Slovakia’s Flora and Fauna: Ecosystems and Conservation

Posted on Feb 20, 2025 in Geography

Flora and Fauna of Slovakia

Glacial Relict: A population of a species previously common during a glacial period which retreated during interglacial periods.

  • Usually cold-adapted species, restricted distribution to areas with suitable conditions for them

In Slovakia:

  • Flora – limba (Swiss stone pine), dryádka osemlistová (dryas octopetala), horec Clusiov (centiana clusii)
  • Fauna – chamois, marmot, grouse (tetrov)

Endemic Species: Only found in a single defined geographic location

  • Lykovec muránsky (daphne arbuscula), poniklec slovenský, iskerník karpatský, zvonček moravský (campanula moravica)

With rising altitude -> temperature decreases, more precipitation, different soil types


Altitudinal Zonation

  • Describes the natural layering of ecosystems that occurs at distinct elevations due to varying environmental conditions. Temperature, humidity, soil composition, and solar radiation are important factors in determining altitudinal zones, which consequently support different vegetation and animal species.

Oak Level: (dubový stupeň)

  • Up to 550 m of altitude
  • Lowlands, hollow basins, lower mts., the warmest and driest places
  • Hornbeam (hrab), agát (acacia)
  • Much of this zone is transformed into arable land

Beech Level: (bukový stupeň)

  • 550 – 1 100 m of altitude
  • It needs damper climate with more precipitation
  • Rarely used for agriculture
  • Beech, fir, elm, maple, fern, birch, alder-tree

Spruce Level: (smrekový stupeň)

  • 1 100 – 1 600 m of altitude
  • Tree species: spruce, pine, fir, larch
  • Shrubs, blueberries, cranberries, heath (vres)

è Tree line: 1 600 m of altitude (no trees above)

Dwarf Pine Zone:

  • Located above the tree line
  • 1 600 – 1 800 m above the sea level
  • Dwarf pine, rowan (jarabina vtáčia), blueberries, cranberries

Alpine Meadows: alpínske lúky

  • Above 1 800 m above the sea level
  • High and Low Tatras
  • Psychrophillic grass species, lichens, mosses


FAUNA

  • Is related to certain type of plant communities which represent source of food, shelter, a place for living and hunting
  • Fauna is as diverse as flora in our homeland. Animals´ spatial distribution reflects various landscapes such as meadows, grasslands, forests or hills.

Animal Communities (Zonally):

  • Steppes: partridge, pheasant, rabbit, mole, bustard, lizard, wood-grouse (hlucháň hôrny)
  • Deciduous forests: wild boar, roe deer, fox, wild cat, woodpecker
  • Coniferous forests: wild boar, deer, bear, bobcat (lynx), squirrel, falcon
  • High mountain areas: chamois, marmot, bear, eagle, hawk
  • Waters, marshes and their banks (azonally): trout, carp, toad, frog, heron

Flora and Fauna Create Particular Ecosystems

Slovak Ecosystems:

  1. Forest ecosystems
  2. Mountain ecosystems
  3. Grassland and meadows ecosystems
  4. Wetland ecosystems
  5. River and stream ecosystems
  6. Lake
  7. Karst
  8. Agricultural
  9. Urban ecosystems


Nature and Landscape Conservation

1. Level of Protection: Applies to the entire territory of Slovakia except for protected areas and protection zones – where the second to five levels of protection apply instead. (including dumps), general protection of nature and landscape

2. Level of Protection: Protected landscape area (CHKO) – chránená krajinná oblasť, entry and parking a motor vehicle, an animal-drawn vehicle and a bicycle is prohibited in areas with the second level of protection, 14 of them total

3. Level of Protection: National parks (NP) – národný park

  • 9, e.g. TANAP, NAPANT, Pieniny, Slovenský raj, NP Malá Fatra, NP Poloniny, NP Muránska planina, NP Slovenský kras, NP Veľká Fatra
  • In areas with the third level of protection, all activities prohibited in areas with the second level of protection are also forbidden, walk outside the marked hiking or nature trails, camp, ride horses, ski, climb, do ski mountaineering or other sports activities or collect plants (including fruits)


5. Level of Protection: In areas with the fifth level of protection, all activities prohibited in areas with the fourth level of protection are also forbidden.; disturb the forest cover and damage the vegetation and soil cover; build a forest road or a slope; disturb the peace and quiet; or catch, hunt or kill any animals

  • nature reserve (PR) – prírodná rezervácia (376) (Szábová Skala, Holík)
  • national nature reserve (NPR) – národná prírodná rezervácia (231) (Kašivarová, Sitno)
  • natural monument (PP) – prírodná pamiatka (230) (Andezitové kamenné more, Sixova stráň)
  • national natural monument (NPP) – národná prírodná pamiatka (60) (Starohutiansky vodopád, Kapitulské Bralá)

NATURA 2000

Natura 2000 is a network of nature protection areas in the territory of the European Union. Its aim is to preserve biodiversity in European Union.

It is made up of: Birds Directive: conservation of wild birds (chránené vtáčie územia), Habitats Directive: conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, (územia európskeho významu).

The Natura 2000 network covered more than 18% of the European Union’s land area and more than 7% of its marine area in 2022. The total area of the Slovak Republic’s territory protected is 12.6 %.