NE Romania Research Articles

A Call to Action: Gaps in Dietary Awareness among Pregnant Women in North Eastern Romania

Living in a digital era when most women can enjoy the benefits of easy access to a wealth of online information does not guarantee that mothers-to-bear aware of healthy dietary and nutrition recommendations for pregnancy and the lactation period. Our study aimed to survey the awareness of pregnant women from urban and rural North Eastern Romania in order to identify potential knowledge gaps or misconceptions and suggest solutions to achieve adequate information. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 100 women in the third trimester of pregnancy from both rural and urban parts of NE Romania. A questionnaire was designed to collect data on general socio-demographic characteristics and the women's ability to recognize relevant recommendations for diet and nutrition during pregnancy and lactation. The survey was conducted in 2018 and the data was analysed with SPSS version 16. The mean age of the respondents was 29.8. Overall, they were not entirely aware of the appropriate weight gain during pregnancy, the role of iodine or vitamin D in fetus development, the recommended daily intake of dairy products, or the food sources for iron, folic acid, and fatty acids. Moreover, urban women (51%) seemed better informed overall than those from the countryside (49%) (p<0.001): significant knowledge discrepancies were found regarding awareness of recommended caloric increase during pregnancy (p=0.0087), number of meals per day (0.0230), or the benefits of iron (p<0.0001), calcium (p=0.0192), and folic acid (p=0.0238) in the diet. Our study provides insight into the awareness of pregnant women in NE Romania with regard to relevant diet and nutrition topics, as well as certain disparities between women from urban vs. rural areas. The results can help inform educational measures aiming to address knowledge needs and promote healthy dietary habits during such important periods as pregnancy and lactation.

Pars pro toto—Remote Sensing Data for the Reconstruction of a Rounded Chalcolithic Site from NE Romania: The Case of Ripiceni–Holm Settlement (Cucuteni Culture)

Prehistoric sites in NE Romania are facing major threats more than ever, both from natural and human-induced hazards. One of the main reasons are the climate change determined natural disasters, but human-induced activities should also not be neglected. The situation is critical for Chalcolithic sites, with a very high density in the region and minimal traces at the surface, that are greatly affected by one or more natural hazards and/or anthropic interventions. The case study, Ripiceni–Holm, belonging to Cucuteni culture, is one of the most important Chalcolithic discoveries in the region. It is also the first evidence from Romania of a concentric arrangement of buildings in the proto-urban mega-sites tradition in Cucuteni-Trypillia cultural complex, and a solid piece of evidence in terms of irreversible natural and anthropic destruction. Using archival cartographic material, alongside non-destructive and high-resolution airborne sensing and ground-based geophysical techniques (LiDAR, total field and vertical gradient magnetometry), we managed to detect diachronic erosion processes for 31 years, to identify a complex internal spatial organization of the actual site and to outline a possible layout of the initial extent of the settlement. The erosion was determined with the help of the DSAS tool and highlighted an average erosion rate of 0.96 m/year. The main results argue a high percent of site destruction (approximately 45%) and the presence of an active shoreline affecting the integrity of the cultural layer.

Natural hazards and their impact on rural settlements in NE Romania – A cartographical approach

Abstract Natural hazards are the most significant threats in rural areas of Romania, while landslides, floods and bank river erosion are the geomorphological processes that impose the greatest risk in the Moldavian Plateau. We have identified 189 of disappeared, displaced and partially affected villages (in the area between Siret and Prut Rivers), using old cartographic materials as primary tool, and overlapping them with the present situation: ortophoto imagery and LiDAR derived high-resolution Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The main natural hazards that affected the settlements were landslides (63%), floods (26%) and river bank erosion processes (11%) and in 19% of the cases the settlement completely disappeared. We also present seven study cases, three for landslides, three for floods and one for river bank erosion in order to detail how these natural hazards impacted the physical environment of the settlements. In the Moldavian Plateau the mentioned natural hazards played an important role in the dynamics of the settlement network, with variations induced mainly by the socio-political characteristics and not necessarily by the frequency variation of the natural hazard events. Such studies are needed in order to depict the vulnerability and risk scenarios, especially for the back-analysis, but also considering that future climate changes might impose changes in hazard, vulnerability and risk associated to settlements.

