Lechtalheiden
As Lechtalheiden even Lechtalhaiden called several largely protected are heathland in the area of the Lech Valley between Schongau and Lech - mouth of the Danube in Bavaria referred to collectively. The areas of the 24 core heaths are located at 446–561 m above sea level. NN in the two administrative districts of Swabia and Upper Bavaria along the rivers Lech and Wertach . The geographic location may be around the core area of 48 ° 15 ' N , 10 ° 55' O are given.
The most valuable areas of the nature reserves can be found on the Lechfeld between Landsberg and Augsburg . The Augsburg city forest is one of the last remaining natural landscapes on the Lech. It offers a mosaic of different living spaces.
In the Aubereichen and the directing of Lech is rare, "original" habitats (Show habitats : poor grasslands , grasslands , riparian forest ). They form the last refuge of a specialized flora and fauna and are among the most biodiverse landscapes in Central Europe . The heaths and floodplains attract numerous visitors from March to October, especially with their splendor of flowers.
geography
geology
The Lech Valley was built a long time ago. In several cold and warm periods of the Ice Age ( Rift Ice Age , approx. 120,000 years ago) the Lech glacier rolled back and forth. Large amounts of gravel were transported north in this way. The piled up gravel heaps were piled up or removed again during these processes. These processes were only replaced with the beginning of the current warm period. The pushed gravel profile thins out in the direction of the Danube. The thickness of the gravel in the Augsburg area is several meters. The resulting layer of gravel is covered in many places by a subsequent layer. Ice-age tundra winds created a layer of loess that can reach a height of up to 3 meters. Areas with a missing loess layer have weathered gravel up to 60 cm deep. The Lech Valley itself is 10 to 15 kilometers wide in the affected area and is delimited by 10 to 50 meter high slopes. Areas with a constant layer of loess have largely been converted into arable land. The loess layer was decalcified and turned into loess clay. After such a conversion, high-yield arable land is created. The loess layers on top have a water-blocking effect and thus enable waterlogging to develop. The creation of wet meadows is made possible on such areas . The typical habitats of the Lechheiden, on the other hand, were created in areas without a loess layer. Accumulating rainwater can quickly be drained into the soil on these areas. This forms the basis for the emergence of dry grass , poor grass and gravel heaths in the Lech Valley. The calcareous soil is due to the composition of the Lech gravel and its solvents. This high proportion of lime causes the growth of so-called "limestone" plants such as gentians and orchids.
The Lechtalheiden differ fundamentally from the northern heathland areas due to the nature of the soil. The Lechheiden on the calcareous gravel soils described cannot be compared with the boggy or sandy soils of the northern German heaths. For this reason there is a completely different vegetation pattern here. While there are large areas of heather vegetation on the north German heaths, free dry grasslands form the main part of the landscape on the Lechheiden. (see also: Lüneburg Heath )
The climate in Lechfeld
The climate in the Augsburg area is called temperate-oceanic. The weather periods play between moderate, not too cold winters and not too hot summers. Large amounts of snow, which protect the vegetation over the periods of frost, usually do not fall until January and last until mid-March. Large amounts of rainfall are recorded in early summer. Most of the precipitation is brought in by westerly winds, while longer dry periods occur in late summer and early autumn. The average annual temperature is around 10 ° C. There are around 108 days of frost (below 0 ° C) and 35 days of pure summer (above 25 ° C). The average humidity is 75% with an annual cloud cover of 70%. The annual rainfall is approx. 850 mm. The microclimate plays a major role in the vegetation on the heaths . Here especially sunny heaps, dry grass, alluvial forests, damp depressions or moors stand out.
Development history
The Lechheiden owe their origin to man, of all people. An original central European landscape would show extensive forest areas. Over the millennia man shaped his environment, he transformed natural landscapes into cultivated land. Only through human intervention and the regime of the scythe these areas remained tree-free. If the maintenance work were to be ended, competitive species such as birch, willow or poplar would immigrate and displace the typical meadow vegetation. The prone community of meadows would develop into a bush landscape and eventually back to the forest in the course of a few decades. Forest-free areas would only occur on coasts, bodies of water, moors and dry slopes. Lean grass or dry grass as we know it would not exist. Large meadows only emerged with the invention of equipment for haymaking.
