Linking wildlife conservation with Nature's Contributions to People: The case of the European wildcat in German protected forests

Abstract

Forests provide essential benefits to human well-being, referred to as Nature's Contributions to People (NCP), including carbon storage, water filtration, biodiversity, and recreation. However, increasing human activities and land use changes have degraded wildlife habitats, threatening biodiversity and reducing NCP. This study presents a novel approach to assessing NCP by integrating keystone species-specific habitat assessment. It explores the synergies and trade-offs between the conservation of the European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris), an umbrella species promoting large and connected forest habitats, and the supply of forest-related NCP in German protected forests. Key factors influencing wildcat habitats are identified and their overlap with four selected NCP—carbon sequestration, water retention, timber potential, and recreation— are analyzed using remote sensing methodologies, including species distribution modelling and the InVEST water yield model, and statistical analysis, including correlations, spatial congruence, and k-means clustering, to assess synergies and trade-offs. The wildcat habitat model (AUC = 0.814) indicates that suitable habitats are structurally complex, densely forested landscapes that are distant from urban areas and roads but near agricultural land. Wildcat habitat provision shows a synergy with timber potential (ρ = 0.505) but low-to-moderate effects with other NCP (ρ range from −0.050 to 0.138). ANOVA results (p < 2.2e-16) indicate that national parks provide higher NCP levels than biosphere reserves and nature parks in the study areas. The results demonstrate that wildcat habitat provision does not conflict with other NCP, paving the way for further wildlife conservation measures and the establishment of more protection zones.