POPULATION ESTIMATES FOR SOME SPONTANEOUS FRUIT SPECIES IN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS LOCATED IN SOUTHERN ROMANIA

Rezumat

Wild edible fruit species play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, supporting ecosystems and socio-economic valorisation of natural resources. In the temperate zone, hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna), rosehip (Rosa canina) and blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) are notable for their ecological, nutritional, and medicinal value. The present study aimed to estimate the populations of the three species in the Grădinile, Studinița and Vlădila forests (Olt county, Romania), using the T-square method. The results revealed significant variations in population density: R. canina recorded the highest densities in the Studinița Forest (4593.35 individuals/ha), followed by Vlădila (2064.98 individuals/ha), while in Grădinile the number of individuals was insufficient for the application of the method. C. monogyna had the highest density in Studinița (11854.42 individuals/ha), and P. spinosa was present only in the Vladila Forest, where 7274.09 individuals/ha were estimated. These results highlight the high ecological plasticity of hawthorn and the role of the Vladila Forest as a favourable habitat for all three species. The assessment of population numbers provides essential information for the conservation of genetic resources and for the substantiation of measures for sustainable management of forest ecosystems.