GYMNOSPERMIUM ALTAICUM IN NORTHERN DOBROGEA Preliminary Data

GYMNOSPERMIUM ALTAICUM IN NORTHERN DOBROGEA Preliminary Data Mihai DOROFTEI [email protected] Marian MIERLĂ [email protected] Danube Delta National Institute for Research and Development 165 Babadag St., Tulcea " 820112 ABSTRACT: This paper reveals new data concerning the distribution and the ecological characteristics of the Gymnospermium altaicum odessanum subspecies. It has been done an each site’s description of the landscape, geology, soils and the main features of the soils such as the humus’s provision, organic C and the pH’s level. There are also graphically carried out the areas where the subspecies has been found, subspecies that has been proved to be rare and spread in Northern Dobogea only. There are presented both phenological and morphological data and about the floristic composition of the habitat ones. KEY WORDS: Gymnospermium, Dobrogea, distribution, ecology INTRODUCTION Gymnospermium altaicum, rare species, spread in Romania, in Dobrogea only, recently included in the association Gymnospermio (altaicae) – Celtetum (glabratae), association with a reduced spreading that has been so far identified in Măcin Mountains (Petrescu 2001, 2004a). The species’ monitoring in the areas mentioned by the reference literature and its identifying in new areas add to the information related to its habitat and its presence within the Northern Dobrogea. As well as other species of conservative interest, this plant contributes to the natural value of the steppe habitats in Dobrogea. Some of these habitats are included within the national protected areas network. The present situation, as a result of this status, conveys less protection than that necessary to the conservation of the population. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study has been carried out in February and April in 2005"2007, focusing mainly on monitoring as well as on the ecological features of the species’ habitat. The bibliography, the maps and the field work within the research projects as well have been contributed to the present article. In a first stage the areas where the species has been identified in the last years have been controlled and then, by means of the hypsometric map, more areas with favourable conditions for the species have been chosen. The plant has been also phonologically observed, a short description of this being available. The equipment employed consisted of a digital camera Cannon 5.8" 23, 2mm 1:2, 6 – 5.5, a GPS device – Magelan, error in plan of 5 m. The description of the pedological and geological layers has been carried out on basis of the national maps of a reference scale of 1:200 000. 1 THE SUBSPECIES PRESENTATION In the similar manner of the description in the Romanian Flora, the species is presented as an herbaceous perennial plant, with tuberous rhizome almost spherical (slightly flat), of 1"3.5 cm in diameter. The stem is 10—12 cm tall, with a single leaf of up to 5 cm length. The rachis splits in 3 long petioles, each with a foliole at the end, palmatipartite in 4"5 (7) oblong obtuse complete lacinia of up to 3 cm length. The flowers have 10—18 mm in diameter, in terminal racemes. The sepals are elliptical or ovate oblong, 2—2.5 longer than the petals. The capsule is slightly inflated, up to 8 mm in diameter, the apex breaks before the maturation; it has 3"4 brown"black seeds (Săvulescu, 1955). Generally it appears at the beginning of February. It blossoms in the early spring, at the beginning of March and half, April the first bloomed specimens appear. It fructifies in April. As a bioform, it is a geophyte due to its survival during the unfavourable season by means of its persistent underground rhizome, set at 15 – 20 cm depth. The species, according to the national red list, is rare. Fig. 1. The study area for Gymnospermium altaicum The distribution territory of the species is: Pontic areal – the east of Europe (south" east Romania, Greece, Turkey, South Ukraine (Săvulescu, 1955), Crimeea (Săvulescu, 1955), Kazakhstan, Mongolia, China and Russia (endemic) (Rugină, 2003; Smelanski, 2005). Ecology: rocky areas with high inclinations, 30 " 50o, shady areas, cracks within the rock where soil and humidity conditions are met, dry"moist to moist soils on mountainsides with a general northern" western exposition. It has also been located on mountainsides with southern"western