Trees

Latin name: Fagus sylvatica
Characteristics: 30 - 45 m tall, light gray bark, leaves smooth-edged, strong green, turning to the typical red in autumn; seeds known as beechnuts;
Habitat: Moist, temperate climate, nutrient-rich, slightly acidic to calcareous soils; shade-tolerant when young, requires more light later on

The range of the European beech extends from the Mediterranean to southern Sweden and in the east to the Urals. It is a typical tree species of the snow- and rain-rich reservoirs on the edges of the Alps, where it can be found from the valleys up to around 1,400 meters. For economic reasons, it has been greatly reduced in favor of spruce over the last few centuries.

bark and the shiny leaves, which turn an intense yellow to brown-red color in autumn. However, the name copper beech refers to the color of the wood. Until the age of coal and oil, beech wood was the most important source of energy. However, it was difficult to transport as undried beech trunks do not float and therefore could not be rafted. In optimal locations, beech trees can grow up to 300 years old and 45 meters high. At the tree line and in avalanche zones, it sometimes remains permanently shrub-like ("Legbuche").

The beech is a highly competitive shade tree species that loves fresh, deep, calcareous soils, high humidity and large amounts of precipitation. It is at its best in the montane altitudinal zone, which is why it is also known as the beech zone. It is somewhat rarer on slopes and in hollows, as it avoids wet soils.

Beech is found in almost all of our forest communities, with the exception of subalpine mountain forests. It develops optimally in the beech forest association (Fagion), which is made up of calcareous beech forests, brown earth beech forests and acidophilous beech forests. Oak and other deciduous trees are found at lower altitudes, while spruce, fir and mountain maple are found at higher altitudes. At Kalkalpen National Park , the snow rose beech forest is widespread on calcareous soils, the woodruff beech forest on decalcified brown loams, and the sedge and blue-grass beech forest on drier soils.

Beech is the tree species that benefits most from the forest wilderness in the national park. On the one hand, it will reclaim the areas that it previously had to cede to spruce forests and, on the other, it will reduce the excessive proportions of larch, spruce and sycamore in the mixed forests as a result of previous forestry practices.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: very common
Status Austria: common
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Acer pseudoplatanus
Characteristics: Over 30 m tall, over 500 years old, light brown-grey smooth bark that flakes off with age; five-lobed, opposite leaves
Habitat: in cool, moist mountain climates, up to high montane altitudes

The relatively narrow range of the sycamore extends from the Pyrenees to the Black Sea. It is absent in northern Europe. Its altitudinal distribution ranges from 300 to around 1,700 meters, making it higher than the beech. The sycamore can be recognized by its plane-like leaves, which turn yellow in autumn.

Every child knows the propeller-like fruits. The flattening, light-colored bark would also be a good feature. However, it is often hidden under a dense growth of mosses, which like the richness of the bark. With a maximum height of 35 meters in favourable locations, the sycamore is not exactly one of the "giants".

The sycamore is considered to be a tree species with great ecological tolerance. At lower altitudes, it prefers cool shady slopes, whereas at higher altitudes it prefers sunny slopes. When young, it can tolerate a lot of shade, but its light requirements increase with age. As it prefers moist, nutrient-rich soils, it is often found at the foot of slopes, just like ash and mountain elm. It is particularly competitive on unstable limestone scree soils. Here it benefits from the fact that it is extremely stable, heals rockfall damage well and is insensitive to winter cold and snow. Sometimes it acts as a pioneer, preparing difficult sites for colonization by spruce and beech. Like the ash, it has a very rich regeneration.

The sycamore is mainly found in ravine and rock shelter forests (Tilio-Acerion). Otherwise, it is a typical mixed tree species that belongs to the tree species combination of ash forests and humid or high-altitude beech forest communities. However, it can also be found in the comparatively dry sedge and blue-grass beech forests.

It is difficult to forecast the future development of the sycamore's range in the national park. On the one hand, it should benefit from the spread of natural mixed beech forests. On the other hand, as a regeneration-strong pioneer tree species, it could benefit from past clear-cutting. The question arises as to whether it will not be outcompeted by beech in the ageing mixed beech forests, especially as it is also more affected by game browsing than beech.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: common
Status Austria: common to scattered
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Fraxinus excelsior
Characteristics: Up to 40 m tall tree, bark of young trees smooth and light gray, gray with age Bark with dense longitudinal cracks
Habitat: Calcareous, nutrient-rich soil, dry to moist; in ravine forests and riparian forests, semi-shady to light

The ash tree's range covers western and almost all of southern Europe and extends as far east as the Urals. The northern foothills of the Alps are one of its main areas of distribution. It can be found here from the lowest altitudes to around 1,200 (1,500) meters, with the main range being between 300 and 900 meters. The ash therefore does not climb as high as the mountain maple, with which it otherwise often occurs together.

