Project title: Integrating habitat connectivity assessment methods in a tool aimed at supporting the efficiency of biodiversity conservation within Natura 2000 network
Project number: PN-III-P1-1.1-TE-2021-1067
Contract number: TE 45/2022
Funding body: Executive Agency for Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation Funding (UEFISCDI)
Budget: 449.840 RON
Period: 2022-2024
Research team:
Iulian M. Niculae – Project Coordinator
Gabriel O. Vanau – Researcher
Cristiana M. Pioarca-Ciocanea – Researcher
Iulia V. Miu – Post-doctoral researcher
Lavinia C. Pindaru – PhD Student
Aim
To support the decision of biodiversity conservation and improving the management of protected areas from Romania (Natura 2000 network), through tools based on integration of habitats fragmentation and connectivity analysis methodology
Objectives
O1. Evaluating the conservation value of species and habitats and their current management in protected areas from Romania;
O2. Analyzing habitat connectivity and fragmentation and the need to designate new protected areas;
O3. Identifying threats and pressures and prioritization the areas with environmental conflicts for community interest species and habitats;
O4. Developing supporting tools to increase the efficiency of biodiversity conservation;
O5. Informing decision factors on the necessity of implementing the tools and indicators for a sustainable management of protected areas and conservation efficiency.
Main results:
Book and Book Chapters:
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Miu IV, Pindaru LC (2023) Mijloace şi metode utilizate în analiza conectivității şi fragmentării peisajelor din cadrul ariilor protejate din România. Editura Universitatii din Bucuresti, Bucuresti.
- Niţă MR, Gavrilidis AA, Niţă A, Niculae IM, Pătroescu M (2022) The Danube River: Between Conservation and Human Pressures in the Iron Gates Natural Park. In: Negm A, Zaharia L, Ioana-Toroimac G (eds) The Lower Danube River. Hydro- Environmental Issues and Sustainability. Earth and Environmental Sciences Library. Springer, Cham.
Articles:
- Ontel I, Avram S, Gheorghe CA, Niculae MI, Pascu I, Rodino S (2024) Shifting vegetation phenology in Protected Areas: A Response to Climate Change. Journal for Nature Conservation (IF=2, under review);
- Pindaru LC, Nita A, Niculae MI, Rozylowicz L (2024) Assessing the Impact and Applicability of the Institutional Grammar Tool: A Systematic Review. PLOS One (IF=3.7, under review).
- Niculae MI, Vanau G, Avram S, Ontel I, Gheorghe CA, Corpade AM, Malos C (2024) Demographic Trends and Human Impact on Landscape: A Corine Land Cover Data Analysis of Artificial Surface Expansion. Proceedings of the International Conference ESPERA 2023 (accepted, ISI indexed)
- Pindaru LC, Nita A, Niculae IM, Manolache S, Rozylowicz L (2023) More streamlined and targeted. A comparative analysis of the 7th and 8th Environment Action Programmes guiding European environmental policy. Heliyon 9: e19212 (I.F.=4)
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Miu VI, Pindaru LC, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM (2023) The impact on landscape fragmentation induced by the establishment of Natura 2000 network in Romania. Proceedings of 23rd International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2023. Ecology and Environmental Protection. 23, 5.1. (ISI indexed)
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Gavrilidis AA, Pindaru LC, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Miu IV (2023/2024) Are Romania’s Natura 2000 sites well connected? An assessment based on connectivity metrics. Recent Advances in Environmental Science from the Euro-Mediterranean and Surrounding Regions. Proceedings of Euro-Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration (EMCEI-5) (accepted) (ISI indexed).
Manuscripts in preparation:
- Miu VI, Pindaru LC, Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM (in preparation) Prioritizing Invasive Alien Plant Species in Protected Areas from Romania
- Pindaru LC, Miu VI, Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM (in preparation) Exploring Fragmentation and Connectivity in Natura 2000 Protected Areas: A Comprehensive Literature Review
- Niculae MI, Gavrilidis AA, Vanau GO, Pindaru LC, Miu IV, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM (in preparation) Assessing connectivity of Protected areas network in Romania using connectivity metrics. Euro-Mediterranean Journal for Environmental Integration
Conferences:
2024
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Pindaru LC, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Miu IV (2024) Assessing the connectivity of Natura 2000 forest habitats in Romania. BOTTOMS-UP – Integrating biodiversity conservation in forest management, 19-21 March, Rome
2023
- Pindaru L, Rozylowicz L, Manolache S, Nita A, Vanau G, Miu VI, Pioarca-Ciocanea C, Niculae I (2023) The analysis of the evolution of environmental action programs using the institutional grammar tool. Annual EuroGeo Conference 2023, Future- Ready Geography, 27-29 April, Krakow, Poland
- Pindaru LC, Rozylowicz L, Niculae MI, Vanau G, Miu VI, Nita A, Pioarca-Ciocanea C, Manolache S (2023) Understanding the evolution of EU environmental policy using the Institutional Grammar Tool. The 18th Edition of the International Conference Present Environment and Sustainable Development. 9-10 June. Iasi, Romania
- Vanau GO, Niculae MI, Miu IV, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Pindaru LC, Popa AM (2023) Social and economic indicators analysis in Romanian protected areas. The 18 th Edition of the International Conference Present Environment and Sustainable Development. 9-10 June. Iasi, Romania
