Alpine-subalpine species richness of the Romanian Carpathians and the current conservation status of rare species

In the context of global warming, alpine-subalpine plant species are some of the most threatened. The distribution of these species in the Romanian Carpathians is centralized and analyzed for the first time. A network with 472 grid cells of 12.5 x 11.5 km (6' latitude x 10' longitude) has been used to register the distribution of 550 selected high mountain taxa. The analysis starts with a brief description of the most important determinants of alpine-subalpine species richness, continues with a comparison between the different sub groups of the Romanian Carpathians and a discussion of their particularities. The purpose of the paper is to identify areas in need of protection as well as rare and vulnerable species outside the network of protected areas. A description of the current network of protected areas from the Romanian Carpathians is provided, with ideas for improvement.