Turlough (lake)

Turloughs (of Irish turlach ) also winter lakes (winter lakes) are called and are temporary karst lakes in the west of Ireland, particularly in the area of the Burren in County Clare, which are protected by the Habitats Directive due to their uniqueness and their specific communities.

Description

In winter, when the water table generally rises, or after heavy rains, the apparently dry depressions to real lakes. Instead of the constant, but underground water level a temporarily visible water level is now available. The white, paper-like substance that can be seen only when the Turlough is dry, consists of algae. In turloughs, especially around the place Carran, where boulders of the glacier are in Turlough, traces of black moss can be seen and the white paper algae on the stone surface are thus widely visible. Turloughs are also found in the limestone areas in County Galway, County Mayo and County Roscommon. By drainage measures, which began in the 19th century, the number of these short-lived but recurring biotope already declined by at least a third.

This constant change has spawned special adaptations of its leaves to those known only from Ireland locations for example in the Creeping Buttercup ( Ranunculus repens ). Thus, this plant under water a far more intensive photosynthesis than the underwater organs of other plants.

Typical plant species of turloughs are also the lady's smock ( Cardamine pratensis), water mint (Mentha aquatica ) and brown sedge ( Carex nigra)