Wet meadow

Wet meadows are wood - free, semi-natural biotopes characterized by grasses , rushes , sedges and other herbaceous plants , the soils of which are influenced by groundwater in the upper horizons or are temporarily flooded. They are located in the area of river valleys, lakes or depressions. Wet meadows exist in large areas of Europe and Asia , with a focus on Central Europe. Runners go to the Mediterranean , the Balkans and Northern Europe . The area extends in the east to Siberia .

Spring aspect of a wet meadow in north-west Germany with meadowfoam and marsh marigold (Calthion)

(Single) nutrient-poor wet meadow ( litter meadow ) mowed only once in autumn in the foothills of the Alps with Siberian iris (Molinion)

In Central Europe , wet meadows are among the most species-rich biotopes. Here they are regarded as semi-cultural formations that have arisen through human use as a result of the agricultural production of litter and fodder for livestock farming . They make a major contribution to the development of the Central European cultural landscape . They have to be cultivated because the succession would lead to the formation of tall herbaceous meadows , later bushes and finally forests .

Wetlands are also among the terms swamp meadow and Brühl (from medieval Latin brogilus or broilus : tree piece ) to find. The latter thus gave its name to many low-lying districts and streets, some of which were covered with trees, that may have been built on former marshland.

The following article gives a summarizing overview of the wet meadows of Central Europe, their locations, the different types of wet meadows and their environment according to ecological and nature conservation aspects. Here, under wet meadows, the unfertilized litter meadows that are mown once a year as well as the nutrient-rich, mostly twice mowed wet meadows and wet meadows are summarized.

Formation of wet meadows

Idealized representation of a park-like landscape at the beginning of the 19th century in Caspar David Friedrich's painting " Village Landscape with Morning Illumination "

According to the prevailing doctrine, the landscape of Central Europe consisted, with interruptions (e.g. ceramic band culture ), mainly of a mosaic of forests, clearings, moors and bodies of water until the early Middle Ages . Typical meadow plants were therefore limited to areas that were kept open by large grazers ( megaherbivores ) such as elk , bison , wild horses or aurochs or in which no forest development was permitted in the area of large rivers due to floods and / or changes in course. Until then, people had only influenced the landscape in small areas in the immediate vicinity of the settlements. With the population growth, the unregulated use of forests as commons increased. The use of hat forest or clearing resulted in an extensive opening of the landscape.

Large open, park-like landscape spaces were created (see contemporary painting on the right). In the course of the centuries, semi-natural ecosystems established in this way by economic people developed. The wet meadows have developed on damp to wet locations. In the 18th century, wet meadows were still widespread habitats in Central Europe. In addition to fundamental structural changes with the emergence of large open country communities and the displacement of original habitats, the forms of use of arable land and grassland have also led to changes in the range of species of animals and plants and, overall, to an increase in biological diversity compared to the natural landscape.

Two-door, i.e. nutrient-rich wet meadow mowed twice a year in northwest Germany with the flowering aspect of cuckoo-herb

Danger

As early as the beginning of the 19th century, but increasingly after the Second World War , the wet meadows were converted into greasy meadows by extensive amelioration measures such as drainage and fertilization or by plowing into fields. These far-reaching changes led to the disappearance of many types of character in the wet meadows, while others are severely endangered or have declined. Another threat to wet meadows is the abandonment of the use of agricultural land for social, economic and agricultural structural reasons, but especially for reasons of location ( social fallow land ). This primarily affects marginal yield locations , which are areas that are difficult to manage, such as wet locations or very small plots, which are preferably abandoned. Due to the intensification of agriculture on the one hand and the abandonment of use on the other, the diversity that was once gained threatens to be lost. Instead of species-rich wet meadows, fat meadows, intensively used portion pastures and fields in which all wet indicators have disappeared and have been replaced by nitrogen indicators are now predominant .

Location factors

Grassland types in a moisture-intensity ecogram according to Dierschke & Briemle 2002, changed

Wet meadows exist in humid lowlands, in small areas also in swelly, dammed up to muddy areas of slopes and plateau areas and narrow valleys. To put it simply, there are wet meadows wherever there is enough moisture. The height distribution ranges from the planar to the subalpine, fragmentarily also to the alpine level . The factors climate, water balance and soil result in diverse plant and animal communities ( phyto and zoo communities ). These location factors are influenced by the use.

climate

A humid climate in which the total annual precipitation exceeds the annual evaporation, together with comparatively low summer temperatures, favors the formation of wet meadows. This is why they occur more frequently in the low mountain ranges , in the foothills of the Alps and near the coast of the North German Plain .

