THE MAHALEB CHERRY (PRUNUS MAHALEB L.) - A SPECIES SPECIFIC TO DOBROGEA'S PLATEAU

The present article has taken into account data from forest management plans realized during 1993-2007 for forests that belong to Forest Districts located in Dobrogea. All the data regarding the stand elements of Prunus Mahaleb L. were extracted from these plans for the management parcels in which this species is present. As such, the purpose of this paper was to analyze the main qualitative characteristics of stands (age). their structural characteristics (consistency, composition, average diameter and average height) as well as their site characteristics (altitude, slope, soil type). The total surface occupied by this species is of 1103.1 ha, with significant percentages in Constanja, flkrtova Casimcea, Babadag and Macin Forest Districts. The altitude at which Prunus mahaleb L. appears in Dobrogea Plateau ranges between 15 m at Cernavoda and 410 m at Macin. The field's configuration is mainly undulated where Mahaleb species are present and covers a surface of 574 ha. The soils on which this species vegetates are: chernozem (218 ha), cambic chernozem (152 ha), lithic rendzic leptosol (60 ha). cambic phaeozem (43 ha). and rendzic leptosol (33 ha). The forest types in which Prunus mahaleb L. is present are: Soft oak from Dobrogea's silvosteppe with superficial soil (102 ha), Silvosteppe soft oak with oriental hornbeam (102 ha) and Dobrogea's Silvosteppe Turkey oak mixed hardwood stand (96 ha). Mahaleb cherry has an important ecologic purpose, being used in improving degraded fields.