Romania

Funding Organizations

Study sites

The Eastern Hills of Cluj, part of the Natura 2000 network (ROSCI0295), is situated in the middle of the Romanian historical region of Transylvania. The area is known for outstanding biodiversity of the permanent natural meadows and for the specific landscape shaped by the low – intensive traditional farming practices.

Over the past decade, the intensification of agriculture and the abandonment of traditional practices have resulted in a significant and rapid decline in biodiversity within this region. Additionally, the marked increase in livestock grazing, particularly by sheep, has had severe consequences for rare and protected insect species, notably Phengaris butterflies.

Environmental gradient

The Eastern Hills of Cluj are distinguished by elevations ranging from 350 m to 600 m, featuring a complex mosaic landscape. This area comprises a series of ridges with meadows, hay meadows, pastures, agricultural parcels managed through various techniques throughout the year, orchards, crop fields such as oilseed rape, sunflower, Medicago sativa, forests, scrubs, and abandoned meadows.

Experimental setup

In 2024, we implemented the standard SEPPI protocol and evaluated both automated and traditional methods in the Eastern Hills of Cluj area. The assessment was conducted across nine sites representing various land management types: abandoned meadows, hay meadows, and moderately sheep-grazed areas.