Water balance

Due to their water balance , wet meadows are separated from the rest of the economic grassland. For wet meadows, a temporarily high soil moisture from spring water to stagnant groundwater and backwater as well as partial flooding are decisive. The strong soil moisture penetration can last for a long time or be interrupted by phases of drying out in summer.

The at least temporary excess of water in the root area is associated with a lack of oxygen, which can lead to damage to the plant roots ( root breathing ) and restricted growth of the plants due to limited nutrient uptake. The plant species of the wet meadows are distinguished from species in other locations by special mechanisms of adaptation to the excess water. For example, a number of species have special hollow tissue ( aerenchymes ) in which air can be conducted from the above-ground shoot into the root, as well as specific metabolic pathways that do not require oxygen. As a result of these adaptations, wet meadow plants on damp and wet locations have a competitive advantage over plants in other locations.

Soils and nutrient supply

Species numbers of a meadow depending on the management intensity, according to Hutter, Briemle, Finke 1993

The soils of the marsh areas are Gleye , Pseudogley and related alluvial soils and on - and fens with different base and nutrient contents. The nutrient replenishment of the soil depends on its nutrient supply and its availability for the plants. Optimal plant growth requires a good supply of all plant nutrients, especially nitrogen , phosphorus and potassium . The natural nutrient content of the soil is supplemented by floods, the groundwater, the atmosphere and fertilization. The acidity of the soil has a decisive influence on the availability of plant nutrients and the ability of the plant roots to absorb nutrients. Wet meadows can occur on very acidic sites but also on lime-rich sites and on all transitions between these extremes.

Many plant species in the wet meadows of nutrient-poor locations have developed special mechanisms for adapting to nutrient deficiencies. In order to be able to use the few nutrients completely, they root intensively through the soil, form storage organs ( rhizomes , tubers ) and have an internal nutrient cycle by relocating them back to storage organs close to the ground in order to be able to use the nutrients quickly in the coming vegetation period .

Importance of use

A distinction is made between two types of use for wet meadows. The mowing can be done just once to obtain litter for cattle stalls with a single mowing in autumn (after the vegetation period or in winter) on locations with poorer nutrients (litter meadows, pipe grass meadows, burnt umbel meadows). In more nutrient-rich locations, mowing twice in spring (early to mid-June) and in late summer (mid-August to mid-September) is used to advertise winter fodder for ruminants such as cattle and sheep (fodder meadows, marsh marigold meadows).

A meadow only becomes what it is when it is mowed regularly, namely a species-rich plant stock with habitat suitability for the animal world. The cut promotes light-loving and low-growing plants and displaces tall-growing competitors. These include plants with a high ability to sprout again, so-called hemicryptophytes , which develop their persistence organs and leaves very close to the ground and cannot be reached by the knives of scythes and mowing machines. When mowing, the time of cutting decides essentially about the biodiversity. Regular mowing means that plants of different growth and life forms can grow next to each other on the same site. Mowing the later, the more possibilities have plants and animals in the ecosystem einzunischen meadow. Use with one or two cuts per year is able to withstand a particularly large number of plant species , the result is a species-rich flower meadow . The removal of the cuttings also causes a slow depletion of nutrients (starvation). This means that in the case of extensive use, the nutrient deficit may have to be regularly compensated for through organic fertilization with manure.

In extensively used wet meadows in the near-natural cultivated landscapes, between 40 and 60 higher plant species can grow on 20 m². The poorly nutrient-poor and unfertilized pipe grass meadows, also known as litter meadows, show a particular floristic wealth.

Winter aspect of a wet meadow fallow in north-western Germany with vegetation remains lying down (strewn felt)

The earlier and more often the mowing takes place, the fewer species there are that can cope with this stress. Many herbaceous plants, unlike grassy plants, have broad and large leaves. They are therefore not particularly easy to cut. In addition, they no longer bloom and thus no longer seed each other. The meadows become impoverished. In intensive agriculture, the aim is to increase production, which can only be achieved through high fertilization with nutrients that are quickly available to plants, for example liquid manure . A strong fertilization together with a high cutting frequency mean that the meadow is made up of a lot of young and therefore green leaf mass. There is not enough height to form flowers, and the plants only reproduce vegetatively . The result is a species-poor, uniformly green meadow. Seldom more than ten plant species grow on intensively cultivated areas and animals hardly find a habitat.

