Physiogeographic Ecoregions Styria
Physiogeographic Ecoregions in Styria
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Gurktaler Alps
Also on the Styrian side quite well established name for the multifarious mountain area between the Upper Mur valley and the Neumarkter pass landscape. In the E rather low mountain range character prevails, after W increasingly high mountain character (Eisenhut, 2441 m), in the structure beside crystalline rocks (particularly in the area between Predlitzwinkel and Paalgraben) above all weakly metamorphic Murau Palaeozoic is involved. This is particularly prominent in the landscape in the case of carbonate formations, which is why the limestone stock of the Grebenzen, 1892 m (karst plateau), was also highlighted as a sub-area. For the small Styrian part of the Gurktaler Alps east of the Olsa, "Guttaringer Bergland" was borrowed from SEGER 1992 as a sub-area name, which is unusual on the Styrian side. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Possruck
Well-established name for the spur of the peripheral mountain range, the greater part of which belongs to Slovenia (Kozjak). The morphologically quite uniform low mountain range shows great geological diversity, as elements of the Styrian peripheral mountains, the Graz highlands and the foothills are involved in its construction. It is the latter in particular that build up the highest elevation, the Klementkogel (Kapunerkogel), 1052 m. The northern boundary follows in the W the slope bend, which protrudes well in the world of forms, between the Riedeln (Western Styrian Riedelland), which slope off to the Saggautal, and the actual comb area of the Poßruck, in the E however, where there is only a weakly pronounced morphological contrast to the Windische Bueheln, the depth line of the two Poeßnitz brooks. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
east styrian Riedelland
Rather well established name for the reedlands east of the Mur, built up from tertiary loose rocks, which are divided by the wide valleys of Raab, Feistritz and Lafnitz (as well as some further brooks not considered in the present classification) into 3 separate, physiognomically however very similar parts. The border to the mountains is locally differently sharply formed, most indistinctly in the SW of Weiz and in the Poellauer Bucht. In the gusset between Lafnitz and Feistritz as well as at the northern edge of the Lower Mur valley, larger areas are occupied by Old Pleistocene plates, and locally, in the SE of the area, small mountain lands or elevations, built up from volcanic rocks of the Tertiary, emerge from the reedlands. Of these, the three largest have been highlighted as sub-areas (Stradner Kogel, 609 m, Gleichenberger Koegel, 598 m, and Kloecher Massiv, 462 m), although it must be noted that they are difficult to delimit. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Paltental
Well-established name for the valley, which is largely filled with fluvial sediments and forms a continuous longitudinal valley line over the Schoberpass, 849 m, together with the Liesing valley. In contrast to the Liesing valley, the valley width in the Paltental is constantly high and the shapes are more uniform, with an alternation of flat valley bottoms and lateral alluvial and debris-flow cones, which is related to its configuration by a side arm of the Pleistocene Enns glacier. The valley area is separated from the Middle Enns Valley by the narrowness near Selzthal. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Mitterndorfer basin
Well established name of the elongated depression between the Dachstein group and the Totem Gebirge mountains, which is largely occupied by flat valley floors. Glacial, fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments are involved in its structure, which form gradual transitions to its mountain frame, often consisting of less resistant rocks of the Hallstatt facies. This made the line-sharp delineation difficult and made the inclusion of some isolated elevations of solid rock appear reasonable. A special feature is the drainage in 3 different directions (Grimming to SE, Salza to S and Kainischtraun to NW) and the resulting formation of two valley watersheds in the shallow basin floor. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Lassnitztal
Well-established name, which is used here only for the non-alpine part of the river valley from Deutschlandsberg downwards (the upper one is an almost uninhabited, canyon-like mountain valley). It is a wide valley area built up from fluvial and fluvioperiglacial sediments. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Mariazell pass landscape
A quite well-established name for the high valley filled with glacial and fluvioglacial sediments at the watershed between the Salza and Erlauf rivers, which occupies a topographical and cultural-geographical special position in the surrounding landscape of the Limestone Prealps (mainly central forest mountains). The boundary presents difficulties, especially in the S region, and was defined rather generously here. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Trofaiacher basin
Well-established name of the basin open to the Liesing valley on the southeastern edge of the Eisenerz Alps. The undulating relief, which contrasts charmingly with the rugged mountain scenery, is occupied by tertiary loose material, especially in the E, but also by fluvioglacial sediments of the Pleistocene with terraces. The boundary is difficult in the S, where Vordernberger and Veitscher Bach leave the basin in breakthrough valleys, and forces the inclusion of (epigenetically isolated) parts of the greywacke zone into the area. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Schladminger Tauern
Well established name of the highest part of the Niedere Tauern (Hochgolling, 2862 m) in the W of the Soelker Pass (Soelker Pass), 1788 m. The physiognomy of this high mountain range, which perfectly shows the glacial formation, consists of gneiss and mica schist of the central alpine crystalline. The southern boundary was drawn directly at the foot of the steep deforestation of the southern side ridges. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Eisenerzer Alps
Well-established name for the mountain range that borders the Liesing-Paltental furrow in the N, with a predominant high mountain character. Due to the location of the southern border of the Ennstaler Alps, two mountain massifs (Lahngangkogel, 1778 m, and Duerrenschoeberl, 1737 m), topographically isolated from this main ridge, fall in the extreme W. Also in the E, there are two particularly independent deposits, each developed as mighty high mountain massifs of the plateau type, which were also marked as independent subregions: These are the Kaiserschildgruppe (Hochkogel, 2105 m) north of the Radmerhals, which, in contrast to the other Iron Ore Alps belonging to the Paleozoic Greywacke Zone, is geologically part of the Northern Limestone Alps, and the Stock des Reiting (Goeßeck, 2214 m), south of the Hoheneck. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Ausseer basin
Well-established name of the spacious basin at the confluence of the 3 source rivers of the Traun, bordered by the plateau edges and foothills of the Dachstein group and the Tote Gebirge mountain range. The widely undulating morphological appearance of the basin is characterized by erosion and filling-up forms of the Pleistocene glacial periods and, in the glacial clearing troughs of the Altausseer and Grundlsees, clearly reverts to the mountainous body of the Tote Gebirge. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Seetaler Alps
Well-established name for the isolated NNW-SSE, which rises between distinct depth contours and culminates in the Zirbitzkogel, 2396 m, with a clearly pronounced high mountain character. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Joglland
Well-established name for the low mountain range culminating in the Rabenwaldkogel, 1280 m, between Wechsel, Feistritz and the edge of the Alps between the exit of the Feistritz and the Lafnitz into the foothills. In addition to crystalline rocks on small areas around Birkfeld and Vorau, tertiary loose rocks are also involved. The massif of the Kulm, 975 m, separated from the rest of the Joglland in the breakthrough of the Freienberger Klamm, can be separated as an independent sub-area. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Bucklige Welt
Well established and the landscape character quite well descriptive designation for a mountainous country, which is located to the far predominant part on Lower Austrian territory. The Styrian part in the area around Schaeffern consists of crystalline rocks and tertiary boulder gravel, its limitation against the change along the Diving and Spitalbach is more of an embarrassment solution in the style of Mang 1984, because the compact massif of the change changes very gradually merges into the confusing mountainous area of the Bucklige Welt. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Windische Buehel
Quite well established name for the remarkably lively relieved part of the foreland between Poeßnitzfurche in the S, Saggautal in the W, Sulmtal in the N as well as Leibnitzer Feld and Unteres Murtal in the NE. The hilly area, predominantly built up of Tertiary loose rocks, culminates in the Kreuzberg, 633 m, and continues with a continuous decrease of relative and absolute heights in the direction of SE to Slovenia (Slovenske Gorice). (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Middle Muerztal
Well established name for the Muerz valley between the narrowness of Wartberg (breakthrough valley) and Muerzzuschlag. This includes not only the narrower valley area, which is made up of fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments, but also the peripheral, especially on the southern side of the valley, gently undulating hills of tertiary loose material, which also identify the area as an elongated inner-alpine basin. The Upper Muerztal is the valley area above Muerzzuschlag, which is located entirely within the Northern Alps, but which does not appear as a separate sub-area in the present structure due to the lack of a corresponding width. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Judenburg-Knittelfelder basin
