Northwest Romania Research Articles

Origin and distribution of slightly biconical bowls with facetted or channeled rim from the end of bronze and the beginning of iron ages on the Balkan peninsula: Contribution to the study of ethnic and cultural movements in southeast Europe at the end of bronze and the beginning of iron ages

Origin and distribution of slightly biconical bowls with facetted or channeled rim from the end of bronze and the beginning of iron ages on the Balkan peninsula: Contribution to the study of ethnic and cultural movements in southeast Europe at the end of bronze and the beginning of iron ages

Late Quaternary palaeoecological and palaeoclimatological reconstruction in the Gutaiului Mountains, northwest Romania

AbstractMacrofossil, pollen, lithostratigraphy, mineral magnetic measurements (SIRM and magnetic susceptibility), loss‐on‐ignition, and AMS radiocarbon dating on sediments from two former crater lakes, situated at moderate altitudes in the Gutaiului Mountains of northwest Romania, allow reconstruction of Late Quaternary climate and environment. Shrubs and herbs with steppe and montane affinities along with stands of Betula and Pinus, colonised the surroundings of the sites prior to 14 700 cal. yr BP and the inferred climatic conditions were cold and dry. The gradual transition to open Pinus–Betula forests, slightly higher lake water temperatures, and higher lake productivity, indicate more stable environmental conditions between 14 700 and 14 100 cal. yr BP. This development was interrupted by cooler and drier climatic conditions between 14 100 and 13 800 cal. yr BP, as inferred from a reduction of open forests to patches, or stands, of Pinus, Betula, Larix, Salix and Populus. The expansion of a denser boreal forest, dominated by Picea, but including Pinus, Larix, Betula, Salix, and Ulmus started at 13 800 cal. yr BP, although the forest density seems to have been reduced between 13 400 and 13 200 cal. yr BP. Air temperature and moisture availability gradually increased, but a change towards drier conditions is seen at 13 400 cal. yr BP. A distinct decrease in temperature and humidity between 12 900 and 11 500 cal. yr BP led to a return of open vegetation, with patches of Betula, Larix, Salix, Pinus and Alnus and individuals of Picea. Macrofossils and pollen of aquatic plants indicate rising lake water temperatures and increased aquatic productivity already by ca. 11 800 cal. yr BP, 300 years earlier than documented by the terrestrial plant communities. At the onset of the Holocene, 11 500 cal. yr BP, forests dominated by Betula, Pinus and Larix expanded and were followed by dense Ulmus forests with Picea, Betula and Pinus at 11 250 cal. yr BP. Larix pollen was not found, but macrofossil evidence indicates that Larix was an important forest constituent at the onset of the Holocene. Moister conditions were followed by a dry period starting about 10 600 cal. yr BP, which was more pronounced between 8600 and 8200 cal. yr BP, as inferred from aquatic macrofossils. The maximum expansion of Tilia, Quercus, Fraxinus and Acer between 10 700 and 8600 cal. yr BP may reflect a more continental climate. A drier and/or cooler climate could have been responsible for the late expansion (10 300 cal. yr BP) and late maximum (9300 cal. yr BP) of Corylus. Increased water stress, and possibly cooler conditions around 8600 cal. yr BP, may have caused a reduction of Ulmus, Tilia, Quercus and Fraxinus. After 8200 cal. yr BP moisture increased and the forests included Picea, Tilia, Quercus and Fraxinus. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Late-Glacial and Holocene forest dynamics at Steregoiu in the Gutaiului Mountains, Northwest Romania

