Misplaced Pages

#835164

43-600: The ridge of the Damme Hills, which is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) long and only a few kilometers wide, lies on the southern edge of the North German Plain about 34 kilometres (21 mi) north of the city of Osnabrück . It is located in the Dümmer Nature Park near the town of Damme , which lies in the centre of the region, and between Lohne (some distance to the north), Steinfeld (to

86-452: A cream-coloured, soft, transparent body with six orange legs, and an orange head which is very distinct from the very sharp brown pincers. They have combs in their legs which they use for communication ( stridulation ) with other larvae. The larvae go through several instars (stages), taking several years to become pupae . Males use their large mandibles to fight with each other in competition for females, intending to throw their opponent off

129-561: A farmer. Three of Germany's largest native beetles live here: the stag beetle , rhinoceros beetle and cockchafer . Amongst the places of interest in the Damme Hills, aside from the woods themselves, are the observation towers of the Steigenberg (southwestern area of the ridge) and Mordkuhlenberg (north central area). From the latter there is a view over much of the ridge, the Dümmer Nature Park, Oldenburg Münsterland ,

172-416: A larger, squarer head. Another difference is that Lucanus cervus larvae feed on wood below ground, and Dorcus parallelipipedus larvae eat wood above ground. Lucanus cervus is widespread across Europe, though it is absent from Ireland. In Germany it is widespread, mainly in the south. In Hungary this species is widespread in the hilly and mountainous areas. In Romania it is widespread, especially in

215-827: Is drained by rivers that flow northwards into the North Sea or the Baltic and tributaries to the Rhine river that flows West. The Rhine, Ems , Weser , Elbe and Havel are the most important rivers which drain the North German Lowlands into the North Sea and created woods in their flood plains and folds, e.g. the Spreewald ("Spree Forest"). Only a small area of the North German Plain falls within

258-770: Is registered in the second appendix of the Habitats Directive of the European Union from 1992, which requires that member states set aside special areas of conservation . The species is also registered in the third appendix of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats (Berne convention) of 1982 and Schedule 5 of the UK's Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 . Log pyramids, also called stumperies, are vertical log piles where

301-497: The Altes Land near Hamburg , which is characterised by relatively mild temperatures year round due to the proximity of the North Sea and lower Elbe river, providing excellent conditions for fruit production. Azonal vegetation complexes of moors, riparian forests, fens and water bodies originally stretched along the rivers Ems , Weser , Elbe , Havel and Spree . Distinctive salt marshes , tideflats and tidal reed beds in

344-750: The European stag beetle , or the greater stag beetle , is one of the best-known species of stag beetle (family Lucanidae) in Western Europe , and is the eponymous example of the genus. L. cervus is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List . Lucanus cervus is situated in the genus Lucanus within the family Lucanidae. In the genus there are two subgenera: Lucanus Scopoli, 1763 and Pseudolucanus Hope and Westwood, 1845 . The species L. cervus contains four subspecies. The nominate subspecies L. cervus cervus (Linnaeus, 1758)

387-580: The Helpt Hills 179 m (587 ft)). Following the ice ages, rain-fed, raised bogs originated in western and northern Lower Saxony during warm periods of high precipitation (as influenced by Medieval Warm Period). These bogs were formerly widespread but much of this terrain has now been drained or otherwise superseded. The coastal areas consist of Holocene lake and river marshes and lagoons connected to Pleistocene Old and Young Drift terrain in various stages of formation and weathering. After or during

430-647: The Rehburg Phase , which can be dated to about 230,000 years ago. The Rehburg Hills by the lake of the Steinhuder Meer , are not, however, part of the moraine. Together with their almost symmetrical counterpart, the Ankum Heights, the Damme Hills display the most marked glacial lobes of this push moraine. It filled the lowland bay of the Artland . Iron ore is found deep under the hills. In

473-730: The Signalberg and, on its northern slopes, is a 134 m high Deutsche Telekom telecommunication tower . North German Plain The North German Plain or Northern Lowland ( German : Norddeutsches Tiefland ) is one of the major geographical regions of Germany . It is the German part of the North European Plain . The region is bounded by the coasts of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to

