ice age. This plant usually grows in Nardus spp grassland communities. In 1996, several individuals were found in the national park, in the valley of the confluence of the Uošna and Juodupis rivers. The plant is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HD.

Marsh saxifrage (Saxifraga hirculus) is a perennial, 5-30 cm tall plant of the saxifrage family. Although it grows best in spring-fed wetlands, it can also be found in fens, transition mires, swampy lake shores, and peat meadows. In the park territory it is found in the Paburgė wetland. Listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendix II of the HD.

Dytiscus latissimus is one of the largest representatives of the Dytiscidae family of water beetles – 36-44mm in size. They can be found on the shores of lakes, in deep ponds, densely overgrown with aquatic vegetation. They feed by hunting various small insects, tadpoles and even small fish. The species is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HD.

Graphoderus bilineatus. This member of Dytiscidae family lives and breeds in clean lakes or ponds, old ditches, on the banks dominated by sedges, horsetails, and bogbeans (Menyanthes trifoliata) found in Burgis, Burgalis, Iesnalis lakes, and Pakastuva pond. Both adults and larvae are mainly found in the sunny part of the reservoir at a depth of about 30 cm. The larvae feed on planktonic crustaceans. This water beetle is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HD.

Marsh fritillary (Euphydryas aurinia) is a butterfly found in habitats where devil’s-bit (Succisa pratensis) grows – in Molinia meadows, lowland hay meadows that are mowed. Most often, these butterflies are found in areas where open meadows, surrounded by bushes and forests, change in a mosaic pattern, however, in all cases the distribution is limited to host plants. These butterflies fly in late May – June. The caterpillars feed on leaves of devil’s-bit, plantain, and bogbean. Two populations living in the Siberia and Paburgė wetlands have been found in the national park. Marsh fritillary is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book, Appendix II of the HD.

Scarce fritillary (Euphydryas maturna) is a butterfly that lives in moist deciduous forests – where ash trees grow. While it does not breed in the shade, it is found in woodlands, along forest roads, and in forest meadows. It can be seen flying in June and July. The caterpillars form nests using ash leaves, tied with silk threads, and hibernate in this sturdy nest on the forest floor. In the second year, the caterpillars feed on various herbaceous plants – cow wheat, veronicas, aspen, willow, and honeysuckle leaves. The scarce fritillary is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book.

Large white-faced darter (Leucorrhinia pectoralis) is a dragonfly that breeds in small, rapidly warming eutrophic, mesotrophic slightly acidic lakes, partially overgrown with floating and submerged aquatic vegetation. Adults fly in June near the breeding sites. The large white-faced darter is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HD.

Geyer’s Whorl-snail (Vertigo geyeri). This is a tiny gastropod mollusk measuring 1.9 x 1.2 mm, found on mosses, plant remains in very humid calcareous fens with a constant water level and natural, usually low sedge, vegetation. It has been found in the park in the Siberia wetland. The Geyer’s Whorl-snail is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendix II of the HD.

Thick shelled river mussel (Unio crassus) is a bivalve mollusk that lives in shallow, clean, flowing waters with a sandy or fine gravel bottom. It is found in the Babrungas and Uošna rivers. It lives on average for 20-50 years. The thick shelled river mussel is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HB.

Northern crested newt (Triturus cristatus) is a species of newts that requires both aquatic and terrestrial habitats. During breeding, it lives in deep, unsilted ponds. In mid-summer, it comes out onto land and remains here throughout the winter. A large population of the northern crested newt is known in the Užpelkis telmological reserve. The northern crested newt is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HB.

Lynx (Lynx lynx) is a mammal of the cat family that lives in large coniferous and mixed forests with dense undergrowth, and swampy areas. Lynxes climb trees really well. The most suitable forest habitats for them extends in the eastern part of the national park. The lynx is listed in the Lithuanian Red Book and in Appendices II and IV of the HD.

Eurasian river otter (Lutra lutra) is a small animal of the weasel family that lives near freshwater bodies. It swims and dives well. It hides in caves, beaver huts, and shore reed beds. It is sparsely distributed throughout the territory of the national park, more common in the Babrungas, Uošna, Varduva, and Pietvė rivers. The otter is listed in Appendices II and IV of the HD.