The same is true for Russian olive {Elaeagnus angustifolia), which is reported to have taken over the steppe landscape of Gagauzia but is a typical floral element for steppes and semi-deserts in Eurasia. This perception, however, lacks any basis, as the territorial region of the Republic of Moldova is fully covered by the ecological range of hornbeam and it is a natural representative of the typical forest type in the region. Currently, natural steppe communities have been preserved only in small and isolated areas, five protected areas (PAs) preserving steppe vegetation exist (Bugeac, Dezgingea, Vranesti, Andria§evca and Ciumai-Vinogradovca), with a total area of 148 ha, less than 1 per cent of the country’s surface.