SECTION 10

#1732780428836

516-833: The Westphalian Lowland . Elements of the Rhenish Massif also act a part of the southern boundary of the plain: the Eifel , Bergisches Land and the Sauerland . In the east the North German Plain spreads out beyond the Harz Mountains and Kyffhäuser further to the south as far as the Central Saxon hill country and the foothills of the Ore Mountains . It is known that the North German Plain

559-612: The Wiehen Hills and Lake Dümmer. A nature trail on the Damme Bergsee gives information about animals and The highest elevations of the Damme Hills are (sorted by height in metres above sea level , NN, mainly based on ): The waterbodies of the Damme Hills include: Lakes Rivers There are observation towers on the Mordkuhlenberg and Steigenberg. There is a Bundeswehr -owned transmitter mast on

602-531: The estuaries existed permanently in the tidal zone of the North Sea coast. The natural vegetation of the North German Plain is thought to have been forest formed mainly by the dominant species European Beech (Fagetalia). According to Germany's Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, the BfN , the North German Plain consists of the natural regions listed below. Where possible, their names have been derived from authoritative English-language source(s), as indicated by

645-570: The Börde areas (Hildesheim Börde, Magdeburg Börde, with their fertile, loess soils). High-level bog peat can be found in the poorest soils, e.g. in the Teufelsmoor . In the loess areas of the lowland are found the oldest settlement locations in Germany ( Linear Pottery culture ). The northeastern part of the plain (Young Drift) is geomorphologically distinct and contains a multitude of lakes (e.g.

688-544: The Fulda Gap option was seen as the most likely invasion route because of easier and closer access to tactical and strategic goals important for an invasion of Western Europe. Of the two North German plain invasion options, the southern route of the attack, which had the better strategic opportunities, would have been led by the Soviet Third Shock Army . The plain's geography, which makes it suitable for

731-650: The Mueritz lake in the Mecklenburg Lake Plateau ) which are vestiges of the last ice age. The retreating glaciers left this landscape behind around 16,000 to 13,000 years ago. In comparison, the dry plains of northwestern Germany (Lower Saxony, western Schleswig-Holstein, and the Bochum area of North Rhine Westphalia) are more heavily weathered and levelled ( Old Drift ) as the last large scale glaciations here occurred at least 130,000 years ago. The region

774-466: The Netherlands are larger than those from Belgium or the UK. Males grow up to 7.5 cm (2.9 inches) in length, and females grow between 3 and 5 cm (1.1 and 1.9 inches). In Britain, female Lucanus cervus are often confused with both sexes of the lesser stag beetle ( Dorcus parallelipipedus ). They can be distinguished as lesser stag beetles are smaller, with a completely black exoskeleton, and

817-947: The Weser-Ems watershed: All streams and rivers that run eastwards from the ridge, flow via the Hunte into the Weser , those that run westwards flow via the Hase into the Ems . The Damme Hills are part of a series of ice age end moraines from the part of the Saale glaciation , the so-called Drenthe I stage. The Lingen Heights , the Ankum Heights , the Kellenberg and the Brelinger Berg also belong to this push moraine , also called

860-420: The allochthonous Quercus rubra . Adults appear during late May to the beginning of August, being most active in the evenings. Females lay about 30 eggs in a piece of decaying wood deep in the soil. Stag beetle larvae, which are blind and shaped like a letter "C", feed on rotting wood in a variety of places, tree stumps, old trees and shrubs, rotting fence posts, compost heaps, and leaf mould . The larvae have

903-413: The beetle to an approaching large object is to remain motionless, making them a good photographic subject. In a primary ancient forest in northern Italy, stag beetle males were less elusive than females. Males were more frequently radio-tracked in flight, females mostly underground and in the proximity of deadwood. Males were mostly observed flying at sunset, and resting or walking on standing trees during

SECTION 20

#1732780428836

946-404: The case of magpies , they have been observed in the field as waiting for emergence on a single site, subsequently consuming the beetle's abdomen. In Italy, the main predator is the hooded crow ( Corvus cornix ). Mites in the order Monogynaspida (Suborder Uropodina ) are phoretic (attached for the purpose of transportation) and have been observed attached to L. cervus as deutonymphs on

