Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Biosphere - WBGU

Development of the cultivated landscape in Central Europe E 2.1
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Table E 2.1-1
Land use systems and biodiversity in Central Europe.
Source: after Kretschmer et al, 1997
Period Land use Land use Biotope Species
system designation diversity diversity
Post Ice Age Natural landscapes Large primary Very high in large Very high in large
to Middle Ages without or with forests as well as areas; more or less areas; in small areas
limited use bogs and swamps high in small areas, usually restricted
dominating; large-scale depending on the woodland species;
use for hunting; landscape type and open land species
animal husbandry and natural dynamics only at special sites
crop growing starting
(bogs, riparian mea-)
here and there
dows, cliffs, etc)
Approx 9th Mediaeval Large-scale forest Very high in large Very high in large
century to agricultural clearance; strip farming areas; in small areas areas; suppression of
approx 1750 system and grazing (very increase due to the many woodland
extensive). Oligotrophi- appearance of diverse species (loss of
cation of entire landscapes, oligotrophic open land large mammals),
very low productivity and and successions biotopes spread of open land
some declining soil (meadows, dry grassland, species, migration of
fertility grazed forests, etc); loss archeotypes and
of many types of
the first neophytes
primary forest
Approx 1750 Modern extensive Separation of agriculture Still a high biotope mosaic Decline beginning in
to 1950 peasant farming and forestry from large- in large and small areas; some small areas;
and managed scale afforestation; further destruction of continuing very high
forestry replacement of strip natural biotopes (bogs, in large areas; risk to
farming withversatile swamps, etc); great species in previously
crop rotation; better restriction of mediaeval unused biotopes (eg
nutrient balances open land biotopes, some bogs); start of the
(cultivation of legumes replaced by extensive suppression of species
and the use of manure), meadows and forests on oligotrophic sites;
moderate productivity
increased migration
with improved soil
of neophytes
fertility
1950 to 1990 Industrialized, Farming and forestry Many cases of loss of the Large and small scale
intensive farming becoming technical; small-area biotope mosaic decline in indigenous
and forestry extensive use of input in agricultural areas; species; countrymaterials
(fertilisers, large-scale destruction of specific 30–70% of all
plant protection agents, entire biotope types (eg plant and animal
melioration); large-scale highland and lowland bogs, species are in the
eutrophication as a result riparian meadows, etc); Red Data Lists;
of mineral fertilisers and, only small reminders of greatest losses among
in some cases, excessive mediaeval open land the species of
livestock levels; very high biotopes; large-scale oligotrophic sites; some
productivity in arable and levelling of water and neophytes suppress
animal husbandry with nutrient conditions indigenous species
high soil fertility
Since 1990 see above Management appropriate Further losses Genetically modified
for the soil; ‘damage
crops
threshold concepts’;
multifunctional land use
Woodland as pasture. Initially, humankind had
only limited grassland to feed its animals, so woodland
was used for pasturage. As a result of the use of
leaves as fodder (lopping system) certain tree species
were indirectly encouraged. In the Middle Ages, a
regulated system of extensive agricultural woodland
use with mast, and leaf litter collection for stabling,
developed in the woods. In the process, cultivated
landscapes with woodland fragments (grazed forests)
developed, in which the preferred tree species (oak,
beech) were dominant. They also contained communities
at their fringes and borders as well as oligotrophic
grassland communities that give the misleading
impression of a species-rich natural landscape.
Meadows and pastures. They could be found as
natural vegetation in Central Europe in only a few
sites unsuitable for trees, on the shores of lakes and
the edges of marshes as well as at the coasts. The