Only after 1900 did the arable land begin to expand. More and more biotopes came under the plow . With the growth of the consumer society , the framework conditions for farmers also changed. Agriculture was industrialized more and more and still works under strong competitive pressure. Heavy machines turned large areas into forage pastures . The colorful flower meadow had to give way to a monochrome fat meadow . Through intensive fertilization, e.g. B. Application of Odeljauche ( liquid manure ), many plants are displaced. Only a few survive in this "green desert". These are species that have short reproductive periods and can thus assert themselves even with constant mowing , including z. B. the dandelion . These species-poor forage meadows house only 25 different plant species and are therefore in stark contrast to the species-rich dry grasslands.
Around 1800 the Lech consisted of many branching smaller and larger streams and rivers. A wide area was furrowed by numerous channels that formed an irregular ground relief. As a result of the Lech movements, a wide river valley with a wide gravel plain was created. By river straightening large parts of the biotope Lech were drained. Many islets and areas that were inaccessible or protected by oxbow lakes were destroyed. Today there are only a few oxbow lakes or oxbow lakes , most of which are home to a large number of different creatures.
Nature reserves and nature conservation
About 1000 years ago, the alluvial forest and heather areas of Augsburg's Lechfeld covered a total area of several thousand hectares. Today's nature reserves are very small remaining areas of the once mighty Lechtalheiden; they correspond to about one percent of the starting areas. The most important protected areas are listed below:
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There are also projects that give rise to hope for a new environmental awareness:
- Kissinger Bahngruben / Neue Heiden second hand (compensation area of the German railway)
- Merchinger Heide / Neue Heiden second hand (Regeneration Heath opened in 2005)
These heather areas have recently been added. The humus layer of the formerly cultivated arable land was removed and a soil relief that resembles that of a river landscape was created. Substitute vegetation was able to form in the first few years, and in about 20 years the typical vegetation of the limestone grasslands will appear. In the long term, it is planned to connect existing protective heaths with the newly created areas.
Many heathland areas could already be placed under nature protection during the Nazi era . After the Second World War , conservation issues were out of the question. Valuable areas were plowed or reforested. It was not until the 1960s and 1970s that additional areas were declared nature reserves. It is gratifying to note that more space is being added today. (see also: nature conservation )
The individual nature reserves
The nature reserves are home to around 3000 different species, including 680 plant species. Many of them are on red lists and are extremely endangered. This means that the Augsburg city forest and the Lechheiden form one of the most species-rich Central European habitats.
- The Augsburg city forest is a forest area that borders directly in and on the city of Augsburg. Its area is about 21.5 km². It is particularly characterized by the structure of different individual living spaces. It is particularly frequented by visitors and recreational athletes and is very popular and popular. Numerous information boards explain the urban forest ecosystem with its animal and plant species to visitors. Numerous smaller heaths and ponds are distributed in the area. The majority of the area consists of mixed forest and alluvial forest areas. In the peripheral areas, the forest community thins out into a sparse pine forest. The lady 's slipper is particularly common in the Haunstetten district. In addition, the yellow iris grows in many ponds .
- The lines of the Lech between Augsburg and Landsberg am Lech form a very long, almost uninterrupted nature reserve. For the most part they are covered with alluvial forests and sparse pine forests. These are repeatedly interrupted by small dry grasslands. Most of the Lech has paths on both sides and is easy to explore by bike. There are numerous lakes on the Lech, which in turn house an endangered aquatic world. These include: Kuhsee, Weitmannsee and Auensee. The Lechstaustufe 23 was designated as a bird sanctuary and has become irreplaceable as breeding habitat. The numerous flood protection dams are also being repopulated with orchids .
