Five years monitoring – 1,803 species
New discoveries in the kingdoms of plants and animals
Since the start of the project in 2017, the overall species list has been continuously updated and completed, now containing 1,803 species. With 60 %, animals represent the largest share of the total diversity, ahead of vascular plants with 13 %, fungi with 12 %, mosses with 7 % and lichens with 6 %.
In 2021, 263 discoveries were added, most of them insects and spiders, to which special attention was paid. Together with two experts, the effects of different heath management methods on the diversity and species composition of ground beetles and spiders as habitat indicators were investigated in the Kyritz Ruppiner and Tangersdorfer Heide.
From May to December, cup traps were installed in transects on areas with grazing, humus removal (chopping), mowing and burning taking place, as well as in old heath stands without maintenance. The observations on forest and heath areas were accompanied by aerial photographs showing the development of heath plants and their vitality.
images & text by Elisabeth Göpfert & Jörg Müller