Project Name: “Research on biodiversity conservation, habitats, invasive species (non-native), sustainable exploitation of natural resources and socio-economic implications of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, in the context of climate change” – PN3, code PN 23 13 01 01 03
Implementation period: 2023 – 2026
Total Budget: 8.648.081,18 lei
Funding Program: MINISTRY OF RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND DIGITALIZATION
Project Manager: Dr. Gabriel LUPU
DDNI role: Coordinator
Objective name: Conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. The field and subfields of smart specialization / public policies to which the project proposal is addressed:
6. Environment and eco-technologies
6.1 Technologies for environmental management, monitoring and depollution
- Includes environmental monitoring technologies (including through sensor networks and satellite data) as well as those aimed at improving the quality of air, water, soil and complex biological systems and enabling rapid and efficient management of contamination situations. Type of R&D, innovation and demonstration activity: fundamental research, industrial research, experimental development, large-scale dissemination of the results of such activities, knowledge transfer.
Short presentation of the project: The conservation of biodiversity of species and habitats, the sustainable exploitation of ecosystem services and especially those based on renewable natural resources is a major objective of humanity, the European Union, Romania and including the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Administration (A.R.B.D.D.). The conservation of biological resources and their sustainable use is an objective of the “National Strategy for Sustainable Development of Romania 2030”, and at international level starting with the Rio de Janeiro Convention, 1992, Convention signed and ratified by Romania. Thus, Romania subscribed to the concept of biodiversity conservation and exploitation of renewable natural resources within the limits of the environmental support capacity established by national environmental legislation. The project identifies, monitors and estimates the conservation status of biodiversity, taxonomically, nationally and as a natural resource, through field sampling studies, laboratory processing and processing, analysis, statistics and modelling of results. The main components of biodiversity: vegetation, invertebrates, fish, birds and mammals, are studied both as components of biodiversity and as natural resources exploitable by local human communities, but also as support for landscape valorization through tourism. In order to implement the EU Strategy for Biodiversity Conservation, the National Strategy and the Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation 2014-2020, the following aspects are considered: maintaining the diversity of ecosystems, habitats and biomes within protected areas; maintaining specific diversity; maintaining genetic diversity; reducing pressures due to land use change and leading to loss of natural and semi-natural habitats; limiting the negative impact of invasive species; stopping unsustainable exploitation; reducing pressures due to climate change, pollution and soil erosion; maintaining the capacity of ecosystems to provide environmentally friendly goods and services and function as a life support system.
General objective:
Conservation of biodiversity, habitats, invasive (non-native) species, sustainable exploitation of natural resources and socio-economic implications of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, in the context of climate change.
Specific objectives:
– Making the map of reedbeds and characterizing their typologies in order to implement fire regulation actions, based on elements of fire ecology and extension of grazing areas (REED MAPPING AND FIRE ECOLOGY)
– Research for sustainable exploitation of vegetal resources in DDBR (VEGETAL RESOURCES)
– Research on assessing the presence, distribution and conservation status of invertebrate species of community interest in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (INVERTEBRATES)
– Research on assessing the conservation status of ichthyofauna species of community interest in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (IHTIOFAUNA)
– Danube Delta fisheries research for sustainable exploitation and biodiversity conservation (FISHERIES RESOURCES)
– Research on colonial waterfowl species in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (COLONIAL WATERFOWL)
– Research on mammal species of community interest in Natura 2000 SCIs of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (MAMMALS)
– Assessing the degree of invasiveness of some species, using the latest methodologies, in the context of climate changes that have favored recent appearances of non-native species with impact in the biocenoses of the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (INVASIVE SPECIES)
– Study on the quality of life of the population in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (SOCIO-ECONOMIC SYSTEMS)
– Research on ecotourism practice in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve, in the context of Sustainable Development (ECOLOGICAL TOURISM)
– Research on reptile and amphibian species of community interest in NATURA 2000 SCIs in the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve (REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS)