The hilly grasslands from western Romania, located between the Apuseni Mountains and the Pannonian Plain, were less studied in terms of productivity, respectively pastoral value and green forage mass production. In this paper, the productivity of the grasslands was evaluated based on floristic surveys - performed between the years 2008 and 2011 in Lăzărenilor Hills area. The grasslands are located at altitudes ranging from 150 to 410 m, on flat land up to slopes of 30 degrees. The average vegetation cover is 87% with limits between 82-90%, comprising on average 54 cormophytes, the smallest number of species - 25, found in Caricetum brizoides and the largest comprising 115 species in Anthoxantho - Agrostietum capillaris. The highest pastoral value was 78.9 in Festucetum pratensis and below 5 in Caricetum brizoides, Caricetum hirtae, Juncetum effusi and Ventenato - Xeranthemetum cylindraceum, considered degraded in terms of forage quality and green mass production. The highest yield of 16-19 t/ha green mass was evaluated in Festucetum pratensis and Lolio - Plantaginetum repenti, which recorded an optimal loading with animals around 1.5 LU/ha in a season of 175 days of grazing. At the level of phytosociological alliances, the lowest productivity and grazing capacity were evaluated for Deschampsion caespitosae and Thero-Airion, with only 0.03-0.05 LU/ha. The data regarding the productivity of the grasslands are useful first of all for the elaboration of the pastoral arrangements and the proper management of the grasslands.

The permanent grasslands from the analysed area are located in the central part of the Orăștiei Corridor and the west of the Șureanu Mountains, from 225 -1,630 m altitude. The coverage with grassy vegetation is 91% and the average number of vascular plants on the vegetal associations is 60. The participation in the grassy carpet of fodder species reaches almost 60% and the harmful ones over 30%. The average pastoral value (PV) is 45 with differences from 60 - 80 for the most valuable associations to 5 - 7 for the degraded ones. The highest green mass production (GMP) of the grasslands was estimated at over 23 t/ha at As. Arrhenatherum elatioris harvested as hay and As. Trifoliorepenti - Lolietum with 19 t/ha that has a grazing capacity of 1.6 UVM / ha in a season of 185 days. The worst results are obtained in the economically degraded associations Violo declinatae - Nardetum, Junco - Molinietum, Botriochloetum ischaemi and Clinopodio - Pteridietum aquilini, with 5 -7 PV and 0.4 - 0.8 t/ha GMP.

Grassland types of Rarău Massif with soils formed on a calcareous geological substrate (dolomite) have a very high phytodiversity, on average 91 species of plants on a floristic survey. The overall vegetation cover was almost 90% of which over 60% forage species and almost 30% harmful species. Of the 12 main grassland types, 3 are xerophilous, 2 mesoxerophilous and 7 mesophilous. The most species-rich mesophilous grasslands are Festuca rubra and Festuca nigrescens with 135-154 taxones per survey. The highest pastoral value (PV) was assessed at Habitat 6510 of almost 68 PV where the highest production of 13.6 t/ha of green mass production (GMP) was estimated when using the grassland as hayfield. At Habitat 6520, where the grassland was grazed with animals, it was estimated 51.5 PV, over 7 t/ha GMP that supports 0.84 LU/ha in 130 days grazing season. In the same Habitat 6520 there are grasslands with grassy carpet degraded by Nardus stricta and Deschampsia caespitosa, where we have 20 PV and 2 t/ha GMP with 0.30 LU/ha. The rest of the habitats have a lower productivity, respectively habitat 6170, due to the altitude and a colder climate and habitat 6210 with a drier climate. On average, the productivity of the habitats is quite good with 42 PV, 6.4 t/ha GMP and 0.6 LU/ha in 120 days of grazing.

Determining the production and forage quality of a permanent grassland is essential for establishing the optimal stocking rate in order to preserve the biodiversity and the traditional landscape. The paper presents an assessment of the productivity of steppic grasslands from the two large geographical entities of the ROSCI 0201 North Dobrogean Plateau protected area, respectively Babadag and Casimcea Plateaus. The grasslands from the Babadag Plateau have undergone an accelerated process of degradation in the last 50 years due to the very large share of sheep and goats, almost 90% of the total grazing livestock, that graze all year round except for the days when the soil is covered with a layer of snow. The grasslands from the Casimcea Plateau have generally maintained their productivity for the last 45-50 years as the structure of the vegetal layer has been better preserved, a situation due to the 27% of the total livestock of cattle and horses that were maintained in the stable in the cold season. Currently, the grazing pressure exceeds carrying capacity of these steppic grasslands for 5.5 times in Babadag and 5 times in Casimcea, which is why it is necessary to balance the structure and number of livestock, expand fodder crops in arable land and implement more efficient management measures.

The aim of this study is to assess the grasslands of the Râmnicu Sărat river basin, lying in Buzău and Vrancea counties, to the Curvature Carpathians, in terms of forage species, as well as to determine their productivity, pastoral value (PV), green fodder mass (GM) production and the optimal load of herbivores per hectare (Large Cattle Units). The permanent grasslands of Râmnicu Sărat river basin are spread up to 1340 m altitude above sea level, on flat lands and aspects, up to 30 degrees slopes, where, on average 85 species of plant species are found within a single plant community. The vegetation coverage is in average of 94%, of which 66% participation with fodder species and 28% with harmful species to grass carpet and animal production. The best pastoral value (PV) of 74.8 and a production of 16.62 t/ha of green fodder mass (GM) was evaluated within the ass. Cirsio cani-Festucetum pratensis and the lowest of 5.6 PV, with 0.56 t/ha GM within ass. Festuco capillatae-Nardetum. The average production of the assessed grasslands was of 7.22 t/ha GM, which allows a load of 0.73 LCU/ha, for an average period of 165 days of grazing, the lowest number being of 125 days in the mountain area and 195 days in the hilly area, for transhumant domestic animals.