1. CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION
To preserve this rare species and protect it
To preserve this rare species and protect it
Tfrom extinction, the most effective solutionTfrom extinction, the most effective solutionTis to reintroduce traditional methods of agricultural
production, such as mowing of grasslands and
reed beds and restore wetlands and stream bank
vegetation in areas still inhabited by the root vole.
These activities represent the main objectives
of LIFE project Conservation of root vole. There are
a total of 16 project sites designated as Sites of
Community Interest (SCI’s) out of which twelve are
in Slovakia, three in Hungary and one in Austria.
Practical conservation actions are being taken, es-
peciallyinselectedstudysitesinSlovakia(Dunajské
luhy, Čiližské močiare, Číčovské luhy, Dunajské trsti-
ny and Alúvium Starej Nitry).
An extensive population study of the root vole
in Slovakia is currently under way. Researchers are
studying the root vole‘s present distribution, ge-
netic variability, population size and structure, habi-
tat requirements as well as changes in population
resulting from the im-
pact that project con-
servation efforts will
have on the root vole’s
habitats.
One of the most
important project ac-
tivities is the restora-
tion of Čilížsky potok
brook along its entire
length of 33.5 km.
After a series of water-
management and ag-
ricultural interventions carried out in the 20th cen-
tury, free-flowing water has remained only in parts
of its upper section. Due to drainage of the stream
sedge, reed, bulrush and grasses. Unlike the com-
mon vole, the root vole is not an agricultural pest
sinceitprefersawetenvironmentthatisnotsuitable
for agricultural production.
THREATSTHREATS
Due to highly specific habitat requirements
and sensitivity towards changes in environ-
mental conditions, the root vole’s occurrence is limit-
ed to a small area. The principal cause of its endan-
germent is loss of suitable habitats and thus
favorable living conditions. The Danube lowland
changed significantly during the 20th century.
Wetlands were dried, a network of draining channels
was built and wet grasslands were transformed into
arable land or abandoned, which caused them
to become overgrown with invasive and ruderal veg-
etation.
As a consequence of these human activities, the
average water level in parts of the area inhabited
by the root vole has substantially decreased or their
water regime has been artificially controlled. The for-
mer natural seasonal water level fluctuations have
been heavily suppressed, which caused periodically
flooded areas, shallow water areas, reed beds and
sedge beds to shrink considerably in size.
True oases of life, the wetlands of the Danube
region represent precious habitats endowed
with many natural secrets. Scattered across the in-
tensively managed agricultural landscape, they act
as natural refuges for countless species of wildlife.
Wetlands are considered to be prime habitats
for aquatic birds, fish and amphibians. Yet they are
also the home of several species of mammals that
have adapted to survive in aquatic or semiaquatic
environments. In the Danube region, the rarest one
is the root vole (Microtusoeconomusmehelyi).
ROOT VOLE AND WETLANDSROOT VOLE AND WETLANDS
During the Ice Age, the root vole was com-
mon and widespread across central Europe
along with mammoths and other glacial species.
Following continental ice sheet retreat the root vole
population disappeared from most of its previous
range. Isolated populations have survived in the vi-
cinity of the Danube River in Slovakia, in northwest-
ern Hungary and eastern Austria. A root vole rela-
tive, the tundra vole (Microtus oeconomus), lives
in Northern Europe,
Northern Asia and
Alaska. However, the
root vole is an ende-
mic subspecies that
can be found no-
where else in the
world except for the
wetlands of the Da-
nube region.
This small terres-
trial mammal lives
in wet meadows, mar-
shes,bogsoralongdenselyvegetatedstreambanks. It
especially thrives in elevated parts of marsh sedge
patches(Carex).Itfeedsonvegetation,suchasmarshCarex).Itfeedsonvegetation,suchasmarshCarex

2. Cuttingofreedbeds Mowingofwetmeadows
Conservationofrootvole
waters into adjoining channels, two thirds of the
brook are currently without flowing water or are
completely dry. Through technical measures in sites
where the brook crosses two channels, we will
achieve reflooding of the dry lower section of the
stream. We will also construct several sluice gates
on minor draining channels in wetlands adjacent
to Čilížsky potok brook. This will enable retention
of the water accumulated in the wetlands over the
rainy season, during snowmelt and periods of high
levels of underground water.
Based on mapping of the present distribution
and current population status we will select further
localities for improvement of the root vole’s living
conditions. By building weirs and sluice gates
on small wetland draining channels we will achieve
flooding of other valuable areas.
In the past, meadows and pastures used to be
very common in the Danube region. They were situ-
ated in areas with high levels of underground water
and poor soil not suitable for agricultural production.
These wet meadows and marshes represented im-
portant root vole habitats. During the project, we
plan to restore native grasslands by seeding them
with grasses and plants typical for these areas and
reintroduce their regular mowing in an area of
at least 100 ha.
Reintroduction of reed cutting is an innovative
element in Slovakia. In the past, reed was widely
used for different purposes such as construction ma-
terial for roofs. However, over time its traditional use
has disappeared from this region even though in
neighboring countries such as Hungary and Austria
reed processing is still common. Cutting of reed
beds is very important for the restoration of wet-
lands - without it, the wetlands gradually fill with
sediments and silt, which results in loss of aquatic
and marsh environment. We plan to reintroduce
reed bed management in an area of at least 150 ha.
Project LIFE08/NAT/SK/000239 Conservation of root
vole *Microtus oeconomus mehelyivole *Microtus oeconomus mehelyivole * was funded throughMicrotus oeconomus mehelyi was funded throughMicrotus oeconomus mehelyi
European Commission’s LIFE + program.
Regional Association for Nature Conservation
and Sustainable Development (BROZ), Slovakia
Water Research Institute (VÚVH), Slovakia
Comenius University in Bratislava, Faculty of
Natural Sciences (PriF UK), Slovakia
Ministry of Environment of the Slovak
Republik (MŽP), Slovakia
National Park Neusiedler See – Seewinkel (NP
NSS), Austria
Trout Circle Association (PK), Hungary
Society for the Study and Conservation of
Mammals (VZZ), Netherlands
PROJECT PARTNERSPROJECT PARTNERS
www.broz.sk/microtus