Alkali puszta oakforest of Margita

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One of the famous forest associations of the Hortobágy National Park is the alkali puszta oakforest. Two significant representatives are the Ohati- and the smaller Margitai forest. Both are the remnants of the earlier extensive zonal oak forests, though with a diminishing area and mostly inconsiderately mixed with other species. In spite of that, they still possess considerable nature conservation values. Their dominant species is the common oak (Quercus robur), the Turkey oak (Quercus cerris). The white oak (Quercus pubescens, the remnants of earlier hardwood groves like the ash (Fraxinus pannonica) and the fluttering elm (Ulmus laevis). The lower regions are made up from Tatarian maple (Acer tataricum and field/common maple (Acer campestre), dog-berry (Cornus sanguinea), the hawthorn (Crataegus) and the common privet (Ligustrum vulgare). Their underwood and the vegetation of their larger clearings are characteristic and rich: purple corydalis (Corydalis cava), lesser celandine (Ficaria verna), alpine squill (Scilla bifolia) etc. In the clearings there are hog's fennel (Peucedanum), ground cherry (Cerasus fruticosa), and rarely dwarf Russian almond (Amygdalus nana). The fauna of the alkali forests is rich in species and characteristic. There are three hundred different species of butterflies, the seriously decreasing species of longhorn beetles, and carnivorous beetles. Patches of forests attract birds. The grasshopper warbler and river warbler and the long-eared owl are common to nest here, but the kestrel, the common buzzard and honey buzzard and the hobby also nest here.