Suffering well established name for the largest inner-alpine basin of Styria. In the population, usually only one of the two cities is used for naming, unless the local names Aichfeld (north of the Mur) and Murboden (south of the Mur) are used at all, which are only valid for the young Quaternary terrace areas above Knittelfeld, i.e. only for parts of the basin in the relevant sense. The basin filling consists predominantly of fluvioglacial sediments, which build up extensive terrace corridors, but also of Tertiary loose material with reed relief - large parts of the Tertiary were however assigned to the Styrian Border Mountains (areas around the lower Feistritz, Lobming and Gleinbach) due to their high relief energy. Because of its strongly independent features, the Seckau Basin, which forms part of the Seckauer Tauern, was highlighted as a sub-area, but its boundaries to the rest of the Judenburg-Knittelfeld Basin are quite arbitrary. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Woelzer Tauern
Well established name for the largest sub-area of the alpine Styria between the Soelkpass in the W and the Poelstal furrow in the E. It is a high mountain area built up of crystalline rocks (predominantly mica slate) (highest peak Rettelkirchspitz, 2475 m), which only in the extreme N with low mountain range-like forms has a share in the greywacke zone (lower parts of the catchment areas of Donnersbach and Gulling as well as around the high valley floor of Lassing). The Rottenmanner Tauern (Gr. Boesenstein, 2449 m), which has been designated as a sub-area, holds a special geological and topographical position in the NE, beyond the valley furrows of Strechen and Poelsen. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Murberge
A little-used term for the train between the Upper Mur Valley and the southern foot of the Schladminger and Woelzer Tauern mountains, which is broken through by several transverse valleys, partly belonging to the Old Crystalline, but in the central part built up from little metamorphic rocks of the Murau Palaeozoic. Low mountain range character prevails, more rugged forms appear only in the limestones of the Pleschaitz and hints of high mountain forms at the highest peak of the area, the Gstoder, 2140 m. The northern boundary follows the widely markedly developed depth line of the "Murparalleltal" at the edge of the flexur-like southern slope of the Niedere Tauern. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Upper Ennstal
Quite well established name for the Styrian Ennstal above Grimming. Compared to the central Enns valley, with which there is no sharp border, the valley area is only narrowly developed and is mainly characterized by alluvial cones and debris flows from the side streams. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Tuernitzer Alps
On the Styrian side, this is a little-known term for a low mountain range with only a very small Styrian share, which is very typical for the limestone foothills of the Alps and is predominantly made up of Triassic Dolomites. The highest peak of the area, which is clearly bordered by the Mariazeller Pass and the Salzatal (Hall Valley), is the Gr. Sulzberg, 1400 m, in the Styrian part of the Schwarzkogel, 1365 m. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Koralpe
Well-established name for the part of the Styrian mountain range between the Packsattel and the Drautal, which runs almost N-S. The highest part has a high mountain character (Gr. Speikkogel, 2140 m; highest point on the Styrian side Kl. Speikkogel, 2117 m), although low mountain range forms dominate in the largest part of the area built up of crystalline rocks. The Reinischkogel mountain range (Reinischkogel 1463 m) is a topographically well delimited area by the depth line torrent - Schrogentor - Oberer Modriachwinkel, which is also perceived as independent by the population. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Sulmtal
Well-established name for the non-alpine, lower part of the river valley (the upper reaches of the two source rivers have mountain stream character in canyon-like valleys). It is a wide valley area, composed of fluvial and fluvioperiglacial, and to a lesser extent fluvioglacial sediments, which narrows considerably in two places at the southern edge of the Sausal (sections of the breakthrough valley), the valley widening in between could be separated as a sub-area under the name Heimschuher Becken. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Aflenzer basin
Well-established name for the inner-alpine basin at the southern foot of the Hochschwab group. It contains gentle slopes and reed beds of Tertiary loose rocks as well as partly very thick fluvioglacial sediments of the Pleistocene in the form of terraces. The chosen boundary includes the relatively narrow, but genetically clearly associated valley extension of Etmißl, the rest of the boundary is geologically and morphologically clearly defined. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Neumarkter pass landscape
Well-established name for the spacious depression between the Upper Mur Valley in the N (there with the Neumarkter, 894 m, and the Perchauer Sattel, 995 m, two lower crossings) and the catchment area of the Drava (Hoerfeldbach into the Goertschitz Valley to SE, Olsa to the Metnitz to SW). The area formed by the Pleistocene debris-flow glacier and filled with glacial and fluvioglacial sediments, with a gentle relief in the center, separates the Gurktaler from the Seetaler Alps in a very distinctive way, but it is difficult to draw a clear line against them. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Dachsteingruppe
