Exploring the Biodiversity and Conservation Value of Alpine Grasslands in the Bucegi Massif, Romanian Carpathians

Abstract

The Carpathian region harbors a wide range of threatened species, making it an area of exceptional conservation value. In the Alpine belt, grasslands cover the entire region and this study aims to describe the communities in the Bucegi Massif of the Romanian Carpathians and highlight their importance for conservation. The Braun–Blanquet approach was used to record floristic data from 47 phytosociological surveys, identifying a total of 235 plant species from 40 different families, including 30 threatened species. Canonical correspondence analysis was used to analyze the data, revealing that the distribution of vegetation is mainly influenced by elevation, slope and vegetation cover. Dominant grass species in these communities include Nardus stricta, Festuca violacea, Kobresia myosuroides, Festuca amethystina, Festuca airoides, Sesleria rigida, Festuca versicolor and Festuca carpatica. The alpine and boreal siliceous grasslands of the Carpathian Mountains, identified by Natura 2000 codes 6150, 6130 and 6170, host a wide range of plant species of significant conservation value. The higher altitude grasslands, especially, have outstanding plant species richness. We argue that although the habitats have been grazed, significant parts of the area are still in good ecological condition, having many typical natural features.