989-568: The catchment area of the Oder and Neiße rivers which drain into the Baltic. The North Sea coast and the adjacent coastal areas of the facing East and North Frisian Islands are characterised by a maritime climate . South of the coast, a broad band of maritime and sub-maritime climate stretches from the east coast of Schleswig-Holstein to the western edges of the Central Uplands . To

1032-418: The day. The combination of air temperature and humidity determined the optimal weather conditions for male flights. Flying at sunset, mostly performed by males, significantly increased the detectability of the species. Stag beetles are shown to be more active during the first part of their adult lives. Males were more prone to disperse than females but the home range size did not differ between the sexes. Dividing

1075-525: The deployment of armored and mechanized maneuver , led to it being identified as a major invasion route into West Germany . The defense of the Plain was the responsibility of NATO's Northern Army Group and Second Allied Tactical Air Force , made up of German, Dutch, Belgian, British, and some US forces. 53°36′N 10°24′E  /  53.600°N 10.400°E  / 53.600; 10.400 Lucanus cervus Lucanus cervus , known as

1118-556: The edge of the ridge of dry land in the west of Schleswig-Holstein (the Wilster Marsh is 3.5 m (11 ft) below sea level) and in the northwest of Lower Saxony (Freepsum, 2.3 m (7.5 ft) below sea level). The highest points may be referred to as Vistula and Hall glaciation terminal moraines (depending on the ice age which formed them) – e.g., on the Fläming Heath (200 m (660 ft) above sea level) and

1161-452: The females. Stag beetles spend most of their life as larvae and can take from 3 to 7 years for them to pupate , but the lifespan of the adults is only a few weeks. The species Lucanus cervus contains four subspecies, with Lucanus cervus cervus being the nominate subspecies . The three latterly added subspecies are L. cervus judaicus , L. cervus laticornis , L. cervus turcicus , and L. cervus akbesianus . The natural reaction of

1204-496: The flight season in three intervals, the most active individuals were recorded during the first and the second ones (first and second half of June). Natural predators of L. cervus in Britain include cats , foxes , badgers , carrion crows , magpies , woodpeckers , kestrels , and false black widows ; these tend to strike at the most vulnerable stage in the beetle's life cycle, when adults are seeking to mate and lay eggs. In

1247-460: The gently curved ridge of the Damme Hills the wooded rolling hills and valleys alternate with meadows , fields and pastureland e. g. paddock ). There are numerous paths for cyclists and hikers to enjoy the natural environment. The lake known as the Damme Bergsee , roughly 25 ha in area, provides a refuge for rare animals and plants, which are described by means of a nature trail . Many endangered species of plant occur in this area: Of

1290-532: The hilly areas with sun exposed slopes. It also occurs in the European part of Turkey. In Italy it is mainly distributed in northern and central regions. In Spain and Portugal it is present only in the northern half of each country. In Britain it is largely confined to the south-east of England, where it is widespread. This species is now extinct in Latvia ; it also disappeared from Denmark around 1970, but

1333-448: The hitherto 364 vascular plants , 68 species are on Lower Saxony's Red List of endangered types. One particularly notable group of animals are the reptiles , of which 4 species occur here: the grass snake , sand lizard , viviparous lizard and slowworm . From the bird world there are 5 species of woodpecker as well as woodcock , crossbill and pied flycatcher . In 1974 even rollers bred in this wooded area, but were later shot by

Damme Hills - Misplaced Pages Continue

1376-426: The log or branch they are on. The work of entomologist Charlie Morgan during the late 1970s discovered that the pupae of the stag beetle live in the soil for about 3 months, then emerge in summer to awkwardly fly off to mate. Adults suck up the liquids of nectar , fallen fruit, and tree sap . Their slow, lumbering flight, usually at dusk, makes a distinctive low-pitched buzzing sound. The males fly more readily than

1419-484: The males have enlarged mandibles and are larger than the females. Although the male's mandibles seem threatening, they are too weak to be harmful. Nevertheless, females can inflict a painful bite. The resemblance of the male's mandibles to the antlers of a stag, and their use in combat between males, much like with deer, gives the species its scientific and common names. Adult size varies between different areas of its distribution, for example beetles from Spain, Germany, and

