EXECUTIVE SUMMARY - UNESCO World Heritage

64 NOMINATION DOSSIER "ANCIENT BEECH FORESTS OF GERMANY"
Geology:
argillaceous slate,
greywacke, siliceous rock,
loess clay
Climate:
Subatlantic-Subcontinental
Soil:
brown soil, rankers
Predominant beech
forest types:
Luzulo-Fagetum
Climate
Located within the rain shadow of Hochsauerland,
which abuts on its western border,
the property is dominated by a subatlanticsubcontinental
transitional climate.
Th e average precipitation volume is 600 to
800 mm annually. Th e annual mean air
temperature lies between 6 and 8 °C. Th e
main growth season lasts for 120 to 140
days. Kellerwald’s agitated relief has created
a relatively small-scale climate mosaic from
south-exposed dry slopes to humid-cool
valleys.
Soils
Hallmarks of the entire area are acidic,
nutrient-poor, and shallow soils. Brown soils
of shallow to medium depths and medium
to low base contents have formed over greywacke
and argillaceous slate. Loess loam
and loess-loamy coats of talus with profound
and rather nutrient-rich brown soils are
locally found on lower slopes and antic lines.
Shallow brown soils and rankers are widely
found on dry slopes and crests. Virgin soil
types occur in extreme rock and talus sites.
Water balance
Th e nominated area lies in the Eder River
catchment area, with hardly any yielding
groundwater occurrences. With their
mostly near-natural structures, the streams
within the component part show moderate
to very high fl ow diversities. All geochemical
parameters emphasise the siliceous character
of the water bodies, which are nutrient-
poor and predominantly free of organic
(anthro po genic) loads. Spring water is generally
found to be ultrapure.
Biotic factors
Biotopes and vegetation
Kellerwald is widely characterised by acidophilous
beech forests in the typical (Luzulo-
Fagetum typicum) and nutrient-rich
(Luzulo-Fagetum milietosum) as well as
nutrient-depleted (cladonietosum), humid,
fern-rich (dryopterietosum) and rocky
variants. Natural high-value timber tree
forests as well as boulder and slope forests
(Tilio-Acerion) or dry oak forests with
near-natural structures, which locally merge
into peculiar stunted beech forests (Luzulo-
Quercetum), are found in the numerous
rocky sites such a stone runs and taluses.
Per vading the beech forests like veins, the
numerous fountain raceways and brooks
are lined with alder-ash forests (fi g. 2.13).
Flora
As of today (NATIONAL PARK PLAN
2008) , the fl ora of the entire national park
is composed of about 550 fern and fl owering
plant species, 383 fungal species (inventory
not yet completed), 146 of which are
endangered at a regional and supraregional
level, and 270 lichen species (inventory
not yet completed) including a number of
“primeval forest indicators”. Moss populations
are still under survey (320 species as
of today). White Wood-rush (Luzula luzuloides)
is the indicator species of the acidophilous
beech forest, which is wide spread in
the area. Together with Fagus sylvatica, it
is ende mic to Europe. Rare tree species
include haw, wild service tree, broad leaved
lime, and Norway maple, while Alpine
currant ranks among the rare shrub species
– all of which being predominantly species
of dry forests as well as of boulder and rock
vegetations. Among the herbaceous fl owering
plants, the Central European endemite
Cheddar Pink (Dianthus gratianopolitanus)
is worthy of mention. Kellerwald is home
to the largest Hessian population of this
globally endangered postglacial relic species.
Noteworthy fungal species include the socalled
“primeval forest indicators” such as
the Coral Tooth and Ceramic Parchment
Fungus.