The site “Stepa Bugeacului” is located in the Prut-Dniester interfluve in the southern part of the country; it occupies an area of 49,610 ha and is the second largest Emerald site in the Republic of Moldova. From a territorial-administrative point of view, the site is located on the territory of 5 districts (Cimișlia, Leova, Cahul, Basarabeasca, Taraclia) and on the territory of the territorial-administrative unit of Gagauzia.
Mapping Goals:
To test the recording methodology of plant findings by means of the smartphone application (Mergin Maps) in the field, including data transfer and storage.
To specifically map the Emerald site of Stepa Bugeacului (MD00000016) for the three selected plant species (Crambe tataria, Colchicum fominii, Pontechium maculatum). Evidence of the exact occurrence of the species as well as the “empty” sites which were visited by the botanists carrying out the mapping, but in which the target species did not occur (or were not found) was done within the whole of this Emerald site.
Tools Used:
Mergin Maps mobile application for field data collection and the software QGIS for data processing.
The main aim of this pilot mapping project was to test the methodology and get precise data on the occurrence of all these species – two of them being relevant even now for the current Emerald Network, and all three for the future Natura 2000 Network once Moldova becomes an EU Member State.
