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Severe disturbances of landscapes entail an ecosystem development with the formation of structures and functions which may reach either a new equilibrium state or a state similar to the original ecosystem. Natural disturbances can result from major events such as volcanoes, glaciers, or denudations from landslides. Major disturbance may also evolve from anthropogenic influences such as from mining operations. They all can be considered starting points for the development of ecosystems from ‘point zero’, which was one central research interest of Dieter Mueller-Dombois. In this paper results from research in the Lusatian post-mining landscapes (Eastern Germany) are presented. Different methodological approaches are discussed. The well-defined ‘point zero’ of the ecosystem development allows for research on chronosequence designs as well as real time series studies. Chronosequences have been investigated to gain insight into the medium to long-term direction of the development. Real time series are recorded to obtain a more detailed understanding. The paper is structured into three main parts: First, effects of ecosystem disturbances by mining in Lusatia and the initial conditions for restoration are presented. In the following part practical rehabilitation measures and land use options are discussed. Finally, the third part summarizes results of long-term monitoring in an artificial watershed. In conclusion, post-mining landscapes allow for relevant case studies of ecosystem development after severe disturbances. Particularly, the starting point of the initial phase is very well defined which distinguishes these anthropogenically disturbed landscapes from landscapes after natural disturbances.
Charakterisierung und Stabilität organo-mineralischer Bodenhilfsstoffe aus Eisenhydroxidschlämmen
(2023)
Die zurückliegenden trocken-heißen Sommer haben im Süden Brandenburgs zu zahlreichen Bränden in den dominierenden Kiefernwäldern geführt, einige davon mit katastrophalen Ausmaßen. Dazu gehören die extremen Brandereignisse 2018 bei Treuenbrietzen sowie 2019 bei Jüterbog und Lieberose, die zusammen weit über 1000 ha Waldfläche zerstört und dabei auch Veränderungen der betroffenen Waldböden verursacht haben.
Das seit Mai 2020 von der FNR geförderte Verbundvorhaben Pyrophob befasst sich mit den Auswirkungen von Waldbränden im Süden Brandenburgs auf die Waldökosysteme und mit waldbaulichen Maßnahmen, die mittelfristig zu einer Verringerung der Brandanfälligkeit der Wälder beitragen sollen. Im Rahmen des auf eine fünfjährige Laufzeit ausgelegten Verbundvorhabens finden bodenkundliche Untersuchungen auf zwölf Versuchsflächen bei Treuenbrietzen und Jüterbog statt. An beiden Standorten werden unverbrannte Referenzflächen mit einbezogen. Ergänzend konnten bei Lieberose bereits 2019 nur kurz nach dem Brandgeschehen erste Bodenuntersuchungen durchgeführt werden. Die untersuchten Brandflächen bei Jüterbog und Lieberose sind als Totalreservate ausgewiesen, auf denen auch nach dem Brand waldbauliche Maßnahmen vollständig unterbleiben. Auf den Flächen bei Treuenbrietzen wurden verschiedene Behandlungsvarianten durchgeführt, zu denen auf einem Teil der Flächen die vollständige Entfernung der abgestorbenen Bäume gehörte, während auf anderen Teilflächen Totholz auf der Fläche verblieb.
Ziel der bodenkundlichen Arbeiten in Pyrophob ist zum einen eine Charakterisierung der direkten Auswirkungen des Brandes auf Humus und Mineralboden hinsichtlich des Stoffbestandes und bodenbiologischer Prozesse. Zum anderen wird der Stoffaustrag aus dem Oberboden erfasst. Der etwaige Einfluss der unterschiedlichen waldbaulichen Vorgehensweise auf die Bodenverhältnisse wird dabei als ein Indikator für die Auswahl geeigneter Maßnahmen berücksichtigt.
In den verschiedenen Untersuchungsvarianten des Vorhabens wurden zu diesem Zweck Humus- und Mineralbodenprofile untersucht. Zudem wurden Mischproben aus dem Ober- und Unterboden entnommen und auf ihren Stoffhaushalt hin analysiert. Auf jeder Untersuchungsfläche wurden je drei frei dränende Kleinlysimeter in 10 cm Bodentiefe installiert, um die zeitlichen Veränderungen der Sickerwasserzusammensetzung und die durch den Brand initiierten Stoffausträge aus dem Oberboden zu quantifizieren. Ergänzend finden Untersuchungen zu möglichen Auswirkungen der Brände auf bodenbiologische Prozesse wie Streuabbau und Stickstoffmineralisation statt.