- Vanau GO, Niculae MI, Miu IV, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Pindaru LC (2023) Consequences of the administrative fragmentation of the Romanian territory on the protected areas management. International Symposium Current Trends in Natural Sciences. May 18-20. Pitesti, Romania
- Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Niculae MI, Vânău GO, Miu I, Pîndaru L (2023) Assessing perception of the actors involved in the management of protected areas regarding the habitat fragmentation and the efficiency of biodiversity conservation in Romania. Health, Environment and Sustainable Development: Changes, Challenges and Opportunities in a Post‐Pandemic World. 13-16 June, Bucharest & Danube Delta, Romania
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Miu VI, Pindaru L, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM (2023) The impact on landscape fragmentation induced by the establishment of Natura 2000 network in Romania. 23rd International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2023. 1-10 July, Albena, Bulgaria
- Pindaru LC, Vanau GO, Niculae MI, Miu IV, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Slave RA (2023) A Nature Park vs an Urban Park in Bucharest – a Comparative Assessment of Ecosystem Services. 7th Scientific Symposium Ecosystem services in transdisciplinary approach- EcoServ 2023. 14-16 September, Poznan, Poland
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Gavrilidis AA, Pindaru LC, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Miu IV (2023) Are Romania’s Natura 2000 sites well connected? An assessment based on connectivity metrics. 5th Euro- Mediterranean Conference for Environmental Integration (EMCEI- 23). 2-5 October, Rende (Cosenza), Italy
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Avram S, Gheorghe C, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Pindaru LC, Miu VI (2023) Assessing the Romania’s terrestrial protected areas network using connectivity metrics. International Conference Environment at CrossrOads: SMART approaches for a sustainable future – ECOSMART, 17-18 November, Bucharest, Romania
- Vanau GO, Niculae MI, Miu VI, Pioarca-Ciocanea CM, Pindaru LC, Popa AM, Avram S, Gheorghe C (2023) Vacaresti Nature Park vs Tineretului Urban Park – visitors profile and perception towards ecosystem services. International Conference Environment at CrossrOads: SMART approaches for a sustainable future – ECOSMART, 17-18 November, Bucharest, Romania
- Pindaru LC, Rozylowicz L, Manolache S, Niţa A, Vanau GO, Miu IV, Pioarca-Ciocanea C, Niculae MI (2023) The impact and application of the Institutional Grammar Tool (IGT) in analyzing legislative documents. International Conference Environment at CrossrOads: SMART approaches for a sustainable future – ECOSMART, 17-18 November, Bucharest, Romania
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Avram S (2023) Demographic Trends and Human Impact on Landscape Fragmentation: A Corine Land Cover Data Analysis of Artificial Surface Expansion. The International Conference – ESPERA 2023, 23-24 November, Bucharest, Romania
- Vanau GO, Niculae MI, Niță MR (2023) Importance of Urban Protected Areas to Mitigate Negative Aspects of Increasing Population in Romania’s Large Cities. The International Conference – ESPERA 2023, 23-24 November, Bucharest, Romania
2022
- Niculae MI, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM, Vanau GO, Miu VI, Pindaru L (2022) Assessing forest habitats connectivity for terrestrial species in the Romanian Carpathians. The third Interdisciplinary Symposium Biogeography of the Carpathians. 12-14 September 2022, Prague, Poster presentation
- Vanau Go, Niculae MI, Miu VI, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM, Pindaru L (2022) Rolul evaluării conectivității habitatelor în îmbunătățirea managementului ariilor naturale protejate din România. Sesiunea Anuală de Comunicări Științifice. Cercetarea geografică în anul Centenarului Uniunii Geografice Internaționale, Instititul de Geografie al Academiei Române, 24 Iunie 2022. București, România. Prezentare orală
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Avram S, Miu VI, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM, Pindaru L (2022) Methods and instruments used in connectivity analysis of protected areas. Geographical Research and Cross Border Cooperation. Sixth Edition. 6-8 October 2022, Craiova, Romania, Oral presentation
- Vanau GO, Niculae MI, Miu VI, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM, Pindaru LC, Popa AM (2022) Evaluation and hierarchisation of pressures in Special Protection Areas (SPA) in Romania. International Conference of the Faculty of Geography “Geographical Perspectives on Global Changes”. 18-19 November 2022. Bucharest, Romania, Oral presentation
- Pindaru C, Miu VI, Vanau GO, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM, Niculae MI, Rozylowicz L (2022) Using the Institutional Grammar Tool to analyze the environmental objectives set by the European Environment Action Programme. International Conference of the Faculty of Geography “Geographical Perspectives on Global Changes”. 18-19 November 2022. Bucharest, Romania, Oral presentation
- Niculae MI, Vanau GO, Pioarca- Ciocanea CM, Miu VI, Pindaru L. (2022) Demonstrating the necessity of integrating measures for reducing habitat fragmentation and improving landscape connectivity in the management plans of Romanian natural protected areas. The 17 th Edition of the International Conference Present Environment and Sustainable Development. 3-4 June 2022. Iasi, Romania. Oral presentation
Reports:
Scientific Report 2022 – Română
Scientific Report 2023 – Română
Scientific Report 2024 (Final Report) – Română
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