Despite their small area, deciduous forests of base- and nutrient-rich sites in north-west Germany have a considerable biodiversity of higher plants, including a large number of nationally endangered species. The corresponding stands are generally found on soils that are more or less strongly influenced by waterlogging or groundwater, often in floodplains or in depressions. While such sites already occurred more or less sporadically in the natural landscape, today there is a particularly pronounced isolation of the areas, which is mainly due to human clearing activities over the past centuries. In addition, extensive drainage measures have reduced wetter, base-rich and nutrient-rich sites to small remnants in many places or caused them to disappear completely, even within larger forest areas. This further exacerbates the isolation of the biotopes.
The forest mapping project is specifically dedicated to the vascular plant flora of these species-rich deciduous forests. We want to record the complete species population of areas ranging from less than 1000 square metres to several hectares in selected forest areas of the Ammerland. In combination with measurements of environmental factors in the areas (light, nutrients), but also with information on isolation and stand history, we will then try to determine important factors influencing the species population (species richness, number of species of special ecological/sociological or functional groups, occurrence of special species of interest). These analyses are primarily carried out by students at the University of Oldenburg (BSc. Environmental Sciences, MSc Landscape Ecology) as part of their final theses.

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