Die Lausitz zählt schon heute zu einer der niederschlagärmsten Regionen in Deutschland. Durch den Klimawandel wird diese Situation noch weiter verstärkt und die Wahrscheinlichkeit von extremen Trockenperioden während der Hauptvegetationsphase wird zunehmen. Einer der zentralen bodenkundlichen Herausforderungen wird es somit sein, die geringe Wasserhaltekapazität der vor allem sandigen Böden der Region zu steigern. In dem Verbundvorhaben StabilOrg wird daher die Entwicklung neuartiger Bodenhilfsstoffe auf der Basis regional in der Lausitz verfügbarer Ressourcen untersucht.
Durch die Tagebauaktivitäten in der Region fallen große Mengen an Eisenhydroxidschlämmen (EHS) an. Hierbei lassen sich 3 Herkunftsschwerpunkte definieren: I) natürliche Eisenhydroxidsedimente aus Fließen, II) EHS aus Grubenwasserbehandlungsanlagen, die durch Kalkung gefällt wurden und III) EHS aus Trinkwassergewinnungsstätten, die gekalkt und zusätzlich durch chemische Flockungsmittel behandelt wurden. Diese sollen mit verschiedenen Tonen und Lehmen als weitere anorganische Komponenten, sowie mit organischem Material (Kompost) gemischt werden. Ziel ist die Herstellung von anorganisch-organische Mischsubstraten, die die bodenphysikalischen Eigenschaften positiv beeinflussen.
Erste Untersuchungsergebnisse zeigen, dass sich die untersuchten EHS je nach Behandlung in ihrer mineralogischen Zusammensetzung, sowie den physikochemischen Parametern deutlich unterscheiden. In ersten Experimenten wird untersucht, wie sich diese Mischungen auf die Wasserhaltekapazität von sandigen Böden auswirken und ob sich dabei Unterschiede zwischen den EHS und in Kombination mit den anderen Ausgangssubstanzen aufzeigen lassen.
Exploring hydrological and ecological processes plays a key role in understanding ecosystem developments. In this respect, the constructed catchment, Chicken Creek, has been established for fundamental and interdisciplinary scientific research. Since 2005, an ongoing monitoring program has been launched to measure hydrological, biological, meteorological, and pedological parameters during the ecological development of the site. This comprehensive and multidisciplinary monitoring program has produced a diverse large data set. Handling such complex data for research purposes can be a cumbersome task. Consequently, we developed an online data portal (https://www.b-tu.de/chicken-creek/apps/datenportal/) to efficiently handle the data from Chicken Creek catchment. The portal was constructed using Shiny package of the R programming language. This platform provides a web-based data repository allowing for data discovery, download, visualization, and analysis. The data include time series of different parameters from installed sensors, data from laboratory analyses, vegetation data, data from sampling campaigns, and aerial photos. This platform demonstrates the relevancy and potentiality of the R-Shiny for constructing an online data portal to be used for multidisciplinary scientific purposes. The Chicken Creek
data portal thus provides a comprehensive and reliable database to give scientists a fast and easy access to all collected data.
Exploring hydrological and ecological processes plays a key role in understanding ecosystem development. In this respect, the constructed catchment, Chicken Creek (Hühnerwasser), has been established to promote fundamental and interdisciplinary scientific research. Since 2005, an on-going monitoring program has been established in this catchment to measure hydrological, biological, meteorological, and pedological parameters during the ecological development of the site. This comprehensive and multidisciplinary monitoring program has produced a large and diverse data set. Managing and exploring such a complex data set for research purposes can be a cumbersome task. As a consequence, we developed an online data portal https://www.b-tu.de/chicken-creek/apps/datenportal/ to efficiently handle the data from Chicken Creek catchment. The portal was constructed using R programming language, Shiny package, and the accompanying local Linux server. This platform allows for efficient data discovery, download, visualization, and analysis. Data visualizations are freely available, while data storage is limited to the authorized users. In comparison with the commonly used data base tools, R-Shiny offers several advantages. As an open source package, this platform allows for constructing a web data platform in an interactive way taking into account the complexity and diversity of the data. The flexibility of this routine enables to make an efficient user-demand data portal rather than relying on predetermined outputs. It also offers flexibility in data handling by using many different R packages, rendering versatile and extensive functionalities. R-Shiny is particularly powerful in terms of statistical analyses. Although the Chicken Creek online data portal is complete and available, new features, and extended capabilities are under active development. The Chicken Creek data portal provides a comprehensive and reliable database to give scientists a fast and easy access to all collected data.
