DOI Artikel:
Willerding, Ulrich: On the utilisation of the plant resources of the Upper Harz Mountains by the mining and smelting industries during medieval times
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.56859#0110
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Natural vegetation of the Upper Harz Mountains
The altitudinal zoning of the natural vegetation and its replacement
communities of anthropo-zoogenic grassland is distinguishable even though
spruce forests are distributed over nearly all altitudes. This is based on the
remainder of small natural woods and the study of the vegetation history (Fig. 2).
Above the colline level with oakrich beech forests follows from about 300 m
above sea level the sub-mountainous level with typical beech forests, which on
calcareous soils are developed as Melico-Fagetum and on acidic soils as Luzulo-
Fagetum. Above approximately 500 m at the mountainous level - depending
upon soil quality — one finds Dentario-Fagetum or Luzulo-Fagetum with typical
mountainous species as Dentaria bulbifera, Luzula sylvatica, Poa chaixii or
Polygonatum verticillatum. These woods reach up to the oreal level at an altitude
of 750-850 m. At this level the spruce forests that are common today
(Calamagrostio villosae-Piceetum), look like natural woods. About 1000 AD
beech woods could be found up to an altitude of 1000 m. The unforested sub-
alpine level starts at about 1100 m, which at the peak of the Brocken is
characterized by the corresponding natural meadow-communities (Dengler
1913. Dierschke 1969; 1985; 1989. Ellenberg 1996. Haeupler 1970; 1978.
PFLUME, BRUELHEIDE 1994. SCHUBART 1978. STOCKMAR 1984).
As anthropo-zoogenic openland communities in the valleys up to ca. 300-
350 m NN there exist productive communities of Arrhenatheretum elatioris.
Above there are - depending on management, level and humidity of soil - diffe-
rent mountainous meadows (Geranio-Trisetetum flavescentis, Trollio-Cirsietum
oleracei or Polygalo-Nardetum). Typical are for example the following indicators
of the mountainous level: Centaurea pseudophrygia, Geranium sylvaticum,
Meum athamanticum and Poa chaixii resp. Arnica montana, Cardaminopsis
halleri and Galium harcynicum (DIERSCHKE 1969; 1981. DIERSCHKE, VOGEL
1981. Ellenberg 1996).
At the upper mountainous as well as the oreal level above 700 m numerous
mires have developed which in most cases originate from fens. These offer
excellent opportunities for the analysis of pollen in order to study the vegetational
history (FlRBAS 1949; 1952. Firbas, LOSERT, BROIHAN 1939. WlLLUTZKl 1962).
The annual precipitation at this altitude ranges from 1200 to 1600 mm with a
mean temperature of 3-4° C.
Plant communities which indicate the presence of heavy metals in the soil are
pointers to sites of medieval mining and related smelting activities (Klappauf,
Linke, Brockner 1990. Klappauf, Linke 1997). At these places the typical
Natural vegetation of the Upper Harz Mountains
The altitudinal zoning of the natural vegetation and its replacement
communities of anthropo-zoogenic grassland is distinguishable even though
spruce forests are distributed over nearly all altitudes. This is based on the
remainder of small natural woods and the study of the vegetation history (Fig. 2).
Above the colline level with oakrich beech forests follows from about 300 m
above sea level the sub-mountainous level with typical beech forests, which on
calcareous soils are developed as Melico-Fagetum and on acidic soils as Luzulo-
Fagetum. Above approximately 500 m at the mountainous level - depending
upon soil quality — one finds Dentario-Fagetum or Luzulo-Fagetum with typical
mountainous species as Dentaria bulbifera, Luzula sylvatica, Poa chaixii or
Polygonatum verticillatum. These woods reach up to the oreal level at an altitude
of 750-850 m. At this level the spruce forests that are common today
(Calamagrostio villosae-Piceetum), look like natural woods. About 1000 AD
beech woods could be found up to an altitude of 1000 m. The unforested sub-
alpine level starts at about 1100 m, which at the peak of the Brocken is
characterized by the corresponding natural meadow-communities (Dengler
1913. Dierschke 1969; 1985; 1989. Ellenberg 1996. Haeupler 1970; 1978.
PFLUME, BRUELHEIDE 1994. SCHUBART 1978. STOCKMAR 1984).
As anthropo-zoogenic openland communities in the valleys up to ca. 300-
350 m NN there exist productive communities of Arrhenatheretum elatioris.
Above there are - depending on management, level and humidity of soil - diffe-
rent mountainous meadows (Geranio-Trisetetum flavescentis, Trollio-Cirsietum
oleracei or Polygalo-Nardetum). Typical are for example the following indicators
of the mountainous level: Centaurea pseudophrygia, Geranium sylvaticum,
Meum athamanticum and Poa chaixii resp. Arnica montana, Cardaminopsis
halleri and Galium harcynicum (DIERSCHKE 1969; 1981. DIERSCHKE, VOGEL
1981. Ellenberg 1996).
At the upper mountainous as well as the oreal level above 700 m numerous
mires have developed which in most cases originate from fens. These offer
excellent opportunities for the analysis of pollen in order to study the vegetational
history (FlRBAS 1949; 1952. Firbas, LOSERT, BROIHAN 1939. WlLLUTZKl 1962).
The annual precipitation at this altitude ranges from 1200 to 1600 mm with a
mean temperature of 3-4° C.
Plant communities which indicate the presence of heavy metals in the soil are
pointers to sites of medieval mining and related smelting activities (Klappauf,
Linke, Brockner 1990. Klappauf, Linke 1997). At these places the typical