Bd. 25 Octombrie nr. 9, ap.4, RO-445100 Carei, jud. Satu-Mare, Romania
e-mail: karacsonyi_ 2carei@rdslink.ro

Abstract: Research conducted in the northern part of Dealurile de Vest (Western Hills) area of north-western Romania has revealed two interesting new meso-hygrophilic associations, described here as Serratulo tinctoriae-Sanguisorbetum officinalis and Dactylidi glomeratae-Geranietum pratensis. Anthropogenic activities play a crucial role in the formation and evolution of these plant communities. The first develops in areas which are repeatedly mown, whilst the latter spreads along river banks where nutrients derived from fertilizers, washed away by temporary floods, accumulate. These two plant associations were not described in the international or Romanian phytocoenological literature reviewed. We consider them, accordingly, new for science.

Key words: Serratulo tinctoriae-Sanguisorbetum officinalis, Dactylidi glomeratae-Geranietum pratensis, Romania

*Gradina Botanica "Anastasie Fatu", str. Dumbrava Rosie, nr. 7-9, RO-700487 Iasi, Romania
**Universitatea de Stiinte Agricole si Medicina Veterinara, str. M. Sadoveanu, nr. 1, RO-700490 Iasi, Romania
***Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: a_aoprea@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract: Our study is an attempt to complete the description of a particular, isolated type of natural habitat (sensu Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC): 91X0* Dobrogean beech forests, already described in the Interpretation Manual of European Union Habitats - EUR27, distributed only in a forest reserve in Dobrogea (Romania). The importance of this forest reserve is the existence here, in its only refuge in Dobrogea, of a beech outlier, situated far away from other beech woodlands, either in the bend of the sub-Carpathians or in the Central Moldavian Plateau, the closest regions associated with these forest types. However, the existence of this beech forest has led to the description of a particular, priority habitat for conservation in the European Union. The vascular flora of the Valea Fagilor forest includes some plants rare in Romania, as well as in the flora of Dobrogea, such as: Doronicum hungaricum, D. orientale, Galanthus plicatus, Lathyrus aureus, Myrrhoides nodosa, Nectaroscordum siculum subsp. bulgaricum, Smyrnium perfoliatum, Symphytum tauricum, etc. Based on these characteristic species, as well as the presence of Fagus taurica as a dominant species in the tree layer, a new plant association is here described and typified: Symphyto taurici-Fagetum taurici ass. nova. This study also shows that the Dobrogean beech stand does not include either species characteristic of the Carpathian beech forests, or of the Central Moldavian Plateau, but some southern and eastern floristic elements are present, thus giving it special features.

Key words: beech forest, diversity conservation, Dobrogea, Habitat Directive 92/43/EEC, new plant association, Romania

*Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, str. Republicii, nr. 44, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Institutul de Cercetari Biologice, str. Republicii, nr. 48, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: turtureanudan@gmail.com

Abstract: To date, the classification of broad-leaved forests of the Trascau Mountains (in the Apuseni Mountains) has been poorly developed, despite a variety of phytosociological studies. We have aimed to classify and interpret these communities ecologically. We constructed a database of 161 releves, many of them published but partly comprising our own releves. We constructed its dissimilarity matrix and, further, the dendrogram using the average method. It was cut at different levels in order to extract from to 2 to 10 clusters. Based on the criterion of the OptimClass 2 variant, we chose the partitioning solution comprising 7 clusters. We have used the indicator species approach for extracting a set of the diagnostic species for clusters. We discuss the ecological characteristics of these clusters. Furthermore, we examine the similarities between the clusters and possible phytosociological associations. In addition, we have checked for the syntaxa that have already been described in the study area.

Key words: clustering, diagnostic species, Romania, OptimClass, species indicator value

Chair of Ecology and Geobotany, Institute of Ecology, Evolution and Diversity, 13 Max-von-Laue Street, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
e-mail: r.wittig@bio.uni-frankfurt.de

Abstract: In shrinking cities not all fallow areas can be recycled for urban-industrial use. However, due to financial problems, the remaining open spaces also cannot all be converted into traditional urban parks, because such green spaces require intensive care: they need to be designed, prepared (soil and relief preparation), planted and managed (irrigation, mowing, cutting, replanting). For this reason, in some regions of Europe, particularly in the Ruhr area (Germany), urban-industrial fallows spontaneously covered by vegetation have officially been declared urban green spaces. However, although the arguments are evident, the concept of spontaneous vegetation as larger components within urban green spaces is still not commonly accepted in Central Europe and even more rarely considered outside Europe. The reason is that ruderal vegetation is regarded by most people as an indicator of neglect and abandonment and therefore is seen as ugly and dirty. By considering all available published releves, this paper shows that a particular group of ruderal communities, the associations of Dauco-Melilotion, is species-rich and contains many beautiful eye-catchers as well. Uncoloured flowers ("grey") never represent more than 30% of the community, mostly even less than 25%. Yellow is most important in all cases, mostly with white on the second and pink-violet in the third position. Blue and yellowish-green are always present, too. Additionally, this vegetation type met all other criteria mentioned in the literature as important for the acceptance of green spaces. It presents its rich colour optimum from June to September, i.e. a period of four months. This is much longer than what can be stated for most flowerbeds in traditional parks. As in large parts of Central Europe summers will become drier and hotter and many of the typical ornamental plants as well as most lawns already needing irrigation under present climate conditions, park planners and managers have to reconsider their concepts with regard to the choice of adapted species. Spontaneous ruderal vegetation is adapted in any case, because its composition is the result of the habitat conditions. Giving more space to this vegetation type would allow more nature experience for city dwellers and more leisure activities than traditional green (because it is more tolerant of disturbance), contribute to biodiversity, save costs and water, and thus represent a substantial step towards a sustainable city.

