E-Learning from Nature

NAME OF THE LOCAL AREA
Varnikai forest. Varnikai Botanical-Zoological Reserve

COUNTRY
Lithuania

THEMATIC AREA
Biology

WEB SITE
http://www.seniejitrakai.lt/place-lt-58/text

DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCAL AREA
The reserve is easily reached from the highway Vilnius-Trakai E28. Before reaching Trakai, there is a turning right into the road 4727 heading to Lentvaris. A few hundred meters further, turn to the left at the road sign Varnikai path, and the road 4751 will lead you to the Varnikai reserve. http://www.seniejitrakai.lt/interaktyvus-em-lapis/
Area identifier (EU Code): LTTRA 0019.
The northern part of the reserve is covered by 100-130-year-old naturally formed mixed forest (205 hectares), which mostly consists of oaks, firs and pine trees. The southern part of the reserve is covered by Ilgelis marshes (207 hectares) which includes four lakes: Baluošas, Piliškiai, Bevardis and Ilgelis. These lakes are the remains of a large lake. To the north of lake Ilgelis, there is one more overgrown lake Dumblė. The thickest organogenic layer reaches 10 meters. The average thickness of organogenic sediment is 2-4 meters. It consists of different type of peat and sapropel. Low-laying marshy lands cover about 70% of all the marshes. The rest part of the marshes consist of raised bogs surrounded by transitional marshes.
600 species of higher plants 16 of which have been included in the List of extinct and endangered species of Lithuania, 118 species of moss (4 of them are protected, and three more have been found for the first time in Lithuania), 204 species if lichen (4 of them are protected) have been found in the reserve, and 441 taxon of planktonic algae has been detected in the lakes of the reserve.
The wildlife has not been researched in detail yet, but some rare species of insects and birds have been noticed.
As Varnikai Botanical-Zoological Reserve is a popular place for educational recreation, an educational footpath has been built for the convenience of the visitors.


	Common sundew, Round-leaved sundew	Common sundew, Round-leaved sundew (Lat. Droserarotundifolia, Germ. RundblättrigerSonnentau) is a species of sundew (Droseraceae) family, a carnivorous sundew plant. A perennial, 10-25 cm tall herbaceous plant grows in bogs, marshes and fens, in the habitat that is poor in nutrients. The plant feeds on insects which provide them with all the nutrients they need. The insects become stuck to the glandular tentacles. The plant uses enzymes to dissolve the insects and extract ammonia that other pants absorb from the soil. It takes from one to several days to digest an insect. When the insect is digested, glandular tentacles streches out waiting for new victims.
	Vaccinium myrtillus	Vaccinium myrtillus is a species of shrub with edible fruit of blue color, commonly called \"bilberry\", \"whortleberry\" or European blueberry. Vaccinium myrtillus is found natively in Europe, northern Asia, Greenland, Western Canada, and the Western United States. It occurs in the wild on heathlands and acidic soils. Vegetation of a shrub lasts for about 30 years. Single red spherical flowers bloom in early May and attract bumblebees, bees and other insects. Spherical, dark blue berries ripen in early July. Their harvest can be picked-up until September. Vaccinium myrtillus has been used for nearly 1,000 years in traditional European medicine. Vaccinium myrtillus fruits have been used in the traditional medicine internally for treatment of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and diabetes. Herbal supplements of V. myrtillus (bilberry) on the market are used for circulatory problems, as vision aids, and to treat diarrhea and other conditions. Blueberries are rich in iron and help fight anemia.
	The grass snake	The grass snake is non-venomous. They were kept as pets catching mice in pagan times in Lithuania. The grass snake (lot.Natrixnatrix, angl.GrassSnake, vok.Ringelnatter) looks similar to the only venomous snake found in Lithuania – common adder. The main difference is a yellow or orange collar behind the head of the grass snake. Eyes of those two snakes are also different. Pupils of the grass snake are round, while pupils of the common adder are elliptical. Not being venomous, the snake\'s only defense is to produce a garlic-smelling fluid from the anal glands, or to feign death by becoming completely limp.They may also perform an aggressive display in defence, hissing and striking without actually opening the mouth. They rarely bite in defence. If necessary, they play dead. Grass snakes prey mainly on amphibians, especially the common toad and the common frog, although they may also occasionally eat ants and larvae. Captive snakes have been observed taking earthworms offered by hand, but dead prey items are never taken. The snake will search actively for prey, often on the edges of water, using sight and sense of smell. They consume prey live without using constriction. Grass snakes, typically spend the winter underground where the temperature is relatively stable. They hibernate from October/November till March/April.
	Eriophorum angustifolium, commonly known as common cottongrass or common cottonsedge	Eriophorum angustifolium is a species of sedge in the plant genus Eriophorumof the family Cyperaceae. Native to North America, North Asia, and Northern Europe, it is often found on peat or acidic soils, in open wetland, heath ormoorland. It begins to flower in April or May and, after fertilisation in early summer, the small, unremarkable brown and green flowers develop distinctive white bristle-like seed-heads that resemble tufts of cotton; combined with its ecological suitability to bog, these characteristics give rise to the plant\'s alternative name, bog cotton. The plant can be used as a substitute for cottonin and thermal insulation material, in addition to cellulose as a source of various packing. It is not suitable for spinning.
	Morchella	Morchella, the true morels, is on the List of extinct and endangered species of Lithuania. It is edible and grows from April to May.
	Andromeda Polifolia	Andromeda Polifolia is a poisonous member of Ericaceae family. Its leaves, young shoots and blossom contain toxic substances. In Eastern Europe, the leaves of the plant have been used for fur tanning and fabric dyeing. In the past, Andomeda Polifolia has also been used as natural remedy for treating rheumatism and tuberculosis.


