| Vegetation Types |
Brief Characterization of Habit |
| Built-up Area |
| 101: Tree inventories mostly with knot-grass trodden sward (10%); ornamental shrub plantations with field weed communities (5%); knot-grass trodden sward (5%) |
Major areas, public facility areas: highly-sealed (>70%), heavily frequented (motor vehicles, pedestrians); representational greenery with intensive maintenance |
| 102: Tree inventories with weed communities (5%) or ryegrass trodden sward (5%); shrub plantations with field weed communities (5%) |
Block development: highly-sealed city quarters with moderate, sometimes intensive maintenance of representational greenery in rear coutyards; roadside greenery is mostly spontaneous - except roadside trees |
| 103: Knot-grass trodden sward (5%); weed and tall-forb communities (0-10%); frequent tree inventories with knot-grass trodden sward (0-5%) |
Highly-sealed commercial and industrial areas, mixed areas, traffic areas, airports, post areas, campgrounds: highly-sealed (>50%) and heavily frequented; numerous trodden sward-type vegetation and mostly representational greenery with low maintenance |
| 104: Shrub plantations with couch grass (20%); ryegrass trodden sward (15%); couch grass and ruderal tall-forb communities (15%) |
Large-scale developments from the 80s and 90s: new residential ares with a lower degree of sealing, vegetation is still deeply in the process of succession, particulary in grassland areas |
| 105: Shrub plantations with weed communities (10-20%); ryegrass trodden sward (15%); tree inventories with with knot-grass trodden sward (10-15%) |
Shed courts, youth centers: moderately (>30%) to highly-sealed surfaces with high intensity land utilization and a low degree of horticultural care |
| 106: Woody shrub upgrowth and plantations with ecotonal communities (10%); ornamental lawns (5%); ruderal tall-forb communities ("golden rod vegetation") (5%) |
Slightly-sealed commercial and industrial areas: moderately-sealed (<50%) surfaces with a sporadic regime of disturbance with little or no horticultural care |
| 107: Tree inventories with knot-grass trodden sward (10-20%); shrub plantations with field weed communities (10-15%); ornamental or ryegrass trodden sward (0-15%) |
Schoolgrounds, child day care centers: heavily-sealed (>40%) surfaces, dominated by trees, with intensively used open spaces |
| 108: Tree inventories with weed communities (10%); shrub plantations with field weed communities (5-15%); ryegrass trodden and ornamental lawns (5%) |
Post-war block-edge housing development, unplaned reconstruction areas, administrative areas: moderately-sealed, with moderate maintenance of the mostly representional open spaces |
| 109: Shrub plantations with field weed communities (10-20%); trodden sward (5-10%); ornamental lawns (0-10%) |
Redevelopment areas, new builded schools, mixed areas, utility areas: moderate degree of sealing (<50%) , in general, moderately-tended representational greenery with a low to moderate share of lawns |
| 110: Shrub plantations and ornamental shrubs with field weed communities (10-25%); ornamental lawns (5-20%); tree inventories mostly with ornamental lawns (0-25%) |
Ornamental and garden courtyards, large court and row development of the 20s, public facility areas, city squares: mostly slightly-sealed (30-70%), area types of non-uniform use with intensively maintained greenery |
| 111: Ornamental lawns (20-40%); shrub plantations with couch grass (10-25%); tree inventories with perennial ryegrass trodden sward or ecotonal communities (0-20%) |
Slightly-sealed (<70%) public facility and traffic areas: green areas of non-uniform use with moderately intensive maintenance; some representational greenery |
| 112: Alluvial forest remnants (20-50%); ornamental lawns (20-40%); and perennial ryegrass trodden sward (0-15%); hardy perennial and shrub plantations with field weed communities (0-10%) |
Recreational facilities located near shorelines, weekend cottage areas: very slightly-sealed areas for relaxation purposes with functional and ornamental vegetation |
| 113: Predominantly ornamental lawns (30-40%); shrub plantations with field weed communities (20-25%); and park-like tree inventories with sward (20-25%) |
Villa development, public facilities: loose development, mostly low sealing (<30%), heavily thinned greenery with well-maintained representational greenery, including woody plant upgrowths; old forest tree inventories are still present in many villa areas |
| 114: Predominantly ornamental lawns (20-30%); shrub plantations mostly with field weed communities (15-20%); and tree inventories often with sward (5-10%) |
Row and large-scale developments, public facility areas: slight-to-partly moderate sealing (<40%), heavily thinned greenery with woody plant plantations and well-maintained representational greenery |
| 115: Trimmed lawns (20-40%); ornamental and allotment gardens with field weed communities (10-35%); fruit tree inventories with field weed communities or sward (0-20%) |
Single family house development with gardens, allotment gardens, weekend cottage areas, villages: slightly-sealed (<10%) settlement type, still with rift land in a few areas, but also with a high portion of green spaces; stands of old fruit trees are still present and spontaneous shrubbery occurs in places (mostly in rural structures) |
| Open spaces in settled areas |
