Site Characteristics

The lime content is decisive for the establishment of certain plant and animal species. Plants of calcareous springs are actively involved in the precipitation of lime (calcareous tufa development) by the extraction of carbon from the water. Calcareous tufa springs and calcareous sinter springs with their specialized plant communities are classified in Germany as severely threatened biotops. Lime-avoiding species like the multi-eyed freshwater planaria (Polycelis felina) are missing from lime springs.