Environment

Information about the environment:

Climate, vegetation and fauna The climate of Uricani town, as well as the climate of all the Jiu Valley, is a mountain climate, specific to theinterior mountain valleys. In 1982, I.Stancescu establishes for this area two types of mountain climate.

- The subtype climate of the medium mountains with 800 - 1700 m altitude
- The subtype climate of high mountains with over 1700 m altitude

This kind of vertical change of the climate is also reflected in the structure of vegetation.

The subtype climate of the medium mountains contains three floors:
- The laps of the mountain (800-1000 m)
- The inferior floor (1000-1300 m)
- The upper floor (1300-1700 m)

Concordant to these floors, up to 1000 m, the beech trees (Fagus silvatica) grow, finding also elms (Ulmus montana) and ashes (Fraxinus excelsior). Up to 1300 m there are mixed forests (beech + conifers), with beech trees (Fagus silvatica), white fir (Abies alba), spruce fir (Picea abies), red pin (pinus sylvestris), and rarely, yew (Taxus baccata). Between 1300 and 1700 m prevail the conifer forests: spruce fir (Picea abies).

The subtype climate of high mountains is represented by the sub alpine floor, at over 1700 m, where the conifer forest leave their place for the small vegetation: the blueberry (Vaccinum myrtillus) and the juniper (Juniperus communis ssp.nana). The fauna from the forests, lawns, rivers and streams from the town's surroundings is very rich, and it is represented by all groups of invertebrate and vertebrate animals.In the clear waters of the streams that influx in the Jiu River, a fisherman may find trout and suckerfish.The hunters find in the beech forests all kind of animals, from the little squirrel, to the unquestioned master of the Romanian mountains, the Carpathian bear.

As well they will a host of othermammals, the rabbit, the fox, the wolf, the ferret, the deer, and even the buck. In the last 10-12 years, boars have appeared, probably migrating from other regions for better food, home, and reproduction conditions.At the limit between beech and conifers, and in the mixed forests, the lynx have been seen, and above the forests from the alpine floor, between the rocky jags of Scorete, Custura, Piule and Lazar tops, live the chamois. In fact, the chamois and the lynx are protected by law and arepart of the natural monuments of our country.

The mountain little hen and little cock, as well as their enemy, the wild cat, live in the elegantspruce fir forests from Valea Lazarului, Valea Mani and Valea Butii, Rostoveanu and Garbovu, and Valea Boului.Wolfs also appeared in the latest 10-15 years, and even if harmful for the domestic animals, it provides for the health of the hunting potential of the region.The interior closure of the mountain depressions framed by steep slopes cause weak air ventilation and very frequent temperature inversion. Fresh, dense airflow from the tops of the mountains, which result in cold and the fog, will often stand for days on the bottom of the valley, especially between November and April.

This climatic phenomenon also determines a uniquevegetation inversion that sometimes occurs between beech and spruce fir. The phenomenon is characterized by a stand of spruce trees which grow at the base of a beech stand and someshat girdle the beech. An example is the North Slope of Valcan Mountains, where under the beech forest grew a spruce fir girdle of 30-50 ha. Thanks to the highs not to big, and the position of the Retezat, Godeanu and Parang Mountains, the climate conditions are not to harsh, the year medium temperature on top being of 2-3 degrees Celsius, with precipitations of 1300-1400 mm.

The highest value for rainfall is registered in June (161,7 mmm) and the smallest value is January (43,1 mm).

On seasons, the plentiful rainfall is: In winter 158,1 mm, In spring 251,8 mm, In summer 375,5 mm, Autumn 227,8 mm and Annual mean is 106,8 mm

Wind system

Wind system is characterized in a calm period of 38% and one with winds of 62% annual. The direction of the winds is from NV to SE.

The grounds

There are mostly brown acid grounds developed under forestdue to large variety of mountainous relief and the complex rock distribution.

The soil from this region is the result of the interaction between the vegetation and its litological substratum, each part being a mutual influence. Most of the soils are brown acid grounds, developed under forest, and then there are the brown medium basic grounds and the brown- acid ones. The plate with the Petrosani Depression's transversal profile, at Uricani's level presents more details.The Romanian Atlas - 1978, the VI-5th sheet confirms the existence of mountain soils in Uricani.

The best-developed soils are the podzols, brown - yellow and brown - acid developed under forests, and less in lawns.Generally, the soils under the vegetation of the slopes are well irrigated, middle and over middle alimented with water, and mull type humus.These soils are aerated, permeable and well structured. The outskirts are continuous, with a thickness of 2-3 cm and with a normal humus process. Their properties make them able to promotemountain vegetation.

The natural conditions generate different types of soils: sub alpine, alpine with spruce firs soils, alpine with mixed soils.

Environmental Problems:
In Uricani doesn't exist a collecting, recycling and storage center for solid wastesand this factor in the growth of pollution. The existence of mining exploitation, contributed to the high level of pollution of the city.

Source: DEEP