Standortfaktor Stickstoff - Nitrophytenvegetation in Europa

Plants need nitrogen for the synthesis of amino acids, proteins, nucleotides, Chlorophylls and others. The nitrogen budget of the soils, the nitrogen cycle and the consequences of excessive nitrogen entry to the ecosystems are discussed. About 200 flowering plant species are considered as typical nitrogen indicators for central Europe. Most of them are herbs, only 4 species are woody. The nitrophilous Vegetation was in general explorated within the last 50 years, whereas the fundamental ideas originale to REINHOLD TÜXEN. This review deals with the diversity and syntaxonomy of the nitrophilous Vegetation in Europe by selected examples; the state of the art is discussed critically, need of investigations is pointed out.