Species, protection & how you create small & large biotopes yourself

the essentials in brief

• different definitions of "biotope", scientifically a delimitable habitat for certain plants and animals
• colloquially a refuge for rare species
• Biotopes can be created in the garden, even on the balcony or terrace
• Put them in screw-on or clip-on glasses Biotope for the desk, an eternal bottle biotope
• Differentiation between different biotope types

What is a biotope? Definition and explanation

A biotope is literally a "place for life"

In biology, the term “biotope” describes a specific, delimitable habitat within a larger area for plants and animals. The word is made up of the components "bios" for life and "topos" for place, both of which come from the Greek language. A biotope is always alive because an area only becomes a biotope through its inhabitants.

In addition to the scientific, the term has another, colloquial meaning. The word is also used for a small, newly created landscape area (for example in the garden) that serves as a habitat for rare animal and plant species. Under the heading “We are creating a biotope”, not only children are taught in school how to create a small garden pond with fallow land for frogs and other amphibians. In this context, “biotope” means the habitat of threatened species - and not all animal and plant species that live in it.

What is the difference between biotope, biocenosis and ecosystem?

This distinction is easy to explain:

• Biotope: means a specific habitat for animals and plants
• Biocenosis: is the community of the organisms living in the biotope

There is no biotope without a biocenosis, the two are inextricably linked. Together they form an ecosystem.

Examples of biotopes in nature

Within landscape management and nature conservation, biotopes are assigned to different types of biotope, which both occur naturally in nature and are created artificially by humans can. Examples of biotopes are:

• Wetland: Habitats such as bogs and swamps, reed beds, mudflats and lagoon landscapes (on the coasts)
• Outdoor biotope: various meadows, for example dry and wet meadows, orchards, salt meadows, flower meadows
• Forest biotope: Alluvial forest, quarry forest, coniferous forest, swamp forest
• Water biotope: Distinction between still waters (ponds, ponds, ponds, lakes) and flowing waters (streams, rivers and river banks)
• Desert biotope: various desert landscapes, for example sand, stone, gravel or rock deserts, salt or ice deserts

Legally protected biotopes

Moors are under protection in Germany

According to Section 30 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act (BNatSchG), the following natural biotopes are legally protected and must not be impaired:

• Inland waters including their bank areas, silting areas, floodplains, oxbow lakes and vegetation
• Wetlands such as moors, swamps, wet meadows, spring areas, reed beds and inland salt pits
• Inland dunes, heaps and heaths such as scree, rubble and block heaps, loess and clay walls, juniper, gorse and dwarf shrub heaths, heavy metal lawns, grass and dry lawns, forests and bushes in warm, dry locations
• Woods, especially alluvial, swamp and swamp forests, sloping debris, block dump and ravine forests
• Rock landscapes such as alpine lawns, crooked wood bushes, snow valleys and open rock formations
• Coastal biotopes such as steep and rocky coasts, beach ridges and coastal dunes, beach lakes, mud flats and salt marshes, Bodden waters with silting areas, seagrass meadows, sandbanks, reefs, shill, coarse sand and Gravel areas

In the past, it was primarily individual biotopes that were protected. However, this approach has proven to be of little help in terms of species protection, since most animal and Plant species are mobile and also need exchange with other populations of their species - keyword gene exchange and genetic impoverishment.

However, because of the constraints of economic land use and settlement, no Large-scale biotopes can be maintained, the individual biotopes are interconnected by various measures tied together. This includes, for example, planting strips of shrubbery in fields for birds or building fish ladders so that aquatic animals can reach their spawning grounds. These biotope networks are also established within settlements (e. B. a green strip between two lanes, toad tunnel) to make human areas of life for animals and plants livable and traversable.

Digression

That is why the protection of natural biotopes is so important

Create a biotope in the garden

A garden pond creates a habitat for water-loving animals

Due to the decline in natural habitats due to intensive agriculture and urban sprawl, the creation of biotopes in the garden is all the more important. In general, it is primarily understood to mean the construction of a garden pond, but the following habitats must not be neglected either:

