Potential negative effects of construction of a high-mountain ski resort in the High Tatras, Slovakia, on breeding bird assemblages

Abstract

Development of new ski resorts potentially has strong negative impacts on natural ecosystems. The objective of this paper is to analyse the potential effects of a newly proposed ski resort development plan on bird assemblages in the High Tatras Mts. of Slovakia. I tested two hypotheses that total bird abundance, species richness and diversity would decline, due (1) to the removal of tree and shrub vegetation after ski run construction and/or (2) as a result of a negative edge effect (i.e. decline along ski run edge). I censused birds in three presently occurring habitat types [successional forest (n = 26 (number of circular plots)), spruce forest (n = 22) and dwarf pine stands (n = 21) and ski runs (n = 20)] close to proposed resort site. I used a variable circular plot method on two spatial scales with radii of 25 and 50 m (three counts per plot during breeding season in 2018). Circular plot samples from ski runs were taken from the closest existing ski resort with similar environmental conditions in Tatranska Lomnica. I found that total density, species richness and diversity were negatively affected by habitat alterations near this resort, and provided evidence of negative edge effect of ski runs on bird abundance, diversity metrices and evenness. Based on these results and a literature review, I recommend that building new ski resorts not be built in strictly protected areas and that future ski resort developments be restricted to areas that have lower conservation value.