Pollen analyses and AMS 14C measurements were performed on lacustrine sediments and peat deposits from the former crater lake Steregoiu in a mid-altitude area in the Gutaiului Mountains in NW Romania in order to provide a detailed reconstruction of the vegetational development of the area during the Late-Glacial and Holocene. The bottom sediments are siliciclastic and were deposited probably during the Full Glacial, which is characterised by open patchy vegetation consisting of a mosaic of shrubs, herbs, and ungrown grounds. Around 14 700 cal yr BP an open Pinus– Betula forest expanded, at the same time as organic-rich lake sediments started to be deposited. This change was likely a response to the first deglacial warming phase at the beginning of the Bølling period, or GI-1e, in the GRIP event stratigraphy. Between 13 750 and 12 950 cal yr BP an open forest dominated by Betula, Picea, Pinus, and Ulmus developed in the area. The forest composition implies rather warm climatic conditions, which may correspond to the Allerød, or GI-1c–GI-1a. Around 12 950 cal yr BP the forest retracted, and at 12 600 cal yr BP open patchy vegetation became re-established. These changes imply a return to significantly colder conditions, which may correspond to the Younger Dryas, or GS-1. At 11 500 cal yr BP Betula, Pinus, and Alnus quickly responded to the temperature rise, characterising the beginning of the Holocene. Within a few hundred years, around 11 300 cal yr BP, Ulmus and Picea became re-established and a mixed forest type expanded. Quercus, Tilia, and Fraxinus likely arrived at around 10 750 cal yr BP, and from about this time Betula, and Pinus started to diminish. Around 10 500 cal yr BP a dense mixed forest dominated by Ulmus, Picea, Quercus, Tilia, and Fraxinus had developed in the area. Corylus probably became locally established around 10 500 cal yr BP, but it did not expand until 10 200 cal yr BP. Tilia and Fraxinus were locally important until 8600 cal yr BP, when Picea gained renewed importance and the lake became completely overgrown. Picea was probably an important constituent in the carr forest at the site as well as in the upland forest. Around 4800 cal yr BP Fagus and Carpinus became important in the local stand, apparently without any major disturbance of the forest. Until around 3400 cal yr BP the forest was highly diverse, but when Fagus eventually expanded, Ulmus, Tilia, Picea, and Corylus diminished. From about 2200 cal yr BP onwards Fagus has been the local forest dominant, but some Quercus and Carpinus individuals have been present as well. Pollen evidence for human influence on the local vegetation is comparatively scant. The area may have been used for forest grazing from about 1050 cal yr BP, but the grazing pressure was probably low until ca. 300 cal yr BP.

The long term fate and environmental significance of contaminant metals released by the January and March 2000 mining tailings dam failures in Maramureş County, upper Tisa Basin, Romania

In January and March 2000 two tailings dam failures in Maramureş County, northwest Romania, resulted in the release of 200,000 m 3 of contaminated water and 40,000 tonnes of tailings into tributaries of the Tisa River, a major tributary of the Danube. The high concentrations of cyanide and contaminant metals released by these dam failures resulted in pollution and fish deaths not only in Romania, but also downstream in the Tisa and Danube rivers within Hungary, Serbia and Bulgaria. Following these accidents, a research programme was initiated in northwest Romania to establish metal levels in rivers affected by the tailings dam failures and to compare these to metal values in river systems contaminated by historic mining and industrial activity. In July 2000, 65 surface water, 65 river sediment and 45 floodplain sediment samples were collected from trunk streams and principal tributaries of the Lapuş/Someş rivers (affected by the January 2000 spill) and the Vişeu/Tisa rivers (affected by the March 2000 Novat spill) down to the Hungarian and Ukrainian borders, respectively. Sample analyses for Pb, Zn Cu and Cd show that metal contamination in surface water and river sediment decreases rapidly downstream away from presently active mines and tailings ponds. Concentrations of heavy metals in water and sediment leaving Romania, and entering Hungary and the Ukraine, generally fall below EC imperative and Dutch intervention values, respectively. However, Zn, Cu and Cd concentrations in river sediments approach or exceed intervention values at the Romanian border. The results of this survey are compared with earlier surveys to ascertain the long-term fate and environmental significance of contaminant metals released by mine tailings dam failures in Maramureş County.

Mutational analysis and genotype-phenotype correlation in patients with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency from transylvania (north-west Romania).

The regional incidence of 21-hydroxylase deficiency, its mutational spectrum and the correlation of genotype and phenotype has been studied by European, American and Latin-American groups. However, little information is known about the molecular background of the disease in patients from Central-Eastern Europe. The present study aimed to genotype a group of patients from Transylvania, the north-western part of Romania, in order to gain some insight into the molecular pattern and the genotype-phenotype correlation of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) in this region. We genotyped 17 patients with classic 21-hydroxylase deficiency and, whenever available, their parents in order to verify mutational segregation. The patients came from 13 unrelated families. DNA was prepared from peripheral blood leucocytes and four gene fragments were amplified by PCR. The 21-hydroxylase gene (CYP21B) was completely sequenced and analyzed for point mutations or deletions. Percentage distribution of mutations was as follows: 12G--34.6%, deletions and large conversions (del)--19.2%, P30L--15.4%, 1172N--15.4%, P30L+I2G+del8bp (triple mutation)--11.5%, and R356W--3.8%. Mutational percentage distribution compared to other Latin populations is higher for I2G and I172N and lower for deletions, while the P30L mutation was found at a higher rate than in any other analyzed population. Some differences may arise from the low patient number and from ethnic particularities. The incidence of compound heterozygotes in our group was 76.5%. The genotype seemed to correlate fairly well to phenotype, with a general concordance rate of 82.35%. Clear divergence was found in two patients with the simple virilizing form, exhibiting a homozygous status for I2G and del, respectively. This study offers the first information about the molecular pathology of CAH in Romania and should help to improve management and clinical outcome for patients with CAH in Transylvania. Hopefully, it might also be the first step towards exact and accurate prenatal diagnosis in our country.