- The heather and dry grassland of the Lech are of great importance for Central European orchids . The dry grass character and the untouched nature offer them last retreats. They are rare botanical treasuries. Orchids and four types of ragweed can be found on the heaths. A total of 20 different orchids have gained a foothold on the semi-arid grass. The absence of any fertilization enables the Pasque Flower to have a solid population on the Heidegruben on the B17 and on the Kissinger Heide. A botanical peculiarity is the mass occurrence of the marsh Siegwurz , especially on the Königsbrunn Heath. Thousands of pink bells bloom in summers with high rainfall and transform the heather into a sea of flowers. The autumn crocus, which is in decline across Germany, forms an autumn carpet of flowers on the Kissinger Heide. The vegetation of the Lechheiden often shows great differences, even if they are only a few kilometers apart. The ground relief seems to be primarily responsible for this. Some heaths have an almost flat terrain, others have a river-shaped landscape with depressions, depressions and gullies. In addition, the geometric position of the surface is crucial. The heaths can lie in depressions in the terrain, on hills or near a river. All of these factors influence the respective microclimate.
- The alluvial forest and daylily field near St. Stephan is north of Augsburg near Rehling. There is a rare peculiarity here. You can find Germany's only natural daylily field (Rehling) here . The flowers can be admired in June and July. The adjacent natural alluvial forest offers the Turkish Association , the Herbstzeitlosen and the Yellow Lady's Slipper a natural retreat. The area is owned by the Natural Science Association Schwaben eV
- The former railway pits and new second-hand heaths were designated as compensation areas for the former Deutsche Bahn line. Replacement vegetation was able to develop here within a few decades. Orchids also repopulated the protected areas, including rarities such as the bee garlic. In the course of the planned biotope network , these areas were placed under nature protection and their importance emphasized. These are artificially created replacement habitats. Construction machines were used to try to create a ground relief that resembles that of a former wild river landscape. In order to achieve the dry grass character, the uppermost loess loam layers were removed. Trenches, hollows and gullies were created to favor the important microclimates. The regeneration areas form substitute vegetation in the first 10 to 15 years. Only after 20 to 30 years do you find the typical heather vegetation with orchids and gentians. A slower removal by mowing would take about twice the time for repopulation.
- The drinking water catchment areas of the water suppliers are mostly not under nature protection, but were able to receive a threatened biotope landscape due to fences or access restrictions. The drinking water suppliers work together with the nature conservation associations, which have been able to enforce grazing by sheep, for example.
Maintenance measures
The typical heather vegetation can only be preserved if regular mowing is carried out. These are coordinated in rotation with the flowering and growth phases of the plants. Volunteers from various associations, including, for example, the Alpine Association and the Bund-Naturschutz , earned a great deal of credit . In addition, the areas must be kept largely free of trees in order to correspond to the character of an open heathland. Most of the afforestation efforts came to a standstill. The heather vegetation, which is susceptible to failure, cannot compete with the fast-growing tree species and is increasingly being displaced.
The traveling sheep farm is currently experiencing a revival on the Lech . High- quality meat from grazing animals is also marketed under the name “ Lechtal lamb ”. With all the positive aspects of "natural lawnmowers", overgrazing should be avoided. A valuable part of the Königsbrunner Heide is currently at risk. The adjoining natural forest areas are largely left to their own devices and form primeval forest-like habitats.
It was not until the 1980s that the green authorities and the “Lower Nature Conservation Authority” assumed responsibility for care. According to the plan, upstream meadows should no longer be fertilized. The resulting buffer zones can develop into grasslands, this transformation can take 30–50 years. This process is called emaciation .
Conservation measures
To protect breeding birds and plants, the flow of visitors must be sensibly directed. The network of trails is further reduced and paths are marked. The focus is on reducing the treads. The recreational value of the nature reserves around the Lech is high. Much of the heaths and floodplains are just a stone's throw from human settlements. Accordingly, these are frequented by visitors and recreational athletes. One of the most popular excursion destinations is the Königsbrunn Heath.
Conservation begins with every visitor to the heath. The most important rule is: “Please do not leave the path”! The rough lawns have a sensitive, thin layer of humus that is more affected by damage than it appears. All of the heather plants can also be viewed from the paths; stepping onto the lawns is completely unnecessary. Dogs should be kept on a leash, they also endanger the heather vegetation through kicks and manure. Dog poop is chemically aggressive and, in large quantities, as is commonly found on the outskirts, harmful to plants. In addition, ground-nesting birds such as the tree pipit can be disturbed. The expansion of the existing routes can easily be prevented: Do not push the bike with you. You should generally refrain from picking plants. Some rarities resemble unprotected species, which means that mix-ups cannot be ruled out. Digging up plants or bulbs is prohibited and is punishable by fines.
"Lechtal living space" initiative
The Lechtal habitat initiative was launched by the Association for Landscape Management. She takes care of all nature conservation issues such as B. Biotope network , information boards and responsibility for care. The work area extends from Schongau to the mouth of the Danube. Numerous information boards have been set up throughout the Lech area to draw visitors' attention to the diverse living spaces. The modern designed boards are intended to encourage people to appreciate the special features of the local cultural landscape . Additional information is available as a brochure or on the Internet . The extensive project is only possible with the help of the affected communities, districts, water suppliers, farmers and the Federation of Nature Conservation in Bavaria .
- Involved districts and municipalities
Flora / flora
Many plants from different regions have established themselves on the heather and alluvial forest areas of the Augsburg area. The Lech serves as a floral bridge. Some alpine plants were able to find their way here, including many types of gentian. The alpine plants were able to spread their seeds via the river water themselves in a northerly direction, or they could slowly spread out over the gravel bed of the Lech. The warm microclimate favored the immigration of different orchids and Ragwurzen from the sub-Mediterranean area, over time they developed independent species. A total of 28 different orchid species can be found on the Lechheiden. Some Ice Age relics were also able to become naturalized and survive.
- Endemic
Augsburger steppe ragwort ( Tephroseris integrifolia subsp. Vindelicorum Krach ): This endangered endemic was first described by Brigitte Krach in 1988 and only occurs on the Lechtalheiden near Augsburg .
- Dealpine types
Alpine plants such as globular flowers or gentians
- Continental species
Types eastern steppes as Kalkaster , Pasque or cytisus
- Sub-Mediterranean species
Plants from the Mediterranean area, four very rare species of Ragwort on the Lechheiden
- Orchids of the Lechtal
The Lechtalheiden became famous in the botanical world due to the large number of species of different orchids. This is favored by the varied dry grassland habitat. Many individual characteristics of the soils also enable the growth of species that would also be rather untypical here. Some of the most common orchids of the Lechheiden are the mosquito-handelwort , the helmet orchid , the burnt orchid and the marsh stendelwort . These species show a stable and constant occurrence. The fire orchid is spreading significantly on the Lechheiden. The large two-leaf orchid is one of the most common orchids in Germany , here it is only found scattered. The southern Mediterranean ragwort species are exotic-looking beauties with very scattered to rare occurrences. The fly ragwort and bumblebee ragwort have a relatively constant occurrence. The bee ragwort and the great spider ragwort are rarities , they are unstable and can be absent for several years. The bee ragwort was only rediscovered in 1964. The pyramidal dogwort , coral arum and orchid orchid also grow sporadically . An orchid that occurs almost exclusively in the Lechleiten and alluvial forests is the European lady's slipper . Red forest bird , white forest bird and sword-leaved forest bird are generally rare and scattered ; they are practically not to be found on the large heather areas. In addition, the following orchids can be found in the area of the Lechfeld: Brown-red Stendelwurz , Broad-leaved Stendelwurz , Bird's Nestwurz , Autumnalwort , Two-leaved Forest Hyacinth , Fragrant Handelwurz , Bug orchid and Fox's orchid . Like all orchids occurring in Germany, these are also threatened with extinction and are strictly protected. The main flowering and growing season for most orchids is between May and August. (see also: orchids )
- Gentian species
The calcareous soils are a welcome home for gentian species. The heaths are accompanied by their flower pattern from early spring to autumn. The stemless gentian and spring gentian bloom early in April . As early as May, the hose gentian will be adding a touch of blue. A typical summer gentian is the swallow-root gentian, which is increasingly rare on the Lechheiden. The German gentian, with its numerous individual flowers, is one of the most beautiful types of gentian on the Lech. From August to October, the dark blue of the fringed gentian forms the last splash of color in the autumn meadow; this species is also decreasing in its spread. (see also: gentians )
- Typical vegetation of the Lechheiden
On the Lechheiden there are some plants whose limits of spread end in this area, such as B. the Regensburg goat clover . Many species can only be found in the area of the Lech, including the black-violet columbine or the sticky flax . Others are typical and general types of embossing or pointer for the habitat. Dry grass, light snow heather, pine forests or alluvial forests are covered with them. The following should be mentioned here: silver thistle , brunelle , grouse , tuberous scraper , meadow knapweed or the scabiosa knapweed . These are joined by general meadow flowers and meadow plants such as: forest angelica , valerian , columbine , bellflower or the autumn crocus . The many flowering plants, which bloom almost all year round, attract many insects and butterflies. Due to the special features in detail, particularly threatened species can also gain a foothold. Marsh ventriloquist, Turkish league and daylilies form botanical beauties. But also small, less conspicuous flowers have found their last refuges here. The common spherical flower and the heart-leaved spherical flower are absolute rarities . In damp places, on the other hand, atypical plants such as the Solomon's seal , the forget-me-not , real moon rue , real cowslip , marsh marigold or the rare and threatened flour primrose occur. Real immigrants to the Alpine regions are Alpen-Pippau and Schneeheide. (see also flower meadow )
Fauna / wildlife
The Lechheiden, which is rich in plants and flowers, is home to a multitude of animals. The flowers of the flower meadows are irreplaceable, especially for specialized butterflies and moths. Many butterflies have become homeless as a result of the monotonous agricultural areas and are threatened with extinction. You will find the last refuges on the heaths of the Lech. But the heather areas are too small and too far apart to be able to save animal species.