Consequently, R-Shiny offers a great potential for future development of the web-based data portals to efficiently handle scientific data collected at different scales.
The Huehnerwasser catchment was constructed 2004-2005 in a post-mining landscape in Eastern Germany and was left for an unmanaged primary ecosystem succession. At the same time a comprehensive monitoring program was launched for observing the expected dynamic development of this 6 ha site. During the following years this artificially created system was subject to a series of fast changes with regard to morphology, hydrology or vegetation cover. In summary, these processes resulted in significant alterations of the original, initial system within a short period of time. This development can be divided up into single phases with dominating processes or groups of processes. A first phase was mainly characterized by interactions between abiotic system components such as water and substrate. However, already in this very early developmental phase biotic components in the form of microorganisms were a crucial system forming factor by means of biological soil crusts. This period was quickly replaced by a second phase with dominating hydrological processes. During this phase the local groundwater body of the system developed to its full extent. With the beginning of the present phase biota gained control of the system behavior. Particularly plants and related processes such as water uptake and evapotranspiration are now responsible for new modifications of the system. The Huehnerwasser site offers an example of young and highly dynamic ecological systems. This transitional development of a very young ecosystem contrasts with the behavior of mature ecosystems with slow and less pronounced changes unless the system is disturbed. In this paper we present insights into a unique landscape observatory which illustrates the dynamic nature of natural systems in fast motion.
Ecosystems are characterized by high complexity and are dynamically changing by abiotic and biotic drivers such as climate, vegetation and soil fauna. Due to feedback processes between compartments, ecosystems show an inherent degree of locally heterogeneous properties and structures at multiple spatial and temporal scales.
The constructed catchment “Chicken Creek” represents a unique and outstanding site to study an ecosystem at the initial stage of development. The catchment is located about 20 km south of the city of Cottbus (Germany). The 6-ha catchment area was built in 2005 of coarse-textured quaternary sediments from the adjacent lignite mine and forms a back- and foot-slope that flattens out to a pond. A clay liner of 2-3 m thickness seals the catchment at the bottom, allowing for the formation of a local water body fed by precipitation. After construction the site was left to an unrestricted and unmanaged succession to elucidate the role of structures und processes during the initial establishment of an ecosystem. To study processes of ecosystem development and newly emerging structures the Chicken Creek catchment is equipped with a comprehensive ecological monitoring network. A network of more than 40 wells and two weirs allow for recording groundwater levels, surface runoff and discharge. Meteorological parameters are recorded at three weather stations. Annual aerial photos and vegetation monitoring reveal the floral colonisation of the area. Here, we present the 12 years of diverse and extensive monitoring program which has been launched to measure hydrological, biological, meteorological, and pedological parameters during the ecological development of the catchment area.
After completion of the construction in 2005 (Gerwin et al. 2009), a major challenge was to develop and install a cross-disciplinary long-term monitoring program for the 6 ha area to record major environmental parameters adapted to the development of the site (Schaaf et al. 2013).
During its first 15 years, Chicken Creek showed a very dynamic development (Elmer et al 2013). Whereas the abiotic geosystem of the first 2-3 years was characterized by heavy erosion and sediment transport, primary succession by invading vegetation and the unexpected formation of soil crusts within few years resulted in more biotic-abiotic feedbacks that controlled catchment hydrology. Our observations over a period of 15 years indicate that even minor variations in initial substrate characteristics (e.g. texture) can have lasting impacts on geomorphical, hydrological and biological development like erosion intensity, groundwater levels or establishment of vegetation patterns. The time-series of monitoring data combined with a structure model of the catchment (Gerke et al. 2013) allowed the closure of the water balance by relatively simple calculations of water storage volumes and the estimation of evapotranspiration (Schaaf et al. 2017). From these data three stages of ecosystem development were derived which are characterized by increasing influence of biota and increasing system complexity.