• garden pond: Minimum depth 60 centimeters, different zones (shallow water with stones, deep water), water and bank planting, Habitat for frogs, newts and dragonflies, as well as drinking troughs for bees and other insects, drinking troughs and bathing facilities for Birds
• Deadwood: rotten tree stumps and trunks, Deadwood hedge ("Benjeshecke"), habitat for wild bees, beetles, nesting and hiding places for birds, hedgehogs and other species
• Pile of leaves and brushwood: Piles of autumn leaves and pruning, valuable wintering quarters for hedgehogs, caterpillars, insects and mice
• Piles of stones and dry stone walls: Heaps of large stones, roof tiles or rubble, dry stone walls in sunny locations, suitable planting (e. B. Cinnamon herb, stonecrop), habitat for wild bees, spiders and other insects, lizards
• Open sand areas: simply leave a sandy area free and without planting, home and nursery for nesting bee species such as B. Sand or furrow bee
• Nettle corner: alleged weeds such as nettles, Horn clover or wild carrots are valuable forage plants for many butterfly caterpillars, which is why small corners with wild plants should be left in the garden

Simply by piling up a pile of dead wood or building a benjes hedge and a small “weed corner” you can create important retreat areas for many animals in the garden. In addition, a small garden pond, and the natural garden is ready.

In order for frogs, newts, hedgehogs, dragonflies and the like to feel comfortable with you, you should definitely refrain from using toxic chemicals. Above all, this includes pesticides such as pesticides, fungicides, Herbicides, but also artificial fertilizers. In addition, gardens that are close to nature (and therefore ecologically valuable) are not tidied up too accurately

Garden pond - a valuable biotope for newt, frog and Co.

Creating a garden pond is basically very simple: All you have to do is dig a hole, seal it, put water and a few plants in and you're done. The frogs and dragonflies find their way into the new wetland all by themselves and in no time at all. In order for the wet biotope in the garden to be a success, you should still pay attention to a few tips.

Before creating the garden pond, think carefully about what shape it should have and where the various bank areas will ultimately be. Mark these and dig out the hole accordingly. Then seal it off so that the water stays in the garden pond and does not seep into the ground. You have three options:

• volume: natural material, layers of clay should be at least 30 centimeters thick and be well tamped
• concrete: practically indestructible, very durable and long-lasting, but also difficult to remove, thickness should be at least 20 centimeters, stabilization with welded wire mesh necessary
• foil: very malleable and easy to lay, inexpensive - but made of plastic, preferably products made of plasticizer-free and more environmentally friendly polyethylene

Furthermore, you can also simply build a prefabricated pond made of hard plastic, which is easy and quick to do. However, ready-made pond bowls in large sizes cost several thousand euros, which is why you are using a different solution Get away much cheaper and the money saved better in a beautiful pond and bank planting invest. If the garden pond is to be small, however, ready-made hard shells are an uncomplicated choice.

Now you can start planting. Tip: If you have pond owners in the neighborhood, ask about offshoots of aquatic plants. Horn leaf, Rushes, Sea churns, duckweed and Co. grow very strongly, which is why many pond owners are happy when they get rid of one or the other plant.

If there is no space for a large garden pond - mini pond in the tub

If you only have a small garden or do not want a large pond on your property - for example because you have small children - you can also create a small biotope with a mini pond. All you need is a vessel, such as an old (bath) tub, barrel or something similar. You can dig this in and cover it with some aquatic and bank plants, and the tiny insect paradise is ready.

Benjes hedge - How to create a deadwood hedge

A deadwood or Benjes hedge consists of loosely stacked branches and twigs that are attached between stakes in the ground. The whole scaffolding forms a stable wall, which can also be used very well as a property delimitation and / or privacy screen. Deadwood hedges are anything but dead, because over time they develop a multifaceted life of their own. For example, they offer many animals such as hedgehogs, dormice, blackbirds and other birds (wren, robin), sand lizards and common toads a welcome shelter in summer and winter.

In addition, when plant seeds appear or when you plant them, living plants will soon grow, which will turn the dead wall into a living hedge. When laying out the Benjes hedge, you should pay attention to the following points:

• choose a sunny, warm and quiet location
• Soil shouldn't be too nutritious
• otherwise nettles and other strongly overgrown plants will settle
• no pruning of strongly dominant trees, e.g. B. Blackberries, use
• use hardwoods (beech, oak, fruit trees) instead
• Lay them up loosely between piles dug parallel into the ground
• large branches downwards, finer clippings upwards
• Braid posts as well as possible
• Plant slow-growing shrubs as an accompaniment

Colorful meadow instead of green lawn

Colorful meadows provide a home for numerous insects

Most gardens have a more or less large lawn area. Did you know that lawns are basically nothing more than a green wasteland? The blades of grass are worthless to insects such as bees, butterflies and beetles, as they do not provide any food. On the other hand, it is better to sow a colorful meadow of wild flowers - this not only makes much less work than a lawn, it also looks beautiful and offers many microorganisms a valuable one Habitat.

