Coniferous forest
A coniferous forest is a forest in whose tree layers almost exclusively conifers can be found.
Natural coniferous forests grow in the boreal zone in cold climates as boreal coniferous forests . In Central Europe today, coniferous forests in the highlands of the low mountain ranges and in the Alps are generally regarded as natural forests with a similar climate. In western Europe the deciduous forest, especially the beech forest, rises higher (2000 m) than in the east and north (1000 to 1400 m).
There are different opinions about the natural occurrence in the lowlands. In particularly dry areas, pine forests can represent the potential natural vegetation . This is e.g. This is the case, for example, in the warm, dry regions of the southwest of the USA, in southwest Europe or in the karst regions of the Balkans and the Alps. Occasionally, very unfavorable locations can represent natural softwood locations in the flatlands (northern slopes, cold air lakes)
In the parlance of vegetation watchers is between natural and spontaneous forests and artificial planting of trees receding forests distinction that are mentioned in general language as forests. The extensive pine and spruce forests in the lowlands of Central Europe and many of the forests in North America have been planted or promoted exclusively by humans, as deciduous forest communities would naturally be found there. They are usually planted at the end of the 18th century, when by casting Cotta neuentstandene Forestry should promote reforestation of the then very poor forest in Central Europe. At that time, many soils were emaciated due to overexploitation and only offered the undemanding and resilient conifers sufficient opportunities ( history of the forest in Central Europe ). In the north of North America, the valuable hardwood was felled more heavily than the softwood, so that the softwoods could spread. The forests were kept later, as coniferous wood grows very quickly and straight and thus makes profit faster. In the meantime, however, there is a rethinking and some of the vulnerable and maintenance-intensive coniferous forests are being transformed into mixed forests ( forest conversion ).
ecology
Rising emissions in the air are causing problems for forests in Europe , North America and Japan ( forest dieback ).
As a plant community , coniferous forests are ecologically related to the dwarf shrub heaths , some of which have emerged as substitute communities through grazing , whose species composition often resembles the herbaceous layer of the coniferous forests on acidic soils. Conifers also regularly grow in bogs , which can form their own bog forest communities here .
literature
- Murray W. Nabors, Renate Scheibe: Botany. Pearson Education, Munich 2007, ISBN 978-3-8273-7231-4 .
- Jörg Pfadenhauer, Frank Klötzli: Vegetation of the earth. Basics, ecology, distribution, Springer Verlag, Heidelberg 2014, ISBN 978-3-642-41949-2 .
