The site is divided into several areas:

A / Acidophilus pasture surrounding the flooded areas with dry soil but with good coverage of bryophytes and sometimes Juncus squarrosus populations .

B / Shallow riverbeds, with more or less active upwelling, leading to discontinuous flows which gather in sinkholes at the height of the hill (subneutrophilus swamps ) .

C / Principal platform: Flat stream source, lined with sphagnum, quite heterogeneous from the slope of the top edge to the irrigation channel outlet  ( subneutrophious to  acidophilus swamps ). Note the  presence of Menyanthes trifoliata.

D / Basophilus swamps, waterlogged soils with slow movement of water in the form of fans , with the presence of Palustriella falcata.

E / Small stream area with Philonotis fontana and Sphagnum teres (subneutrophilus to basophilus swamp)

F / Colluvium area with blocks cemented by clay where the streams that come out of zone D run and disappear.

The site has great heterogeneity in terms of water chemistry, with upwellings of eutrophic character and others of mesotrophic character.

MORE RELEVANT VALUES

Singularity
Argintzu is the studied enclave with the largest range of swamp typologies, including acidophilus to basophils.

Biologic and Ecologic Features
Regarding the vascular flora, the presence of Menyanthes trifoliata must be noted. Among the bryophytes, Sphagnum teres is new to the bryologic catalog of Navarra, and the population of Scorpidium cossonii, the second located in Navarra.

Historic and Paleo-ecologic Features
No peat deposit

Habitats of Community Interest

Habitat	Nombre
4030	Brezales secos europeos
6230	Formaciones herbosas con Nardus, con numerosas especies, sobre sustratos silíceos de zonas montañosas (y de zonas submontañosas de la Europa continental)
6410	Prados con molinias sobre sustratos calcáreos, turbosos o arcillo-limónicos (Molinion caeruleae)
7140	«Mires» de transición

 

Habitats According to Other Classifications

Habitat	CINH	Sintaxón
4030	303044	Erico tetralicis-Ulicetum gallii ulicetosum gallii var. Típica
6230*	523010*	Carici piluliferae-Agrostietum curtisii nardetosum strictae
6230*	523013	Serratulo tinctoriae-Nardetum strictae
6410	541030*	Com. Juncus effusus y Scutellaria minor
7140	211012	Hyperico elodis-Potametum oblongi
7140	622010*	Com. Palustriella falcata
7140	622010*	Com. Philonotis fontana y Bryum pseudotriquetrum
7140	613010*	Erico tetralicis-Sphagnetum papillosi
7140	617011	Anagallido tenellae-Juncetum bulbosi
7140	617010*	Com. Sphagnum auriculatum y Narthecium ossifragum var. típica
7140	723010*	Com. Sedum anglicum y Rumex angiocarpus

 

Flora
Argintzu is an enclave fairly typical floristically in the context of the Eastern Basque para-peatland environments, because there are plenty of the species most common to thses environments. Only the presence of a population of Menyanthes trifoliata is notable, on the other hand quite harvested. We can also mention that Huperzia selago has been cited in the peak area (Balda 2002: 163).

69 vasculares and 33 brophytes have been detected. Among the bryophytes the presence of two species with continental tendency, more frequent towards the East, Central Pyrenees: Sphagnum teres and Scorpidium cossonii are noted.

PHOTOS

General aspect of zone C, to the right the emergence of zone E is apprciated (P. Heras).

General aspect of zone C. (P. Heras).

Dolina on the upper part of the enclave (Zone B). (P. Heras).