Pflanzengesellschaft des Jahres 2026: Federgras-Steppe (Festucion valesiacae)

The feather grass steppe (Festucion valesiacae) was chosen as the Plant Community of the Year 2026 by the Floristisch-soziologische Arbeitsgemeinschaft. In Central Europe, the feather grass steppe is a rare and endangered type of dry grassland, characterised by plant species with subcontinental to continental distribution. In Germany, it is limited to dry and warm areas where it grows on nutrient-poor soils, particularly on dry southern slopes. Here, the largest populations are found in the Central German Dry Region in Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia, followed by the dry regions of eastern Brandenburg and the northern Upper Rhine Valley in Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate. Smaller stands occur in Main-Franconia in Bavaria. In Central Europe, the feather grass steppe represents remnants of the late Pleistocene to early Holocene steppe, which persisted during the Holocene forest expansion in special edaphic and microclimatic locations supported by grazing of large herbivores. From the Neolithic period onwards, it was mainly humans with their grazing animals who preserved and promoted the feather grass steppe. With around 400 vascular plant species regularly occurring in German stands, and with sometimes over 40 species per 10–20 m² plot, the feather grass steppe is very species-rich. Characteristic vascular plants are, in particular, Hairlike feather grass (Stipa capillata), European feather grass (S. pennata) and Wallis fescue (Festuca valesiaca), as well as numerous herbs. Many of these species are more prevalent in the steppes of Eastern Europe. Some species, such as Stemless milkvetch (Astragalus exscapus), are restricted to the Central European steppes and thus are among Germany’s responsibility species. The feather grass steppe is a hotspot for rare and endangered species. Of the 58 vascular plant species characteristic of the feather grass steppe in Germany, 89% have been classified as rare, very rare or extremely rare, and 81% as Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Endangered. The feather grass steppe is also an important habitat for bryophytes, lichens and fungi as well as animals, especially insects. At least 20 species of phytoparasitic smut and rust fungi are exclusively associated with the vascular plant species characteristic of the feather grass steppe, and are therefore themselves characteristic. With the introduction of industrial agriculture, the feather grass steppe declined sharply. Despite being under special protection under both the Federal Nature Conservation Act and the European Habitats Directive (Habitat type 6240, Sub-Pannonic steppic grasslands), and often being located in protected areas, the feather grass steppe continues to deteriorate and is declining rapidly. This is due to insufficient management, inadequate management, and the input of atmospheric nitrogen and fertilisers from intensively used neighbouring areas. All these factors favours Upright brome (Bromus erectus), which is currently invading the feather grass steppe of central Germany. As this species did not occur in the Central German Dry Region in the past, it must be considered a neophyte here. Another problem is the fragmentation of the feather grass steppe, which can lead to genetic erosion of small populations of the character species. In order to halt succession and prevent B. erectus from becoming dominant, a more intensive management is required. To this end, programmes that promote extensive grazing should receive greater support. However, management strategies must be adapted to account for changes in climate and nitrogen input. The rarest and most endangered species often require special habitat and population management.