Part I

Sedge dominated community with
hillocks is found on a fairly large area
southwest of the Nariani valley wetland
complex. Ligularia sibirica is quite
abundant (Cop 1 -Sp 3 ) in the community.
Height of the hillocks is 70 centimeters
on average and they are entirely formed
by sedge. Sphagnum platyphyllum,
Calliergonella cuspidata occur in low
abundance between hillocks.
Calamagrostietum glaucae caricosum
(C. glauca, Carex wiluica) is directly
associated with the sedge dominated
community; the former association is
hillocky and structurally similar to the
pure sedge community. Geranium
Draft Black Sea Regional Transmission Project ESIA
palustre is abundant there. Festuca rubra, Aconitum nasutum are present in lower numbers.
Herbage is quite dense. The hillocks are narrow at base and open in the upper part. There is
no water between the hillocks. Deschampsia cespitosa, Sanguisorba officinalis, atc. are also
constituents of the described sedge dominated community. The described sedge
communities are usually floristically poor.
In the vicinity of the associations described above Caricetum-inflatae purum occurs in the
deep-water part of the wetland with abundant herbage. Lemna minor – Cop 2 , Utricularia
vulgaris – Sp 1 are among the constituents. This sedge dominated community adjoins
Caricetum dichroae purum. Surface water level is 3-5 cm on average. The surface is almost
completely covered by Lemna minor. Deschampsia cespitosa, Festuca rubra, Carex elata,
etc. are present in low numbers. Both associations are floristically poor. Height of herbage is
50 cm and coverage 85% in the latter association, which includes a sub-layer.
Similar to the above sedge-dominated comunities, Caricetum elatae purum, struclurally and
floristically similar to the described ones, is fairly widespread in the same part of the wetland.
Caricetum vesicariae purum occupies much more limited area and is fragmentarily
distributed in lower depressions, where surface water persists for the major part of the
vegetation period. This is indicated by participation of Potamogeton heterophyllus and
Potamogeton lucens in the association.
A horsetail-dominated community made up of Equisetum heleocharis occupying minor areas
are frequent on the bank terraces of the river Ktsia. At the base of the east- and northeastfacing
slopes of Mt. Tavkvetili, in the place of a former lake, a peatbog is developed at 2370
meters above sea level. Sphagnetum polytrichosum occupies the major part of this peatbog.
In places only moss cover is developed with the predominant synusia of Vaccinium vitisidaea.
Sphagnum (Sphagnum papillosum), a mat-grass community covering the entire
surface, forms a complex with the above association. In places, fescue (Festuca supina)–
polytrichum–sphagnum community is formed with a similar floristic composition. Sedge
(Carex canescens) -sphagnum (with admixed Sphagnum centrale) can also be found. All the
associations are floristically similar.
Sphagnetum eriophorosum vaginatae occurs in the complex with Sphagnum cuspidatum
forming moss cover. Taraxacum stevenii, Ranunculus oreophilus, Carum caucasisum,
Alchimilla sp., are present in low abundance.
On minor areas, mainly depressed reief, sphagnum (Sphagnum platyphyllum)–sedge (Carex
inflata) association and Caricetum inflatae drepanocladiosum (Drepanocladus exannulatus,
with participation of Dicranum bonjeanii, Sphagnum papillosum) are developed. Comarum
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Figure 4.1-17. Nariani veli wetland in September