LAKE SUUR-KALAJÄRV AND OHCHIDS
Lake Suur-Kalajärv (Kreo Kalajärv, Suurjärv) is a forest lake of the size of 1.6 hectares and depth of 2 metres. The shores are swampy, the water surface is surrounded by a quaking bog, the bottom is cover with mud which is full of branches and tree stumps.
The broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans) and water lilies grow in the lake. The broad-leaved pondweed is not floating freely in water bodies, but is attached to the bottom by a crawling, widely-branched shoot, a rhizome. The broad-leaved pondweed can overcome cold winters in the form of the rhizome. Numerous stems grow out of the rhizome which rise straight towards the surface of the water. This way, the broad-leaved pondweed forms a dense underground coppice and the entire surface of the water body is often covered with its floating leaves. This makes the broad-leaved pondweed a good source of food for many small aquatic animals and some fish and frog spawn is often attached to it. On the other hand, the broad-leaved pondweed also facilitates rapid overgrowing of water bodies. Some sources claim that the rare European medicinal leech can also be found in the lake.
The shores of Lake Suur-Kalajärv are rich for several rare plants growing there, primarily orchids. There are fifteen species of them growing here. Those examining the plants with a keen eye can spot the short-spurred fragrant orchid, Dactylorhiza russowii, the common spotted orchid, the heath spotted-orchid, the early marsh-orchid, the bog orchid, the lesser butterfly-orchid, the yellow coralroot, etc. in the quaking bog. Taking a closer look, the lesser twayblade and the creeping lady's-tresses can also be seen.
All orchids are protected species! They must not be picked or replanted in your own garden. Why? Orchids grow very slowly. The extremely fine seeds must find a suitable mycelium in the soil to form a symbiosis and grow and develop for about ten years before the first blossoms are formed. Wild boars also cause damage by digging up the bulbs of the orchids.
Marsh helleborine (Epipactis palustris)
Source of the photo: Wikimedia
Broad-leaved pondweed (Potamogeton natans)
Source of the photo: Wikimedia