Assessment, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Biodiversity

Assessment, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forest Biodiversity
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BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY OF FOREST ECOSYSTEMS IN THE
REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA
Alexandru Teleuta*, Gheorghe Postolache
Botanical Institute of the Academy of Sciences.
18 Padurilor Str., Chisinau, MD – 2002,
Republic of Moldova.
E-mail : bsapm@dnt.md
Tel./ fax 24.20.22
Keywords: forest, ecosystem, communities, species, flora, fauna.
The Republic of Moldova is situated in the South-East of Europe (the surface - 33800 sq. km.; the population
– 4,293 mln. inhabitants). The territory of Moldova is situated at the crossing point of three biogeographical
zones: Central-European, Mediterranean and Eurasian. The total forest area is 325,4 thousand ha (cover 9,6%
of Moldova) and comprises about 800 forest grounds.
Quercus robur and Cerasus avium are significant species of northern zones forests of the country. Forests with
Fagus sylvatica, Quercus petraea and Quercus robur, Carpinus betulus, Tilia tomentosa, Fraxinus excelsior and
others are specific to the central zone. The forests with Quercus pubescens are spread in the southern part of the
Republic of Moldova.
The forest vegetation consists of 130 communities that belong to the following formations: Querceta roboris,
Querceta petraeae, Fageta sylvaticae, Carpineta betuli, Querceta pubescentis, Populeta albae and Saliceta albae .
Moldova’s forest flora includes 859 species and is characterized by a high weight of species introduced from
other floristic regions, thus occupying 34,1 % of the total afforested surface. This fact shows the low vital
potential of the forest ecosystem.
Fauna covers 172 terrestrial vertebrate species (68% of the total number) and about 9 thousand insect species,
most of which are on the decline.
The phenomenon of forest degradation is also confirmed by the considerable number of vulnerable and
endangered plant species (55 species).
The forest protected area covers 60,7 thousand ha (18,8% of the total forest area). Unfortunately, the regime of
natural protected areas is only partially observed within scientific reserves, where the forest cover is 16,4
thousand ha (5% of the total area covered by forests). The analysis of representation of the main forest
communities in scientific reserves indicates that Quercus petraea and Quercus robur groves are not efficiently
protected, constituting less than 10% of the total area of these communities.
In order to increase the capacity of ecological protection, including efficient conservation, of forest
biodiversity, it is required to:
- improve the legal background, institutional framework and management of forest resources;
- ensure the functional connection between fragmented forest compartments;
- extend the area of afforested lands up to 15% of the national territory;
- facilitate the natural regeneration of the forest stands having a balanced diversity,
structure and functions;
- conserve rare and endangered taxa and communities;
- monitor the forest biodiversity components etc.
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