Tall herbaceous meadows with water cane and loosestrife in a wet meadow fallow

If the leveling intervention by humans is omitted, the differences in the competitive strength of the plants come to light. Light-loving species that rely on meadows to be mowed disappear within a very short time. Tall and runners are beginning to take hold. In nutrient-rich wet meadows, moist tall herbaceous meadows form , which are often dominated by the real meadowsweet (meadowsweet high herbaceous meadows ) or a single species of sweet grass or sedge (e.g. slender sedge ) can dominate. In marshy grass meadows, the stand structure changes due to the formation of clumps of pipe grass ( Molinia caerulea , M. arundinacea ), which grows like a lawn when mowed. On fallow grasslands, the variety of plant species initially decreases significantly, as does too intensive use. The leaves of the grasses form a thick felt. Incoming seeds do not get to the ground and consequently cannot germinate. Seeds in the soil lack the strength to pierce the felt. The impenetrability of the felt is reinforced by a blanket of snow in winter, especially in littered meadows. Since the biomass is no longer discharged in fallow land, there is an accumulation of nutrients and thus increased phytomass production .

The animal world is initially promoted by fallow traps, because insects and real spiders in particular are often disturbed in their breeding biology through use or cannot find the right structures. A large number of species that had no chance to live on the commercial grassland are migrating. Most of them are invertebrates , the number of species in fallow land up to ten times its value, and the number of individuals even up to twenty times its value. Over 100 bird species are promoted by the fallow land. With increasing bush cover, however, the fauna diversity decreases significantly.

Wet meadow types and vegetation

Globe flower meadow with globe flower ( Trollius europaeus ) in the Thuringian Forest

Wiesenknopf knotweed meadow with meadow knotweed ( Polygonum bistorta ) in the Thuringian Forest

The broad-leaved orchid ( Dactylorhiza majalis ) in a wet meadow in the Hohenlohe plain

The plant cover of the more nutrient-rich wetlands and meadows is essentially made up of grasses and a more or less high proportion of herbaceous plants. They are characterized by a large number of humidity and moisture indicators . From a plant sociological point of view, they include the fertilized or, on more nutrient-rich locations, stagnant "damp and wet meadows" (Calthion palustris), also known as marsh marigold meadows, as well as the unfertilized "pipe grass and burnt cone meadows" (Molinion caeruleae, Cnidion dubii) within the order of the "wet perennials" and Riedwiesen "(Molinietalia caeruleae) and the class of" Mähwiesen und Willowegesellschaften "( Molinio-Arrhenatheretea ).

Marsh marigold meadows

Marsh marigold meadows belong to the nutrient-rich wet meadows and are tall, dense and rich in flowers. They grow on alternating damp locations. The mean groundwater level fluctuates between 120 and 30 centimeters below the ground. In midsummer, the areas dry out, so that grazing is also possible. A constant and abundant water supply is always given in these wet and wet meadows, waterlogging does not occur. The meadows are mostly used as two-tier extensive grassland, i.e. mowing twice a year, and for fodder production (fodder meadows). They either emerged from tall herbaceous meadows, alternating damp litter meadows, reed beds , large sedge or small sedge with more or less the help of organic fertilization (farm manure, manure). This usage-related variant is found mainly in the North German Plain . However, their natural locations are in drier climates on deep, regularly overlooked floodplain soils of Pannonia . In terms of plant sociology, the nutrient-rich wet meadows are included in the association of Calthion palustris. The most important plant communities and meadow types are marsh marigold meadows, cabbage thistle meadow, calf cropf meadow, forest sedge meadow, meadow button-knotweed and globe flower meadows.

Characteristic species of these meadows are the eponymous species marsh marigold ( Caltha palustris ), cabbage thistle ( Cirsium oleraceum ), Hairy Chervil ( Chaerophyllum hirsutum ), Forest ledges ( Scirpus silvaticus ), great burnet ( Sanguisorba officinalis ), meadows knotweed ( Polygonum bistorta ) and globe flower ( Trollius europaeus ) and other moisture pointer as cuckoo flower ( Cardamine pratensis ), the ragged robin ( Lychnis flos-cuculi ), Water Avens ( Geum rivale ), Wild Angelica ( Angelica sylvestris ) and orchids such as the Broad-winged orchid ( Dactylorhiza majalis ).

