Flora and fauna of the Lake Stechlin area

Abstract

Lake Stechlin and its surroundings are a typical post-glacial area (p. 9) like most of the lake districts of the northern hemisphere. Lake Stechlin itself is not older than 12 000 years. This represents a very brief period for the post-glacial flora and fauna to have produced new species, and our lakes under investigation generally show a very low level of species differentiation. The present flora and fauna are mainly the result of present environmental factors. Nevertheless, some characteristics show that a specific regional past history has influenced the composition of flora and fauna on the species and infra-species level.

See p. 485.