Berca Mud Volcanoes l Weird Geology

Berca Mud Volcanoes Facts

First of all, the astonishing Berca Mud Volcanoes truly represent a unique natural sight to behold. That bold statement holds true for one very specific, and, understandable, reason. That’s because one can consider these features as miniature volcanoes continuously erupting. However, instead of the usual lava, these erupt with a steady flow of mud.
Furthermore, this site quite understandably forms the principal component of a geological and botanical reservation. These wonders of Nature formed in, and remain unique in, the country of Romania, in Europe. In addition, along with the unusual environmental conditions these features create, they also form a highly remarkable landscape.
Further, many compare the magnificent location to a piece of the moon brought to earth. Yet, despite the starkness of the landscape, the area has a breathtaking, if unusual, appeal to those who love Nature. As a result of this extraordinary natural appeal, the Berca Mud Volcanoes form a popular attraction for both local inhabitants and tourists.

Berca Mud Volcanoes Physical Description

Most notably, although the awesome Berca Mud Volcanoes do have a volcanic origin, the site nevertheless remains safe to visit. There’s a good reason behind this fact. That’s due to the fact that, despite that volcanic source, the features remain low enough in temperature that they qualify as cool.

Due to its origin, a steady supply of pressurized natural gas pushes salty mud deposits to the surface. This action begins at a point originating roughly 9,800 ft (3,000 m) beneath the surface. The natural gas that forms below the surface subsequently escapes the mud deposits in a constant bubbling motion.

Further, the expelled mud actually remains only warm since it originates between the layers of the continental crust, and not from the mantle. After surfacing, the mud quickly dries, forming the characteristic conical shapes. These cones of the Berca Mud Volcanoes also average roughly 9.8 ft (3 m) in height.

Berca Mud Volcanoes Botanical Uniqueness

One quite astounding fact continually surprises those who visit the Berca Mud Volcanoes. That’s the fact that a few varieties of plants found a way to adapt to the conditions of the area. This occurred despite the incredible starkness and harshness of the environmental conditions of the region. Such a development further testifies to the extreme versatility of Nature.

However, the area nevertheless remains utterly devoid of most other forms of plant life. That’s because of the simple fact that most types of vegetation simply cannot survive in the soil surrounding the region. This occurs primarily because of the presence of large quantities of certain minerals. Further, these minerals mainly include salt and sulfur, from the eruptions.

But, those few varieties of flora that managed to adapt to life in the vicinity of the awesome Berca Mud Volcanoes surprise visitors with their presence. Furthermore, these ultra-hardy species mainly consist of two varieties of perennial shrubs. These include the Nitraria schoberi and the Obione verrucifera. These sparsely cover the roughly 66 acres (30 ha) of the region.