Baia Mare Accident—Brief Ecotoxicological Report of Czech Experts

On 30 January 2000, following the breach in the tailing dam of the Aurul SA Baia Mare Co., a major spill of about 100,000 m3 of cyanide and metal-rich liquid waste was released into the river system near Baia Mare in northwest Romania. The pollutants flowed via different tributaries into the Tizsa (Tisa) river and finally through the Danube river into the Black Sea. Along the way pollutants (especially cyanides) caused rapid death of aquatic organisms and animals living close to the poisoned rivers. Following request from the governments of Romania, Hungary, and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, United Nations sent international mission experts to the area of accident. The Czech team of four experts took very active part in this mission. Samples of surface water collected by this team 3 weeks after the accident showed high toxicity in the rivers on the Romanian territory. Due to this impact, water from the Szamos river and a large area of the Tisza river in Hungarian territory was still medially toxic. Improvement of this situation was detected only in downstream areas of the Tisza/Tisa river. The high toxicity of surface water from the locality of the Lapos river upstream of the accident indicated the possibility of toxic pollution from other sources in the area. Aquatic sediments were highly toxic only in the Aurul reservoir and its surrounding area. Rapid decline of their toxicity indicated more limited adverse impact of the “Aurul pollution” in comparison with surface water. From ecotoxicological results it is evident that there is an urgent need to start abatement activities in the Baia Mare area because the possibility of future accidents still exists (this hypothesis was proved by further accidents on 10.3.2000 and the beginning of May 2000).

The influence of site factors on the composition and structure of semi-natural mixed-species stands of beech (Fagus sylvatica), silver fir (Abies alba) and Norway spruce (Picea abies) in the Upper Draganul Watershed of North-West Romania

Summary Results of redundancy analyses for beech‐conifer stands in the mountains of North-West Romania indicate that Abies alba predominates at mid- to upper-slope positions, on steep gradients and favours southerly aspects. In contrast Picea abies was most abundant on frost-susceptible lower slopes and damper sites with north-westerly aspects. A weak ordination with respect to site factors reflected that Fagus sylvatica may have been at the upper elevation limits for its natural distribution. It is concluded that the two conifer species have site requirements that are relatively complementary for both the production and the conservation of mixed stands.

PESTICIDE USAGE AND EPIPHYTIC LICHEN DIVERSITY IN ROMANIAN ORCHARDS

The epiphytic lichen floras of different orchards (intensive, semi-intensive apple cultivation and traditional old private garden) in North-West Romania were compared with and without pesticide treatment. Species richness was negatively influenced by the frequency of pesticide treatment.

Considerations regarding black walnut (Juglans nigra) culture in the north-west of Romania

Black walnut (Juglans nigra L.) is one of the most valuable North American forest species, and has been cultivated in Europe since 1629. It is now planted in many European countries, of which Hungary, France and Germany are the most representative. In Romania it has been cultivated since the end of the nineteenth century, especially in the western and north-western parts of the country, and now covers over 2100 ha. This paper focuses on the silviculture applied to the black walnut plantations in the Sacueni Forest District (north-west of Romania), a forest unit where mixtures with either North American (e.g. northern red oak, pin oak, bitternut hickory, black cherry, etc.) or European (e.g. pedunculate oak, Turkey oak, ash, Norway maple, small-leaved lime) forest species, covering hundreds of hectares, are frequently found. The biometrical performances of such plantations show the high potential of the species when used in favourable ecological conditions (e.g. lowlands, with mild climates, rich and deep soils, permeable and constantly supplied with water, etc.).