Pipe grass meadows

Nutrient-poor marshmallow meadows are relatively dense, high-growth and herb-rich meadows on predominantly alkaline to lime-rich, moist to alternately moist unfertilized soils. The meadows have a high proportion of late-developing perennials , which are favored by late mowing in autumn. In regions with little straw, the clippings are traditionally used to produce litter for cattle stalls. The meadows are mowed in autumn when the meadow has become strawy. In contrast to fodder meadows, these so-called litter meadows do not receive any fertilization. They are very sensitive to increased use. Pipe grass meadows are mainly found in the Alps and in the northern foothills of the Alps in the temperate continental climate, where grain cultivation is unfavorable due to the climate. But they also occur in the North German lowlands, here mainly on drained bog soils. Of the location factors, the soil moisture is the decisive variable for the plant-sociological association assignment. The nutrient-poor pipe grass meadows are contained in the association of Molinion caeruleae. The different plant communities of the marsh grass meadows are comprehensively presented in the article litter meadows.

Characteristic species of these meadows are the eponymous species of blue pipe grass and pipe pipe grass ( Molinia caerulea , M. arundinacea ) as well as other signs of moisture and leanness such as edged leek ( Allium angulosum ), swallowwort gentian ( Gentiana asclepiadea ), Siberian iris ( Iris sibirica ), devil's bite ( Succisa pratensis ) and bloodroot ( Potentilla erecta ).

Burning umbels

Brenndoldenwiesen are alternately wet meadow meadows in the area of large, boreal - subcontinental river valleys, which are mostly regularly flooded by the spring floods of the rivers. Characteristic for this type of meadow, which is used extensively, is the common burner umbel ( Cnidium dubium ). Brenndoldenwiesen are widespread within Europe mainly in Austria, France and Germany. In Germany they occur mainly in the valleys of the Elbe, Oder and Havel. Apart from the main distribution, only a few occurrences are documented from the Upper Rhine area in Baden-Württemberg, from Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. The burning umbel meadows are contained in the association of the "Cnidion dubii". Their only plant community is the cone community Cnidio-violetum persicifoliae. In terms of area, the largest deposits are found in the March floodplains on the Austria-Slovakia border.

Among the characteristic species of the habitat type "cnidium meadow" include not only the eponymous type the Meadow Silge ( Silaum silaus ), Lathyrus palustris ( Lathyrus palustris ), dyers Charter ( Serratula tinctoria ), Spießblättriges skullcap ( Scutellaria hastifolia ) gratiola officinalis ( GRATIOLA officinalis ) and peach-leaved violet ( Viola persicifolia ).

Flora and fauna

The cuckoo's light carnation ( Lychnis flos-cuculi ) is a meadow plant that is well adapted to the management rhythm in wet meadows.

The diversity of the flora and fauna of the wet meadows results from various location factors such as soil moisture, height and fluctuations in water levels, vegetation structure, nutrient supply and intensity of use. The existence of various landscape structures and water areas such as ditches, brooks and ponds as well as parcel boundaries made of hedges and field trees with typical plant communities of reed beds, tall herbaceous meadows, large sedge areas, small sedge areas and floodplains has a significant effect on the increase in the diversity of plant species. The richness of the fauna, in particular, is not only influenced by extensive land management, but also by a varied biotope mosaic. For many animal groups, the more nutrient-rich wet meadows of the Calthion are among the most species-rich of all grassland ecosystems in Central Europe. Over 1900 animal species, up to 80% biotope-specific, have been identified in north-west German wet meadows. The pipe grass meadows of Molinion have the highest faunistic biodiversity after the poor grassland . From a landscape-ecological point of view, small-scale, natural structures in a mosaic-like interlocking with the grassland used are an essential basis of life for numerous animal species, especially for those with greater space requirements who are dependent on different landscape structures to raise their young or to search for food. The loss of wet meadows and a structurally rich landscape leads to the loss of many biotope-specific plant and animal species. Many species of the wetlands are therefore listed in the numerous Red Lists of endangered animal and plant species in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. A number of species also enjoy legal protection through the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species , the IUCN , the Bern Convention (implementation in the EU Bird Protection Directive and Habitats Directive) and the Federal Species Protection Ordinance .

Meadow plants

The curlew ( Numenius arquata ) is endangered in Germany, and even threatened with extinction in Austria and Switzerland.

Meadow plants are plants that depend on mowing because this is the only way to find suitable lighting conditions for their development. This does not mean that they would not grow better without the associated damage, but that the mowing prevents potentially dominant species from spreading. Due to their growth form with assimilation organs (hemicryptophytes) located near the ground, low growth and their mostly early phenological development, i.e. early sprouting and early flowering, meadow plants can tolerate the damaging influence of the cut and quickly regenerate from the near-ground buds or meristems. The main organs of assimilation get back into a favorable light climate and are thus freed from taller competitors. This allows the plant to regenerate again. Most grasses belong to the eyrie and crawling hemicryptophytes, for example the flood plumes ( Glyceria fluitans ), the common stalk grass ( Anthoxanthum odoratum ) or the white ostrich grass ( Agrostis stolonifera ). Herbaceous plants predominantly have a base rosette close to the ground and often spread via runners, such as the creeping buttercup ( Ranunculus repens ). Examples of species promoted by the mowing are cuckoo's light carnation ( Lychnis flos-cuculi ), ribwort ( Plantago lanceolata ), devil's bite ( Succisa pratensis ), swamp thistle ( Cirsium palustre ) or water common groundwort ( Jacobaea aquatica ).