exposition. It is spread on litosoils of different thickness, predominantly formed on rocks belonging to a Carapelit formation, as well as on granites (Petrescu, 2004b). Humidity: on a scale from 1 to 6 is 2 xeromezophyte (Anghel, 1971; Beldie, 1977; Ciocârlan, 2000). Temperature: on a scale from 1 to 5 are 4 " moderately termophyle 2 plant (Anghel, 1971; Beldie, 1977; Ciocârlan, 2000). Reaction index of the soil: eurionic plant (amphytolerante), species adapted predominantly on slightly acid soil (Anghel, 1971; Beldie, 1977; Ciocârlan, 2000). In Romania, the species has been identified in Northern Dobrogea only: between Greci and Cerna (Prodan, 1935; Rugină, 2003; Săvulescu, 1955), Chervant Hill– Priopcea (Petrescu, 2004b); LuncaviŃa (Prodan, 1935,1961; Rugină, 2003); Agighiol (Prodan, 1935; Rugină, 2003; Săvulescu, 1955), on Pietros Hill; Izvoarele on Consul Hill (Rugină, 2003; Săvulescu, 1955) and on Carasan"Teke Hill (Petrescu, 2004b) and NiculiŃel on Sarica Hill (Petrescu, 2004b), in pontic"balcanic steppe habitats. The study areas have been chosen so that factors such as the topography, the variation of altitude and the distribution algorithm of the species should be taken into consideration. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS At the juvenile specimens, the stem is red, having as main feature the form of an interrogation mark. It starts from the centre of the rhizome of 1 – 2.5 cm placed at 15 – 20 cm depth and it measures less than 6 cm length at the soil level. The flowers are in bud, gathered on the main axis, covered by bract, each floral bud presenting a peduncle of 2 " 3 mm. At the basis of the inflorescence, more developed yellow buds can be observed, and the edge of the foliole has an involute aspect. Unlike the young specimens, the mature ones are green, with a straight stem of 10"17 cm from the soil’s level, with leaves totally opened, having the lion’s paw aspect. The flowers are displayed in raceme with the floral peduncle of approximately 1.5 – 2 cm. Within the second decade of April, the vesicles are green, closed, only 30% specimens being present, in the second decade, the number of the fructifying specimens exceeds 70%, to the end of the month, the yellowish vesicles open. The first observations have been carried out in February 2005, near Greci, on Moroianu Hill. Gymnospermium altaicum has been identified on slope with south"west exposition, with a general slope of the ground of 18 – 19o, at an altitude of approximately 300 m. The number of the identified specimens is relatively reduced, a few tens, and the covering surface reduced to a few metres. The population is distributed on a superficial soil, litosoil, with a pH 7.58, humus 3.17% and organic carbon 1.84%, with surface shady rock due to the rocky blocks and to the shrub layer. The geology of the ground is represented by schist and conglomerates (Carapelit formation). On Chervant Hill ' Priopcea (maximum altitude 409,5m) at north"west from Cerna, a population of Gymnospermium has been identified, with a reduced number of specimens, spread on the superior part of the hill (300"310m) close to the peak, on slope with south"west exposition, sunny area, with surface rock, the general slope of the terrain being between 20"25O. So far, the population of Gymnospermium altaicum that has been identified here is on the highest altitude of the entire north Dobrodjean plateau. The prevailing soil where the population of Gymnospermium altaicum has been identified is the litosol. The geology of the ground is represented by quartzites and sericite phyllites (Priopcea Quartzites). The northern slope of Sarica Hill (maximum altitude 293.2 m) (at east from NiculiŃel) presents an important population of a few hundreds of specimens, dispersed on the two peaks in rocky areas with a general slope of 25"30O, at the altitude of 190" 200 m. The soil on which the studied species population has been encountered is represented by litosoils with a pH 7.50, humus 3.94% and organic carbon 2.29% with 3 surface rock, possibly an eutric litosoil in the forest area. The geology of the area is represented by NiculiŃel dolerites. Unlike the rest of the areas where the species has been identified, here specimens have been found in the immediate neighbourhood of the forest, on slope with north"east exposition. The accompanying species is represented by Celtis glabrata with which is in association