Key Biodiversity Areas

Defileul Inferior al Mureşului (2949)
Romania, Europe

Site overview


KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2007
National site name: Defileul Inferior al Mureşului
Central coordinates: Latitude: 45.9850, Longitude: 21.9807
System: freshwater, terrestrial
Elevation (m): 121 to 598
Area of KBA (km2): 1239.59752
Protected area coverage (%): 59.81
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes

Site details


Site description: The site includes a lake, deciduous forest and both wet and dry grassland. At the end of the lake is a 1-2 ha area of reed Phragmites and Salix scrub. The shores of the lake are dominated by grassland and Prunus spinosa scrub.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that was identified using previously established criteria and thresholds for the identification of Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBAs) and for which available data indicate that it does not meet global KBA criteria and thresholds set out in the Global Standard.
Additional biodiversity: This is an important passage site for waterbirds and raptors. Species of global conservation concern that do not meet IBA criteria: Phalacrocorax pygmeus (10-11 passage birds), Anser erythropus (passage), Haliaeetus albicilla (2-11 wintering birds), Aquila heliaca (passage) and Crex crex (passage). A total of 189 species have been recorded.

Habitats


Land use: agriculture (10%) | fisheries/aquaculture (10%) | forestry (30%) | hunting (50%)
IUCN HabitatCoverage %Habitat detail
Shrubland5
Grassland40
Forest40
Wetlands(Inland)15

Threats


Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The main threats are posed by high hunting pressure, angling, wood cutting, and drying of the surrounding marsh as a result of dredging and canalization. A proposal has existed for many years for the whole area to be declared a reserve.