Meadow birds

Whinchat ( Saxicola rubetra ) on a raised hide. In Germany the species is considered endangered. In Austria and Switzerland it is included in the pre-warning lists.

Bird species that predominantly colonize wet grassland, breed on the ground and raise their young, or use wet meadows as a feeding habitat as well as resting and transit areas are called “meadow birds”. In Central Europe, the following species are considered key species for wet and damp meadows:

The ruff ( Philomachus pugnax ) is threatened with extinction in Germany, in Austria the population is extinct. In Switzerland the ruff is a regular migrant in both migration times .

Skylark ( Alauda arvensis )
Meadow Pipit ( Anthus pratensis )
White stork ( Ciconia ciconia )
Montagu's Harrier ( Circus pygargus )
Corn Corn ( Crex crex )
Common Common Snipe ( Gallinago gallinago )
Black godwit ( Limosa limosa )
Yellow wagtail ( Motacilla flava )
Curlew ( Numenius arquata )
Ruff ( Philomachus pugnax )
Spotted rail ( Porzana porzana )
Whinchat ( Saxicola rubetra )
Stonechat ( Saxicola rubicola )
Redshank ( Tringa totanus )
Lapwing ( Vanellus vanellus )

The primary habitats of meadow birds have often been destroyed or are in decline. The grassland serves them as a secondary habitat . Snipe, potted rail and black-tailed godwit, for example, have immigrated from upland and fens. Redshank and oystercatchers come from the salt marshes. The ruff was originally native to the tundra.

For the settlement of wet meadows, vegetation structure, intensity of use, soil moisture, area size and clarity of the site play a decisive role. The bird life of the wet meadows is characterized by a number of highly endangered species. The largest proportion of meadow birds make up waders ( Limikolen ). A diversely structured usage mosaic over a large area is often seen today as a guarantee for a high biodiversity of meadow birds.

Many of these birds have a bond with open, low-growing structures, such as those found in the primary habitats mentioned. The different species need a clearly manageable landscape in order to be able to recognize enemies quickly. For example, the curlew more than other species needs clear spaces that are not interrupted by trees or settlements. The species mentioned are dependent on water-filled depressions, pools and flattened ditch edges for foraging. Furthermore, the soil moisture is of decisive importance for the occurrence of meadow birds. Common snipe, ruff and godwit, for example, have the highest demands on soil moisture, because they can only probe and poke for food in wet soil. There is an indirect connection to wet meadows for a number of bird species such as the whinchat, which mainly uses fringing and edge structures. In the intensive grassland there is a lack of tall perennials, which he uses as a stand guard for singing and hunting. Fence posts have been a good substitute so far, but they are also disappearing more and more due to the growing plots.

The fire-bellied toad ( Bombina bombina ) uses wet meadow areas in the vicinity of bodies of water. It is endangered in Austria and very endangered in Germany.

Amphibians and reptiles

Swamp horror ( Stethophyma grossum ) can only be found in intact wet meadows, as they need moist soil to lay their eggs.

Amphibians need open water areas in order to reproduce, in which they spawn and their larvae can develop. They colonize land habitats such as wet meadows for wintering and oversummer. As complex residents, you are dependent on the interlinking of amphibious and terrestrial spaces. The tree frog ( Hyla arborea ), the moor frog ( Rana arvalis ) and the fire-bellied toad ( Bombina bombina ) concentrate their occurrence in the wet grassland. The three species need sunlit bodies of water with dense, not too high bank vegetation and surrounding wet meadow complexes as part of their habitat. They are adapted to open habitats with high water levels, such as those naturally found in floodplains.

A typical reptile species in extensive wet meadows, provided that small bodies of water are integrated into the grassland, is the grass snake ( Natrix natrix ). The meadows are an important summer habitat, especially for hunting prey and for resting and sunbathing. Pipe grass meadows play a special role for the adder ( Vipera berus ) and the forest lizard ( Zootoca vivipara ).

Invertebrates

The eggs of Roesel's bite insect ( Metrioptera roeselii ) are flood-tolerant. It is a common species in burning umbel meadows.