	Gentiana cruciata, common name star gentian	Gentiana cruciata, a herbaceous perrennial flowering plant in the Gentianaceae family is a highly endangered species in Lithuania. It is protected and is included in the Red Book of Lithuania. Gentiana cruciata is a hemicryptophyte scapose plant of small size, reaching an average 20-40 centimetres in height. This plant prefers dry calcerous soil in forest edges, bushy slopes, pastures, grasslands and dry meadows. Gentiana cruciata is vitally important to a butterfly the Phengaris rebeli that parasitizes the Gentiana cruciata planta as a source of nutrition. Female Phengasis rebeli lay their eggs on the undersides of the leaves of the Gentiana cruciata plant and three to four weeks later the Phengaris rebeli larvae emerge and begin to feed on the seeds and flovers of this grassland plant. After the P. rebeli reaches its fourth larval instar, it molts and drops to the ground to be picked up and brought to the ants\' nests.
	Lilium martagon	Martagon lily (Lilium Martagon L.) is the only naturally growing species in Lituania. That is why this lily is protected and cannot be picked. Drawing by Mindaugas Kondrotas


The marsh Ilgelis. The marsh Ilgelis includes four lakes: Baluošas, Piliškių, Bevardis and Ilgelis. They are the remains of one big lake. The area of the reserve is used for educational recreation, an educational footpath has been built for the convenience of the visitors. On both sides of the path, different types of moss can be spotted. Sphagnum is a genus of mosses, commonly known as peat moss. Accumulations of Sphagnum can store water, since both living and dead plants can hold large quantities of water inside their cells; plants may hold 16–26 times as much water as their dry weight, depending on the species. The empty cells help retain water in drier conditions. Hence, as sphagnum moss grows, it can slowly spread into drier conditions, forming larger mires, both raised bogs and blanket bogs.
A steep-sloped hollow created by a glacier Nearby, there is a steep-sloped hollow created by a glacier, 15 m deep. Its bottom lays at 150 m absolute altitude – hardly 1 meter above the water level of the big lakes of Trakai lake system. In summer, the depth of the hollow is optically decreased by overgrowth of bracken (Pteridium aquilinum) on the bottom. The northern part of the reserve is covered by 100-130-year-old naturally formed mixed forest (205 hectares), which mostly consists of oaks, firs and pine trees. The forest is full of birds. Black woodpeckers make holes in conifers for their nests. When they leave their nests, leave the nest other birds, such as the boreal owl. settle in them.

Geographical Areas