Site potential for natural vegetation of Bavaria’s soil function map 1:25,000 (BFK25) for three project areas

Soils fulfil important functions in the natural environment. The Federal Soil Protection Act protects these valuable soil functions. Soil function maps evaluate the performance of soils in the natural environment. The assessment is based on soil maps (mostly overview soil maps i.M. 1:25,000) and other information on the environment and location. The area information is implemented by means of linking rules to assessments. The soil with its water and nutrient cycles is one of the most important location factors for the settlement and development of plant societies. The assessment of soil as habitat for natural vegetation shall be carried out on the basis of the criterion ‘Location potential for natural vegetation’. By combining the parameters base, nutrient and water balance, site types of soil are excreted and extreme site characteristics are evaluated as potential for the settlement of rare communities. The maps can be used to eliminate search spaces, e.g. in the context of biotope networking plans or in the implementation of compensatory measures. The soil function map “Soil as habitat for natural vegetation” represents a soil protection evaluation of the soil map. Since the basic data of the soil function map are partly based on different topographical foundations, overlapping inaccuracies occur when comparing with current usage maps, especially at usage limits. In some cases, the evaluated areas in the soil function map are very inhomogeneous, so that in addition to the evaluation stage shown, different evaluations are also subordinated. Areas of less than 5 000 m² were added to neighbouring areas.