Abstract: | Most of south-eastern Romania was covered in the past by steppe, but was transformed almost completely in agricultural fields. The Măcin Mountains National Park is located in the northern part of Dobroudja, in the steppic bioregion. Outside the park there are several hillocks, tens of meters in diameter, surrounded by agricultural fields but with typical steppe and woody vegetation. During 2006 and 2007 we sampled the invertebrates on three hillocks near Luncaviţa (Movilele Înşirate), to compare taxa richness and abundance with four control areas in Măcin Mountains National Park. The hillocks have a higher density and taxa richness indicating that they act as refuge for local species, facilitating their survival and dispersal. However, a preliminary analysis of fluctuating asymmetry in a hillock population of the grasshopper Chorthippus dorsatus showed high levels of asymmetry, indicating poor habitat quality. Including these hillocks in the Nature 2000 network and reducing human impact would enhance their role in conservation. |