Calcareous grassland

As Magerrasen different types of extensively used grassland on nutrient- poor, " lean" locations are summarized. The species composition in this habitat type is dominated by herb and shrub plants. When dry grassland is called a type of nutrient-poor grasslands, where the drought is as a cause of income poverty particularly in the foreground. Today, most nutrient-poor grasslands are threatened in their existence. As refuges of many endangered species, the remaining areas are often particularly protected.

Commonly referred to as lean grassland in mowing as rough pasture, with grazing as rough grazing, over stocks between "real" poor grassland and intensive grassland are usually referred. You can be just as species and flowers rich as the actual Magerrasen, with mixed their species composition. They are often originated by weak fertilization of nutrient-poor grassland. According to phytosociological nomenclature would be linguistically not very elegant speak of " skinny fat meadows ".

Would you consider an ideal type, beweideteten slope in a karstic area as the Swabian Alb in the 19th century, then one would find in the most arid and sunny most exposed parts dry lawn in front, with increasing moisture semi-arid grassland, then rough grazing and finally at the bottom of the valley fat pastures. Dry grasslands and semi-arid grassland are scientific subdivisions of lean grass that were agriculturally not made.

Agriculture and the poor grass were in contrast to the lean and rich pastures only extensively grazed by sheep and goats and called hat or drift. The potential forest vegetation of Central Europe's first permanent grazing leads by at least 30 to 50 livestock units per 100 ha for the sustainable development of a forest-free pasture: this corresponds to 30 to 50 adult cattle, or about 300 to 500 sheep.

Since the task of most migrant shepherds' since the end of the 19th century Magerrasen major changes are subject. Either the pastoral industry has been intensified through artificial fertilization or the willows were planted or just leave the bush encroachment. However, karst mountains are just a type of landscape that led to the emergence of low-yield poor grass.

Word Meaning

The term lean refers to the distinction of rich grassland only once on the lower income. Secondary one thinks due to the important relationship also to the nutritional content, but is not the only factor that determines the yield. Do not confuse this meaning with the use in soil science where a clay-rich clay is called fat, a tonarmer than lean.

Site conditions

Magerrasen occur on different soils and soil types, which is only their poverty in nutrients, especially nitrogen together. Most stocks can be found on soils with special extreme site conditions, since soils "average " sites were mostly changed from agriculture by fertilization. Particularly floriferous are neglected grassland on calcareous soils ( Kalktrockenrasen ). On acid soils, they are mainly used to sand before ( xeric grasslands ), often intertwined with Gentiles. Also pastures and alpine mats usually represent Magerrasen dar. plant species of nutrient-poor grasslands often have a high drought resistance. But the decisive factor is their ability to thrive on poor soils. The types of Magerrasen subject in fertilized meadows and pastures due to its low competitive ability other plants in the struggle for survival.

Formation

Poor grassland plant community as nutrient-poor sites in Central Europe go back to man's activity. They were created mostly by grazing originally forested areas. Since the grazing animals (mainly goats and sheep) bite the young trees and shrubs, the grazed Hutewald opens more and more, it created clearings, until finally disappear woody plants and a very poor grass remains. Magerrasen were therefore typical of the shared by all villagers parts of the district, the commons ( regionally as " Mark ", " hat ", " heath " and so called ). Under the present conditions of agriculture, the management of nutrient-poor grasslands is no longer profitable. They are often called " wasteland " in the cadastre or designated " Unland ". The previously existing Magerrasen have therefore been ameliorated or reforested from little remains either by fertilization.

Whether could have possibly subordinate in Central Europe also natural lean grass exists is controversial. After the " Megaherbivoren hypothesis" they may be partially relics of natural pasture grass, as they could be incurred before the appearance of humans in the former landscape through grazing activity of the naturally occurring large herbivores. Only the extermination of large grazing animals by humans have led to the suppression of open pasture nutrient-poor grasslands in Central Europe. Were the air alongside the hunt possibly partly responsible for the prehistoric extinction of large herbivores mammoth, Altelephant, forest rhinoceros, woolly rhinoceros and steppe bison, then the extinction or the extensive eradication of wild horse, giant deer, elk, bison, wood bison, cave bear and brown bear, the once often our landscape populated, due to the people. The botanists E. degree has referred to this (hypothetical) natural nutrient-poor grasslands in southern Germany as a " heathland ". The original words may already park-like pasture forests were weitertradiert by the usual forest grazing of domestic animals in the vicinity of human settlements from the Neolithic period and have spread in the train of the development of the pastoral industry. Because of the policies supported by the people genesis most animal and plant species of nutrient-poor grasslands have not their distribution center in Central Europe. Many species come from the ( natural ) steppes of Eastern Europe or from rock lawn of the Mediterranean ( garrigue ) immigrated.

Magerrasen are caused by extensive agricultural use ( einschürige hay meadows or sheep pastures ) on nutrient-poor areas (or at least heavily subsidized ) ecosystems, which in the pre-industrial agriculture took place only a extensive land use. Typical of poor grass was the transhumance, were used for the large pastures. Accordingly, they are also now permanently obtained only by use ( as a substitute by appropriate care or ). If the use of permanently discontinued, they verbrachen and many of the specific animal and plant species will be lost.

As an exotic example of a current use with development of lean lawns can be called to military training areas. Here it comes by constantly tearing the vegetation sandy, shallower locations, as a result of the driving activity of tracked vehicles, also the curbing of woody plants. Since military training areas (as opposed to almost all of today's agricultural land ) not fertilized, Magerrasen may arise (for example, Mainz Sand Dunes ).

Types of Magerrasen

• Sand Magerrasen see dry grass
• Lime - poor grassland ( dry grassland ) see contribution dry grasslands
• Steppe grasslands ( clay) in Central Eastern Europe
• Transitional forms with more favorable nutrient and moisture conditions as poor grassland and semi-arid grassland.
• Silicate dry grasslands
• Wacholderheide ( this term is often used but says nothing about the plant community from )
• Brenne, small -scale grass habitat in riparian forests
• Heavy metal - poor grassland, for example, in the Harz and Harz foothills (see also heavy metal lawn )
• Borstgrasrasen

Conservation / management measures

The above conditions make the Magerrasen a sanctuary of endangered animal and plant species. Many Red List species exist here. To get the poor grass and prevent its progression to woody ( shrub encroachment ), the surfaces must be maintained in the rule. The care measures include extensive grazing ( grazing by sheep) and Entbuschungsmaßnahmen ( Entkusselung ). These animals nibble off the shoots of bushes and shrubs, thereby preventing the emergence of woody plants. Junipers are, however, frequently found on nutrient-poor grasslands because they are shunned by the grazing animals.