Assessing the performance of common landscape connectivity metrics using a virtual ecologist approach

Simpkins, Craig; Dennis, Todd E.; Etherington, Thomas R.; Perry, George L.

doi:10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2017.11.001

Cited by 25 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…The least-cost path is the path of least resistance between two patches (Zeller et al, 2012). It represents the shortest functional connection between habitat patches (Adriaensen et al, 2003) and is currently the method most commonly used to produce connectivity estimates (Simpkins et al, 2018). Six resistance values were attributed to the different landscape classes according to species' ability to cross into and survive within them, regardless of habitat suitability (Appendix S4): highly suitable, suitable, neutral, unfavorable, highly unfavorable or barrier to animal movement (Mimet et al, 2016).…”

Section: Connectivity Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximizing habitat connectivity in the mitigation hierarchy. A case study on three terrestrial mammals in an urban environment

Tarabon

Bergès

Dutoit

et al. 2019

Journal of Environmental Management

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Environmental policies and the objective of no net loss highlight the importance of preserving ecological networks to limit the fragmentation of natural habitats and biodiversity loss, especially due to urbanization. In the environmental impact assessment context, habitat connectivity and the spatio-temporal dynamics of biodiversity are crucial to obtaining reliable predictions that can support decision-making. We propose a methodological framework 1) to quantify the overall impact of a development project on the functioning of an ecological network, and 2) to select the best locations for implanting new habitat patches intended to enhance landscape connectivity. The amount of reachable habitat concept was applied to three representative terrestrial mammal species: the red squirrel, the Eurasian badger and the European hedgehog. All three species are recognized as vulnerable to human pressures and potentially affected by the construction of a new stadium in our study site, Lyon (Southern France). The method combines the species distribution model Maxent with the landscape functional connectivity model Graphab. The results showed that using any one of the avoidance and reduction measures on its own was unsuccessful in achieving the objective of no net loss when habitat connectivity is considered. However, the combination of new habitat patches and corridors offered a higher gain than distinct measures. This is especially important in the short term, when new hedgerow plantations have not yet developed enough to be used by the target species. Our findings indicate, first, the need to take the temporal scale into account in environmental impact assessment. We also show that applying the optimal scenario, constructed using a cumulative patch addition followed by a similar process testing a set of potential land-use changes, maximizes habitat connectivity. Our methodology provides a useful tool to increase target species' habitat connectivity within the mitigation hierarchy and to enhance development project design for increased environmental efficiency.

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Section: Connectivity Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximizing habitat connectivity in the mitigation hierarchy. A case study on three terrestrial mammals in an urban environment

Tarabon

Bergès

Dutoit

et al. 2019

Journal of Environmental Management

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“…The least-cost path is the path of least resistance between two patches from the edge of one patch to the nearest edge of another patch through the matrix (Zeller et al, 2012). It represents the shortest functional connection between habitat patches (Adriaensen et al, 2003), which produces the most accurate connectivity estimates (Simpkins et al, 2018). Six resistance values were attributed to the different landscape classes depending on the ability of the species to cross into and survive within them, regardless of habitat suitability (Appendix S3): favorable, suitable, neutral, unfavorable, highly unfavorable or barrier to animal movement.…”

Section: Step 2: Connectivity Analysis and Assessment Of Node And Linmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the LCPs did not exactly represent where the species is likely to move through the landscape. Kool et al (2013) and Simpkins et al (2018) suggested testing models with empirical field data, but this analysis shows that it is not easy to observe the corresponding paths in the field. This is because the LCP is only one of many possible paths (actually the shortest one), unlike least-cost corridors (LCC), which represent all viable paths (Avon and Bergès, 2016).…”

Section: Habitat Patch Identification and Connectivity Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental impact assessment of development projects improved by merging species distribution and habitat connectivity modelling

Tarabon

Bergès

Dutoit

et al. 2019

Journal of Environmental Management

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Francis Isselin-Nondedeu. Environmental impact assessment of development projects improved by merging species distribution and habitat connectivity modelling. Journal of Environmental Management, Elsevier, 2019, 241, pp. AbstractEnvironmental impact assessment (EIA) is performed to limit potential impacts of development projects on species and ecosystem functions. However, the methods related to EIA actually pay little attention to the landscape-scale effects of development projects on biodiversity. In this study we proposed a methodological framework to more properly address the landscape-scale impacts of a new stadium project in Lyon (France) on two representative mammal species exemplary for the endemic fauna, the red squirrel and the Eurasian badger. Our approach combined species distribution model using Maxent and landscape functional connectivity model using Graphab at two spatial scales to assess habitat connectivity before and after development project implementation. The development project had a negative impact on landscape connectivity: overall habitat connectivity (PC index) decreased by -6.8% and -1.8% and the number of graph components increased by +60.0% and +17.6% for the red squirrel and the European badger respectively, because some links that formerly connected habitat patches were cut by the development project. Changes affecting landscape structure and composition emphasized the need to implement appropriate avoidance and reduction measures. Our methodology provides a useful tool both for EIA studies at each step of the way to support decision-making in landscape conservation planning. The method could be also developed in the design phase to compare the effectiveness of different avoidance or mitigation measures and resize them if necessary to maximize habitat connectivity.

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“…; Simpkins et al. ). This information has been useful in formalizing the incorporation of landscape structure and complexity into conservation plans for many species and ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circuit‐theory applications to connectivity science and conservation

Dickson

Albano

Anantharaman³

et al. 2018

Conservation Biology

237

162

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Conservation practitioners have long recognized ecological connectivity as a global priority for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem function. In the early years of conservation science, ecologists extended principles of island biogeography to assess connectivity based on source patch proximity and other metrics derived from binary maps of habitat. From 2006 to 2008, the late Brad McRae introduced circuit theory as an alternative approach to model gene flow and the dispersal or movement routes of organisms. He posited concepts and metrics from electrical circuit theory as a robust way to quantify movement across multiple possible paths in a landscape, not just a single least-cost path or corridor. Circuit theory offers many theoretical, conceptual, and practical linkages to conservation science. We reviewed 459 recent studies citing circuit theory or the open-source software Circuitscape. We focused on applications of circuit theory to the science and practice of connectivity conservation, including topics in landscape and population genetics, movement and dispersal paths of organisms, anthropogenic barriers to connectivity, fire behavior, water flow, and ecosystem services. Circuit theory is likely to have an effect on conservation science and practitioners through improved insights into landscape dynamics, animal movement, and habitat-use studies and through the development of new software tools for data analysis and visualization. The influence of circuit theory on conservation comes from the theoretical basis and elegance of the approach and the powerful collaborations and active user community that have emerged. Circuit theory provides a springboard for ecological understanding and will remain an important conservation tool for researchers and practitioners around the globe.Aplicaciones de la Teoría de Circuitos a la Conservación y a la Ciencia de la Conectividad Resumen: Quienes practican la conservación han reconocido durante mucho tiempo que la conectividad ecológica es una prioridad mundial para la preservación de la biodiversidad y el funcionamiento del * email: brett@csp-inc.org Article impact statement: Uses of circuit theory to understand connectivity have had a durable and global impact on conservation science and practice.

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Assessing the performance of common landscape connectivity metrics using a virtual ecologist approach

Cited by 25 publications

References 57 publications

Maximizing habitat connectivity in the mitigation hierarchy. A case study on three terrestrial mammals in an urban environment

Maximizing habitat connectivity in the mitigation hierarchy. A case study on three terrestrial mammals in an urban environment

Environmental impact assessment of development projects improved by merging species distribution and habitat connectivity modelling

Circuit‐theory applications to connectivity science and conservation

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