The ash tree is easily recognizable by its feathery leaves and longitudinally fissured, grey bark. Of all native deciduous trees, it sprouts its leaves the latest and sheds them the earliest, which indicates an efficient metabolism. Depending on the location, a 100-year-old tree can reach heights of between 25 meters in a rather dry sedge-beech forest and 35 meters in a fresh, moist sycamore-ash forest.

The ash tree prefers humid locations in the hills and lower mountains with nutrient-rich, deep soils and moving groundwater. Thanks to its rich rooting, however, it can also thrive on dry limestone slopes. However, ash trees will not be found on acidic soils and in stagnant moisture. As a pioneer tree species like the sycamore, the ash has a very rich regeneration. Its low need for light when young and its high ecological tolerance allow ash to remain at least interspersed in many forest communities.

The ash tree is mainly found in river floodplains (ash-hardwood forest), in ravine forests (sycamore-ash forest), along mountain streams (stream-ash forest) and on slopes that are moist from seepage. It is also found in fresher beech forest communities, but also in the rather dry sedge and blue-grass beech forests.

In the future, the ash should benefit from the spread of natural mixed beech forests. On the other hand, as a highly regenerative pioneer tree species, it has benefited greatly from clear-cutting to date. The question arises as to whether it will not be outcompeted by beech in the ageing mixed beech forests, especially as it is browsed more heavily than beech.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: common
Status Austria: very common
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Ulmus glabra
Characteristics: up to 40 meters tall, asymmetrical leaves, often three-pointed
Habitat: moisture-loving, up to approx. 1,200 m

The range of the mountain elm extends from the southern edge of the Alps and the Carpathians across central and northern Europe to the Urals in the east. In Germany, it is mainly found in the more humid areas of the beech stage, where it climbs up to around 1,200 meters.

Typical characteristics of the mountain elm are its large, asymmetrical leaves and its tendency to have two trunks. Specimens with yellowed leaves in the upper crown area are often found. This is caused by a fungus spread by the elm splint beetle, which spreads in the vessels of the trunk. As the tree reacts by closing the infected vessels, it increasingly cuts off its own water supply until it finally dries up and dies. A healthy mountain elm, on the other hand, can live up to 500 years and reach a height of 40 meters.

The mountain elm is a semi-shade tree species that prefers fresh to seeping moist, nutrient- and base-rich, loamy soils. It grows particularly well in damp ditch slopes and ravines, where the beech no longer follows it. As the mountain elm is quite insensitive to trunk injuries caused by falling rocks and to tensile stresses on the roots, it is competitive with beech and spruce on moving landslide slopes.

The mountain elm is mainly found in slope and ravine forest communities, for example in ash-maple ravine forest, moon violet ravine forest, forest goatee ravine forest and elm-maple forest. It can also be found in the arum-beech forest and in lower-lying sycamore-beech forests. The mountain elm is one of the rarer tree species in the national park. In the course of post-glacial vegetation development, it has continuously lost territory to the more competitive shade tree species spruce, fir, beech and hornbeam. Since 1920, the remaining populations have been so badly affected by the introduced fungal infection that it is rightly referred to as the "elm dieback". In addition, the mountain elm regeneration is being intensively browsed by game. Although it is not to be feared that the mountain elm will die out, it will probably be an even rarer sight in the future than it has been in the past, despite the forest wilderness at Kalkalpen National Park .

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: scattered
Status Austria: common
Red List Austria (1999): regionally endangered
Red List Upper Austria (1997): critically endangered-
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): partially protected

Latin name: Sorbus aria
Characteristics: Shrub or tree up to 12 meters high, bark smooth, grey, cracked with age; leaves elliptical; dark green upper side, white felty underside; red fruits from August
Habitat: On lime-rich soils in sunny, dry places

The rowan tree is widespread throughout most of Europe as well as in Asia Minor and North Africa. Its main habitat is warm, dry limestone sites in the colline to montane altitudinal zones.

The silver-white leaves on the underside are characteristic of the service tree, which, when moved by the wind, give the impression of a flowering tree from afar. The flowers and the subsequent fruit are in umbrella-shaped panicles. The name "rowan" refers to the relatively large, yellow-red to scarlet berries, which are suitable as a flour substitute when dried. The trunk of the service tree is often crooked, sometimes even drooping. It grows slowly in accordance with the rather dry locations, can grow up to 200 years old and 15 to 20 meters high.