Creating a flower meadow is very easy:

• Prepare the soil: Sward remove, loosen the soil and enrich it with sand, wildflowers need a rather poor soil
• Sow seeds: Spread the finished wildflower mixture on the prepared area, about five to ten grams per square meter of meadow Plan for seeds, then rake in and fix with a roller or board, moist for at least four weeks keep
• Maintaining the meadow: mow twice a year, at the end of June and the end of August

When choosing flowers, give preference to native species, as the hungry insects can do more with them. We particularly recommend:

• Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
• Daisies (Bellis perennis)
• Common yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Hollow Larkspur (Corydalis cava)
• Horn clover (lotus corniculatus)
• Corn poppy (Papaver rhoeas)
• Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
• Creeping Gunsel (Ajuga reptans)
• Catchfly (Silene noctiflora)
• Light carnation (Silene latifolia)
• Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare and ircutianum)
• Adder's head (Echium vulgare)
• Red clover (Trifolium pratense)
• Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis)
• Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis)
• Meadow Bellflower (Centaurea jacea)
• Grasslands-sorrel (Rumex acetosa)
• Meadow Scabious (Knautia arvensis)
• Wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
• Wild carrot (Daucus carota)

Wildflower meadows should be sown in June at the latest. So that bees Bumblebees and Co. find enough flowers even in spring, plant additional flower bulbs, such as wild garlic (Allium ursinum), Wood anemone (anemone nemorosa), yellow wood anemone (Anemone ranunculoides), hollow larch spur (Corydalis cava) and Winterlings (Eranthis hyemalis).

Biotope on the balcony - how does it work?

You don't need a large garden to create a biotope for bees, bumblebees, butterflies and other insects - a small balcony is sufficient. Here you have many options to make the humming people comfortable and to provide food. And that is how it works:

• Choose summer flowers and climbing plants rich in nectar and pollen
• Herbs such as sage, lavender, lemon balm and thyme are particularly popular with humans and animals
• Nasturtiums is very suitable for the balcony, is a great source of nectar
• Butterfly lilac (Buddleja) can also be kept in the bucket
• Offer hatching opportunities for wild bees
• don't worry, these species are solitary (i.e. H. alone) and are not interested in people
• Take a thick piece of oak or beech wood and drill three to eight millimeters narrow, blind-ended holes into it
• other wild bee species prefer perforated bricks filled with clay
• Create a mini pond

By the way, some songbirds like to breed on balconies if they have the opportunity. Offer the animals an opportunity to feed in winter (e. B. in a bird feeder), but make sure that pigeons, crows and other large birds are not allowed in - this is forbidden. Maybe there is one or the other squirrel looking for food. In the spring you can have one nesting box(€ 8.99 at Amazon *) offer and see if there is a resident.

Digression

Carefully choose plants for a biotope

Create a mini biotope in the glass

A mini biotope in a glass can be made quite easily by yourself

An eternal glass resp. Bottle biotope is - ideally - a self-contained ecological cycle that does not require any maintenance whatsoever. Everything that the plants need comes back to them here - evaporated water condenses and creates a small water cycle, the nutrients are also retained. And this is how you create the mini garden for the desk:

• a large clip or screw jar made of clear glass
• Capacity at least two or three liters
• Plant granules or small pebbles as drainage
• suitable plants such as bilberry or lingonberry, heather or small ferns
• Earth from where the plants grew
• Decorative elements (e.g. B. a pretty stone, a small branch)

It is now important that all ingredients are free from mold. Otherwise the everlasting garden will quickly start to go moldy. You should therefore disinfect the glass as well as stones and earth before filling, for example by boiling or heating. How to plant the glass:

1. approx. Fill in a two-centimeter thick drainage layer
2. then the four to five centimeters thick layer of earth
3. press small hollows into the earth
4. Insert the plants with the help of tweezers
5. press down well
6. Insert decorative elements such as pieces of moss, stones and twigs
7. do not touch the glass wall
8. Bottle garden to water
9. Close the lid

Now place the mini biotope in a bright, but not directly sunny place. Ideally, the inside of the glass should be fogged up by condensation in the morning, but dry during the day. If the glass walls are wet all day, open the lid for a few days and let the excess water evaporate.

frequently asked Questions

Are nature reserve and biotope the same?

No, nature reserves and legally protected biotopes denote two different types of protected areas, even if they usually overlap. Protected biotopes are often located in a nature reserve, as is the case in the Western Pomerania Lagoon Area National Park or the Wadden Sea National Park. As a rule, nature reserves are larger than the relatively small biotopes.