Biodiversity of Bulgaria: Characteristics, protection and trends

Bulgaria is a medium-sized country located in the eastern part of Balkan Peninsula. It hosts rich mycota, flora and fauna, quite well preserved natural semi-natural ecosystems. This mostly due to country's geographic position between temperate subtropical zones, complex geological history, big topographic variety. The high species diversity endemism determine conservation value Bulgarian biodiversity. consist more than 4,100 species, including 45 ferns, 250 mosses, 2,800 higher plant species. animals established belong 28 phyla 75 classes. Vertebrates (858 species) comprise 2.7% fauna: 242 fishes fish-like taxa; 24 amphibians; 40 reptiles; 452 birds; 101 mammal Invertebrates account for 31,000 Over past 25 years number known has increased by over 4,500 species: from 29,000 1996 33,545 2020. total endemic about 1,400 (4.2%). In some groups, percentage very (95.5% snails family Hydrobiidae 71% Clausiliidae; 53.6% Diplopoda; 50.0% terrestrial Isopoda). richest areas are mountains: Rila Mt.- 268, Pirin Mt. - 220, Western Stara Planina 184, Rhodopes Mts 183, Central – 181. Molecular data still insufficient, although ranks among top 10 European countries proportion DNA-barcoded animal sequence coverage specimens Barcode Life System (BOLD) amounts approximately 36,000 sequences 7,100 index numbers (BINs). large-scale initiatives research infrastructure such as Distributed Scientific Collections (DiSSCo) MOBILISE COST Action, with mass digitization museum collections currently underway. Legislation protect nature dates back end 19 th century covers forestry (1890), protection certain (1890's) hunting (1897). Organized civil movements resulted establishment Union Nature Protection (1928), designation several reserves (1933), first National Park (1934). More specific regulation followed Ordinance (1936). Red Data Book was published early 1984 (vol. 1, Plants) 1985 2, Animals), second updated edition 2011. also prepare Strategy Biodiversity (1993, adopted 1998) following Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) process. Since then, national plans biodiversity have been assessments threats, objectives, measures their achievement. According recent references, (Beshkov 2011) Article 17 reports 2014 2020, main threats at beginning 21st human induced degradation: fragmentation loss habitats; industrial, agricultural household waste pollution; direct exploitation biological resources; genetic ingression invasive alien species; global climate change effects. A set drivers related agriculture land management, whole spectrum intensification abandonment traditional land, wetland management practices.