The Biosphere Reserve Schorfheide-Chorin with its sander areas, ground and end moraines is representative for the glacially formed lowlands of northern Germany. Different soil types (podzolised) brown earth, lessivé, pararendzina, podzols, bog soils) are the base for diverse vegetation. With an annual precipitation of about 480-580 mm, the Schorfheide belongs to the driest parts of Germany. Its natural potential vegetation comprises zonal pine-oak forests, beech forests, oak-beech forests, as well as azonal alder and downy birch forests. On dry sandy hills subcontinental xerotherm grasslands occur. Typical of the area is the huge number of lakes, moors, fens and mires.