Assessment of habitat connectivity in a highly fragmented ecosystem: The seasonal tropical dry forest in Ecuador

IF 2 3区环境科学与生态学 Q3 ECOLOGY

Applied Vegetation Science Pub Date : 2024-04-04 DOI:10.1111/avsc.12770

Carlos A. Rivas, José Guerrero-Casado, Rafael M. Navarro-Cerrillo

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Abstract

Context

Connectivity is a parameter that plays a fundamental role in highly fragmented ecosystems, such as the seasonal tropical dry forest.

Objectives

The objective of this research is to calculate the evolution of fragmentation and the functional connectivity of the Ecuadorian seasonal dry forest from 1990 to 2018, and to compare the Ecuadorian state's reforestation plan with our reforestation plan, which is based on maximising connectivity with the smallest possible reforested area.

Methods

The land cover changes, fragmentation and functional connectivity, measured by employing cumulative cost analyses at three different distances (0.5, 5 and 10 km), that occurred in Ecuadorian seasonal dry forests between 1990 and 2018 were verified using GIS environments, vector layers and Graphab software. A reforestation plan was also developed using various connectivity metrics and was then compared with that proposed by the Ecuadorian Ministry of the Environment.

Results

Between 1990 and 2018, 2647 km² of dry forest was lost in the study area. Former forest areas were put mainly to agricultural uses, which increased by 12.96%. The total number of patches decreased from 6908 to 5357, signifying a loss of 30% of the forest area and leading to losses of up to 75% of connectivity. Areas with low connectivity and a risk of disappearance were identified, and a new reforestation plan was proposed, which was based on maximising connectivity with small patches.

Conclusions

Because of the fragmentation, the connectivity of the seasonal dry forest in Ecuador is dramatically decreasing in the last decades. Therefore, the reforestation plans should prioritise areas whose reforestation increases habitat functional connectivity, which could provide more benefits than increasing the forest area without considering the global connectivity.

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评估高度破碎化生态系统中的生境连通性：厄瓜多尔的季节性热带干燥林

背景连接性是一个参数，在高度破碎化的生态系统（如季节性热带干旱森林）中发挥着重要作用。目标本研究旨在计算 1990 年至 2018 年厄瓜多尔季节性干旱森林的破碎化演变和功能连通性，并将厄瓜多尔国家的重新造林计划与我们的重新造林计划进行比较，后者的基础是以尽可能小的重新造林面积实现最大的连通性。方法利用地理信息系统环境、矢量图层和 Graphab 软件，对 1990 年至 2018 年期间厄瓜多尔季节性干旱森林的土地覆盖变化、破碎化和功能连通性进行了验证，并在三个不同距离（0.5、5 和 10 公里）采用累积成本分析法进行了测量。此外，还利用各种连通性指标制定了重新造林计划，并与厄瓜多尔环境部提出的计划进行了比较。结果在 1990 年至 2018 年期间，研究地区损失了 2647 平方公里的干旱森林。原林区主要用于农业，增加了 12.96%。斑块总数从 6908 个减少到 5357 个，意味着森林面积减少了 30%，导致连通性损失高达 75%。我们确定了连通性较低和有消失风险的地区，并提出了新的重新造林计划，该计划以最大限度地提高小块森林的连通性为基础。结论由于支离破碎，厄瓜多尔季节性干旱森林的连通性在过去几十年中急剧下降。因此，重新造林计划应优先考虑那些重新造林能提高生境功能连通性的地区，这比不考虑全球连通性而增加森林面积能带来更多益处。

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来源期刊

Applied Vegetation Science 环境科学-林学

CiteScore

6.00

自引率

10.70%

发文量

审稿时长

3 months

期刊介绍： Applied Vegetation Science focuses on community-level topics relevant to human interaction with vegetation, including global change, nature conservation, nature management, restoration of plant communities and of natural habitats, and the planning of semi-natural and urban landscapes. Vegetation survey, modelling and remote-sensing applications are welcome. Papers on vegetation science which do not fit to this scope (do not have an applied aspect and are not vegetation survey) should be directed to our associate journal, the Journal of Vegetation Science. Both journals publish papers on the ecology of a single species only if it plays a key role in structuring plant communities.