GIS-Based and Statistical Approaches in Archaeological Predictive Modelling (NE Romania)

Archaeological predictive modelling (APM) is an important method for archaeological research and cultural heritage management. This study tests the viability of a new statistical method for APM. Frequency ratio (FR) is widely used in the field of geosciences but has not been applied in APM. This study tests FR in a catchment from the north-eastern part of Romania to predict the possible location(s) of Eneolithic sites. In order to do that, three factors were used: soils, heat load index and slope position classification. Eighty percent of the sites were used to build the model, while the remaining 20% were used to externally test the model’s performance. The final APM was made with the help of GIS software and classified into four susceptibility classes: very high, high, medium and low. The success rate curve and the prediction rate curve reported values of the area under curve (AUC) of 0.72, and 0.75 respectively. The Kvamme’s Gain value for the model has a value of 0.56. Therefore, the final APM is reliable, so FR is a viable technique for APM. The final map can be successfully used in archaeological research, cultural heritage management and protection, preventive archaeology and sustainable development.

Using High-Density LiDAR Data and 2D Streamflow Hydraulic Modeling to Improve Urban Flood Hazard Maps: A HEC-RAS Multi-Scenario Approach

The ability to extract streamflow hydraulic settings using geoinformatic techniques, especially in high populated territories like urban and peri-urban areas, is an important aspect of any disaster management plan and flood mitigation effort. 1D and 2D hydraulic models, generated based on DEMs with high accuracy (e.g., Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR)) and processed in geographic information systems (GIS) modeling software (e.g., HEC-RAS), can improve urban flood hazard maps. In this study, we present a small-scale conceptual approach using HEC-RAS multi-scenario methodology based on remote sensing (RS), LiDAR data, and 2D hydraulic modeling for the urban and peri-urban area of Bacău City (Bistriţa River, NE Romania). In order to test the flood mitigation capacity of Bacău 1 reservoir (rB1) and Bacău 2 reservoir (rB2), four 2D streamflow hydraulic scenarios (s1–s4) based on average discharge and calculated discharge (s1–s4) data for rB1 spillway gate (Sw1) and for its hydro-power plant (H-pp) were computed. Compared with the large-scale flood hazard data provided by regional authorities, the 2D HEC-RAS multi-scenario provided a more realistic perspective about the possible flood threats in the study area and has shown to be a valuable asset in the improvement process of the official flood hazard maps.

GIS-based Landform Classification of Eneolithic Archaeological Sites in the Plateau-plain Transition Zone (NE Romania): Habitation Practices vs. Flood Hazard Perception

The landforms of the Earth’s surface ranging from large-scale features to local topography are factors that influence human behavior in terms of habitation practices. The ability to extract geomorphological settings using geoinformatic techniques is an important aspect of any environmental analysis and archaeological landscape approach. Morphological data derived from DEMs with high accuracies (e.g., LiDAR data), can provide valuable information related to landscape modelling and landform classification processes. This study applies the first landform classification and flood hazard vulnerability of 730 Eneolithic (ca. 5000–3500 BCE) settlement locations within the plateau-plain transition zone of NE Romania. The classification was done using the SD (standard deviation) of TPI (Topographic Position Index) for the mean elevation (DEV) around each archaeological site, and HEC-RAS flood hazard pattern generated for 0.1% (1000 year) discharge insurance. The results indicate that prehistoric communities preferred to place their settlements for defensive purposes on hilltops, or in the close proximity of a steep slope. Based on flood hazard pattern, 8.2% out of the total sites had been placed in highly vulnerable areas. The results indicate an eco-cultural niche connected with habitation practices and flood hazard perception during the Eneolithic period in the plateau-plain transition zone of NE Romania and contribute to archaeological predictive modelling.