The cultivation of bioenergy plants in fertile, arable lands increasingly results in new land use conflicts with food production and cannot be considered as sustainable. Marginal lands have been frequently considered as potential alternatives for producing bioenergy from biomass. However, clear definitions and assessment methods for selecting marginal lands and for calculating potentials are still widely missing. The project “SEEMLA” aims at triggering the exploitation of currently underused marginal lands for biomass production for energy purposes. Study sites have been selected in different European countries: Germany, Greece, and Ukraine. The selected sites represent a wide variety of different types of marginal lands. Based on a soil assessment set given by the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) system potentially “marginal” sites have been investigated. The SQR system allows for clearly distinguishing between soils of higher and lower quality. Soils with SQR scores below 40 are regarded as “marginal”. They can be classified into different groups with regard to the importance of soil hazard indicators as evaluated by the SQR approach. The calculated SQR scores correlate significantly with biomass yields of bioenergy plants.
Further, the SQR method was adapted for use in a GIS study on marginal-land potentials in Europe. Thus, 46% of the investigated European area could be classified as “marginal” with SQR scores below 40. From that area 22.6% can be considered as potentially suitable for producing renewable resources after eliminating protected sites or other places not suitable for any kind of land use. Taking the ecological demands of selected bioenergy plants into account it is possible to give first preliminary recommendations for regional crop cultivation. It can be concluded that Europe offers a large potential for renewable resources from marginal sites. However, the implementation into practice is often impeded by missing or varying policies and regulations. A proper implementation needs clear regulations and also incentives for farmers at the European level.
Landscapes and ecosystems are complex systems with many feedback mechanisms acting between the various abiotic and biotic components. The knowledge about these interacting processes is mainly derived from mature ecosystems. The initial development of ecosystem complexity may involve state transitions following catastrophic shifts, disturbances, or transgression of thresholds. We propose a conceptual framework of feedback processes in early states of ecosystem development affected by spatiotemporal environmental drivers. To test this concept, we used 10-year time series of hydrological, biological, geomorphological, and soil data from the constructed catchment Chicken Creek.” The 6ha site was left to unrestricted development since 2005 and was intensively monitored. The data showed a very rapid development of the site with an increasing complexity and heterogeneity. In the first years, stochastic signals like the initial substrate conditions and external drivers like extreme weather events were the most important factors resulting in abiotic/abiotic feedback mechanisms shaping the morphology of the site and creating site diversity. Initial abiotic feedback mechanisms between water and substrate were soon followed by abiotic/biotic feedbacks between biological soil crusts, invading vegetation, geomorphology, and hydrology resulting in state transitions of catchment functioning.
Marginal land (MagL) use for biomass production has received a lot of attention in the past decades. This alternative land use is free from conflicts with food crops, however it presents multiple challenges. The major issue to be resolved is the definition of marginal lands, which varies between disciplines and is often determined based on management goals. Moreover, concerns over the impacts of MagL use on environment, ecosystem services and sustainability have to be addressed.
In response to these issues, the SEEMLA approach proposes an algorithm and tools to support MagLs identification and mapping, as well as the assessment of their potential for biomass production. The SEEMLA algorithm assesses land marginality using the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (M-SQR) developed by Mueller et al. (2007). The algorithm also incorporates criteria to eliminate MagLs that may not be exploitable for bioenergy due to ecological and environmental issues or regulatory and legal restrictions and constraints posed by national or EU policies applied. Finally, MagL suitable for bioenergy production is categorized based on climatic zone and crop suitability. Alternative exploitation scenarios are developed for each class of MagL. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) will determine the sustainability of each scenario, considering also the results of the pilot sites that have been established in Germany, Greece and Ukraine.
