Zur Herkunft von Pflanzenarten anthropo-zoogener Kalk-Halbtrockenrasen Mitteleuropas: Überlegungen am Beispiel des nördlichen deutschen Hügel- und Berglandes

Abstract

Schmidt, M.; Fischer, P.; Becker, C.: Suggestions of where plant species of limestone grassland might come from – Hercynia N. F. 40 (2007): 257–267.The floristic combination of species of anthropo-zoogenic limestone grassland can be interpreted as a new combination of forest plants with plants from non-forest habitats in the respective area and plants which have moved in from habitats outside Central Europe. Among the non-forest habitats, which might be considered to be the original habitats of limestone grassland plant species – first of all – are forest limit habitats caused by drought or forest limit habitats with a high geomorphological activity on dolomite, gypsum and limestone. The question which plant species might have moved from the above mentioned area and settled in semi-natural limestone grassland can be discussed if you compare the vegetation of forest limit habitats with anthropo-zoogenic limestone grassland from a floristic point of view. The data were obtained as a result of more than 3.000 relevés in the northern German highlands. In a natural landscape rich in forests the chances of survival of limestone grassland plant species to a high degree depend on the amount of light they require. Frequent light measurements will answer the question which of the plants existing in anthropo-zoogenic limestone grassland is able to survive in forest limit habitats too.