| 201: Perennial ryegrass trodden sward (30-40%) partly with tree inventories, shrub plantations with ecotonal vegetation or couch grass (5-25%); knot-grass trodden sward (0-15%) |
Sport facilities, youth centers, campgrounds: less heavily-sealed (<30%) areas with intensive recreational use and use-oriented maintenance; some locations are only extensively maintained (removal of woody shrubs) |
| 202: Ornamental plantations of perennials and shrubs with field weed communities (60%), ornamental lawns (30%); trodden sward (5%) |
Ornamental cemeteries: young cemetery grounds, to a large degree still without large tree inventories; no family vaults |
| 203: Ornamental plantations of perennials and shrubs with field weed communities (50%); park tree inventories with trodden sward (30%); ornamental lawns (10%) |
Park cemeteries: old cemetery grounds near older settlement centers. Characteristic for them are old park tree inventories and family vaults along park cemetery borders |
| 204: Ornamental plantations of perennials and shrubs with field weed communities (50%); forest tree inventories with field weed communities (25%); fragments of dry grassland (15%) |
Forest cemeteries: mostly younger to middle-aged cemetery grounds on former forest habitats; characteristic are remnants of older forest tree inventories (mostly forest pines) and residue from earlier forest use |
| 205: Park forests with wood-meadow grass and plane maples (70%); shrubbery (20%); greater celandine and robinia forests (10%) |
Woods and forests of larger parks (>50 ha): often adjoining forest-like inventories that have been cultivated; undergrowth mostly with a high portion of spontaneous vegetation; seldom maintened |
| 206: Heavily used park lawns (50%); park meadows (20%); hardy perennial and shrub plantations with field weed communities (15%) |
Open spaces in larger parks (>50 ha): in large spaces, often alternating with park woods; consists partly of meadows used for recreational and relaxation purposes with correspondingly intensive maintenance, and partly of meadow-like areas, extensively maintained, and smaller representational areas receiving intensive maintenance |
| 207: Heavily used park lawns (50%); park forests and shrubbery with ecotonal communities (25%); ornamental plantations of hardy perennials and shrubs with field weed communities (15%) |
Moderately large parks (2-50 ha): lesser recreational use with a generally high-level of maintenance since representational areas are increasing in size |
| 208: Ornamental lawns (45%); shrub and tree plantations with weed communities (25%); ornamental flower beds with field weed communities (20%) |
Small parks (<2 ha): with predominantly representational areas; highly maintened |
| 209: Annual ruderal communities (10%); tall-forb communities (5%); ruderal couch grass communities (5%) |
Short-lived ruderal fields: predominantly habitats heavily disturbed by construction and storage operations; depending on how the operation is organized or on the time of construction, these habitats partly allow a chance for the development of later succession stages of vegetation to temporarily survive |
| 210: Ruderal tall-forb communities and semi-dry couch grass meadows (45%); pioneer crops (robinia, plane maple) (15%); dry grassland fragments (5%) |
Urban vacant areas: small to moderately large vacant areas currently not officially used (agricultural maintenance land [construction expected], rubble fields etc.) or maintained; various seral stages often rotate within a small area, depending on substratum conditions, historical background and current wildlife exploitation |
| 211: Pioneer crops (birches, robinia) (35%); semi-dry couch grass meadows (25%); dry grassland fragments (10%) |
Fallow railway property: for the most part on train lines no longer in operation, where spontaneous vegetation has developed; on larger open spaces and at facilities being used by city and regional trains |
| 212: Glasswort and herbicidal vegetation (5%); couch grass communities (5%) |
Railway property: habitats characterized by railway operations (esp.herbicide usage) and other extreme habitat conditions (laying of ballast) |
| 213: Couch grass communities (40-45%); woody plant reforestations with couch grass (30%); ruderal tall-forb communities (15-20%) |
Ruderal semi-dry meadows: mostly spacious reforestation areas with young poplars and other tree species on former sewage farms; very similar vegetation appears on covered rubbish dumps and non-reforested sewage farms |
| 214: Sandy dry grassland (infertile meadows) (50-80%); birch and pine pioneer crops (0-20%) |
Sandy dry grassland on airports, police terrains, gravel/sand pits: dry grassland on sandy soils or early stages of vegetational development (silvergrass) on eroded and worn-out sandy areas kept open as a result of mowing, grazing, storage, recreation and other disturbances |
| Agriculturally-used areas |
| 301: Hardy perennial and summer annual plantations with field weed communities (25%); woody shrub plantations with weed communities (20%); tall-forb communities (5%) |
Commercial horticulture and tree nurseries: temporary plantations of woody and perennial plants as well as the raising of summer annuals and vegetable plants under intensive horticultural care; less intensive care for plantations of woody plants; predominantly regularly watered soils |
| 302: Rye crops with wind grass (parsley-piert) or Lämmersalat weeds (70%); vegetable crops with panic grass (20%) |
