NATURE, FOREST AND BIODIVERSITY:
Natural landscape
and Biodiversity are limited and decreased because of imensity impact of
human activieies. Moldova borders the Mediterranean biogeographic zone
in the south, the rest of the country occupying an intermediate zone between
the continental Eurasian steppe to the east (cold climate) and the European
silvosteppe to the west (moderate climate). The spontaneous vegetation
in the Republic of Moldova has been conserved on about 10% of the territory.
Originally, there were two basic ecosystem types: steppes and forests.
However, in many cases were distinguished the third ecosystem type: forest-steepee
(see Figure 8.1 next page).
The steppes have undergone big changes, their vegetation being practically destroyed. Their area decreased drastically during the 19th century, when vast areas were ploughed to cultivate cereal as their soils were fertile. Only some fragments have survived, e.g. the halophyte vegetation on some salty soil (0.35% of the territory).