The invertebrate fauna of the wet meadows is extraordinarily rich. Insects and spiders are predominantly much smaller in the structures of their habitats than birds and amphibians, for example because they use different plant species or often only colonize narrow areas of soil moisture. Their often high mobility enables them to leave their living space quickly in the event of environmental changes or they switch to suitable neighboring structures. The great variety of different structures and factors causes an almost unmanageable number of species. A large number of invertebrates is hygrophilous and lives stenotopically exclusively in such habitat types. Many species live mono- to oligophagous on only one or very few plant species. Other species need different habitat elements, for example for foraging for food, for larval development or for wintering. In nature and landscape planning, grasshoppers and butterflies are often used as indicators for assessing and evaluating landscapes and parts of the landscape because of their close connection to biotopes. These should be shown here as an example.

Jumping horror

The great fire butterfly ( Lycaena dispar )

Jumping terrors (Orthoptera or Saltatoria) are typical representatives of grassy and open landscapes. Some species prefer habitats with high soil and air humidity and are sensitive to fluctuations in these environmental factors. The marsh grasshopper ( Chorthippus montanus ) and the marsh shrimp ( Stethophyma grossum ) have the highest moisture requirements . These jumping terrors are also known as hygrophil (moisture-loving). Hygrophilic species can be used as indicators for determining microclimatic conditions or the vegetation characteristics on moist to wet locations. The good level of knowledge of the habitat requirements of different species of jumping terrestrial and the easy comprehensibility of this manageable group of animal species make them an important element in the assessment of open land biotopes. Due to the large climate, the species compositions of the jumping horror fauna are very different. However, some species can be named that are regularly found in wet meadows.

Typical species in marsh marigold meadows:

Common grasshopper ( Chorthippus parallelus )
White-rimmed grasshopper ( Chorthippus albomarginatus )
Short-winged sword insect ( Conocephalus dorsalis )
Long-winged swordfish ( Conocephalus fuscus )
Great golden terrestrial ( Chrysochcraon dispar )
Colorful grasshopper ( Omocestus viridulus )
Saber thorn insect ( Tetrix subulata )

Typical species in pipe grass meadows:

Wartbiter ( Decticus verrucivorus )
Leek insect ( Mecostethus parapleurus )
Short-winged bite insect ( Metrioptera brachyptera )
Bog cricket ( Pteronemobius heydenii )

Butterflies

The swallowtail ( Papilio machaon )

Butterflies are herbivores that often depend on the presence of very specific host plants. In extreme cases, their caterpillars , in particular, are restricted to just one type of plant. The caterpillar of the ringed mother-of-pearl moth feeds exclusively on the meadow knotweed. Many species inhabit completely different habitats, which are summarized under the collective term "multi-biotope or different biotope inhabitants". In marsh marigold meadows, however, extensive use without fertilization can develop a very species-rich butterfly fauna, which is characterized by many stenotopic species that are true to their location. The butterfly fauna of the Brenndoldenwiesen depends very much on whether there is flood-free grassland vegetation in the neighborhood for wintering. Most of these meadows are characterized by food guests due to their abundance of flowers. Important nectar plants are, for example, the edged leek, meadow knapweed and meadow elephant . Pipe grass meadows also have a large number of typical and often endangered butterfly species.

Swallowtail caterpillar ( Papilio machaon )

Typical species in marsh marigold meadows:

Border ring mother-of-pearl butterfly ( Boloria eunomia )
Brown-spotted mother-of-pearl butterfly ( Boloria selene )
Meadowsweet mother-of-pearl butterfly ( Brenthis ino )
Plebejus eumedon ( Eumedonia eumedon )
Great fire butterfly ( Lycaena dispar )
Blue iridescent fire butterfly ( Lycaena bright )
Purple Gold Fire Butterfly ( Lycaena hippothoe )
Brown fire butterfly ( Lycaena tityrus )
Valerian butterfly ( Melitaea diamina )

Typical species in burning umbel meadows:

Swallowtail ( Papilio machaon )

Typical species in pipe grass meadows:

Heilziest thick-headed butterfly ( Carcharodus floccifera )
Bog meadow bird ( Coenonympha oedippus )
Golden piebald butterfly ( Euphydryas aurinia )
Round-eyed Mohrenfalter ( Erebia medusa )
Bluebird ( Phengaris alcon )
Dark blue antblue ( Phengaris nausithous )
Light blue blue ant ( Phengaris teleius )
Blue-eyed forest porter ( Minois dryas )

Importance and ecological functions

In today's industrial society , the social and ecological functions of wetlands and thus also of the wetlands are becoming increasingly important. The production of fodder and thus the importance of wet meadows as agricultural production areas are clearly in the background today.

