Forest Habitats in the Nature Reserve ROSCI 0032 Rudariei Gorges

Abstract

The Rudăriei Gorges, named after the Rudărica rivulet, is close to the Eftimie Murgu village, also known by the name of Rudăria. It is located in south-west Romania, Caras-Severin County, Almăjului Depression. It is known both in Romania and abroad less for its flora, fauna and landscape features and most for its mill reserve, where water mills are still used by the natives. The paper has as purpose, establishment of forest habitats in the area of ​​research. At the same time the work wants to clarify inconsistencies on the types of forest habitats reported to be present in accordance with the Standard Form of the site of community importance ROSCI0032 and habitats identified in the field. The methodology is specific to the identification and characterization of habitats. Field survey (during vegetation, March-October) showed that the vegetation in the area was mosaic-like, which hindered habitat mapping. Moreover, we have noticed differences between the habitats mentioned for the area (Standard Form) and those identified in the field. Thus, the Standard Form of ROSCI0032 Cheile Rudăriei mentions as existing in the area the habitat 91K0 - Illyrian Fagus sylvatica forests (Aremonio-Fagion), but in the field there were found no species representative for this type of habitat. According to our studies, the beech forests in the Rudăriei Gorges are part of the Habitat 9110 - Luzulo-Fagetum beech forests. Other new habitats described in the area and not mentioned in the Standard Form are 91E0* - Alluvial forests with Alnus glutinosa and Fraxinus excelsior (Alno-Padion, Alnion incanae, Salicion albae); 91M0 – Pannonian-Balkanic turkey oak – sessile oak forests. The habitat 9180* - Tilio-Acerion forests of slopes, screes and ravines, mentioned in the Standard Form, was confirmed in the field.