Moore, Sümpfe, Röhrichte und Riede / [Bearb., Gestaltung und Red. Landesanstalt für Umweltschutz Baden-Württemberg, Abteilung 2 "Ökologie, Boden- und Naturschutz". Ms. Rainer Luick]

Moore, Sümpfe, Röhrichte und Riede sind Lebensräume, die ihre Existenz einem Überfluss an Wasser verdanken und schon in der vom Menschen unbeeinflussten Urlandschaft Mitteleuropas vorkamen. Als Feuchtgebiete prägten sie das Bild unserer Kulturlandschaft. Aufgrund vielfältiger Eingriffe in die Umwelt sind sie heute bei weitem nicht mehr so häufig, wie sie es früher einmal waren. Entsprechend hoch ist die Zahl der gefährdeten Tier und Pflanzenarten in diesen Biotopen. Die in Mooren, Sümpfen, Röhrichten und Rieden lebenden Tier- und Pflanzenarten müssen an den Standortfaktor Wasser besonders angepasst sein. Ihr Vorkommen ist daher auch weitgehend auf diese Lebensräume beschränkt. Die Broschüre gibt einen Überblick über die Entstehung und Verbreitung dieser nach § 24 a des Naturschutzgesetzes von Baden-Württemberg (NatSchG) besonders geschützten Biotope. Sie klärt darüber auf, welche Handlungen und Faktoren zu ihrer Gefährdung beitragen und welche Maßnahmen zu ihrem Schutz zu ergreifen sind. Den ausführlichen Gesetzestext zu den Mooren, Sümpfen, Röhrichten und Rieden können Sie dem Anhang dieser Broschüre entnehmen

Commercial wild collection of medicinal plants – the situation in Poland

In Europa ist Polen der zweit größte Exporteur von Arzneipflanzen. 25% des Pflanzenmaterials wird durch Wildsammlungen am natürlichen Standort bezogen. Dabei handelt es sich um fast 140 wildgesammelte Arten - zweimal mehr Arten als aus dem Anbau stammen. Generell ist das Potential zur nachhaltigen Sammlung von Pflanzenmaterial an ihren natürlichen Standorten noch weitaus größer. Viele der Arten sind sehr begehrt auf dem europäischen Arzneipflanzenmarkt und nur schwer zu kultivieren, wie die typischen Marschlandarten Menyanthes trifoliata und Acorus calamus. Die meisten Wildsammlungen finden im Nord-Osten Polens statt, in einer Region in der sich extensiv bewirtschaftete Grünländer konzentrieren. In einigen Fällen ist die Wildsammlung die Haupteinnahmequelle der lokalen Bevölkerung oder ein zusätzliches Einkommen für die ansässigen Bauern. Die vorliegende Studie zeigt, dass Monitoring und Dokumentation der Wildsammlungspraxis auf Waldarten und geschützte Arten reduziert ist. Eine bessere Beurteilung der Orte, Mengen und Wildsammelmethoden ist aus ökonomischer, sozialer und ökologischer Sicht relevant.Poland is the second biggest exporter of medicinal plant material in Europe. What is important 25% of it is collected in nature. Twice more species (nearly 140) are coming from wild collection then from cultivation. Among them are highly desired on the European phytopharmaceutical market but hardly cultivated species like typical for fen meadows Menyanthes trifoliata or Acorus calamus. Generally, the potential of collection plant material from habitats and ecosystems, kept in well conditions, is even bigger. The great amount of collection is realized in North-Eastern Poland, region with the significant concentration of extensively used grasslands. Sometimes the activity is the main occupation for local people or additional, important source of income for farmers. The study shows that monitoring and documentation of the wild collection practice is limited for example to forest or protected species. Better assessment of place, volumes and way of collection could profit from economic, social as well as environmental side

Commercial wild collection of medicinal plants in Germany

Der deutsche Import von Arzneipflanzen steht in einem globalen Vergleich an vierter und der deutsche Export an dritter Stelle. Die dabei gehandelten Arzneipflanzen stammen aus dem Anbau oder werden durch gewerbliche Wildsammlung beschafft. Mit 500 Pflanzen- und Pilzarten spielt die deutsche Wildsammlung eine eher untergeordnete Rolle auf dem weltweiten Arzneipflanzenmarkt. Marktrelevante Mengen stammen hauptsächlich aus süd-ost europäischen Ländern, wie Albanien, Rumänien, Polen und Bulgarien und aus nicht europäischen Ländern, wie Indien und China. Trotz der untergeordneten Marktposition Deutschlands ist es wichtig gerade in einer Industrienationen mit einem hohen Flächenverbrauch zu evaluieren wie relevant die Wildsammlung im Sinne einer Ökosystemdienstleistung ist. Die gewerbliche Wildsammlung von Pflanzen ist in Deutschland durch das Bundesnaturschutzgesetzt (§39 Abs. 4 BNatSchG) reguliert. Für jede Entnahme im gewerblichen Sinne ist eine offizielle Sammelgenehmigung nötig. Diese werden in der Regel von den Unteren Naturschutzbehörden der Landkreise und kreisfreien Städte erteilt. Zwischen den deutschen Bundesländern zeigen sich deutliche Unterschiede in Bezug auf ihre Wildsammlungstätigkeiten. Baden-Württemberg und Bayern scheinen eine führende Rolle zu spielen, wohingegen Mecklenburg-Vorpommern und Niedersachsen eine untergeordnete Position einnehmen. In den letzten drei Jahren wurden in Deutschland 128 Genehmigungen zur gewerblichen Entnahme von Pflanzen erteilt. Die Gründe hinter den Wildsammlungen sind sehr divers. Am häufigsten sind die Gewinnung von regionalem Saatgut, die Verwendung als Lebensmittel und die Herstellung von Arzneimitteln genannt. Bezüglich der Herstellung von Arzneimitteln und Kosmetikprodukten werden sehr unterschiedliche Arten in Deutschland gesammelt. Allen voran die Pestwurz (Petasites hybridus) gefolgt von Bärlauch (Allium ursinum) und Mistel (Viscum album).German importation of medicinal plants ranks fourth on the global scale, while exportation comes in third. Medicinal plants for the herbal market are sourced from either farmed or wild collections. Germany´s wild collection plays a small role in comparison to other countries, with only 500 species of plants and mushroms gathered from their natural environment. Many South-Eastern European countries including Albania, Romania, Poland and Bulgaria as well as Non-European countries such as India and China have a much larger wild collections industry. Despite Germany´s small role on the global scale, it is important to look at an industrial nation with a high level of land consumption, such as Germany, to evaluate the importance of wild collection as a ecosystemservice. In Germany commercial wild collections are regulated by the Federal Nature Conservation Act (§39 Abs. 4 BNatSchG). This states that for every form of commercial wild collection a permit is needed. These permits are distributed by The Lower Nature Conservation Agency of every German district or district free city. German wild collection differs greatly between each federal state, for example, Baden- Württemberg and Bavaria see much more collection than states such as Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Niedersachsen. In the last three years 128 permits for commercial wild collection have been granted. These permits are needed for many different purposes, primarily for seed-mixtures, food production and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics. A particular varity of species is needed for the commercial wild collection of manufacturing pharmaceuticals or cosmetics. The three most comonly gathered spiecies are: Petasites hybridus, Allium ursinum and Viscum album

Processing and colonization of leaf litter of Alnus rugosa in a small woodland stream.

http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/53537/1/1972.pdfDescription of 1972.pdf : Access restricted to on-site users at the U-M Biological Station

Dairies in Germany: Key Factors for Grassland Conservation?