Well-established name for a massif of the Northern Limestone Alps, which is built predominantly of Triassic limestones (Dachstein limestone) and is extremely karstified, with a predominant high mountain character of the plateau type, culminating in the High Dachstein, 2995 m. The boundary of the area is clearly defined on all sides, but also includes two limestone massifs, the Sarstein, 1975 m, in the N (beyond the Koppenschlucht) and the Grimming, 2351 m, in the E (beyond the Steinpass), which are sharply separated from the central part of the area by deeply carved breakthrough valleys, as well as low deposits at the edge of the Enns Valley. These have the character of "low mountain ranges" in the sense of Tyrolean linguistic usage (old valley floor remnants that have been strongly glacially reshaped with relative heights of mostly about one hundred to several hundred meters above the bottom of the main valley) and include the Ramsauterrasse and the Groebminger Mitterberg. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Muerzsteger Alps
In the alpinistic literature well, otherwise only moderately established name for the in each case quite independent and from each other by distinctive depth contours separated mountain groups of the northern limestone Alps (predominant limestones and dolomites of the Triassic) on both sides of the upper Muerztal (to this see middle Muerztal). The area can be divided internally into the high limestone plateaus of the Rax (Heukuppe, 2007 m) and the Schneealpe (Windberg, 1903 m), and also into the morphologically more heterogeneous, but in the center of the area dominated by karst plateaus with high mountain character, the Veitschalpe (Hohe Veitsch, 1981 m) and the Tonion group (Tonion, 1699 m). In addition, there is the Goeller-Gippel train, which is located entirely in Lower Austria (Goeller, 1766 m). (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Middle Ennstal
Well-established name for the sectionally very broadly developed valley of the Enns valley between the southern foot of the Grimming and the entrance to the Gesaeuse. The valley floor is particularly flat and was also filled with lakes several times after the retreat of the glaciation of the Wuerm Cold Period, which caused groundwater conditions that deviated from those of most other main valleys in Styria. Especially in the area around Irdning, which has certain features of an inner-alpine basin, the boundary beyond the actual valley floor was extended relatively far to the gently formed lower slopes of the Niedere Tauern, thus including the prominent elevation of the Kulm near Aigen in this area. Despite its only vague boundary upstream (to W), the Middle Enns Valley (also called Mitterenn Valley) has many independent geographical features. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Liesingtal
Well-established name for the valley filled with fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments, which, together with the Paltental, forms a continuous longitudinal valley line over the Schoberpass, 849 m, for which the common name Kammertal was also used in former times. In contrast to the Paltental, the width of the Liesingtal valley varies considerably in the local area (e.g. a striking narrowing with a mighty mudflow cone between Mautern and Kammern). (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Lower Ennstal
Quite well established name for the Enns valley below the Gesaeuse, which is also still common for the larger Upper Austrian parts. Due to its location below the terminal moraines of the Wuerm Age Enns glacier, the valley is filled with mighty, widely conglomerated fluvioglacial gravel, into which the river itself is deepened like a canyon. The terraces supporting the settlements are thus strongly isolated from each other, which in a certain sense makes it problematic to combine them into a single valley. The boundary line was drawn rather strictly, largely at the upper edge of the Wuerm period corridors. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Lafnitztal
Well-established name, which here refers only to the non-alpine part of the river valley. It is a wide riverbed valley of fluvial and fluvioperiglacial sediments, which at least in parts is still characterized by a comparatively high degree of naturalness. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
middle Murtal
This is the name for the Mur valley between Bruck/Mur and Graz, which is the breakthrough of the Mur through the crystallized mountain ranges of the Styrian mountains and the Graz mountains. The valley, filled with fluvial and fluvio-glacial sediments, is divided into several valley chambers separated by narrow valleys, of which the Gratwein-Gratkorner Basin was given the status of an independent sub-area. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Ennstaler Alps
In the geographical and alpinistic literature established, with the population however hardly used name for the lime high alps on both sides of the break-through of the Enns by these in the Gesaeuse. They are predominantly composed of carbonate rocks of the Triassic period and possess predominantly high mountain character of the chain mountain type, which is classically developed in the western part of the area, the Haller Mauern (Gr. Pyhrgas, 2244 m), while the Gesaeuse mountains as the eastern part (Hochtor, 2369 m) are broken up into individual, physiognomically particularly impressive massifs. The boundary largely follows striking depth contours, only in the S, the border to the Eisenerz Alps was not drawn in the main valleys but, in accordance with the geological conditions, through side valleys and over low saddles. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Feistritztal