Stable H and O isotope-based investigation of moisture sources and their role in river and groundwater recharge in the NE Carpathian Mountains, East-Central Europe

ABSTRACTThe region situated between the mountain area and the lowlands in NE Romania (East-Central Europe) is experiencing increased competition for water resources triggered by a growing population, intensification of agriculture, and industrial development. To better understand hydrological cycling processes in the region, a study was conducted using stable isotopes of water and atmospheric trajectory data to characterize regional precipitation and vapour sources derived from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as recycled continental moisture, and to assess and partition these contributions to recharge of surface and groundwater. Atmospheric moisture in the lowlands is found to be predominantly delivered along easterly trajectories, while mountainous areas appear to be dominated by North Atlantic Ocean sources, with moisture transported along mid-latitude, westerly storm tracks. Large-scale circulation patterns affect moisture delivery, the North Atlantic Oscillation being particularly influential in winter and the East Atlantic pattern in summer. Winter precipitation is the main contributor to river discharge and aquifer recharge. As winter precipitation amounts are projected to decrease over the next decades, and water abstraction is expected to steadily increase, a general reduction in water availability is projected for the region.

Ediacaran-Paleozoic subsidence history of the Volyn-Podillya-Moldavia Basin (W and SW Ukraine, Moldova, NE Romania)

Tectonic subsidence history was analysed for the Ediacaran-Paleozoic Volyn-Podillya-Moldavia Basin, by performing 1D backstripping for 21 boreholes located in western and SW Ukraine, Moldova and NE Romania. Tectonic subsidence history is coherent across the area studied. Development of the basin commenced with an Ediacaran phase of extension, initiated with the emplacement of rift-related volcanic rocks and associated with rapid syn-rift tectonic subsidence. During this event, tectonic subsidence increased towards the SW, i.e. towards the edge of the East European Craton, where the Ediacaran rift zone was located. At that time, a rift developed along the whole SW margin of the East European Craton from Scandinavia to the Black Sea. Development of this large extensional basin was related to the latest stages of break-up of the Precambrian supercontinent Rodinia/Pannotia and ultimately the formation of the Tornquist Ocean. The latest Ediacaran to Late Ordovician tectonic subsidence pattern was characteristic of the post-rift thermal sag stage of extensional basins. The SW margin of the newly formed Baltica, including the area studied, became a passive continental margin. The late Cambrian uplift and erosion was presumably related to a far-field effect of contractional events or intra-plate stresses. Since the Late Ordovician, a gradual change to a collisional tectonic setting is observed across the SW margin of Baltica. In the study area, this is indicated by a systematic increase in subsidence rate from Wenlock to Early Devonian time, creating subsidence curves with convex shapes typical of foreland basin development. The Silurian to Early Devonian Volyn-Podillya-Moldavia Basin is interpreted here as a flexural foredeep related to a Caledonian collision zone located further to the SW. The prominent diachroneity in the initiation of the foredeep basin development at a scale of the whole SW margin of Baltica is coherent with a model of oblique collision of Avalonia and Baltica. During the Pragian-Emsian, the basin was part of a system of post-collisional Old Red basins, with subsidence driven presumably by lithospheric isostatic imbalance resulting from the Caledonian collision and development of an accretionary wedge. Middle to Late Devonian short-term phases of rapid subsidence in small depocentres might be regarded as an indication of a transtensional tectonic regime

GIS-based evaluation of diagnostic areas in landslide susceptibility analysis of Bahluieț River Basin (Moldavian Plateau, NE Romania). Are Neolithic sites in danger?

