Vegetation change caused by land-use intensification —examples from the Hilly Country of Saxony |
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| Authors: | Dr H Schlüter Dr W Böttcher Dr O Bastian |
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| Institution: | (1) Institute of Geography and Geoecology, Academy of Sciences, Georgi-Dimitroff-Platz 1, 7010 Leipzig, Germany;(2) Working Group on Natural Budget and Regional characteristics, Saxon Academy of Sciences, Zellescher Weg 19, 8027 Dresden, Germany |
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| Abstract: | Land-use intensification, especially by industrilization of agriculture, has caused substantial changes in landscape, in particular in vegetation. This is demonstrated by some examples from the Saxon Hilly Country: Meadows of a flood plain rich in species were transformed into monotonous grassland and ploughed fields; formerly richly differentiated agro-phytocoenoses became extremely depleted; in fruit plantations a new herbicide-tolerating plant community developed; in small remains of agro-woods and in coniferous forests eutrophication favours nitrophilous species at the expense of acidophilous species.All in all, we perceive a dramatic reduction in the biotic diversity with regard to plant and animal species as well as biocoenoses. This is of great landscape-ecological significance: The self-regulation of matter and energy cycles is limited; compensation by inputs of matter and energy may cause irreversible damage to landscapes. By harmonization of economic and ecological goals, an optimum biotic diversity and ecological stability should be aimed at. Vegetation is crucial as a dominating biotic component of landscape and as an integral bioindicator in environmental monitoring. |
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