Well-established name, which here only refers to the non-alpine, lower part of the river valley (below the breakthrough at Herberstein Castle) (the name "Lower Fistritz Valley" also seems possible). It is a NW-SE stretched wide valley of fluvial and fluvioperiglacial sediments. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
eastern Graz Highlands
Well-established name for the low mountain range on both sides of the Mur in the N of Graz, which is mainly composed of weakly metamorphic rocks of the Palaeozoic. It is a morphologically very diversely structured area, whereby the rock stock with tendentially gentler forms in silicate and steeper forms in carbonate rocks (hint of high mountain character in the area of the highest peak, the Hochlantsch, 1720 m) plays a major role in the differentiation of the landscape. The boundary is complicated in the W and S in its course, a clear subdivision results from the Mur valley in a western and an eastern part. The assignment to the Styrian border mountains can be criticized from a geological point of view. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Grazer Feld
Well-established name for the Mur valley between its exit from the Alps in Weinzoedl on the northern outskirts of Graz and the narrow of Wildon in S. The Graz field is a spacious valley area consisting of fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments, which are important as groundwater reservoirs. The northern part of this area is completely occupied by the city of Graz, its boundaries in the E and W show characteristic asymmetries. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Seckauer Tauern
Well-established name for the easternmost part of the Niedere Tauern, but the local population rather calls it the Seckau Alps. Main rocks of the high mountain range (highest peak Geierhaupt, 2417 m) are orthogneiss and quartzite, in the SW also mica slate, only in the N a part of the area belongs to the greywacke zone. The Gaaler Hoehenzug (Wildinger Hoehe, 1731 m) is an independent sub-area in the S, which is connected to the high mountain region as a ponderous forest ridge at Sommertoerl, 1644 m, and borders the Judenburg-Knittelfeld basin in the N or separates the Seckau sub-basin from it with its eastern spur. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Stupalpe
Well-established name for the part of the Styrian Randgebirge, in which this with the Ameringkogel, 2187 m, reaches its greatest height and carries out a striking change of direction. The heart of the mountain rises above the forest line on significant areas, the building material is crystalline rock. The Packalpe south of the Peterer Sattel (in the Peterer Riegel 1967 m high) can be singled out as a sub-area, but this designation is little used by the population. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Ybbstaler Alps
On the Styrian side little common name for the area in the N of the Salza Valley, which is partly developed as a forest middle mountain range, partly also as a high mountain range and almost completely built up from carbonate rocks of the Triassic. The Kraeuterinstock was emphasized as an independent partial landscape, the heart of which is the Karst plateau of the Kraeuterin and which, with the Hochstadl, 1919 m, is the highest elevation of the entire Ybbstaler Alps, which are mostly located in Lower Austria. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Lower Muerztal
Well-established name for the Muerztal below the narrowness of Wartberg (breakthrough valley), which, like the Middle Muerztal, is an inner-alpine basin consisting of fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments of the Quaternary period in the actual valley area and of tertiary loose material at the edges, where gentle slope drags and reed beds are situated in front of the neighboring mountain bodies. The Tertiary depression of Parschlug, which reaches back into the Muerztal Alps and is attributed to the basin of the Lower Muerztal, should be emphasized. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Sausal
Well established name for a small low mountain range consisting mainly of weakly metamorphic slates of the Graz Palaeozoic with great cultural and natural landscape independence (Demmerkogel, 671 m) between Lassnitz valley in the N, Leibnitz field in the E, Sulm valley in the S and the depth line St. Andrae/Sausal - Weniggleinz - Waldschacher ponds in the W. With this bordering, which is oriented on practicability, larger portions of the tertiary riedland fall in the N and W to the Sausal, conversely the slate foothills reaching out over the Sulm to S remain excluded. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Wechsel
Well established name for the mighty, compact low mountain ridge at the eastern end of the Styrian Randgebirge. It consists of crystalline rocks and towers above the current timberline in its summit area (Hochwechsel, 1743 m). The border is very blurred towards S to Joglland and towards E to Bucklige Welt. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Passailer basin