- Butterflies
- Moth
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Different nectar-giving plants can be flown to practically over the entire summer half-year. The beekeeping takes advantage of it: many fixed or mobile apiaries are located in the immediate vicinity of the conservation areas. Meadow flakes are an abundant source of food for bees and bumblebees. Rare species of ants can be found on the heaths, such as: large knot ant , large kerb ant , narrow-breasted ant and the harpa ant . A tiny bug, the net bug , which only reaches a size of three millimeters, occurs here. Their next place of discovery is in Hungary, their actual habitat is the southeastern Russia .
The sunny open spaces offer warmth-loving reptiles a varied habitat. The smooth snake has one of its largest areas in the Lech Valley. Sand lizards and wall lizards hunt for the rare tiger beetle here . Adders and blindworms prefer woody and undergrowth-rich places. The grass snake lies in wait for frogs and other small animals in damp places. The moors and ponds of the Augsburg city forest are important habitats for amphibians. These are for frog , jumping frog , frog and toad . The toad preferred gravelly wasteland .
The bird sanctuary at Lech level 23 has become an important breeding area for our wild birds. Natural alluvial forests are set tables for birds and small mammals. Numerous woodpeckers find food in old wood. Many songbirds , including the robin, are regular guests. Forests rich in undergrowth provide shelter for numerous small animals. Because of its inaccessibility, nature protects itself here. In the direct Lech area, gravel fields and steep banks offer further natural areas. They are home to dipper , kingfisher and little ringed plover . The mosaic-like and shelter-rich habitat is gladly accepted by numerous wild animals such as rabbits , squirrels , deer and foxes . The beaver spreads on oxbow lakes and tributaries , something that some people are already skeptical about.
In the summer meadow, the mutable crab spider lurks on a blossom, approaching insects. The wasp spider is widely spread . In addition to birds, the background noise of the heather also includes insects such as: heather grasshoppers , black-spotted grasshoppers and field crickets . Typical beetles of the flower meadow are leaf beetles , which can often be found on flowers as herbivores.
Habitats
Semi-arid grass
Dry lawns are special locations characterized by grasses and herbaceous vegetation. As the name dry grass already suggests, these are dry meadows with patchy vegetation. Rainwater quickly seeps into the gravel ground. This is favored on the one hand by water-permeable soils, or on the other hand by steep slopes . These conditions favor different microclimates, whereby temperature maxima of up to 50 ° C can be reached in summer. The Lechtalheiden have mostly developed on semi-dry lawns, which in some areas can also turn into wet meadows without losing the typical characteristics of dry lawns. Due to the lack of nutrients, dry grasslands are also known as grasslands . These sunny heat islands represent an ideal habitat for different reptiles.