Key words: brown field, Dauco-Melilotion, ruderal vegetation, spontaneous vegetation, shrinking cities, sustainable city, urban fallows, urban green spaces

*Lawn Cottage, West Tisbury, Salisbury, Wilts SP3 6SG, UK
**ADEPT, Upper Leigh Farm, East Knoyle, Salisbury, Wilts SP3 6AP, UK
e-mail: jrakeroyd@dsl.pipex.com, nat@fundatia-adept.org

Abstract: Romania retains significant resources of wildflower-rich lowland grassland. These farm grasslands, especially the hay-meadows, are of major international conservation importance, supporting an abundance of plants, animals and vegetation communities that have disappeared from most of Europe. The Saxon villages area of southern Transylvania in particular comprises a High Nature Value farmed landscape, where rich biodiversity co-exists alongside traditional agriculture. Continued traditional management is required to maintain the rich mosaic of habitats. Landscape protection and sustainable development must reconcile conservation of grassland and other biodiversity-rich habitats with the provision of adequate incomes and community infrastructure. Fundatia ADEPT (Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection in Transylvania), has been established to address these issues, and has placed special emphasis on permanent grasslands, which occupy a central position in plant conservation, high-quality local food products and eco-tourism in the Saxon Villages. In December 2008 habitats and species in the heart of the area, Tarnava Mare (85,000 ha), acquired protection within the EU's Natura 2000 network. This designation will facilitate the provision of financial incentives for farmers to conserve the geographical, cultural and biological elements of the landscape.

Key words: anthropogenic habitats, biodiversity, High Nature Value (HNV) grassland, Romania, Transylvania, Saxon Villages, sustainable development

Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: bdorix@gmail.com

Abstract: The present study deals with changes in the benthic diatom assemblages from Lake Balaton based on the successive diatom floras in the lake sediment during the last five decades. The present author included in the synoptic list her recent findings - 62 diatom taxa identified in 2005. During the last five decades, altogether 122 benthic diatoms, belonging to 43 genera, have been identified from the micro-phytobenthos of the lake. This paper aims to provide not only a complete checklist of the benthic diatoms inhabiting the Balaton, but also to document, based on the available published data, the changes in its diatom assemblages over the last five decades. The comparison was based on the data of Gizella Tamas (late 1960s), and the database of Marta Hajos (1980s), together with the present author's recent floristic findings in 2005. Analyses of the diversity and relative abundance of diatom frustules were undertaken in four basins and five transects of the lake. There have been detected significant differences in the relative abundance of species and the Shannon diversity index values with regard to the different sampling locations. The comparison of these data related to the diatom communities indicate remarkable quantitative differences and it seems that taxonomic identification practice employed had some influence on the assessment of distribution patterns. This study should serve as a baseline for further ecological, nature conservation and water quality studies.

Key words: Lake Balaton, sediment, benthic diatoms, Shannon diversity, frustule abundance

*Sapientia - Hungarian University of Transylvania, Department of Environmental Sciences, str. Deva, nr. 19, RO-400375, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Universitatea "Babes-Bolyai", Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: lidia_szigyarto@yahoo.com, peterfileontin@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract: This paper presents new comparative data concerning the diatom communities inhabiting the Floresti-Apahida section of the Somesul Mic River, based on benthic samples collected in April and July 2007 from four different sampling sites along this section of the river. General water quality has also been estimated, both by physicochemical measurements and values of the Biological Diatom Index (BDI) calculated based on species composition, relative abundance and indicator value of the diatom species. Preliminary data, regarding similar evaluations, were published in 2008. Both chemical composition and obvious changes in the composition and structure of diatom assemblages confirm that the waters of the Somesul Mic River contain low to medium amounts of dissolved inorganic substances, being oligohalobe and oligotrophic upstream from Cluj-Napoca, but are subject to qualitative transition to the class of highly mineralized waters, containing especially larger quantities of NaCl and presenting signs of organic pollution toward and downstream of Apahida. Diatoms dominant at all four sampling sites were cosmopolitan, largely tolerant species, but we have also identified xeno- to oligosaprobic indicators upstream from Cluj-Napoca, respectively alpha-meso- to polisaprobic and mesohalobic/halophilic species near Apahida. Based on the values of BDI, the general water quality was considered excellent upstream from Cluj-Napoca, good immediately downstream from Cluj-Napoca at Someseni, and acceptable at Apahida, for both sampling seasons. The results indicating generally good environmental conditions in 2007, the relatively high diversity indices of the diatom communities, and the presence of species recorded most probably for the first time or very rarely from Romanian waters, should justify increased effort to maintain the basin of the Somesul Mic River in quality condition that is as good as possible.