Well-established name for the inner-alpine basin in the catchment area of the Raab river, which is located entirely within the Graz mountain region. The gentle forms in the basin interior are built up by tertiary loose material, but partly also by Paleozoic slates. The boundary is defined by sharp slope bends in the N and SE, but only vaguely possible in the other directions. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Poelstal
Well-established name, which is applied in the present structure, however, only to the sufficiently broadly developed valley section below Moederbrugg (also name "Unteres Poelstal" possible). Here, the valley open to the Judenburg-Knittelfeld Basin is occupied by fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments (marginal position to the Wuerm Age debris-flow glacier). (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
lower Murtal
Sorrowfully established name for the extra-alpine Murtal below its bend from an approximate N-S to W-E course. It is a spacious valley filled with fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments, which is divided into several terraced levels. The boundary to the northern adjoining East Styrian Riedelland was defined by the upper edge of the rift-temporal terrace area (line B in the maps), since all older Quaternary terraces can physiognomically not be counted as valley area any more; a delimitation of a valley area in the narrower sense, excluding the rift terrace, might seem reasonable from a pedological point of view (line A in the maps), but is not recommended in the present context. The demarcation against the Leibnitz field is difficult and was entered in accordance with the mentioned change of direction of the Mur. A subdivision of the area into the Mureck field in the W and the Radkersburg field in the E is sometimes found in the literature (e.g. Mang 1984), but is not carried out here for lack of reasonable delimitation; only the Abstaller field (Apasko polje) on the Slovenian side is clearly defined in its extent. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
western Graz Highlands
Koeflach-Voitsberger basin
Well-established name for a landscape that is strongly perceived by the population as a unit, even with distinct features of regional identity. The basin, which is open to the foothills (West Styrian Riedelland) towards the E, has a relatively complicated topography and an equally complicated inner structure (tertiary coal troughs), which is why it is very difficult to define its cultural and natural features, despite its independence - in this case in particular, the registered borderline is based on many compromises. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Upper Murtal
In itself quite well established designation, which is used however frequently only for the Mur valley above Judenburg and not as in the present classification for the entire longitudinal valley section of the Mur within the Mur-Muerz furrow. This valley area is divided into two different parts, very different in terms of nature and culture, on either side of the Judenburg-Knittelfeld basin. The area above it lies entirely within the Central Alps, was glaciated during the Cold Ages, and has a relatively low population density and only a weak industrial character. In contrast, the Upper Mur valley below the narrows of KraSteiermarkth forms the border between the Central and Northern Alps (Gleinalpe and Muerztaler Alps) over about two thirds of its length, is largely filled with fluvioglacial sediments, and is a densely populated industrial conurbation, especially between Leoben and Bruck. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Obdacher pass landscape
Quite well established name for the depression carrying the watershed between Granitzenbach/Mur and Lavant/Drau between Seetaler Alps in the W and StSteiermarklpe in the E, which is filled by tertiary, partly also quaternary loose materials and therefore shows quite gentle forms. The borderline is especially difficult to draw in the N and E. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Gratwein-Gratkorner basin
Few established designation, often only ridge-grain basin named. The heart of this basin, which is open in the SW towards the foreland (West Styrian Riedelland), is a valley extension of the Mur, largely occupied by settlement, traffic and industrial areas, with extensive fluvial and fluvioglacial accumulations. The eastern and southwestern part of the basin consists of tertiary loose material and is therefore similar to the reedlands of the foreland. In the SE of Rein, which lies in a lateral, even basin-like valley widening, some geologically associated elevations of the Graz highlands had to be included. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
South Burgenlaendisches Riedelland
A less common, but still not sensibly replaceable term for the continuation of the East Styrian reedlands east of the Lafnitz valley, in which Styria only has a share at the foot of the transition between Rohrbach and Friedberg (called "North-East Styrian Plateau" by LEITNER in 1956). The area hardly differs in structure and appearance from the East Styrian Riedelland, if one disregards the decrease in absolute and relative altitudes in the direction of SE on the Burgenland side (which is not relevant in this context). The boundary to the mountains is only very blurred in the tertiary block gravel which is predominant there. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Kainachtal