The service tree requires moderate warmth, but is more demanding when it comes to summer heat. It thrives best on base-rich, well-aerated, moderately dry soils. As a light tree species, it mainly colonizes slopes and ridges in warm south and south-west exposures. It can tolerate injuries caused by falling rocks and tensile stress on the roots. As it is also frost-hardy, storm-resistant and resistant to snow breakage, it is a very robust tree overall.

The European serviceberry itself is not a stand-forming species. At lower altitudes, it mainly joins calcareous and thermophilic shrub communities (Berberidon) and sparse mixed oak forests (Quercion pubescentis). In the snow heath-pine forest (Erico-Pinetum sylvestris) and in the sparse sedge and blue-grass beech forests, it is a permanent species combination. It also occurs regularly in the snow heath-pine scrub (Erico-Pinetum prostratae).

As far as the rowan population in Kalkalpen National Park is concerned, a decline is to be expected. Although the occurrences on the rocky sites will remain stable, some red pine forests, especially if they have emerged secondarily from spruce forests, will develop into these again. Similarly, parts of the sedge and blue-grass beech forests will mature into spruce-fir-beech forests, in which it will be too shady for the European whitebeam.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: scattered
Status Austria: common to scattered
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): regionally endangered
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Sorbus aucuparia
Characteristics:
Location:

The rowan's distribution area covers most of Europe and stretches from Central Asia to Siberia. It can be found from the plains to the climatic tree line. In the Alps, it grows from the montane to the subalpine altitudes.

The rowan owes its name to its feathery leaves, which at first glance resemble those of the ash tree. "Rowan berry" refers to the birds' preference for its orange-red berries. As the genus belongs to the pome fruit subfamily, it is no coincidence that the berries resemble very small apples. The rowan is a short-lived tree species that rarely lives more than 100 years. While it can grow to a height of 15 to 20 meters in suitable locations, it often remains shrub-like in less favourable conditions at higher altitudes.

Mountain ash is a species of cool, rainy areas in summer. It is frost and winter hardy. With the exception of constantly wet and still very raw soils, it grows on practically all substrates. Its occurrence is largely determined by its low competitive ability against other tree species. When young, it is not very sensitive to shading, but it needs a lot of light to develop into a tree and ripen its berries. It is therefore only found in gappy forests and is one of the trees that are particularly popular with game.

The mountain ash can be found at all altitudinal levels in the foothills of forests and wooded areas (Epilobion angustifolii, Sambuco-Salicion capreae). At higher altitudes, it is mainly found in montane and subalpine spruce forest communities (Vaccinio-Piceion). Outside the forests, it occurs in the subalpine tall herb communities (Adenostylion alliariae) and mountain pine scrub (Erico- Pinion mugi).

The development of the rowan in Kalkalpen National Park is difficult to predict in view of the increasing forest wilderness. It will certainly not be happy about the end of clear-cutting. On the other hand, it is to be expected that the ageing of the naturally spruce-rich forests at higher altitudes will create stand gaps that it can use for regeneration.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: common
Status Austria: very common
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Amelanchier ovalis
Characteristics: Richly branched and densely crowned shrub up to 4 meters high, flowering April to May
Habitat: Dry, warm, light rocky scrub, pine forests, south-facing locations, on limestone and rock

The rock pear is found in Central, Southern and Eastern Europe. It is a shrub of dry, sparse forests and rocky meadows. In the colline and montane altitudinal zones, it mostly colonizes south and south-west-facing locations. At subalpine altitudes, it can only be found in the warmest, wind-protected places.

The rock pear has finely serrated, somewhat bluish, bare leaves, which are still densely white-felted when young and turn a beautiful orange to dark red in autumn. The branches are strongly curved to overhanging, which is why it is often wider than it is tall. The name rock pear refers to the location, the name edelweiss shrub to the large, white flowers. These appear before the leaves emerge and are reminiscent of a fruit tree. The bluish fruit, on the other hand, looks more like a large blueberry. The rock pear usually does not grow much higher than two to three meters, and even then only in rather inaccessible rock faces, because it is often eaten by game.