in the area of Măcin Mountains. Colinele Dălchi Hill is situated at south"east of Cerna. The maximum altitude of this hill is 259.9 m. The studied species population has been encountered at an altitude of 190"200 m where the ground has a general slope of 20"25O and west"south"west exposition. Pedologically, the studied species grows on litosoils with a pH 7.25%, humus 3.66% and organic carbon 2.12% with surface rock on some of the places. The geological underlayer is represented by quartzites and sericit phyllites (Priopcea Quartzites). At east from Valea Teilor locality there is Trestenic Hill a maximum altitude of 364 m. on this hill, the studied species has been identified at the altitude of 300"305 m, where the general slope is of 25"30O. The exposition of the slope where the studied species has been found is west"north"west. The pedological underlayer is represented by litosoil with surface rock. The geological underlayer consists of phyllites and quartzites. 1a 2a 3a 4a Fig.2 – Aspectes of Gymnospermium altaicum odessanum subspecies As a general view, we present the species that are included within the floristic composition of the habitat of the subspecies Gymnospermium altaicum odessanum: Achillea coarctata Agropyron repens Allium rotundum Alyssum hirsutum 1 1 1 2 Artemisia austriaca Asplenium trichomanes Asplenium viridae Botriochloa ischaemum 2 1 1 3 4 Bromus tectorum Campanula romanica Chondrilla juncea Cichorium intybus Convolvulus arvensis Convolvulus cantabrica Cruciata pedemontana Daucus carota Dianthus nardiformis Eryngium campestre Erysimum diffusum Euphorbia esula Euphorbia sequieriana Festuca valesiaca Filago arvensis Fumaria vaillanti Galium humifusum Geranium pusillum Gymnospermium altaicum Haplophyllum suaveolens Herniaria hirsuta Hypericum perforatum 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Iris sintenisii Lamium amplexicaule Linum austriacum Poa bulbosa Poa bulbosa var. vivipara Poa pratensis subsp. angustifolia Potentilla argentea Pulsatilla balcana Ranunculus illyricus Sedum urvillei subsp. hillebrandtii Senecio vernalis Seseli pallasii Taraxacum laevigatum Teucrium chamaedrys Teucrium polium ssp. capitatum Thymus pannonicus Veronica triphyllos Vicia lathyroides Vinca herbacea Viola kitaibeliana Xeranthemum anuum 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 CONCLUSIONS The natural areas that can convey favourable ecological conditions to the species are rather limited. Although a part of these areas are included within the protected areas network, there are not specified aims for which they should be protected, so that elements such as topography and the distribution algorithm should be taken into consideration. The rare plants, such as Gymnospermium altaicum, are important to be studied, considering a decrease of their population. From the research that has been made, it can be observed that the studied species prefers the (even with surface rock) which do not have a rich content of calcium. The values of the general slope, established within all the five places, are included between 18 Ki 35O. The geological underlayer varies from quartzites to phyllites, dolerites, schists and conglomerates. Studying the five points in the field, it can be observed that the favourite exposition of this plant south"western and western (4 cases) and northern (1 case). The altitude deviation varies from 190 m to la 310 m. The phonological phases are influenced by several factors such as snow, ice and frost as well as the exposition of the slope, therefore the growing periods is different from year to year. The reference literature indicates April as the blossoming month. From observations, the blossoming period has higher amplitude, the first decade of March"the second decade of April. In greenhouse conditions, it blossoms even earlier at a temperature of 10oC. The research concerning the ecology and the distribution of the species will be carried on in the years to come as well, given that the plant has not been identified within all the areas described in the reference literature. 5 REFERENCES 1. ANDERSON S., 2002 " Identifying Important Plant Areas. Plantlife International 2. ANDREI M., 1997 – Morfologia generală a plantelor, 1 – 242. Edit. Enciclopedică, BucureKti. 3. ANGHEL GH., RĂVĂRUł, M., TURCU, GH., 1971 – Geobotanica, pp. 1 – 383. Edit. Ceres, BucureKti. 4. 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