1462-468: The membrane of the joint between head and pronotum. Lucanus cervus is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN Red List . Although this species is widely distributed in Europe, it is in significant decline in the north and central part of its range and future trends of European forests will pose serious threats to this species, thus making the species close to qualifying for Vulnerable. Lucanus cervus

1505-495: The north), Diepholz (roughly east-northeast), Neuenkirchen-Vörden (to the southwest) and Holdorf (to the northwest). To the east the river Hunte flows from south to north past the ridge; to the west the river Hase runs in the same direction. The Damme Hills lie in the southwestern part of the Oldenburg Münsterland, which is why the local Signal Hill ( Signalberg , 146 m) is its highest elevation . To

1548-730: The north, Germany's Central Uplands ( die Mittelgebirge ) to the south, by the Netherlands to the west and Poland to the east. In the west, the southern boundary of the North German Plain is formed by the Lower Saxon Hills : specifically the ridge of the Teutoburg Forest , the Wiehen Hills , the Weser Hills and the Lower Saxon Börde, which partly separate it from that area of the Plain known as

1591-744: The northeast stretch the Großes Moor (near Vechta ) and the hill of the Kellenberg ; east of the ridge is the Dümmer , and behind it the Stemweder Berg , to the south – on the other side of the Großes Moor (near Damme) – are the Wiehen Hills in the North Teutoburg Forest-Wiehen Hills Nature Park and to the west on the other side of the Hase valley are the Ankum Heights . The Damme Hills lie on

1634-652: The references. During the Cold War , in the event of war between NATO and the Warsaw Pact , NATO military strategists identified the North German plain as an area that could have been used for two of three major invasion routes into Western Europe by Warsaw Pact forces. The third route was the Fulda Gap further south. The North German plain routes were the best attack options for an attacking army. However,

1677-494: The retreat of the glaciers, wind-borne sand often formed dunes, which were later fixed by vegetation. Human intervention caused the emergence of open heath such as the Lüneburg Heath , and measures such as deforestation and the so-called Plaggenhieb (removal of the topsoil for use as fertilizer elsewhere) caused a wide impoverishment of the soil ( Podsol ). The most fertile soils are the young marshes ( Auen-Vegen ) and

1720-609: The south east and east, the climate becomes increasingly subcontinental: characterised by temperature differences between summer and winter which progressively increase away from the tempering effect of the ocean. Locally, a drier continental climate can be found in the rain shadow of the Harz and some smaller areas of upland like the Drawehn and the Fläming . Special microclimates occur in bogs and heathlands and, for example, in

1763-452: Was established via the original description of the species in 1758. The three latterly added subspecies are L. cervus judaicus Planet, 1900 , L. cervus laticornis Deyrolle, 1864 , and L. cervus turcicus Sturm, 1843 . The European stag beetle is the largest beetle in Europe . Their colour is usually black with reddish elytra (and red mandibles in males). Sexually dimorphic ,

Damme Hills - Misplaced Pages Continue

1806-677: Was formed during the Pleistocene era as a result of the various glacial advances of terrestrial Scandinavian ice sheets as well as by periglacial geomorphologic processes. The terrain may be considered as part of the Old or Young Drift ( Alt- or Jungmoräne ), depending on whether or not it was formed by the ice sheets of the last glacial period, the Weichselian Ice Age . The surface relief varies from level to undulating. The lowest points are low moorlands and old marshland on

1849-743: Was reintroduced in 2013. It is also found in Caucasus , Asia Minor , Syria and west Kazakhstan . Its range is currently only increasing in Croatia and Slovakia . Lucanus cervus has been associated with a range of trees including those in the genera oak ( Quercus ), lime ( Tilia ), beech ( Fagus ), willow ( Salix ) and certain species in other genera including black poplar ( Populus nigra ), ash ( Fraxinus excelsior ), horse-chestnut ( Aesculus hippocastanum ), wild cherry ( Prunus avium ), and common walnut ( Juglans regia ). Larval development sites were found in proximity of dead wood of

#835164