The Reasons in Favour of Setting Up a New Natural Reserve in the Black Sea Shore Area Between North and South Eforie (ConstanţA County)

Abstract

In the Romanian Black Sea shore area between North and South Eforie, c. 15 km south from Constanþa city, lies a floristically interesting area. Here, on mobile or fixed sand dunes, large populations of many rare psammophilous species occur (Cakile maritima ssp. euxina, Elymus farctus ssp. bessarabicus, Silene thymifolia, Eryngium maritimum, Glaucium flavum, Polygonum maritimum, Gypsophyla perfoliata). Some have sporadically spread in the rest of littoral area. These species are included in different IUCN categories in the Romanian Red Lists. The high percentage of rare and threatened species (18.29%), higher than in other southern protected seashore areas (Agigea, 2 Mai - Vama Veche), demonstrates the floristic importance of this site. In the area studied are also some dune habitat types of European conservation interest, which are included in the Habitats Directive and Bern Convention. The beginning of some building works, even in the dune habitats, threatens with extinction the specific psammophilous flora and plant communities. On the base of this evidence we propose the setting up of a natural reserve in this area, preferably as part of the Natura 2000 protected areas network.