Bismuth and bismuth–antimony sulphosalts from Neogene vein mineralisation, Baia Borşa area, Maramureş, Romania

AbstractSeveral complex Cu-Pb-Bi, Cu-Pb-Bi-Sb and Ag-Pb-Bi sulphosalt minerals have been identified in samples from hydrothermal vein mineralisation associated with the Toroiaga sub-volcanic body in the Baia Borşa area of Maramureş County, northwest Romania. This is the first chemically-documented report of Bi-sulphosalts in the Neogene metallogenic province around Baia Mare. The investigated samples contain abundant amounts of matildite solid solution within galena, the Cu-Pb/Bi sulphosalts aikinite, friedrichite, krupkaite, hammarite, lindströmite and gladite as well as nuffieldite and berryite. Within the Ag-Pb/Bi group, the majority of analysed grains can be regarded as members of the lillianite homologous series. Three distinct lillianite homologues were identified, which correspond to (i) phases along the lillianite-gustavite solid solution join (Pb3Bi2S6-AgPbBi3S6), (ii) phases within solid solution field of heyrovskyite, and (iii) compositions which best correspond to ‘schirmerite’,sensuMakovicky and Karup-Møller (1977b), but may represent disordered gustavite, vikingite or eskimoite. Some of the analysed lillianite homologues contain excess Cu, which may occupy interstitial sites. Furthermore, a large proportion of the lillianite homologues display significant substitution of Sb for Bi within the limits predicted by experimental investigations. Cosalite, also showing a range of compositions including Sb-rich varieties is recognised. Izoklakeite, Cu2Pb22(Sb,Bi)22S57, is an abundant phase throughout the analysed samples, its composition is in good agreement with previously published analyses, except for excess Cu and Fe beyond the limits previously reported. The description of several minerals from this new occurrence and compositional data on them, including the Sb-bearing varieties, provides valuable additional information on compositional limits in natural samples.

Palynology of an upper cretaceous section in the Borod basin (north-west Romania)

The scattered outcrops of Late Cretaceous deposits in the Borod Basin encompass different stratigraphic intervals. A section at Cornilel in north-west Romania has yielded a Normapolles assemblage, the composition of which supports an age determination of Santonian-early Campanian, suggested previously on the basis of the fauna it contains. The assemblage correlates with palynostratigraphical subdivision “f” already established for the Cretaceous sequence in the Southern Apuseni Mountains.

M. Fatu, The Romanian Church in Northwest Romania during the Horthy Occupation (1940-1944). Bucharest, The Bible and Orthodox Mission Institute, 1985. 21½ × 17, 254 p.

M. Fatu, The Romanian Church in Northwest Romania during the Horthy Occupation (1940-1944). Bucharest, The Bible and Orthodox Mission Institute, 1985. 21½ × 17, 254 p.

AGROTOURISM AS DEVELOPMENT METHOD FOR BIHOR-HAJDÚ-BIHAR REGION

The present paper aims is to present the regional i nitiatives launched outside of Hungary's borders in the last few decades which hav e proved functional as well as the Euroregions that concern our country (Popoviciu, Gabrie la, 2007). It is characteristic of Euro-regions that they do n ot have a local government or political power of their own, their activity falls in the range of competency of the local and regional authorities that constitute them, and they do not form a part of the official regional statistical system of the EU (NUTS). They also show a wide variety in terms of their structure. Some consist of administrative units of the same level ( Carpathians Euro -Region ), others comprise cities, towns and other units, like the Danube-Koros-Maros-Tisza Euroregion. Bihor - Hajdu-Bihar represent a new form of close r egions cooperation. This region is situated at the border between East and West. Indiv idualised, the region is situated in the North-West of Romania and East of Hungary, with a population of about 1.1 million inhabitants and 13,775 sq. km. It has two component s: a plain area and a mountain area, each of one with specific attractions. Apuseni Mountains National Park (in Bihor) and Hortobagy National Park (in Hajdu-Bihar) are the main attract ions. In addition, through the urban-rural diversity, cultural, folkloric and ethnographic res ources, the region is very interesting because of the cultural and historical complexity of the re gion. A lot of tourism forms can be promoted (balnear, rural, cultural, sports, busines s travels etc.) and tourist packages can be created (B adulescu, Alina, B adulescu, D., 2006). We consider that is absolutely necessary to create a marketing strategy based on the complementary aspects of the two areas and creating synergies in the benefice of them. The long lasting development of the tourism in our region, throughout creation of an adequate communication in the shape of a relationsh ip, in order to turn into account experience and stored information by the partners i nvolved and to determine dynamism of the touristic field in the area.