This study, conducted in the Cheile Nerei–Beușnița National Park (southwestern Romania), tested the hypothesis that the life-form structure of woody plants reflects the main ecological gradients of moisture, temperature, and soil reaction in a temperate protected ecosystem characterised by sub-Mediterranean influences and a predominantly calcareous substrate. The analysis focused on the woody flora of the area, comprising 64 species belonging to 22 families, and included the assessment of life-form structure, phytogeographical spectrum, and ecological preferences based on Ellenberg indicator values. Life forms were classified according to Raunkiaer’s system, identifying megaphanerophytes, mesophanerophytes, and nanophanerophytes. The woody flora was dominated by nanophanerophytes, followed by megaphanerophytes and mesophanerophytes, indicating a complex vertical structure. The phytogeographical spectrum showed a predominance of European elements, alongside Eurasian and sub-Mediterranean components. Ecological analysis revealed a dominance of mesophilous and mesothermal species, consistent with mesic and temperate environmental conditions. Soil reaction preferences were mainly basiphilous and neutrophilous, reflecting the calcareous substrate, with vertical differentiation of ecological niches between tree and shrub layers. The high proportion of native species (>90%) and the limited presence of alien taxa indicate a high level of ecological integrity and resistance to biological invasions. Overall, the results demonstrate that the structure of woody plant life forms and their ecological preferences accurately reflect the main ecological gradients of the ecosystem. The combined use of life-form spectra and ecological indicator values provides a useful framework for assessing ecosystem structure, stability, and conservation status in temperate protected areas.

This study aimed to estimate life expectancy at birth and survival patterns within a multigenerational family from Romania (102 individuals), whose members lived across the period 1900–2024. Life expectancy was estimated using abridged synthetic cohort life tables, and the results were interpreted through survival curve analysis. Life expectancy at birth was estimated at approximately 84 years for females and 80 years for males, while the overall life expectancy for the total family population was 81 years, representing a weighted estimate derived from sex-specific life tables, with weights corresponding to the proportion of females and males in the studied population, rather than a simple arithmetic mean, following standard demographic practice. The resulting survival curves exhibited a clear Type I survival pattern, characterized by low mortality at younger ages and an increasing concentration of deaths at older ages. When contextualized using recent Eurostat data, the life expectancy estimated for the analyzed family exceeds current national-level values reported for Romania and is close to the European Union average, particularly for females. These findings indicate a favorable survival profile at the familial level and illustrate the usefulness of life tables for investigating longevity patterns in small populations.

Vertisols represent some of the most dynamic pedological systems due to the high content of smectitic clays and the intense shrinkage–swelling processes associated with seasonal variations in humidity. The present work analyzes the dynamics of pedoturbations and the rheological behavior of a smectitic Vertosol located in the Cheglevici experimental field (Aranca Plain, western Romania), continuously monitored for a period of over 50 years (1967–2020). In a stationary experiment, inert markers were buried at depths ranging from 25 to 150 cm to track the vertical displacement of the soil mass. Periodically collected samples were analyzed from a granulometric, mineralogical, chemical, and rheological point of view (plasticity limits, activity index, volumetric shrinkage, free swelling, deformation modulus, cohesion, conventional pressure). The results indicate a high smectite content (69–76%) and rheological indices specific to highly active soils (PI > 35%, A > 1.0, VS > 100%, FS > 140%). The progressive redistribution of the markers provides strong evidence of substantial profile-scale soil redistribution associated with long-term pedoturbation processes, supporting the hypothesis of a near-complete profile turnover over multidecadal timescales. A significant increase in apparent density and a tendency for granulometric homogenization across the profile, associated with structural reorganization, are also highlighted. The study provides long-term experimental evidence on the vertical dynamics of the soil mass in Smectitic Vertisols and reveals major implications for agricultural management, infrastructure stability, and water flow modeling in expansive soils.