The rock pear is a shrub that needs a lot of light and requires a lot of warmth. It prefers full sun, but can also tolerate partial shade under sparse pine forests. It usually grows on warm, dry, calcareous, stony soils and particularly likes to grow on rocky slopes. At lower altitudes, it mainly joins calcareous and thermophilic shrub communities (Berberidion), such as the rock pear scrub named after it (Cotoneastro-Amelanchieretum). It can also be found in the snow heath-pine forest (Erico-Pinetum sylvaticae) and snow heath-pine scrub (Erico-Pinetum prostratae). Finally, the rock pear can also be found scattered in calcareous rock spruce forest or blue-grass beech forest.

In the national park, the rock pear population will tend to decline as the forest wilderness progresses. Although the occurrences on the rocky sites will remain stable, some red pine forests, especially if they have emerged secondarily from spruce forests, will develop back into such forests.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: scattered
Status Austria: common to scattered
Red List Austria (1999): regionally endangered
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Taxus baccata
Characteristics: Multi-stemmed, soft needles, slow-growing, thin reddish-brown scaly bark
Habitat: Fresh, nutrient-rich soil, shade-loving, in sparse mixed forest stands

Due to its sensitivity to frost, yew thrives best in areas with mild winters and cool summers. Deciduous forests with yew grow above all in the montane altitudinal zone of the rainy and snowy reservoir zones on the edge of the Alps.

Unlike the other native conifers, the yew tends to be multi-stemmed and remains fairly low, growing to a height of 15 meters. Its dioeciousness is also unusual, meaning that a tree has either only male or only female flowers. It also does not form cones. The somewhat slimy red seed coat is the only part of the yew that does not contain the highly toxic alkaloid taxine. Because this has a lethal effect on horses, the yew was literally eradicated in some places in earlier times. Deer, on the other hand, love to eat the branches without any adverse consequences. In suitable locations, yews can live for up to 800 years. Individual "Methusalems" in England and France are even said to be 3,500 years old.

The yew thrives best on base-rich, clay-rich, fresh soils and prefers steep valley cuts and shady ditch slopes. It can survive in mixed beech forests because it has low light requirements. However, it is only a typical tree species combination in the steep-slope yew-beech forest (Taxo-Fagetum), which also occurs in the national park.

Wild yews are rare today. In the course of post-glacial vegetation development, the species has continuously lost territory to the more competitive shade tree species beech and fir. The remaining areas were plundered carelessly in the Middle Ages, as the strong but flexible yew wood was ideal for making weapons. Even the bow of the glacier mummy "Ötzi" from 3,300 BC was made from this wood.

Nowadays, the yew is particularly affected by clear-cutting forestry with its short rotation periods and game browsing. Due to its rarity and slow growth, the yew will probably remain a rare sight in the forest wilderness of Kalkalpen National Park .

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: rare
Status Austria: scattered to rare
Red List Austria (1999): endangered
Red List Upper Austria (1997): endangered
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): fully protected

Latin name: Larix decidua
Characteristics: Up to over 50 meters high, slender, conical crown, grey-brown, scaly bark with red-brown furrows, soft, flexible needles in rosette-like clusters
Location: Light-loving, in high mountain locations, mountain forests, also in dry locations

The larch is mainly found in the montane and subalpine altitudinal zones. Its natural range would extend from around 1,400 meters to the tree line. However, due to the influence of forestry, larch is now also found at lower altitudes.

The larch can be easily recognized by its thick, slightly reddish bark and the loosely hanging branches with their light green tufts of needles. It is the only native conifer that sheds its needles every year. The intense yellow coloring in autumn is due to the previous reabsorption of minerals from the needles into the wood. Due to snow pressure, the larch is often sabre-growing at higher altitudes. It can live for up to 800 years, making it our longest-lived tree species alongside the yew.

The larch prefers sunny, south-facing slopes and skeleton-rich, water-permeable soils. When old, it is very resistant to avalanches, mudslides and rockfall. Air-dry, windy locations suit it, as it has to evaporate many times more water for its metabolism than other tree species. However, as the good growth in the forests shows, it has a high ecological tolerance. The fact that it naturally only occurs at higher altitudes is primarily due to the high light requirements of its regeneration and the resulting inferiority compared to the shade tree species spruce, beech and fir. This is why the larch has benefited greatly from alpine pasture clearing and clear-cutting.

Natural pure larch stands are mainly found in the subalpine altitudinal zone and in avalanche ranges. In addition, there are also larch meadows in alpine pastures. However, larch usually occurs in a mixture with spruce. In addition to the carbonate larch forest, there are several spruce forest communities in which the larch is involved. However, if left undisturbed, the larch regrowth in most of these spruce forest communities will darken.