Wet meadow areas are of high aesthetic value and, due to the enrichment of the landscape, are of particular social importance. Surveys confirm that flower-filled meadows rank immediately behind the landscape elements of the water and forest edge in popularity among people looking for relaxation. Furthermore, wet meadows and meadows have a special value for natural and local history as evidence of a traditional cultural landscape .

The ecological functions of the landscapes shaped by water are primarily based on the plant cover that is closed all year round. On the one hand, this prevents soil loss through erosion , and on the other hand, there is significantly lower nutrient discharge compared to other agricultural crops such as fields. This applies both to the displacement of phosphate through surface erosion and to the leaching of nitrate . The leaching of nitrogen compounds under grassland amounts to about one sixth that of arable land. In this way, grassland areas make a significant contribution to drinking water protection . Especially in soils with a high content of organic matter, nitrogen oxides are released into the environment in addition to nitrate as a result of drainage and upheaval due to nitrification and denitrification . Gases such as the so-called laughing gas (N ₂ O) are produced, which is involved in the destruction of the ozone layer and the greenhouse effect . A closed plant cover makes a significant contribution to climate protection . In addition to maintaining the quality of the drinking water reserves, grassland areas are an important medium for the formation of new groundwater and thus the drinking water quantity. The filter effect and the water-retaining properties of the humus soil layer cause a constant and sustainable regeneration of groundwater. The delayed release of water to streams and rivers is of great importance. Wetlands thus represent retention zones for flood events. Last but not least, wet meadow areas in the densely populated cultural landscape are the last places of refuge and important substitute habitats for a large number of plants and animals and are therefore of great importance for species protection .

protection and care

The aim of nature, species and biotope protection is not only to protect individual wild species ( species protection programs and action plans ), but also to maintain and restore their habitats. This also includes cultural landscapes such as wet meadows, which are to be preserved or restored by imitating traditional forms of cultivation and renaturation measures . They belong to the biologically very diverse and valuable types of vegetation that are very much in decline. Various sovereign instruments of nature conservation as well as private initiatives offer possibilities for the protection and maintenance of wet meadows.

Instruments of nature protection

Landscape- protected Tiefwerder meadows in Berlin that are partially wet after heavy rainfall

The legislative competence for nature conservation in Germany is divided between the federal government ( Federal Nature Conservation Act ) and the individual federal states . In Austria responsibility also falls under the responsibility of the federal states, in Switzerland the cantons are responsible. As a rule, however, the ordinances of nature reserves contain only minor restrictions on grassland management. They only prevent the plowing of grassland into arable land and further drainage. Furthermore, agricultural use is largely exempted from essential nature conservation bans, notification and approval requirements. In order to still be able to influence the type of cultivation, nature conservation policy is promoting cooperation with farmers. A voluntary usage agreement for a specific property (field, meadow, bank area) is concluded between the nature conservation authority and property owners (especially farmers ), with appropriate remuneration. For example, certain times are set for mowing. The amount of the fee depends on the type of service in favor of nature and landscape. The so-called contractual nature conservation within the framework of various wetland protection programs is becoming increasingly important. Another way of protecting wet meadows is to purchase land. It is an important instrument, especially in core areas for the protection of wet meadows, since more extensive rewetting measures can only be carried out on purchased areas.

There are also programs and individual directives of the European Union as well as international agreements. The Habitats Directive obliges the member states at European level to establish a coherent European ecological network of protected areas called Natura 2000 for the preservation of natural habitats as well as wild plants and animals. For example, pipe grass and burnt umbel meadows are particularly protected habitat types according to the Habitats Directive. With regard to the protection of meadow birds, the EU Birds Directive on the conservation of wild birds is the European Community's instrument to protect all wild birds in Europe and to preserve them in their natural habitats and areas of distribution. At the international level, the Ramsar Convention , an agreement on wetlands, especially as a habitat for waterbirds and waders, is of international importance.

Initiatives by nature conservation organizations

Display board on the wet meadow habitat as an "information medium on site"

With the increased environmental awareness and the stronger involvement of the nature conservation associations in active nature conservation in the late 1970s and early 1980s, impulses came from there to create meadows and meadow-like biotopes and thus the cultural landscape. A number of regional nature conservation associations and nature conservation associations were formed, which, with voluntary helpers, maintain the marginal yield locations threatened by bush encroachment ( dekusselung ).

