Nitraria schoberi L. (Nitrariaceae) is a halophytic plant with a continuous range in Central Asia and with only two populations in the westernmost distribution limit of species, in Romania. Currently, there is no documented explanation for the species’ presence in Europe, outside the main distribution area. Considering that marginal populations genetics are important in establishing range limits and species adaptative potential, genetic diversity was assessed using Inter-simple sequence repeat markers (ISSR). Both the Shannon’s Information Index (I) and Expected Heterozygosity (He) suggested a relatively low level of genetic diversity within the two populations. However, the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) dendrogram and Principal Coordinates Analysis clearly distinguished the two populations. Our presumptions, based on current results, are that the marginal westernmost population of N. schoberi was established due to the unique conditions from the “islands of desert” developed in a temperate continental climate. The European establishment of this species was likely accidental and probably due to ornithochory. Genetic relatedness between populations could be a consequence of their common origin, presumably from proximal Asian N. schoberi populations, while the separation can be explained by the lack of genetic material exchange between the two populations.

This study presents micro-morphological characters and anatomical modifications detected in black pine needles collected from urban polluted areas in order to propose new biomarkers useful in air pollution biomonitoring. The plant samples were collected during the July 2021 from 10 different polluted sites from Bucharest and analyzed using light and scanning electron microscopy. When compared with the samples collected from less polluted sites, needle micromorphology and structure have showed significant alterations such as injured stomatal complex, eroded forms of tubular wax type and complete degradation of wax crystalline structure, raised peristomatal areas, early wax plugs perforations and abnormal epidermal teeth. The loads of heavy metal of samples were assessed by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry and the results showed a positive correlation between structural alteration incidence and needle heavy metal surface depositions.

Urban aquatic ecosystems are increasingly shaped by anthropogenic pressures that alter community structure and ecological functioning. This study investigates how the functional organization of zooplankton communities reflects ecosystem stability along an urbanization gradient in the Colentina River–Lake system (Romania). Zooplankton taxa were classified into trophic guilds and size-based functional groups, and functional diversity was quantified using the FEve, FDiv, FDis, and RaoQ indices, based on functional trait structure and distribution within communities. Ecosystem stability patterns were estimated through zooplankton community resilience (RSL) and resistance (RST), indices derived from Shannon diversity and Pielou evenness. Across the system, filter feeders dominated, and their density increased toward downstream, highly urbanized sectors. Also, small-sized organisms (SMC) were consistently prevalent, representing a zooplankton component commonly associated with stress tolerance and opportunism in disturbed aquatic environments. Functional diversity patterns showed low evenness but high divergence, suggesting that although few functional strategies dominate, communities maintain internal differentiation. While filter feeders remained dominant even in disturbed sectors, the uneven distribution of other groups, especially scrapers, may reflect greater sensitivity to anthropogenic conditions. These findings suggest that functional trait composition, in addition to diversity, plays an important role in shaping structural stability patterns. These findings indicate that functional trait composition, in addition to diversity, was associated with the observed stability patterns. The study reinforces the value of zooplankton as sensitive indicators of functional integrity in anthropogenically impacted freshwater systems and provides insights relevant for sustainable urban water management.

Campanula romanica Săvul. is species endemic to the Dobrogea region of southeastern Romania, belonging to section Rotundifoliae within the Campanulaceae family. It is morphologically distinguished by several features, such as a short, hairy basal stem, numerous shortly petiolate stem leaves, a very small corolla (8–10 mm), and an elongated obconic-cylindrical capsule. The taxonomic complexity and polyphyly of genus Campanula complicate species boundaries, especially in local endemics such as C. romanica. Despite its close relation to taxa such as C. bulgarica, C. balcanica, and C. rotundifolia, the taxonomic and phylogenetic position of C. romanica is still incompletely resolved, primarily due to the lack of molecular data and complex evolutionary histories within the genus. The aim of this study was to explore the phylogeny and micromorphological traits of C. romanica as a preliminary step toward clarifying its taxonomic status. The findings are based on 12 field-collected samples of C. romanica. DNA was extracted from dried leaf material and subsequently amplified using standard barcode markers: nuclear ITS, and plastid matK and rbcLa. PCR products were Sanger sequenced. Pollen grains were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the diameter was measured for multiple grains per sample. While PCR was generally successful, the resulting sequences were of insufficient quality, exhibiting background noise and ambiguous base calling across all markers. These issues hindered reliable alignment and phylogenetic inference, reflecting the technical challenges inherent to molecular work on endemic, non-model species. Improving sample preservation and DNA extraction protocols will be essential for future investigations. SEM revealed that C. romanica produces pollen grains with a diameter of 22- 25 μm, falling within the lower size range for the genus. The smaller pollen grain size in C. romanica may be associated with its floral miniaturization and could reflect an evolutionary adaptation. Although the barcoding component of this study was compromised by sequence quality, the palynological data offer preliminary insight into micromorphological differentiation in C. romanica. Given the exploratory nature of this study, the limited number of samples, and the restricted geographic coverage, the findings should be interpreted as preliminary. In order to provide a clearer understanding of the taxonomic and phylogenetic placement of C. romanica, it is essential that future research expands both the sample size and geographic coverage and performs comparative analyses with closely related species.