Field work regarding habitat mapping methodology were held in Calacea and Bezdin (Romania)

Field work regarding habitat mapping methodology were held in Calacea and Bezdin (Romania)

On September 7th, CLIMANTRES team, consisted of Lead partner representatives, Imelda and Gabor Somodi and Project partner  from Life Sciences University "King Michael I" in Timișoara, Gabriel Arsene and Sretco Milanovici, conducted a field trip in Timiș County (Romania), aiming to familiarize the Romanian team with the habitat mapping methodology for the CLIMANATRES project. Two sites were chosen: Calacea and Bezdin. At Calacea, which has one of the most interesting zones (in terms of plant and habitat species diversity) in the high plain of the Romanian Banat, the following habitats were identified: R1A - Semi-dry perennial calcareous grassland (meadow steppe), on a slope with a N - NW exposure. R62 Continental inland salt steppe, with obvious signs of overgrazing; the species Plantago maritima was in bloom. Q54 Inland saline or brackish helophyte bed, a habitat where numerous examples of Cirsium brachycephalum were identified. T11 - Temperate Salix and Populus riparian forest.

At Bezdin, on the edge of a Quercus cerris plantation, the team identified the habitat R65 Continental subsaline alluvial pasture and meadow, with the species Beckmania eruciformis and Glychyrhiza echinata. Near the Bezdin monastery, the alluvial forest in the immediate vicinity of the Mureș River shows signs of drastic human intervention, with recently cut plots, Juglans nigra plantations (T1H - Broadleaved deciduous plantation of non site-native trees), and few large trees (willows and poplars) on the bank of the Mureș. The natural forest is primarily composed of Quercus robur (pedunculate oak) and Fraxinus excelsior (common ash), and can be classified as T13 - Temperate hardwood riparian forest. In contrast, the stands of white poplar (Populus alba) are classified as T11 - Temperate Salix and Populus riparian forest.”