Thematic map Arad-Deva Pilot Area contains data for the Arad-Deva Pilot Area collected within the TRANSGREEN Project.
Description
The Arad-Deva area was selected because the rehabilitation of the railway between Arad and Deva is located in the Mureș River Valley, one of the most sensitive areas in terms of connectivity. Furthermore, it is an important linkage zone within one of the most important European ecological corridors between the Apuseni Mountains and the Southern Carpathians, and is already being affected by existing infrastructure and new one (the Lugoj- Deva motorway).
A study (Mot et al., 2010) based on identification of critical points represented by important permeable sectors of existing infrastructure, habitat suitability and land-use supported the designation of new Natura 2000 sites to form a regional ecological network in 2011.
Key species & threats
It is not only large carnivores, key species at a regional level, which risk being affected by transport infrastructure. A whole range of mammals such as red and roe deer, wild boar, otter, beaver, wild cat etc.); birds; reptiles (Aesculapian Snake etc.); amphibians (Yellow-bellied Toad, Fire-bellied Toad, European Pond Turtle), fish, invertebrates. Their local habitats might be fragmented. Fish are particularly exposed, as the transport infrastructure is crossing their reproduction sites and refuges which are thus becoming unfit for their purpose.
Within the TRANSGREEN Project, a Catalogue of Measures for this pilot area was created and is accessible here. The data collected during the project fieldwork can be accessed here.