At Kalkalpen National Park , it is to be expected that the larch, which is currently regularly mixed into the spruce forests and mixed beech forests, will lose considerable area with the end of clear-cutting.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: common
Status Austria: common to scattered
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Picea abies
Characteristics: Up to over 40 meters tall, upright, evergreen; bark reddish-brown to grey, irregular scaling; needles sharp-pointed, square in cross-section; cones drooping
Habitat: Mountain tree that appreciates a cool, damp climate and partial shade, only planted at low altitudes;

The range of the spruce extends from southern Europe to Siberia. In Germany, it reaches its strongest competitive strength in the snow- and rain-rich reservoirs on the edges of the Alps, where it occurs at altitudes of 600 to around 1,800 meters. Due to its preference for forestry, it is widespread far beyond its natural range.

The habitus of the spruce depends on the altitude. At higher altitudes, it is characterized by a very slender shape. Its reddish-colored bark, especially when young, has earned it the name Norway spruce, which is not a very happy choice as firs are a different family. In suitable locations, it can grow to a height of 50 meters and live up to 600 years.

Due to its high ecological tolerance, the spruce can colonize almost all forest sites. It grows on alkaline and acidic, light and heavy soils. Although it is somewhat sensitive to frost-drying, it is resistant to cold. At high altitudes, it requires full light from an early age, whereas in spruce-fir-beech forests it can survive in partial shade for a long time.

The spruce occurs in numerous forest communities. The spruce forests of the upper montane to subalpine altitudinal zone (Vaccinio-Piceion), in which it is the predominant tree species, should be mentioned first. Towards the top, these spruce forests give way to larch forests or mountain pine scrub. Spruce also occurs in drier beech forest communities, on rocky outcrops and in red pine forests. Spruce forests are often only the precursor of the more demanding (spruce) fir-beech forest.

In the Kalkalpen National Park , spruce will lose ground as the forest wilderness increases. Its forest-related occurrences in the beech stage will be replaced by mixed beech forests. With the end of thinning and the dry, hot summers, bark beetle infestation has increased. Spruce can only be expected to gain space in the mountain pine stands of the Sengsengebirge and Größtenberg, where the tree line will move upwards in the course of further development into spruce forests.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: very common
Status Austria: very common
Red List Austria (1999): -
Red List Upper Austria (1997): -
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001): -

Latin name: Pinus mungo
Characteristics: shrub-like growth, from knee-high to 3 meters high
Habitat: grows on sites that are closed to taller tree species

The range of the mountain pine extends from the Western Alps to the Carpathians and Dinaric Alps. In Germany,
it can be found from the montane to the subalpine altitudes. A belt of krummholz can form near the tree line.

The mountain pine is characterized by its shrub-like growth. Barely more than knee-high in summit areas,
it can grow three to five meters high in sheltered locations. It forms an impenetrable undergrowth, which is readily accepted by game
as a place to hide and is able to colonize even extremely shallow sites with little fine soil
. With its growth habit and elastic wood, it is optimally adapted to strong mechanical stress caused by
falling rocks or snow and grows on sites that are closed to higher-growing tree species
. As a light tree species, it can only hold its own against competition on moors, rocky areas,
scree slopes and in areas above the tree line.

In the national park, the mountain pine occurs mainly in the association of subalpine mountain pine scrub (Erico-Pinion
mugo). These cover large parts of the areas of the Sengsengebirge
and Größtenberg mountains above the current tree line and also occur on the rocky slopes of the Hintergebirgs gorges. In sunny, drier locations, the snow heath mountain pine scrub (Erico-Pinetum prostratae) is more likely to be found, and in shady, fresher locations, the carbonate alpine rose mountain pine scrub (Rhodothamno-Rhododendretumhirsuti). The latter can become carbonate mountain pine scrub with rusty alpine rose (Vaccinio-Pinetummontanae) in the case of stronger acidification as a result of raw humus enrichment. The mountain pine is also regularly found in the undergrowth of the larch and spruce forests below the Krummholz belt.

In Kalkalpen National Park the area of mountain pine will increase in the medium term, but will tend to decrease in the long term. Gains
will occur where the mountain pine reclaims abandoned alpine pastures that are no longer used. Later, however,
there will be area losses, particularly at the lower boundary of the Krummholz belt, due to the natural
further development into spruce forest.

Status, endangerment and protection

Status Kalkalpen National Park: very common
Status Austria: common
Red List Austria (1999): regionally endangered
Red List Upper Austria (1997): regionally endangered
Nature Conservation Act Upper Austria (2001):partially protected-