Baltic mixed forests

Coordinates: 54°13′N 12°56′E / 54.217°N 12.933°E / 54.217; 12.933
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Baltic mixed forests
European Atlantic mixed forests
  • Central European mixed forests
    • Geography
    Area116,550 km2 (45,000 sq mi)
    Countries
    Coordinates54°13′N 12°56′E / 54.217°N 12.933°E / 54.217; 12.933
    Conservation
    Conservation statusCritical/Endangered

    The Baltic mixed forests is an ecoregion in Europe along the southwestern coasts of the Baltic Sea. The name was coined by the European Environment Agency.[citation needed] The same geographical area is designated as "Northern Europe: Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Poland" ecoregion by the WWF.

    Distribution

    Despite the name, Baltic mixed forests are not found in any of the

    Oder Rivers.[4]

    Flora

    The ecoregion's natural habitat type is lowland to submontane

    mixed beech forests. For the beech, European beech (Fagus sylvatica) is dominant. Other tree species that mix in, covers a broad array of mostly deciduous trees, but also conifer to a small extent. Oak, elm, ash, linden, maple, hazel, rowan and birch are common among the many deciduous trees mixed in with beech.[5]

    • Early spring in a Baltic mixed forest
      Early spring in a Baltic mixed forest
    • Autumn and leaf fall
      Autumn and leaf fall
    • Winter
      Winter
    • The forest floor
      The forest floor
    • Beech forests are home to a plethora of fungi species (honey fungi)
      Beech forests are home to a plethora of fungi species (
      honey fungi
      )
    • European beech is predominant for the natural state of this ecoregion
      European beech is predominant for the natural state of this ecoregion

    Fauna

    A large asortment of animals, mainly mammals, are found in this ecoregion. Among them are species such as red foxes, grey wolves, beech marten's, red deer and european polecats.[6][7] Hundreads of species of birds are also found in these forests, including but not limited to various species of woodpeckers, owls, tits, corvids and warblers. [8]

    Ecological challenges

    According to a 2015 study into the effect of

    species composition towards more drought tolerant species, leading to a decrease in species diversity and a decrease in groundwater recharge. Similarly, the fauna of the region will also be adversely affected, due to the Baltic region's particularly sensitive nature to changes in salinity, which can have a cascading effect on food webs and interaction between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.[9]

    References

    1. ISBN 9781402050541
      .
    2. ISBN 9789289305600
      .
    3. ISBN 9781845695163
      .
    4. ^ "Northern Europe: Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Poland". World Wildlife Fund. 1 June 2013. Archived from the original on 2013-05-01. Retrieved 27 September 2019.
    5. S2CID 42356100
      .
    6. ^ Baagøe, Hans Jensen (2007). Dansk Pattedyratlas (in Danish). Copenhagen: Gyldendal.
    7. ^ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/279531339_De_forste_analyser_af_ulvens_Canis_lupus_fode_i_Danmark
    8. ^ "Denmark bird checklist - Avibase - Bird Checklists of the World". avibase.bsc-eoc.org. Retrieved 2024-02-09.
    9. ISBN 9783319160061
      .


    External links

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