The Biotope of Selected Specially Protected Species of Large Mammals - an Opportunity to Protect the Czech Landscape from Fragmentation
Abstract: The increase in the traffic intensity, the losses of agricultural land, the expansion of settlements and industrial areas or the increase in tourism and recreation are all processes leading to the fragmentation of the Czech landscape. Fragmentation means the division of larger blocks of the landscape into smaller parts. The solution of excessive fragmentation is the preservation and protection of the landscape connectivity, the building of ecological networks and the legalization of migration barriers. In 2015–2017, based on this challenge, the project “Comprehensive approach to the protection of the fauna of terrestrial ecosystems against landscape fragmentation in the Czech Republic” was solved. The main result was the definition of the Biotope of selected specially protected species of large mammals (abbreviated Biotope). The Biotope was defined based on the occurrence data of large mammals, spatial distribution models, field verification and expert assessment. The Biotope is considered as a minimal part of the landscape of Czechia that must be protected to maintain its connectivity. The Biotope was defined for almost 31 % of the Czechia and consists mostly of forest stands, meadows, pastures and arable land. Most of the Biotope (94 %) has been already protected in some way, yet it is important to emphasize the preservation of its connectivity. From 2020, Biotope is therefore a mandatory basis in territorial analysis documents. The Biotope is categorized into core areas (breeding and hunting), migration corridors and critical zones (threats of migration). Each category of the Biotope has a specific meaning and associated legal protection conditions and possibilities of using the area.