The aim of this study is to compare the predictive strenghtness of different diagnostic areas in determining landslide susceptibility using frequency ratio (FR), statistical index (SI), and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) models in a catchment from the northeastern part of Romania. Scarps (point), landslide areas (polygon), and middle of the landslide (point) have been tested and checked in regards to their performance. The three statistical models have been employed to assess the landslide susceptibility using eleven conditioning factors (slope angle, elevation, curvature, lithology, precipitations, land use, topographic wetness index (TWI), landforms, aspect, plan curvature and distance to river). The three models were validated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the seed cell area index (SCAI) methods. The predictive capability of each model was established from the area under the curve (AUC), for FR, SI and AHP; the values are 0.75, 0.81 and 0.78 (using polygon as diagnostic area), respectively. Among the three methods used, SI had a better predictability. When it comes to the predictability values regarding the diagnostic areas, the landslide area (polygon) proves to have the highest values. This results from the entire surface of the landslide being taken into account when validating the data. Approximately 70% of the Neolithic sites are located in areas with high and very high susceptibility to landslides, meaning that they are in danger of being destroyed in the future. The final susceptibility maps are useful in hazard mitigation, risk reduction, a sustainable land use planning, evaluation of cultural heritage integrity, and to highlight the most endangered sites that are likely to be destroyed in the future.

EMS Exploratory Analysis in Order to Improve its Integration Quality through Fractal Design

Abstract The organizations’ need to satisfy consumers’ demand often generates various environmental negative impacts caused by delayed responses to different environmental issues. Therefore it is necessary that this relation between organizations and environment be effectively managed. This can be done only by implementing and integrating an Environmental management system (EMS). Likewise analyzing this issue through another perspective, the EMS can be considered as a hierarchical management system – that is “limited”, having in view the explosive modifications that define the current social reality. This paper presents the research results conducted at the level of NE Romania largest organizations that are predominantly developing industrial activities. The study sample is 171 organizational managers. The paper aims to improve EMS integration quality process by transforming and adapting its architecture relying on the principles of Fractal philosophy. Therefore, the general objective of this work is the development of a theoretical framework as a model based on Fractal design that should improve the EMS integration quality. It must be noted that this research also results in a practical component, since it provides the organizational manager with new working instruments in order to improve the EMS organizational integration.

Historic flood events in NE Romania (post-1990)

ABSTRACTUsing open-source satellite imagery like Landsat TM, ETM+ and Sentinel 2 can lead to accurate cartographic products. We mapped flood events from Siret and Prut river basins in the last 30 years based on the availability of Landsat data archive. In this area were recorded historical values in flow rates for the entire Romanian territory: 4650 m³/s on the Siret River in 2005 – the maximum value ever recorded for Romania; 4240 m³/s on the Prut in 2008 – second maximum value recorded for Romania. The most powerful floods that took place in Romania in the last years were in 1970, 1975, 1991, 2005, 2008, 2010 and 2011. In this study four years are distinguished by particularly characteristics: 1991, 2005, 2008 and 2010. Developing geo-hydrological hazard maps and adequate analysis at an appropriate scale and as quickly as possible is extremely important from an economic and social point of view.

Productivitatea clonelor de plop hibrid instalate in culturi intensive in nord-estul Romaniei

Poplar (Populus spp.) is a fast-growing species in temperate conditions, with potential to substitute fossil fuels by obtaining energy from biomass. The aim of this work was to study the productivity of 6 hybrid poplar clone from a hilly region of NE Romania, after a growing season of 4 and, respectively, 5 years. Rods were used as planting material, planted at a density of 2667 trees per ha, with between-row spacing of 3 m and interior-row distances of 1.25 m. Generally, significant differences appear between clones, for all analysed biometric characteristics (p≤0.05). Results show that, in the fifth growing season, diameter increases on average with 15.1%, reaching 11.89 cm, height increases in average with 13.9%, reaching 11.89 m, and volume increases with 33.3%, reaching 0.172 m3. The total biomass after 4 years vegetation varies from 32.8 t/ha to 39.4 t/ha, and after 5 years from 47.7 t/ha to 60.2 t/ha, having an average increase in the latest growing season of 35% and an average yield of 11.3 t/ha/year. The most productive clones in the given growing conditions and crop characteristics are the clone Pannonia after 4 growing seasons and the clone AF6 after 5 years.