Key words: Biological Diatom Index, Cluj-Napoca, halophilic diatoms, oligohalobic diatoms, organic pollution, Somesul Mic, water quality

*Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Universitatea Babes-Bolyai, Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. 5-7 Clinicilor, nr. 5-7, RO-400006 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: szekelyjoco@yahoo.com

Abstract: The present paper deals with the benthic diatom communities occurring in the Aries River (Transylvania, Romania) and some of its tributaries. The samples were collected from 18 sampling sites in the spring, summer and autumn of 2008. Of the 214 diatom taxa identified, genera exhibiting the highest diversity were Navicula (40 taxa), Nitzschia (32 taxa), Cymbella (25 taxa) and Gomphonema (14 taxa). The author's field measurements suggested that the expected changes in pH, salinity and conductivity of the waters due to geological substrate, geographical position, hydrographic features, climate, etc., might be affected by local pollution sources (industrial, agricultural, grazing, household human activities) determining the final water quality of the streams. The impact of anthropogenic factors could also be detected on the level of the structure of diatom communities inhabiting the Aries River and its tributaries by using floristic similarity analysis. According to floristic similarity analysis, it was also possible to formulate preliminary conclusions upon the seasonal community dynamics: the tendency of community grouping is mostly seasonal and it is less affected by changes in water quality (variations in pH, salinity, organic loading, etc.).

Key words: benthic diatom communities, Aries River, Transylvania, Romania, human activities

*Universitatea "Babes-Bolyai", Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Republicii, nr. 42, RO-400015, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
**Universitatea "Babes-Bolyai", Facultatea de Biologie si Geologie, Catedra de Taxonomie si Ecologie, str. Clinicilor, nr. 5-7, RO-400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: peterfileontin@yahoo.co.uk

Abstract: The present paper deals with the water quality evaluation at ten sampling sites on the Aries River and eight sites located on its tributaries, based on Saprobic Index (SI), Diatom Biological Index (DBI) and Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index (H). The diatom samples were collected on 29 October 2008. The computed indices suggested evident differences in water quality according to the location of sampling sites and intensity of human activities, assessments sustained by the physicochemical parameters measured in the field. According to DBI values the upstream Aries River exhibits good water quality, with the tendency to change into acceptable or mediocre towards its downstream courses. The waters of the tributaries are usually of excellent to good quality, except a few on the middle course of the Aries River affected by the acidic mine waters of the mining areas of Abrud - Rosia Montana - Rosia Poieni - Baia de Aries, as well as by household wastes. An outstanding case is the Valea Sesii rivulet where diatoms were almost entirely lacking. The Saprobic Index (SI) exhibited a growing tendency for organic loading in the Aries River from upstream toward downstream. Its values indicated slightly polluted upper and middle courses and a rather polluted lower course, the later exhibiting moderately to heavily polluted water. The same tendency was valid for the tributaries, the upstream rivulets being slightly polluted, but the downstream ones moderately.

Key words: benthic diatoms, water quality, Saprobic Index, Diatom Biological Index, Diversity Index

National Institute of Research and Development for Biological Sciences, branch Institute of Biological Research, 48 Republicii str. RO-400015 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
e-mail: adela.halmagyi@icbcluj.ro

Abstract: Shoot tips excised from in vitro redwood (Sequoia sempervirens (D. Don) Endl.) plants were successfully cryopreserved by encapsulation-dehydration and subsequently regenerated shoots. The effects of osmoprotection and dehydration duration on regrowth of cryopreserved shoot tips were studied. The shoot tips (3-4 mm in length) were coated in alginate beads, osmoprotected and dehydrated (up to 6 h) under laminar air-flow at 24 degrees Celsius prior to a direct plunge in liquid nitrogen (-196 degrees Celsius). After rewarming in a water bath at 38 degrees Celsius for 2 min, encapsulated shoot tips were plated on a semisolid (5.5 g L-1 agar) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L-1 6-benzylaminopurine, 0.25 mg L-1 indole-3-butyric acid and 30 g L-1 sucrose for regrowth. Cryopreserved shoot tips resumed growth within 30 days and regenerated shoots within 45 days. The highest regrowth level of encapsulated apices after cryopreservation was 67% following 24 h osmoprotection in 0.5 M sucrose, 3 h dehydration and 27% moisture content of the beads.

Key words: encapsulation-dehydration, Sequoia, shoot tips