Albert Kopali1*, Elison Rota1, Simir Krasniqi2 Ardian Zhupaj3
1Department of Agro-environment and Ecology, Agricultural University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
2Department of vocational education, Prizren, Kosovo
3Regional Environmental Agency,Saranda, Albania
Abtract: The main factor of damage to biodiversity is fragmentation of territory, due to various economic activities of man. One of these activities in the area is the construction of road infrastructures. However, their construction as well as in urban areas in those extra-urban, has led to significantly increase the impact of vehicle traffic on wild fauna and especially that of small vertebrate, with this apparent extra-urban areas, in agricultural and rural spaces. The impact becomes even greater in the absence of ecological networks, which will provide greater return flow antigenic sites on time animal populations, thus significantly limiting their dynamics. The possibility of intra and inter-specific exchange between animal populations can be achieved through ecological corridors, which remain single strategy for solving animal populations in terms of environmental fragmentation in particular from road infrastructures. The impact becomes even bigger in animal populations in case of presence of leaks forest ecosystems near roads, in eco-tonal generations. Expansion and improvement of the road network in Albania has grown significantly in the extent of the impact on small vertebrate fauna as in urban and extra-urban areas. The study was conducted at three different points in the road network in urban area and outside urban areas. The results of the study evidenced a high level of impact on animal fauna and the evident lack of ecological infrastructure that would facilitate the movement of animals, especially on their reproductive periods.
Key words: biodiversity, animal fauna, fragmentation, road infrastructure