Auwald-Brenne
Burns are microclimatic special locations, they are located in riparian forests similar to a boiler. The surrounding forest prevents cooling air movements. The temperatures in a distillery are therefore often well above the surrounding temperatures. In the Lech region, the dry character is also promoted by the previously mentioned water-permeable soils. In some places, however, fluctuating humidity conditions can arise. Here gutters and hollows can be enumerated, in them humidity can stay longer. Plants that are actually atypical for this habitat like to settle on the areas of varying moisture. On the Lechheiden we find the Swamp Stendelwurz or the Swamp Siegwurz as an example. (see also Brenne )
The heath year
The grassy areas of the grasslands are characterized by several highs and lows of the vegetation cover during the year. After a long winter , the flora wakes up very tentatively in March. Most plants have overwintered in bulbs , rhizomes or as seeds . The colors now play between ocher and brown tones and offer a relatively dreary picture. The heather is still at its first low, but the rays of the spring sun are already strong enough to move some plants and plants to sprout. Typical March or April plants are snow heather, pasque flower, earth sedge and the wire-haired violet. At the end of April, different types of grass also follow in growth. At the beginning of May, the stemless gentian and the spring gentian set deep blue accents in the poor grassland. In the months of May to June, the heather offers a wide range of different plant species, including numerous orchids. The meadow seems to literally explode during these months. During these months, walks on the grasslands are most attractive. In July the meadow reached its zenith and the scythe came to an abrupt end, the poor grass reached its second low. The cuttings are dried for a short time before they can be transported away. The regrowing grasses reach heights of up to 150 cm at the end of September. In late summer , fringed gentian, German gentian and golden aster bloom . The silver thistle opens its silver crown and fragrant leeks rise up. At the end of October the vegetation adjusts to the coming winter. The vegetation takes precautions to survive the winter, the reproductive phases have already been completed. A new generation of flying seeds is already waiting for the next spring. The first snow pushes grass and flowers to the ground, the last annual low has been reached. The following layer of snow protects the vegetation from severe frost due to its insulating function .
gallery
Silver thistle seeds
Very rare on the Lechheiden: the spring crocus
Rare albino form of the bumblebee ragwort
See also
- Dry grass , poor grass , alluvial forest , floodplain , meadow with flowers , fires ;
- Limestone plants; Calcareous soil ;
- Sander , gravel heather ;
- Biotope network
literature
- Fritz Hiemeyer : Königsbrunner and Kissinger Heide, jewels at the gates of Augsburg . Wißner-Verlag, Augsburg, ISBN 978-3-89639-335-7
- Andreas Bresinsky: Forest and heather at the gates of Augsburg . Jb. Ver. z. Protection of Alpine Plants 32: 125–141
- Hermann Oblinger: Swabia is green and blooming . Ber. d. Natural science Ver. Schwaben special volume (1994)
Web links
- Lechtal living space initiative
- LPV Augsburg
- Hurlacher Heide ( Memento from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive )
- Lechtalheiden in general
- Project biotope network of the landscape conservation association
Individual evidence
- ^ Fritz Hiemeyer: Flora von Augsburg . Ber. Natural science Ver. Schwaben, special volume 1978: 332 pp.
- ↑ a b Lechtal habitat; Edited by the German Association for Landscape Management
- ↑ Information boards in the city of Augsburg . On: Website of the Landschaftspflegeverband Stadt Augsburg eV Information boards for download. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
- ↑ Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung
- ↑ Erhard Dörr, Wolfgang Lippert : Flora of the Allgäu and its surroundings. Volume 2, IHW, Eching 2004, ISBN 3-930167-61-1 , p. 619.
- ↑ Werner Greuter (2006+): Compositae (pro parte majore). In: Werner Greuter, E. von Raab-Straube (Ed.): Compositae. : Datasheet Tephroseris (Rchb.) Rchb. In: Euro + Med Plantbase - the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity.
- ↑ Lechtal reptile habitat ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (PDF; 1.6 MB). On: Website of the German Association for Landscape Management. Accessed on January 3, 2011.
- ^ Fritz Hiemeyer: Königsbrunner and Kissinger Heide. Jewels at the gates of Augsburg . Wissner-Verlag, Augsburg. 2nd edition July 1, 2002. 112 pages, ISBN 978-3-89639-335-7
- ↑ Helmut Bresser: Orchids. The orchids of Central Europe and the Alps . Nikol Verlag, Hamburg 2006. 374 pp., ISBN 978-3-933203-54-0