The cultivation of bioenergy plants at fertile, arable lands increasingly results in new land use conflicts with food production and cannot be considered as sustainable, therefore. Marginal lands have been frequently considered as potential alternative for producing bioenergy from biomass. However, clear definitions and assessment methods for selecting marginal lands and for calculating potentials are still widely missing. The project “SEEMLA” aims at triggering the exploitation of currently underused marginal lands for biomass production for energy purposes. Study sites have been selected in different European countries: Germany, Greece and Ukraine. The selected sites represent a wide variety of different types of marginal lands. Based on a soil assessment set given by the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) system potentially “marginal” sites have been investigated. The SQR system allows for clearly distinguishing between soils of higher and lower quality. Soils with SQR scores below 40 are regarded as “marginal”. They can be classified into different groups with regard to the importance of soil hazard indicators as valuated by the SQR approach. The calculated SQR scores correlate significantly with biomass yields of bioenergy plants. Further, the SQR method was adapted for use in a GIS study on marginal land potentials in Europe. 46 % of the investigated European area could be classified as “marginal” with SQR scores below 40. From that area 22.6 % can be considered as potentially suitable for producing renewable resources after eliminating protected sites or other places not suitable for any kind of land use. Taking the ecological demands of selected bioenergy plants into account it is possible to give first preliminary recommendations for regional crop cultivation. It can be concluded, that Europe offers a large potential for renewable resources from marginal sites. However, the implementation into practice is often impeded by missing or varying policies and regulation. A proper implementation needs clear regulations and also incentives for farmers at European level.
Das Hühnerwasser-Einzugsgebiet ist ein 6 ha großes, künstlich geschaffenes Wassereinzugsgebiet im Tagebau Welzow-Süd in Südost-Brandenburg. Das Zweischichtsystem mit einer Ton- und einer darüber liegenden Sandschicht wurde im Jahr 2005 fertiggestellt und ohne weitere Rekultivierungsmaßnahmen für Forschungszwecke bereitgestellt. Es lässt exemplarisch die Untersuchung der initialen Landschaftsgenese zu. Insbesondere die Entwicklung von einem zunächst noch abiotisch kontrollierten hin zu einem biotisch gesteuerten System lässt sich hier beobachten. In diesem Beitrag werden beispielhaft einige in diesem Kontext aufgetretene Interaktionen zwischen abiotischen und biotischen Strukturelementen vorgestellt. Dies sind zum einen Erosions- und Sedimentationsprozesse und ihre Wechselwirkungen mit der Vegetation. Zum anderen wird der Einfluss der Vegetation auf die Grundwasserentwicklung dargestellt.
Experimental catchments with well-known boundaries and characteristics may contribute valuable data to hydrological, critical zone and landscape evolution research. One of the most well-established and largest constructed catchments is the Chicken Creek catchment (6 ha area including a 0.4 ha pond, Brandenburg, Germany) representing an initial ecosystem undergoing a highly dynamic ecological development starting from clearly defined starting conditions. The water balance dynamics of the catchment was calculated using a simple mass balance approach to reveal the impact of ecological development during 12 years. Water storage in the catchment was calculated from a 3D-model of groundwater volumes, soil moisture measurements and water level recordings of the pond. The catchment water balance equation was resolved for evapotranspiration, the only part that was not measured directly. Due to the known boundary conditions and the inner structure of the catchment, we were able to quantify the different storage compartments and their role in hydrologic response. Our results indicate that for small catchments with a highly dynamic ecological development like the Chicken Creek, the knowledge about saturated and unsaturated storage volumes enables a good estimate and closure of the water balance using a rather simple approach, at least in annual resolution. We found a significant relationship between vegetation cover in the catchment and calculated ET. Time series of meteorological, hydrological, soil and vegetation data over 12 years enabled us to characterize the transient development of the catchment and to evaluate the effect of different feedback mechanisms on catchment hydrology. The dataset from the Chicken Creek catchment indicate at least three phases in ecosystem development, where initial abiotic feedbacks (e.g. erosion) were followed by more and
more biotic controls (e.g. biological soil crusts, vegetation succession and growth). Data from Chicken Creek in high spatial and temporal resolution provide a valuable database underlining the high importance of abiotic/biotic feedback effects that change the hydrologic functioning and response of the catchment more than the water balance itself revealed and thus have to be included in catchment models.
Difficulties in quantitatively closing the water balance of catchments arise when upscaling point measurements and from insufficient knowledge of the physical boundaries, inner structure, and storage volumes of natural catchments. In addition, there is a strong need for generalizing the relationship between catchment characteristics and hydrological response. Therefore, experimental catchments with well-known boundaries and conditions could contribute valuable data to hydrological and critical zone research. One of the most well-established and largest constructed catchments is the Chicken Creek catchment (6 ha including a pond, Brandenburg, Germany) representing an initial ecosystem undergoing highly dynamic ecological development starting from clearly defined starting conditions. Directly after completion of the construction, extensive monitoring equipment was installed to track the ecosystem development and to capture the
spatiotemporal variability of meteorological, hydrological, ecological, and soil conditions and vegetation succession. In this study, we focused on the water balance dynamics of the Chicken Creek catchment for the period 2005 to 2015 as influenced by ecological development. Water storage in the catchment was calculated from a three-dimensional model of groundwater volumes, soil moisture measurements, and water level recordings of the pond. The catchment water balance equation was resolved for evapotranspiration, the only part that was not measured directly. Time series of meteorological, hydrological, and ecological data for 10 yr enabled us to characterize the transient development of the catchment and to evaluate the effect of different feedback mechanisms on catchment hydrology.
