Landscapes Forest and Global Change - ESA - Escola Superior ...

B. Terrones et al. 2010. Detecting vulnerable spots for ecological connectivity caused by minor road network
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species and landscape specific, because it depends not only on characteristics of the landscape,
but also on aspects of the mobility of the organism (Tischendorf and Fahrig 2000).
Application of connectivity models for the study of ecological processes and species movement
is a useful tool in conservation planning (Adriansen et al. 2003; Nikolakaki 2004; Marulli and
Mallarach, 2005; Driezen et al. 2007) and it can be an interesting tool for predicting the effect
of changes in the landscape on connectivity in a quantitative way (Adriansen et al. 2003). These
models produce a map of the relative cost of reaching particular areas in a landscape from a
source.
This work presents a methodological spatial approach based on Geographical Information
System (GIS) that (1) enables a connectivity diagnose of terrestrial landscape ecosystems and
(2) makes possible the identification of vulnerable spots that have a critical importance for
ecological connectivity. These results will provide useful guidelines for landscape conservation
planning at local level (Municipalities and Local Administrations).
2. Methodology
2.1 Habitat maps
We created a land use map for Alicante’s Province compiling information about land use and
vegetation cover from different sources. The original map was the Spanish Forest Map
(MFE50), which was reclassified. We used CORINE land cover map, road and railway network
and urban areas cartography to complete it. The final map recognized 32 land-use types, of
which 7 are linear structures. In order to improve a finer analysis resolution and to incorporate
barriers and connection spots at landscape level, we also created derived cartography, as road
network impact and urban areas impact maps (decreasing connectivity), and hydrological
network map and tunnels and bridges map (improving connectivity). These maps were
converted to raster format, with a cell resolution of 20x20 meters.
2.2 Least-cost analysis
Connectivity models are based on the creation of a friction surface that indicates the relative
cost of moving for target species across the landscape (Figure 1). We used raster format, from
ArcGIS software, with a cell resolution of 20x20 meters.
Figure 1: Methodology of the process followed.
Forest Landscapes and Global Change-New Frontiers in Management, Conservation and Restoration. Proceedings of the IUFRO Landscape Ecology
Working Group International Conference, September 21-27, 2010, Bragança, Portugal. J.C. Azevedo, M. Feliciano, J. Castro & M.A. Pinto (eds.)
2010, Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal.