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Worldwide, snakes are among the most threatened vertebrate groups. The Moldavian meadow viper (Vipera ursinii moldavica) is a critically endangered subspecies of Vipera ursinii, a species which is also endangered throughout its entire fragmented European range. V. u. moldavica has been previously recorded from several locations in Eastern Romania b...
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Citations
... Considering all these threats, high attention is addressed to the conservation of the meadow viper in many National and European protected areas (PAs), such as National Parks and Sites of Community Importance (SCI) of the Natura 2000 ecological network. Despite these noticeable conservation efforts, population declines are observed (Újvári et al. 2000, Baillie et al. 2004, Edgar and Bird 2005, Zamfirescu et al. 2012). In the following, we evaluate coverage of PAs of the observed and the potential distribution of this species by means of a large dataset of occurrences. ...
The meadow viper Vipera ursinii includes four subspecies with five allopatric areas of distribution in Europe. It is currently considered one of the most threatened reptile species on the continent, mainly because of its patchy distribution and concurrent habitat loss. Taking advantage of a database composed of occurrence data from bibliographical sources and field observations, we present the first European-scale assessment of the historical knowledge and chronogeonemy of this species. In addition, we evaluate the habitat use and coverage of protected areas with regard to both actual occurrences and modelled potentially suitable areas. This was done for Vipera ursinii s.l. as well as for each of the four subspecies. Our results show different patterns of historical knowledge as well as different degrees of legal protection, depending on the country and subspecies considered. Furthermore, most of the occurrences are from habitats which are classified as vulnerable. A gap analysis reveals an inadequate protection status for modelled areas of potential suitability and a heterogeneous coverage of protected areas, again depending on the subspecies considered. Our findings assist towards a more focused conservation management of all V. ursinii subspecies in the next future, which could take place by connecting landscape-scale research with field studies to update management strategies of protected areas. For these latter, Europe-wide coordinated actions are required to promote plans targeting the same conservation goals.
... To revise the distribution we used literature sources (Sukhov, 1928;Bannikov et al., 1977;Nilson & Andrén, 2001;Vlasov & Vlasova, 2001;Dotsenko, 2003;Krecsák et al., 2003;Filippi & Luiselli, 2004;Ferri & Marconi, 2006;Ghira, 2007;Vedmederja et al., 2007;Zinenko & Bakiev, 2007;Ferri & Pellegrini, 2008;Seliunina, 2008;Kotenko & Kukushkin, 2008;Strugariu et al., 2011;Zamfirescu et al., 2012;Cogălniceanu et al., 2013;Debelo & Chibilyov, 2013;Frolova & Klimov, 2013;Jelić et al., 2013;Lyet et al., 2013;Péchy et al., 2015;Tupikov & Zinenko, 2015;Zinenko et al., 2015;Bakiev et al., 2016;Mizsei et al., 2016); museum collections (The M. Shcherbak Zoological Museum, National Museum of Natural History at the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kiev; The Museum of Nature at V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv, Ukraine); and records from our personal unpublished databases, and other unpublished sources (see acknowledgements). The date of each record was taken from the corresponding publication; in the case when no date was available in the text, we used the date of the publication for which it was referenced in. ...
In some cases, species’ distributions have not been accurate and some geographical areas were not accounted for in the New Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe (NA2RE), a project per-formed by the Mapping Committee of the Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). The distribu-tion of species within the Vipera ursinii-renardi group were presented jointly as a single taxon (“Vipera ursinii/renardi”), without differentiation between the meadow viper V. ursinii, the steppe viper V. renardi, and the recently described Greek meadow viper Vipera graeca. Here we present a revised 50.50 km resolution distribution map of this group with new records, eliminating putative or erroneous records and extinct populations. Additionally, we filled several spatial gaps in the distribution of V. renardi in Eastern Europe by incorporating recent regional overviews, previously considered ambiguous or inaccessible to most researchers, due to language barriers.
... Herpetofauna de la Valea lui David [i din situl Natura 2000 din care face parte rezerva]ia a fost studiat\ de {.R. Zamfirescu `mpreun\ cu A. Strugariu sub cele mai variate aspecte Krecs k & Zamfirescu, 2001Krecs k et al., 2003;Zamfirescu et al., , 2008Zamfirescu et al., , 2009Zamfirescu et al., , 2011Zamfirescu et al., , 2012. ...
... Consum\ mai ales ortoptere (greieri, cosa[i, l\custe) [i mamifere mici, Gryllus campestris f\c=nd parte din hrana sa favorit\ Vipera prefer\ habitatele stepice, fiind identificate doar [apte popula]ii actuale `n Rom=nia. Patru popula]ii au fost localizatè n Moldova, la Valea lui David [i `n perimetrul [i `n apropierea sitului Natura 2000 "Valea lui David" -de exemplu, la Dealul lui Dumnezeu -, iar alte trei popula]ii exist\ n Delta Dun\rii, la Peri[or-Peritea[ca, Letea [i Sf=ntu Gheorghe (Krecs k & Zamfirescu, 2008;Zamfirescu et al., 2012). ...
David’s Valley Hay Fields Natural Reserve is situated in the proximity of Iaşi city, in Moldavia,
Romania. Despite the fact that it’s a small natural reserve with just 46,36 ha, this area has a very
important role in preserving the flora and fauna adapted to stepic condition. Particular microclimate and microhabitats of the reserve determinate a specific flora dominated by Festuco-Brometea Class. Fauna includes rare species, few of them protected by international laws like Habitats Directive of European Council (Natura 2000). It’s extremely important to preserve for posterity this natural heritage with unique character in Romania and even in The European Union.