Keeping the areas free by de-fluffing is only feasible on comparatively small plots, because this maintenance measure is a very time-consuming and labor-intensive undertaking. Continuing or reintroducing extensive use will achieve better results in the protection of wet meadows. Essential elements of a traditional form of farming are that no biocides or mineral fertilizers are used. At most, manure is spread on the meadows once a year. Maintenance work, such as harrowing and rolling , will not be carried out after March 1st. The areas are only mowed after June 15, a second time in autumn. Lean wet meadows should be protected from nutrients from neighboring, intensively used areas by creating a 15 meter wide verge. Unfertilized greasy meadows can be converted into wet meadow areas through targeted emaciation, i.e. mowing five to six times a year. The use of modern technology is also indispensable in the maintenance of wet meadows. When mowing, however, the use of machines should be adapted by using technology that is not too heavy ( tractors , rotary mowers ), because the water-saturated soils tend to compaction . Furthermore, vegetation-friendly mowers such as bar mowers should be used.

In many cases, wet meadow maintenance can no longer be achieved through voluntary work alone. There are costs for the management with machines, for rewetting measures and land purchases. Funding from the federal and state governments or from nature conservation foundations is usually insufficient and limited in time. In order to cover part of the costs, the meadow hay obtained is often marketed. The quality standards of hay buyers are high. Potential customers are primarily horse and wild animal owners and zoological gardens, but also the small animal market . The extraction of hay with a far lower yield requires higher sales prices due to extensive use. The advantages of meadow hay are seen in their abundance of herbs in comparison to the species-poor hay of intensively used meadows. It contains an average of 40 flowering plants. In addition to the biodiversity, the medicinal properties of many herbs, such as ribwort and yarrow , which have been known to have a beneficial effect on horses suffering from allergies and coughs, are particularly valued . Analyzes by the University of Veterinary Medicine in Hanover have confirmed on the basis of hay samples that meadow hay has a favorable lime content, low protein content, as well as optimal raw fiber content and important trace elements such as magnesium and manganese . These components are essential, especially for horses, and are a deficiency factor in intensively cultivated areas. Due to the late mowing dates, good drying and low water content in the plant cells, the susceptibility of the hay to mold is low and consequently the storage stability is comparatively high.

The dialogue with the public is of great importance for the protection of wet meadows. On the one hand, more volunteers are to be won. On the other hand, potential hay customers or sponsors to finance the maintenance of wet meadows and land purchases have to be found. Information events, press releases, brochures and information boards on site as well as various campaigns are used as opportunities to provide information about wet meadows and their need for protection.

Renaturation

The conversion of fat meadows or eutrophic litter meadows back into nutrient-poor litter meadows is usually difficult and sometimes very tedious. The success of the renaturation of wet meadows cannot yet be conclusively assessed based on current experience. In general, the nutritional status of the soil and the composition of the vegetation before planned renaturation measures are decisive for success. What matters is whether there are still species of the desired vegetation. It is also important that the locations are “emaciated” due to increased frequency of cuts at the beginning of the measures, whereby the cutting times for the first mowing should not be selected too early. In addition, a light fertilization with phosphorus and potassium in the form of slow-acting mineral fertilizers ( Thomas flour , kainite ) is recommended on pure fen sites. A rewetting in the case of renaturation should only be initiated in the course of emaciation.

List of wet meadows

Feuchtwiese Vennheide , (Westphalia) Egge
Moist meadows Ströhen , (Westphalia) Egge
Wet meadows in the desert
Feuchtwiesen Hörste in Halle (Westf.)
Wet meadows Röhrmann

swell

The general information in this article is taken from the references listed under Literature and Web Links. In addition, individual aspects, special topics, figures, etc. are taken from the listed individual publications.

Web links

Commons : Feuchtwiesen - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Wiktionary: Feuchtwiese - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Litter meadows and wet meadows. Biotopes in Baden-Württemberg Volume 5, 1995. State Institute for Environmental Protection Baden-Württemberg (pdf download, 9.5 MB).
Change of use in wet meadow areas, example Max Clemens Canal (PDF; 768 kB) Geographical Commission for Westphalia

This article was added to the list of excellent articles on September 5, 2006 in this version .

[1] Brühl . In: Meyers Konversations-Lexikon . 4th edition. Volume 3, Verlag des Bibliographisches Institut, Leipzig / Vienna 1885–1892, p. 508.

[2] 1. Margret Bunzel-Drüke et al: Large animals and landscape - from practice to theory. Volume 3, Natural and Cultural Landscape. Höxter / Jena, 1999, pp. 210-229. phytoplankton.info (PDF).