Using high resolution LIDAR DEM to reconstruct historical network of lakes and wetlands in the Northern part of the Moldavian Plateau, NE Romania

A particular environmental feature of the northern part of Moldavian Plateau (NE Romania) is the large number of anthropic lakes along river courses. Even more, due to climatic, hydrological, hydrogeological and geomorphological settings and human activities (dominated by an extensive agriculture) this characteristic was mentioned and mapped in writen records and cartographic representations in many historical stages of the humanization of this region. The need for watter supply have forced the inhabitants to build dams of various sizes along the entire river network. Over the time, many dams were abandoned, while others have been relocated with a impresive dynamic at historical time scale

OSL dating of fine and coarse quartz from a Palaeolithic sequence on the Bistrița Valley (Northeastern Romania)

Previous works focused on optically stimulated luminescence dating of quartz extracted from Romanian and Serbian loess reported significant discrepancies between ages obtained on fine (4–11 μm) and coarse (63–90 μm) quartz. The present study is directed at expanding these investigations. The SAR-OSL and double SAR-OSL protocols are applied on quartz of different grain sizes belonging to 9 samples extracted from a newly identified archaeological site at Bistricioara-Lutărie III on the Bistrița Valley (NE Romania). Radiocarbon ages are also obtained for the 3 uppermost cultural layers hosted in the loess-like deposit.Discrepant ages are obtained between fine (4–11 μm) and coarse (63–90 and 90–200 μm, respectively) quartz for equivalent doses higher than ∼80–100 Gy. However, a very good agreement is achieved for the youngest sample, with an age of ∼8 ka (with a De of 38 Gy for fine and 35 Gy for coarse grains, respectively). The comparison with independent control provided by radiocarbon dating suggests better agreement of ages calculated for coarse quartz. Our results are once again proof that concerns should be raised regarding the reliability of the equivalent doses obtained on quartz samples for which the laboratory dose response cannot be fitted by a single saturating exponential function. Further systematic investigations are required regarding the very different saturation characteristics of fine and coarse grained quartz.

Conservation of European ground squirrel (Mammalia: Rodentia) in Slovakia: Results of current reintroduction programme

Abstract Conservation of European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) has been supported by the LIFE - Nature project “Conservation of Falco cherrug in NE Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia” during the period 201 0-201 4. The project activities were usually focused on EGS reintroduction programmmes with the aim of ensuring the food base for selected species of birds in areas where EGS were the primary historical prey and have become extinct. Reintroduction programmes were carried out at two sites in Slovakia: Piesocná (Moravský Svätý Ján) and Pod Okrúhlou skalou (Tisovec). Together 1 74 individuals were released at Pod Okrúhlou skalou and 284 individuals at the Piesocná target site. Monitoring of both repatriated colonies focused on the natality and distribution area. At both target sites successful hibernation and reproduction have been confirmed. The repatriation date was strongly influenced by weather conditions, especially during the rainy season. It was necessary to cut the grass several times per season, in order to ensure appropriate conditions for individuals’ survival. It was also necessary to protect the individuals against predators. House cats tend to hunt squirrels, which can be considered as the most serious threat at the Piesocná site. Squirrels at the Pod Okrúhlou skalou site were overly attacked by foxes. Intensive care (especially appropriate management of sites and additional feeding) ensured good stability of colonies, their survival and increase

1000 years of high resolution environmental change in the Eastern Carpathians, NE Romania: a multi-proxy approach

Climate changes and anthropogenic activities are projected to have a significant impact on mountain environments. This is because of their ecosystems’ sensitivity and increased response to the extreme weather events and natural catastrophes (Beniston, 2000). The modification of climatic conditions can therefore impact heavily on mountain ecosystems. Furthermore, human impact has been shown to modify environmental response to climatic stressors (Beniston, 2003; Jones & Mann, 2004). This holds particularly true because mountain regions are usually at the border of conflicting interests between economic development and environmental conservation (IPCC, 1996). Deciphering the relation between local mountain environment, climate variability and human components therefore becomes of great importance for both regional climate study and local socio-economies.