Well-established name, which in this context is only used for the non-alpine, lower part of the river valley (possibly also to be called "Lower Kainach Valley"). It is a wide valley area built up of fluvial and fluvioperiglacial sediments. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Hochschwabgruppe
Well-established name for the mighty limestone high alpine massif of the plateau mountain range type, which culminates in Hochschwab, 2277 m, and is very sharply defined in the W, N and E, but in the S (especially west of the Aflenz basin) gradually merges into the offshore low mountain range of the Muerztal Alps. The main rock formers are triadic limestones, which are also the basis of the intensive karstification. Of the subgroups, the karst plateau of the Zeller Staritzen (Zinken, 1619 m) was designated as a sSteiermarkrea because of its size and clear boundaries. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Muerztaler Alps
Little common name for the middle mountain range, which is broken through by several transverse valleys and forested up to the summit level (Thalerkogel, 1655 m) and separates the Mur-Muerz-furrow (upper Mur valley, lower and middle Mur valley) from the parallel, but only incompletely developed longitudinal valley and basin alignment at the southern foot of the northern alpine high mountains (Trofaiacher and Aflenzer basin). The train consists in its outermost W of weakly metamorphic rocks of the greywacke zone, in the center and in the E however of higher metamorphic central alpine crystalline, within which in the outermost E the high proportion of carbonatic rocks (Semmering Mesozoic) is to be emphasized. The northern boundary has a complicated course. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Totes Gebirge
Well-established name for the mighty limestone high alpine massif of the plateau mountain type in the N of Ausseer and Mitterndorf basin as well as Mittlerem Ennstal, which culminates in Gr. Priel, 2515 m, on the Styrian side in Gr. Hochkasten, 2389 m. Main rock formers are triadic limestones, which are also responsible for the intensive karstification. The eastern part (in the E of the Salzsteigjoch) was highlighted as a sub-area under the likewise well established name Warscheneckstock (Warscheneck, 2388 m, highest point on the Styrian side of its SW summit, 2367 m). Like the central part of the Tote Gebirge, some smaller mountains belong to this sub-area, but most of them are quite rugged. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Fischbacher Alps
Well-established name for the east wing of the Styrian Randgebirge in the S of the Muerztal, culminating in Stuhleck, 1782 m. The low mountain range, which only in its highest part exceeds the forest line, consists of crystalline rocks, which have a carbonatic character south of the Middle Muerztal and in the outermost E on larger areas. A subdivision of the area is possible along the deep insertions (Eibeggsattel, Auf der Schanz, Alpl-Waldheimat and Pfaffensattel), but was not carried out due to lack of suitable names for the individual parts. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Leibnitzer Feld
Well established name for the Mur valley between the narrowness of Wildon in the N and the change of direction of the river to an approaching W-E course in the S (there blurred border, see Lower Mur valley). There is a spacious valley area consisting of fluvial and fluvioglacial sediments, which are highly significant as groundwater reservoirs. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Raabtal
Well-established name, which is used here only for the non-alpine part of the river valley (the inner alpine part belongs to the Graz mountains and the Passail basin). The valley has the character of a spacious sole valley of fluvial and fluvioperiglacial sediments, with remarkably little variation in width. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
Gleinalpe
Well-established name for the northeasternmost part of the Styrian mountain range on the right side of the Mur, culminating in the Lenzmoarkogel, 1991 m. The train crossing the forest line on larger areas in its center has predominantly low mountain character and is built up by crystalline rocks (with remarkable frequency of amphibolites). The boundary to the StSteiermarklpe along the depth line Rachaugraben - Stierkreuz - Schrottgraben is problematic; as a sub-area the Hochalpe (more precisely: Brucker Hochalpe) in the NE of the saddle at the Almwirt, 1170 m, can be casually excluded (highest peak Roßeck, 1664 m). (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)
west styrian Riedelland
Quite well established name for the reedland west of the Mur, which is built up from tertiary loose rocks and is divided by the wide valleys of Sulm, Lassnitz and Kainach into 4 separate, physiognomically however very similar parts. The boundary to the Styrian mountain range is often developed as a sharp bend in the slope and is therefore clearly defined. Only to the Voitsberger and Gratkorner basins and to the Graz mountain range there are flowing transitions and leave a relatively high subjective leeway in the drawing of the boundary. At the edge of the Graz field, the Kaiserwald (Old Pleistocene gravel plate) and at the edge of the Leibnitz field, the Wildoner Berg (small, karstified plateau overburden of tertiary Leithakalk, 550 m high in the Buchkogel) have been identified as clearly delimitable subspaces. (Author: Prof. Mag. Dr. Gerhard Karl LIEB)