The men's loyalty no longer exists in the Canton of Zurich. In 1950, the Orchid is said to have been seen on the Hüttkopf in Tössbergland. In 1931, it grew on schnebel horn. But today it is extinct.

the obituary for The men is faithful on page 237 of a 1128-page monumental work with the 3700 images, which was presented on Tuesday morning the media: the "Flora of the Canton of Zurich", in short Floz called. It is the first comprehensive Zürcher plant Atlas and a of botanists throughout the country eagerly awaited book.

Because it offers far more than profiles of the plant species that grow in the Zurich area Due to older plant lists from all regions of the Canton of herbaria, the author of the Floz able to demonstrate how the stock of this species since the 19th century. Century has developed. 42'000 historical documents are included in the book. The country is unique.

men true: From Zurich disappeared. Image: Floz

Now we know for the first time: In the Canton of Zurich grew in the period from 1839 to today, 1757 species of plants. This sounds like a lot. However, 62 percent of which are rare or very rare.

And the dark red, to chocolate smelling men's loyalty is one of the 108 species that have become extinct in the last few decades, in the Canton of Zurich – or at least missing. So optimists plants that have been found for a long time nowhere to be found, but may still be in a hidden location to have survived call.

the Disappearance of The Männertreus the Emergence of the butterfly Bush is facing – for example – that is being used in 1916 for the first time, it can be found in Zurich, since 1950, strongly spreading, and today almost everywhere occurs.

butterfly Bush: Grows downright. Image: Floz

What, however, is also not a good message. As the summer lilac called, undisputed, beautiful shrub is considered to be unwanted neophyte, because he supplanted in some places the local Flora. And butterflies it attracts, but their caterpillars no food offers.

Thomas Wohlgemuth is one of the five editors of the book, in which the volunteer work of the 250 volunteers of the Zurich Botanical society – laymen and professionals – is summarized. The Work started already in 2011. From the page scope of the present work is almost as thick and just as difficult as the "Flora Helvetica", the Bible of the Swiss botanist and botany of the interior.

A ninth in the Canton of

For the plant inventory has been grazed a ninth of the Canton of literally. The Canton has been systematically divided into squares of one kilometre on a side. Each ninth has been mapped.

Means: All there-growing flowers, shrubs and trees were determined. In the process, Teams were from two to four persons approximately forty to sixty hours in a square and covered for 15 to 30 kilometers.

mapping: What Plant is this? Image: Dominique Meienberg

Wohlgemuth still remembers today the muscle soreness, he attracted the Map on the Tössstock. For this he was rewarded, however, abundant: "I found rocks, Alpine roses on the Nagelfluh and many other mountain plants, which grow away from the Alpine only in the Tösstal valley!"

This approach also led to bizarre situations: As a Team had to capture the world of plants on the Rennweg in Zurich – the sample of Kilometre squares had to be strictly followed. Promoted Amazing results: a deer tongue in the Well.

And Floz-project Manager Corina Del Fabbro had to map a square, which is located in lake Zurich. So she pulled on the trunks and sent him to collect the water plants in a not too deep shore area.

Between joy and sorrow

Wohlgemuth is torn between elation about the successful completion of this mammoth work and the worrying knowledge of the dramatic loss of Species that is now occupied for the first time over the whole Canton with concrete Numbers.

"The frequency of half of all species that have changed since 1900," said Corina Del Fabbro yesterday in front of the media. "And a quarter of all plant species has decreased significantly." She listed three main reasons for this: The Development of more and more areas, the Disappearance of wetlands due to river training and drainage systems, as well as the intensification of agriculture.

a Particularly strong impact on the biodiversity areas, according to Wohlgemuth, the loss of wetlands and dry meadows. And most of the former fat meadows, where Daisy, Knapweed and blooming meadow sage, are today replaced by species-poor Intensive grassland.

has not recovered, However, the forest habitat in the last decades, which has, however, only positive. The forests have become denser and thus darker. Of these, about fifty species, which are now become many benefit, many have disappeared completely or clearly become rarer, such as the woman's Shoe.

"There are clear signs that the climate warming affects the future composition of the species strong."Thomas Wohlgemuth (WSL)

As the climate impacts of global warming on the species in the Canton area that is not researched according to Wohlgemuth enough to make concrete statements. "However, there are clear signs that it affects the future composition of the species strong."

in General, the regions of the Limmat valley, Sihltal, warehouses and Glatt valley is particularly rich in ferns and flowering plants are in the wine country and Winterthur, the mapped areas had a relatively low species diversity. Because in these regions there are only a few different habitats, a lot of intensive agriculture.

Hotspot lake

In the main, however, the can be used with its steep, wooded Slopes of the Uetliberg/Albis chain and the rooms have a mountain country economically, the diversity of species on the largest.

Other areas with a high number of species are the nearly natural Bank zones of the cat lake and lake Pfäffikon, the shores of lake Zurich, in contrast, is impoverished today – what relates to plant species.

In the Zürcher unterland, where there is less rain than elsewhere, there are still quite a lot of nutrient - poor and dry meadows and sparse forests, which has a positive effect on biodiversity.

milk star: The stock is stable. Image: Floz

As Wohlgemuth tells that story, he fumbles his phone out of his pocket, leafing through his photo album and then shows a field that looks at first glance as if fresh snow had fallen on it. "Louder milk star," he says, fascinated. He is joined in the Bachsertal. "Incredibly, this amount! So it should have looked in the past in many places."

www.florazh.ch / Flora of the Canton of Zurich, publisher: Zurich Botanical society, the main publisher, 1128 pages, 120 Fr. (Including 15 Botanical excursions)

Created: 10.03.2020, 15:39 PM