Yugoslavia: Fruska
gora mt. and its geological rarities
This year´s GEO-trip, the third
in Yugoslavia from the start, was organized by the Institute of Nature Protection
of Serbia. Around 50 participants had visited Fruska gora mt. where geological
and geomorphological characteristics make natural ambience of rare beauties.
For this reason, a larger part of the Fruska gora mt. was, in 1960, proclamaid
a National park with a special status regulated by the law.
Presentation
of the geological values, which belong to geo-heritage, has included several
stop points. Most of them are known for the discovery of fossilized organisms
conserved and found in the outcrops.
Itinerary lead:
- Near the monastery of Grgeteg, on the southern slope of the Fruska gora mt.,
in the brook called Luka, there is a well-known fossil locality of the period
of upper Pontian (fig.1) often mentioned in literature. After Stevanovic P.
(1977) in sandy clay are founded Paradacna radiata, Monodacna simplex and
Congeria budmani, and above in yelow sands Prosodacna vodopici, Limnocardium
ocethophorum, L.petersi, Maladacna steinddachneri ... This locality is under
the protection of the State, as a geological monument;
- Geomorphological site-pick Iriski venac where is placed transmitter, was bombed
on several occasions, causing damages to the area same as biotops;
- Stonemine "Filijala" Beocin where sediments of the Pannonian etages are very
important in terms of economy because they contain large deposits of cement
marls. The age of the Pannonian layers is proved by the discovery of numerous
molluscs and Ostracoda (Congeria banatica, Paradacna lentzi, P.syrmiense,
Gyraulus praeponticus ...);
Figure 1 The well-known
fossil locality of the period of upper Pontian near the monastery of Grgeteg,
on the southern slope of the Fruska gora mt.
- The shallow water sediments of the Maastrich revealed by erosion in the upper
course of Cherevicki potok and its source branches, are one of the richest treasuries
of the upper Cretaceous fossils in Europe. In a rich palaeontological collection,
gathered and described 90 years ago by J.Pethö (1906), there are 127 species
of periwinkles and shells alone, many of which were determined to be new species.
This list of sea periwinkles and shells has been supplemented by other researchers
till now, amounting to 164 species of sea fauna (palaeo- biodiversity!)
- The uniqueness of the Fruska Gora lies also in its natural growing together
with the largest European river - Danube, the Tisa delta and the lower course
of the Sava. A great ecological wealth of the Fruska Gora lies in a broad network
of subterranean water courses and above-ground spring and brooks.
- The Fruska Gora is also unique in world terms because of its 38 Orthodox monastery
complexes, of which 17 are still active. It has been ascertained that the Fruska
Gora monasteries were built in the second half of the 15th and the very beginning
of the 16th centuries.
Figure 2 Specimens
on display from the fossil site.
Athough all this beauty,
- There is an increasing number of unregulated dump sites in the Fruska Gora.
At the same time, attempts have been made at an opening of new dump sites for
the huge volume of communal waste of Novi Sad and the townships from the edges
of the Fruska Gora.
- The agricultural activity in the Fruska Gora has been completely disrupted
and the result are increasingly large areas under maize and dwindling vineyards
and orchards. Vineyards and orchards used to account for 20 percent of the land
on the east side; this percent is down to 6 now.
- The exploitation of stone and ores, particularly marl for the cement factory,
has impaired the ecosystem of the Fruska Gora. Besides, the cement production
at Beochin does not fit into the principles of preserving the geodiversity and
biodiversity of the National Park.
References: -
Proceeding of The natural, spiritual and cultural values of the Fruska Gora
meatting; Plavi zmaj, Novi Sad, 1996.
Dusan Mijovic Institute of
Nature Protection of Serbia