Eine zunehmende Knappheit ackerbaulicher Standorte und der zugleich steigende Bedarf an nachwachsenden Rohstoffen für die energetische und stoffliche Nutzung lösen verstärkt Konflikte zwischen der Nahrungsmittelproduktion und der Biomasseproduktion aus. Marginale Standorte kommen entsprechend immer stärker in den Blickpunkt als mögliche Erweiterungsflächen für die Biomasseproduktion. In der wissenschaftlichen Auseinandersetzung fehlt allerdings eine eindeutige Definition für derartige marginale Standorte. Gerade im Hinblick auf eine mögliche Reduzierung von Nutzungskonflikten ist die Abgrenzung zu stillgelegten, aber agrarisch nutzbaren Standorten oder zu natürlichen Badlands, mit naturschutzfachlichen Potentialen oftmals schwierig. Das EU H2020-Projekt SEEMLA untersucht Potentiale und Verfügbarkeit von marginalen Standorten europaweit. In Deutschland, Griechenland und der Ukraine wurden Pilotstandorte eingerichtet, auf denen der Anbau von Bioenergiepflanzen exemplarisch durchgeführt wird. Für eine erste Bewertung der Standortspotentiale und auch der Ursachen der Marginalität der Standorte wurden Bodenuntersuchungen an allen Pilotstandorten nach den Vorgaben des Muencheberger Soil Quality Rating-Verfahrens (SQR) (1) durchgeführt und die Standorte klassifiziert. Das SQR-Verfahren bewertet ausgewählte Boden- und Standortseigenschaften und bezieht zusätzlich mögliche limitierende Faktoren (Hazard Indicators) wie Versauerung, Versalzung, Vernässung etc. mit ein, um eine Gesamtbewertungszahl zur Bodenfruchtbarkeit zu ermitteln. Dieser Beitrag stellt anhand der SEEMLA-Standorte exemplarisch Böden marginaler Standorte vor. Mit Hilfe der SQR Hazard Indicators werden charakteristische limitierende Faktoren vorgestellt. Es wird zudem versucht, die untersuchten Standorte in eine mögliche Klassifikation marginaler Standorte einzupassen und ihre Eignung für die Biomasseproduktion einzuschätzen.
The term “marginal land” refers to generally unfavourable site conditions for traditional economic agriculture or forestry. The definitions of marginality differ widely and also the scientific perspective on this type of land is very heterogeneous. However, with regard to the fast growing competition for arable lands between agricultural food production and the increasing need for growing renewable resources, such marginal lands could offer a mitigation option. Whereas agriculture is concentrating rapidly on the most fertile soils, the production of biomass as the renewable basis for various products could be shifted to sites with lower soil fertility. This in general is the main objective of the H2020 funded EU project SEEMLA (acronym for “Sustainable exploitation of biomass for bioenergy from marginal lands”). This project aims at an establishment of suitable innovative land-use strategies for a sustainable production of plant-based energy on marginal lands, while improving general ecosystem services. This approach will be tested in selected casestudy regions in Europe on marginal lands with different reasons for their marginality. One of the central tasks of this project was the characterization and classification of the investigated marginal sites according to a common definition. For that reason the Muencheberg Soil Quality Rating (SQR) system1 was adapted and applied at sites
in Germany, Greece and Ukraine. This paper gives an overview of the importance and properties of different soil parameters and ecological site conditions for this classification. Even if the occurrence of the single site limitations epends on regional conditions, some generalizations are possible. Based on the respective dominating soil related restrictions, a classification of types of marginality and of marginal lands can be derived also with regard to their land use potentials for renewable resources. Further, cultivating biomass on marginal lands may offer remediation potentials with regard to the described ecological restraints of marginal sites.