Conservation of biodiversity in hot-spots of glacial relict plants in Bulgaria

The purpose of the Project is to provide scientific knowledge and establish a long-term monitoring on the glacial relict plants in Bulgaria, with the overall objective of protection of mountain biological diversity through sustainable management. Reference is made to the application dated 24 April 2008, and to any subsequent correspondence with the Focal Point. The completed Project shall include the following activities and results: 1: Preparatory stage including organisation of project activities and purchase of equipment; 2: Research on glacial relict plants (comparative analysis of genetic variation, population structure and reproductive systems of model glacial relict plants in Bulgaria and Norway, vegetation historical dynamics in selected mountains); 3: Laboratory investigations (Investigations of the parasitic and saprotrophic fungi, growing on model glacial relict plants, evaluation of their impact, and in vitro cultivation of model plant species); 4: GIS mapping and setting a model for long-term monitoring and conservation of plants, fungi and habitats (including recommendation of particular measures for conservation of biodiversity in the hotspots of the glacial relicts); and 5: Project management and publicity activities. The Project Promoter is the The Institute of Botany at the Bulgarian Academy of Science (IB-BAS). Subject to national law, the Project shall be implemented in partnership with the Ecological and Environmental Change Research Group (EECRG) at the Department of Biology, University of Bergen, Norway. The Focal Point shall ensure that the Bulgarian state budget provides at least 15 percent of the estimated eligible project cost.