The current paper is dedicated only to saproxylic Coleoptera from Nera Gorges-BeuşniţaNational Park. During 2012, by monthly observations in transects conducted from May to September wehave identified areas with species of interest, their threats, risk factors and population abundance. This isthe first record in the Nera Gorges-Beuşniţa National Park area of the Natura 2000 priority species ofOsmoderma eremita Scopoli, 1763. The favourable habitats of this species require an increasingattention. Among the species studied, the specific abundance is highest for Lucanus cervus Linnaeus,1758 for which were observed in May 19 specimens. The Morimus funereus Mulsant, 1863 species wasfound with a small number of individuals from May to August and in September was found only Morimusasper. The rarest species after Osmoderma eremita Scopoli, 1763 is Rosalia alpina Linnaeus, 1758 ofwhich were found only three individuals. Conservation management of these species should prohibitremoval of dead wood, trunks storage near habitats, the replacing of deciduous forest with conifers,felling of the isolated trees, changing the traditional way of land use, mainly cessation of the grazing inforest clearings. Saproxylic are the insects associated with dead wood or with the fungi andmicroorganisms that decompose it (S PEIGHT 1989). The saproxylic species are rare and have aninsufficient known ecology due to their specific development and limited movement of adults. Some ofthem are very popular and even emblematic species (flagship species). All are very sensitive to forestexploitation and habitat fragmentation. At least during their development, the saproxylic beetles use deador dying trees, most of the species preferring the sunny sides of wood. The long development cycle of 2-5years increases the risk to death of offspring by the deadwood removal from the natural habitats. Manysaproxylic species are indicators of forest habitat continuity (G ROVE 1999). To develop sustainablestrategies for inventory, monitoring and protection of the populations it is imperative a good knowledgeof the biology of the species including specifics caused by climatic and geographical differences. Thestudy area is part of Nera Gorges-Beuşniţa National Park, one of the most important protected areas inCaraș-Severin County in terms of settlement and covered area. Studies done so far in the Nera Gorges-Beuşniţa National Park are sporadic or focused only on small groups of wildlife. The literature on theU.E. Community interest beetles from this geographic area is almost absent.

Natura 2000, saproxylic beetles, threats, conservation, inventory

Presentation: oral