Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve/National Park
Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve/National Park is in the Free State of Bavaria. Most of the park falls within the Berchtesgaden Alps, a natural landscape which in turn forms part of the Northern Limestone Alps.
The Berchtesgaden Alps continue east, south and west to the Austrian side, where they are known as the High Limestone Alps of Salzburg.
The Chiemgau Alps, another natural landscape, lie to the immediate north. They include Kienberg, the Saalach Valley and Lake Saalach, which cover a small area within the north-west of the Biosphere Reserve/National Park.
Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve/National Park, a mountainous landscape with tall peaks well exceeding 2,000 metres above sea level and steep, rugged cliff faces, has a surface area of 468 km².
| Highly
diverse forest societies have evolved due to immense
differences in situation (more than 2,000 metres
difference in altitude between peaks and valley
floors). On two-thirds of the surface area, the potentially natural vegetation is mixed wood (fir, spruce, deciduous trees), while on the higher slopes natural coniferous forests (predominantly spruce, larch and stone pine) are better adapted to the harsher climate. |
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This ecosystem boasts a pronounced diversity of species due to broad expanses of high-altitude terrain, its proximity to the northern fringe of the Alps, extensive areas of unbroken forest alternating with open landscapes, and a number of other biotic and abiotic factors.
Human activity, which has opened up stretches of forest and introduced clearings, has encouraged species proliferation among certain fauna (e.g. birds and Carabidae) and also population growths, although species preferring a strictly forest-type habitat have suffered a negative impact.
In addition, larger animals perceived as threats, such as the griffon and bearded vultures, lynx, wolf, bear and bison were killed in the past and have, therefore, been wiped out on a large scale.
The otter has also vanished as a result of hunting and loss of habitat.
The natural and anthropogenically influenced landscape in Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve contains a wealth of habitats which merit protection. Those which fall within Berchtesgaden National Park or other landscape conservation areas enjoy the concomitant protective status.
Berchtesgaden Alpine and National Park was founded by an ordinance dated 16th February 1987, and UNESCO declared it a Biosphere Reserve in 1990.
Berchtesgaden Biosphere Reserve/National Park was selected for the Environmental Specimen Bank as an example of a natural and nearly natural alpine ecosystem.
Sampling took place in the Hirschbichl Valley during the preliminary phase.
Routine sampling for the Environmental Specimen Bank will be in full operation from 1998 in the functional sub-area of the Wimbach Valley.
The following specimen types are collected: