Biodiversity (variety of species) is an important basis for the stability of ecosystems and thus for sustainable development. If nature were simply left to grow, large parts of our Central European landscape would again become forested and lakes would silting up. In order to preserve our diverse cultural landscape, care developed under ecological criteria is necessary.
Biodiversity is the term used by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to describe the variety of all living organisms, habitats and ecosystems on land, in freshwater, in the oceans as well as in the air. Biodiversity includes
In the spring, various amphibians such as grass frog, common toad and alpine newt are found in the wet areas. Different species of ducks and geese can be observed on the water surfaces. In the riparian area and in the adjacent meadows, which are only mowed every one or two years, a wide variety of insect species reproduce.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) states that animal and plant species are in dire straits according to the International Red List: of the 147,500 species recorded, almost 41,500 are in threat categories (as of July 2022), which means more species than ever before. Along with the climate crisis, species extinction is considered the greatest threat to our planet and our own lives.
We are now in the midst of the greatest species extinction since the end of the dinosaur age 65 million years ago. A quarter of mammal species, one in eight bird species, more than 30 percent of sharks and rays, and 40 percent of amphibian species are threatened. Species becoming extinct is a natural process, but one that is now considerably accelerated under human influence.
Humans intervene in the landscape - through urban development and roads, agricultural land and the extraction of raw materials. In increasing proximity to humans and their infrastructure, species' use of space decreases.
Scientists worldwide have noted a decline in animal movements in areas influenced by humans. On average, mammals move only one-third to one-half as far in landscapes that have been cultivated by humans as they do in the wild. A decline in animal movements can have significant impacts on ecosystems, such as reduced dispersal of plant seeds, changes in food chains, and declining animal numbers.
The drought meadows and retention areas of the Rombach River serve an important function as a biotope. Not only the lake, but also the renaturalized stream courses and meadows are important for biodiversity and provide a habitat for diverse animals and plants. In order to achieve species richness and biodiversity, it is important that individual areas remain undisturbed. Therefore, stay on the trails, leash dogs, and clean up debris.
