The vegetation characteristics of a polluted small river (Glavacioc river) from Romanian plain

Glavacioc River crosses many rural areas in southern Romania. The soil and groundwater in the neighboring area of the Glavacioc River are mainly polluted by nitrates from agriculture (excessive fertilization with mineral nitrogen fertilizers), husbandry (mismanagement of manure) and/or human waste. Based on previous research regarding soil and water chemical content, our aim was to identify the plant species that could survive in the vicinity of Glavacioc River. Knowing the concentration of chemical content in some localities, we inventoried the plant species from the water and from the river banks. We can argue that the vegetation changes from up to down river, most nitrophilous and ruderal species (diversity and abundance) growing down river. The highest impact on plant species distribution and abundance is given by clear cutting the woody vegetation growing natural on the river banks (riparian). Any management practices should include re-vegetation of river banks with the natural woody vegetation that have a very important role in diminishing the entrance of pollutants in the water and maintaining most of the herbaceous natural vegetation.