Biodiversity of Romania Stressed by Transgenic Cultures?

Abstract

Romania, located in the central part of Europe, lies at a conjunction of several biogeographic regions, as well as a number of ecological elements. The plains, hillsides and mountain regions are equally distributed, each accounting for approximately one-third of the whole. Its biomes consist primarily of forests (27%), steppe grasslands (16%), aquatic ecosystems and wetlands (5.8%), as well as alpine and subalpine ecosystems (1.2%). This situation is reflected in its rich and diversified natural world: 3,450 flowering plants, 600 algae, 1,200 lichens and 950 bryophyte species exist in Romania. Some of the most threatened large carnivores are widely distributed as well; one finds here 60% of Europe’s brown bears and 40% of its wolf population. Besides these notable examples, over 33,802 other animal species are found here. The author discusses the potential risks posed by experimental and commercial transgenic cultures to the environment and its biodiversity.