Germany is the largest milk producer of the 28 EU Member States (statistically still including Great Britain) and dairying is the most important single sector in German agriculture. Dairies are of central importance in the value chain, but very little is known about their objectives and perspectives in relation to grassland management, feedstuffs deriving from grassland and towards resource conservation issues. This study gives an insight on the way German dairies think about and act in such topics by using a standardized survey method. The survey revealed little to no linkage between the size of dairies and their interest in conservation issues on grassland and very little consideration of extensive grasslands. Dairies are divided over questions of governance for a more sustainable milk market and on the nature of their relationships with farmers. There is evidence that the German dairy industry is willing to contribute to a more sustainable and more robust milk market, but the enterprises mostly regard other market actors as more important. According to this survey, consumers will tend to opt for more sustainable milk products in future and there are possibilities to raise the willingness to pay

Sheep in the Vineyard: Suitability of Different Breeds and Potential Breeding Objectives

Protecting a breed of sheep is simple when there is demand for its breed traits, but new market options are often hard to find. In general, grazing sheep are able to take over some viticultural work. Here, we address a new and promising integrated crop-livestock system that involves the integration of sheep in the vineyard during the growing season. Using sheep in a vineyard entails opportunities but also risks, such as the current lack of information, specifically in relation to breed traits. In our survey, we evaluated 26 breeds for their suitability for grazing as long as possible in Central European vineyards during the growing season. First, the breed traits required were identified. Then, 94 flock book breeders were interviewed about specific breed traits. The height of a sheep’s muzzle is particularly important for assessing the suitability of a breed, as it defines the potential impact on the foliage area during the growing season. To determine the height of the muzzle, 179 flock book animals were measured. We found that the most important breeding objective for a new breed of sheep is the inability to stand on two legs. Adult animals of the breed Shropshire, and among these especially the shorter-legged Danish type, and Southdown, show a widespread inability to stand on two legs. Ouessant sheep are able to do so, yet are suitable with some limitations. Due to their extraordinarily small size, their reach is limited, as is their grazing performance. Thus, three of the 26 breeds studied here seem suitable for use in the most widespread vine training systems of Central Europe during the growing season. Targeted breeding could further improve the suitability of sheep for viticulture. Our findings could help to protect breeds and breed traits

Sheep in the Vineyard: First Insights into a New Integrated Crop–Livestock System in Central Europe

The multiple land use of agricultural areas is a building block for increased land use efficiency. Unlike monoculture, integrated crop–livestock systems optimally improve ecosystem services, making it an important field of research and application for adapting land use and food systems that have sustainability deficits. The integration of sheep in viticulture production is described as a promising example of an integrated crop–livestock system. While some studies of the integration of sheep into vineyards are already available for other parts of the world, there is still no research on its implementation in Central European viticulture systems. In order to fill this gap of knowledge, we conducted standardized interviews with 34 winegrowers who already graze sheep in their vineyards. The method allowed a wider overview of the implementation of the integrated crop-livestock system than would have been possible with other approaches. Furthermore, the authors kept sheep in their own vineyard for three years to evaluate the statements of the survey participants. The period during which sheep graze in vineyards is quite heterogeneous in Central Europe. Some farms use sheep only during vine dormancy; others also let sheep graze during a certain period in summer. There are also viticulture training systems where grazing is almost continuously possible. In Central Europe, summer grazing normally requires operational adjustments such as lifting the wires of the training system and branches of the vine; otherwise, the vines could be damaged. This option seems to be tailored to the training system in use. Some interviewees mentioned that sheep not only use the accompanying vegetation as fodder and therefore control the undervine growth, but in some cases, they were also able to replace other work processes, such as defoliating the grape zone or cleaning undesired vine shoots near the ground. However, a high additional workload due to livestock keeping was also mentioned by some survey participants. Some of the interviewees cooperate with shepherds, which could help to solve this challenge. Finally, we summarize possible opportunities and risks of this integrated crop–livestock system. Integrating sheep in vineyards seems to be quite feasible in the period of vine dormancy, whereas more information and considerably more effort is needed to integrate sheep during the vegetation period. Further research is needed to answer open questions especially for the necessary adaptions of the common vine training system or the implementation of alternative systems more suitable to combine with livestock keeping. Some practitioners found opportunities to merchandize the use of sheep in wine sales. This potentially unique selling point could be a solution for a broader consideration of sheep in vineyards