Conserving the endemic flora of the Carpathian region

Summary

The Carpathians, one of the major elements of the European Alpine System, constitute a key area for Central Europe due to remarkable biodiversity and habitat richness. A great asset of this area is the rich endemic flora, which is an iconic example of the evolution of regional biota and, at the same time, a model to study the processes shaping regional biodiversity. Current knowledge on Carpathian plant species' taxonomic status, spatial distribution and genetic diversity is still incomplete. Moreover, research and conservation efforts have mostly been country-specific, resulting in contrasting chorological knowledge and taxonomic acceptance between neighbouring countries, and differing conservation policies. This project aims at initiating a long-term international, collaborative framework for research on the endemic Carpathian flora using standardized tools and based on the Carpathian Research Network consortium.

Retezat Massif (Southern Carpathians, Romania), one of the Carpathian centres of endemism.
Photo: Michał Ronikier.