Lower hostage valley near Merseburg

Coordinates: 51 ° 20 ′ 19 ″  N , 11 ° 58 ′ 27 ″  E

Lower hostage valley near Merseburg​

Saxony-Anhalt

The Lower Geiselniederung near Merseburg is a nature reserve in the city of Merseburg in the Saalekreis in Saxony-Anhalt .

The nature reserve with the registration number NSG 0230 is around 52  hectares in size. It is partially a component of approximately 57 hectares FFH area "hostage Niederung Merseburg west" and to a large extent by the conservation area surrounded "Geiselaue". The area has been under protection since 2003 (date of regulation: July 31, 2003). The responsible lower nature conservation authority is the Saalekreis.

The nature reserve is located in the Geiselniederung in the southwest of the city. It protects an ecologically valuable section of the lowland through which the Geisel and Klyegraben flow here . The nature reserve is characterized by large stocks of reed beds as well as large and small sedge areas. The flowing waters are accompanied in places by softwood alluvial forest. In addition, alder forests , alder and ash forests and moist tall herbaceous vegetation can be found. Stocks of marshmallow , panicle sedge and marsh goose thistle are particularly significant . On formerly extensively managed and therefore very species-rich wet meadows , reed beds are spreading through abandonment .

The humid lowlands here are influenced by salt from rising water from the lower lying Zechstein . North and south of running through the reserve communication path Merseburg-south Zscherben are inland salt to find. As a special feature and unique in their richness in the region, various salt plants can be found in the protected area , including beach trident , beach milkweed , salt scaly chickweed , salt and sea ​​plantain , beach aster , salt swaths , salt horn clover , salt rush , single- skin swamp rush , asparagus pea , syrup , rock clover and distant sedge .

The nature reserve is a habitat and a. of Marsh Harrier , Water Rail , Reed Warbler , Marsh Warbler , Beutelmeise and reed bunting . For these species, and additionally for sedge warbler , reed warbler , Savi's Warbler and Woodcock the reed beds have a meaning as a resting place during the bird migration . The bearded tit continues to overwinter here . The sanctuary is still the habitat of various snails , including the finely-finned grass snail , glossy agate snail and bellied snail , some of which are endangered . The humid lowlands are also an important habitat for amphibians . Common frogs are particularly numerous here . For the broad-winged bat , the lowland is a feeding habitat. The salt-influenced meadows in the nature reserve are habitat for adapted animal species, including rare species of beetles .

The nature reserve borders on built-up areas in the city of Merseburg to the north and south. To the west, agricultural areas and the town of Zscherben border the nature reserve, to the east the Merseburg South Park adjoins the nature reserve. The Geiselniederung thus also has a regional climatic significance as a fresh air corridor for the city.

See also

• List of nature reserves in Saxony-Anhalt

Web links

• Lower hostage valley near Merseburg , Saxony-Anhalt State Administration Office

Individual evidence

1. ^ Geiselniederung west of Merseburg , profiles of the Natura 2000 areas, Federal Agency for Nature Conservation . Retrieved April 18, 2018.