550 years in sedimentological record from a varved type lake (Bolătău, Bukovina, NE Romania) - changing storm frequency and climate fluctuation

In the present paper we introduce lake Bolătău, located in Obcina Feredeului, Eastern Carpathians (Romania), with seasonally controlled sedimentation and significant potential for generating precipitation sensitive proxy record. Two sediment cores were compared against each other in order to achieve a better understanding of the lateral discontinuity of observed microfacies and an accurate interpretation of the sedimentological data.

Conceptual Research Model Regarding the Effects Resulted from the Implementation of Environmental Management System at Organization Level

Nowadays many organizations worldwide have/are implemented/ implementing an environmental management system (EMS) according to ISO 14001, considering the context, the need to minimize negative environmental impacts, and long-term benefits. It has been observed for decades that for successful implementation of EMS are required different changes in the organizational structure, chances that lead to a successful integration and operation of this management system. Studying the literature it was observed the inexistence of relevant investigations conducted at Romanian organizations level, investigations which include different methodologies with models adapted to the particularities of the Romanian context, and relevant results for the current situation (PA). This paper intends to resolve the problem covered through the following general steps: I. identifying the problem (MP); II. goal setting: conceiving a model to analyze the effects produced at organizational structure level as a result of implementing an EMS; III. collecting data / information / knowledge from the literature (focusing on previous studies conducted starting from Mintzberg and others (authors as C. Hunt, E. Auster, M.C. Lopez-Fernandez, A. Zutshi, A. Sohal and so on) and from discussions with various managers of the environment department of several organizations located in the NE Romania; IV. the construction of the model; V. validate the constructs from the proposed model. The proposed research analysis model approaches three general dimensions that should characterize finally the effects resulted from the implementation of environmental management system at organization level; dimensions: I. aspects of organizational structure: I.a. Specialization (S1.horizontal; S2.vertical), I.b. Decentralization (D1.horizontal; D2.vertical), I.c. Formalization, I.d. Environmental trainings (per profile), I.e. Professional competence, I.f. Processes/ systems orientation, I.g. Systems/ process planning and control, I.h. Coordination/ cooperation in environmental issue; II. The effects of EMS implementation/ integration on organizational structure; and III. The quality of the organization's EMS integration

The bush-cricket Isophya kraussii (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae): bioacoustics, distribution and description of a new subspecies from Romania.

Isophya kraussii Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1878, one of the widest spread bush-crickets within this genus, is confirmed to be present east of the Carpathian Mountains. Based on acoustic analysis and morphological characters, the populations from NE Romania are considered to belong to a different subspecies, I. kraussii moldavica ssp. n. A map with distribution of both subspecies is presented.

Preliminary Approach on the Estimation of Ponto-Sarmatic Habitats’ Preservation in NE Romania via Herpetological Indicators

The present scientific approach proposes a preliminary study on habitat suitability and factors’ influence using the herpetological indicator Vipera ursinii moldavica and is intended to depict well adapted preservation measures for the Ponto-Sarmatic ecosystems in the context of increased human pressure. The primary goal is to establish an impact hierarchy for the controlling factors. The study incorporates various natural and human related factors via correspondence analysis in order to mark out for the most influential ones. The goal is to enhance understanding of variables’ contribution to the process and find appropriate intervention measures as far as the Natura 2000 Management Plans are concerned