ADER 23.1.5 Monitoring the conservation status of plant biodiversity in wetland agroecosystems at national level

Total project budget: 1.200.000 Lei

Funding source: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

Implementation period: 2023 – 2026

Project contractor: Research and Development Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources Miercurea-Ciuc (ICDCRM)

-Determining the optimal number of geostationary sample markets for each biogeographical area where the ex-ante and ex-post situation of wetlands from the point of view of spontaneous paluster vegetation will be determined; assessment of the conservation status of study areas;

-Identify and assess the invading capacity of annual and perennial grassy species and invasive woody species;

-Monitoring the variation of water level and chemistry in the wetlands under study;

-Determination of lithostratigraphy and physicochemical parameters of soil in wetlands;

-The impact of grazing on vegetation of wetlands;

-Assessment of eutrophication level of stagnant water in wetlands;

-Determination of CO₂ sequestration capacity in above-ground and underground vegetation and ways/ways to increase CO₂ sequestration capacity, anthropogenic intervention modalities to maximize CO₂ sequestration in wetlands;

-Identification of degraded land and wetlands at national level, covered by measure PNS-GAEC 2,

-Strategic measures to increase wetland resilience capacity;

-Code of good agricultural and environmental practice applicable to the use of agricultural/arable land in wetlands.

The implementation of this project aims to monitor the impact of conservation measures on wetlands imposed by cross-compliance measures included in NSP-GAEC 2; establishing the degree of resilience, and carbon sequestration in wetlands as well as natural infrastructure supporting agriculture in order to complement the level of knowledge on LULUCF regulation 2018/841 (Land Use, land use change and foresrty); establishing sample markets for analytically determining the level of carbon sequestration in different climate zones and assessing the impact of groundwater developments on evapotranspiration and their specific microclimates and impact on adjacent agricultural areas.

The novelty element consists in assessing the impact of wetlands on agriculture and the impact of agriculture on wetlands, through changes in water regime, the amount of carbon sequestered, and biodiversity loss and eutrophication phenomena at their level. The project will also contribute to complementing the country report on LULUCF Regulation 2018/841 (Land Use, land use change and foresrty). The project envisages the development of a strategy at national level for monitoring the conservation status of biodiversity in agroecosystems in these areas and increasing the resilience capacity of wetlands.

In order to achieve the general objective, specific and measurable project objectives will be established to provide information on the impact of agriculture on wetlands in the studied areas; developing proposals for best practice measures on wetland management; scenarios for the evolution of carbon sequestration, eutrophication factors and biodiversity loss following the implementation of the NSP - GAEC 2 measure.