Sand fields: mostly rye fields |
| 303: Vegetable and maize crops with fumitory or sour clover weeds (70%); wheat crops with weed communities of wind grass (parsley-piert / aphanes arvensis) (20%) |
Clay fields: mostly vegetable cultivation, some grains |
| 304: Maize and vegetable crops with weeds (40%); cereal seedings with wind grass (35%); sludge (mud) fields of bur marigold (10%) |
Sewage farm: sewage farm still in operation, mainly with maize and vegetable cultivation |
| 305: Couch grass and Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) (70%); ruderal tall-forb communities (15%); elder bushes (5%) |
Overflow meadows: overflow meadows still in operation with dams between the treatment terraces; individual elder bushes and ruderal tall-forb fields often grow here |
| 306: Fresh meadows of tall oat-grass (50-80%); fertile grazing pastures of rye grass (0-30%); dry grassland fragments (0-20%) |
Fresh meadows and pastures: predominantly fresh commercial grassland, partly with grazing; individual plots may also show longer or shorter stages of fallowness |
| 307: Wet meadows of cabbage thistle (~45%); sedge moors (~35%); reed banks (~5%) |
Moist and wet meadows: wet grassland that has been more or less regularly cultivated (meadow or pasture) |
| Areas used for forestal purposes |
| 401: Pine forest community series |
Extremely impoverished wood and forest community on dry, sandy soils |
| 402: Community series of typical pine-durmast oak forest |
Impoverished wood community with acid soil, or corresponding forest communities on permeable sandy soils without ground water inflow |
| 403: Community series of blueberry-pine-durmast oak forest |
Impoverished wood community with acid soil, or corresponding forest variations on sandy soils; mostly found on more microclimatic, moister sites |
| 404: Community series of chickweed-pine-durmast oak forest |
Impoverished wood community with acid soil, or corresponding forest variations on sandy soils with a slightly higher status of nutrients |
| 405: Community series of common oak-birch forest |
Less widespread wood community with acid soil, or corresponding forest associations on sandy soils affected by ground water |
| 406: Community series of beech-oak forest |
Wood community on acid soil, or corresponding forest communities on sands with higher clay or silt content or on sites with higher rainfall |
| 407: Community series of woodruff-beech forest |
Mesotrophic wood and/or forest communities on silt-bearing soils with higher base values |
| 408: Community series of linden-oak forest |
Mesotrophic wood community or corresponding forest communities on drift-bearing soils with higher base values |
| 409: Community series of durmast oak-hornbeam forest with small-leaved linden |
Mesotrophic to eutrophic wood community or corresponding forest communities on drift-bearing soils with higher base values not located near ground water |
| 410: Community series of fresh English oak-hornbeam forest |
Mesotrophic to eutrophic wood community or corresponding forest communities on calcareous sands affected by ground water |
| 411: Community series of moist English oak-hornbeam forest |
Mesotrophic to eutrophic wood community or corresponding forest communities on calcareous sands near ground water |
| 412: Alluvial forests (alder-ash forests and willow communities) |
Eutrophic wood and shrub communities on flood plain sites of the Spree, Dahme and Havel that are periodically or sporadically flooded |
| 413: Alder swamp forests |
Mesotrophic to eutrophic wood communities on wet peat sites, often with treeless transitional moor communities or alluvial forest sites |
| 414: Birch swamp forests |
Oligotrophic wood communities on wet peat sites, often with sphagnum moss communities |
| Bogs |
| 501: Sphagnum moss (high moor) communities (60-100%); sedge moors (0-40%); reed bank communities (0-5%) |
Oligotrophic bogs: bogs with massive layers of peat which, depending on the degree of earthification, have either large portions of sphagnum moss communities or sphagnum moss communities in various stages of degradation; often longer diminished by ground-water lowering |
| 502: Hypnum moss bog-transitional moor communities (0-100%); sedge moors (0-90%); reed communities (0-10%) |
Transitional bogs: moist areas with massive layers of peat which, depending on moisture status, have either large portions of hypnum moss bog communities or sedge moor or reed communities; often longer diminished by ground-water lowering |
| Bodies of water |
| 601: Bur marigold mud fields (~30%); reed banks (~20%); grey willow bushes (~10%) |
Kettle holes (sloughs): shoreline areas and muddy soils; kettle holes that continually or periodically bear water and have not become too park-like |
| 602: Common grass reeds (70%); bullrush reeds (20%); rush reeds (5%) |
Reed banks: shoreline areas that have been naturally or artificially protected by a damm from wave-pounding caused by ships |
| 603: Cow lily stands (70%); water lily stands (30%) |
Floating aquatic plant stands: in larger bodies of water including the reed zone and continuing out to a maximum water depth of 4 meters; only in areas protected from excessive wave-pounding and from the direct impact of ships and boats |
Figure 4: Legend units and a brief habitat characterization for each of the 55 vegetation types represented in the map
