Informing Strategic Efforts to Expand and Connect Protected Areas Using a Model of Ecological Flow, with Application to the Western United States

Dickson, Brett G.; Albano, Christine M.; McRae, Brad H.; Anderson, Jesse J.; Theobald, David M.; Zachmann, Luke J.; Sisk, Thomas D.; Dombeck, Michael P.

doi:10.1111/conl.12322

Cited by 73 publications

(76 citation statements)

References 32 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Similar to other global threat datasets, it was designed to assess macro-ecological patterns resulting from human stressors at broad spatial extents (e.g., across countries, ecoregions, biomes as done in our analysis and others) (Geldmann et al, 2014;Halpern et al, 2008;Venter et al, 2016). It can also be used to prioritize where more refined landscape assessments are needed to evaluate resource condition, spatial structure, and connectivity (Dickson et al, 2017;McGuire, Lawler, Mcrae, Nuñez, & Theobald, 2016;Perkl, 2017).…”

Section: Data Availabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient

Kennedy

Oakleaf

Theobald

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

Self Cite

498

428

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

An increasing number of international initiatives aim to reconcile development with conservation. Crucial to successful implementation of these initiatives is a comprehensive understanding of the current ecological condition of landscapes and their spatial distributions. Here, we provide a cumulative measure of human modification of terrestrial lands based on modeling the physical extents of 13 anthropogenic stressors and their estimated impacts using spatially explicit global datasets with a median year of 2016. We quantified the degree of land modification and the amount and spatial configuration of low modified lands (i.e., natural areas relatively free from human alteration) across all ecoregions and biomes. We identified that fewer unmodified lands remain than previously reported and that most of the world is in a state of intermediate modification, with 52% of ecoregions classified as moderately modified. Given that these moderately modified ecoregions fall within critical land use thresholds, we propose that they warrant elevated attention and require proactive spatial planning to maintain biodiversity and ecosystem function before important environmental values are lost.

show abstract

Section: Data Availabilitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient

Kennedy

Oakleaf

Theobald

et al. 2019

Global Change Biology

Self Cite

498

428

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This follows a similar approach taken by Dickson et al (2017), but also assumes that conductance declines more rapidly with increasing slope, and that tortoises will tend to (but not always) avoid very steep slopes. For average movement habitat quality values, the penalty becomes most severe at approximately 30% slope.…”

Section: Spatial Prediction Of Movement Habitat Qualitymentioning

confidence: 99%

A range‐wide model of contemporary, omnidirectional connectivity for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

As habitat destruction leads to species extinctions globally, conservation planning that accounts for population‐level connectivity and gene flow is an urgent priority. Models that only approximate habitat potential are incomplete because areas of high habitat potential may be isolated, whereas intermixed areas of lower habitat potential may still be critical for maintaining connectivity between and among populations. We developed a range‐wide, omnidirectional (coreless) connectivity model and map for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise at a high spatial resolution (30 m), based on empirical movement data and a circuit‐theoretic approach to estimating connectivity. Specifically, we first estimated habitat potential (i.e., quality) for tortoise movement (as distinct from habitat potential more generally) across its range using hypotheses based on the published literature, linear mixed models, multiple environmental factors derived from remotely sensed data, and recent solar and wind development footprints. The resultant raster output was used to represent landscape conductance in a circuit‐theoretic model of connectivity, which relates the flow of electrical current through a circuit to the movement of tortoises through the landscape. We then modeled potential connectivity across the range of the tortoise using Circuitscape software and the Julia numerical programming language. Intermediate distances from minor roads, intermediate values of annual average maximum temperature, and increasing density of desert washes were among the strongest predictors of movement habitat quality. There was also strong evidence for increased habitat quality for movement with increasing amounts of vegetation cover. The resulting connectivity model and map was determined to accurately reflect important areas for tortoise movement, but we encourage others to do their own evaluation of the model within local areas of interest and as more data become available. Accordingly, the map can provide an important component to improve management decisions that have the potential to influence the conservation of connected desert tortoise populations throughout the range.

show abstract

“…Our method for defining starting and ending points contrasts with other approaches used in large-scale connectivity studies, which either consider each habitat patch or protected area as a single node (Belote et al, 2016;Dickson et al, 2016;Theobald et al, 2012) or model connectivity between nodes situated along opposite boundaries of the study extent (Gray & Dickson, 2015;Koen, Bowman, Sadowski, & Walpole, 2014;Pelletier et al, 2014). The first approach was not well suited to our analysis because we were interested in characterizing connectivity within large core areas (which requires multiple nodes within a core) as well as between core areas.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Typically, the effects of multiple factors that influence movement (e.g., cover type, topography, proximity to human development) are incorporated into resistance surfaces, and the final resistance surface is a pixel-by-pixel map of the landscape's relative resistance (i.e., unsuitability) to animal movement, with larger pixel values indicating greater resistance. This approach assumes that areas of greater naturalness are more likely to support ecological processes and function as animal movement routes and has been used in previous connectivity studies (e.g., Belote et al, 2016;Dickson et al, 2016;Theobald, Reed, Fields, & Soulé, 2012). Because we modeled generic species, detailed empirical data (e.g., genetic data or point locations from GPS telemetry studies) were not available to develop appropriate resistance surfaces.…”

Section: Developing the Resistance Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Instead, we used an estimate of "naturalness"-the degree to which the landscape is influenced by human activities and modification to land cover-as a predictor of the permeability to ecological flows. This approach assumes that areas of greater naturalness are more likely to support ecological processes and function as animal movement routes and has been used in previous connectivity studies (e.g., Belote et al, 2016;Dickson et al, 2016;Theobald, Reed, Fields, & Soulé, 2012).…”

Section: Developing the Resistance Surfacementioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Incorporating wildlife connectivity into forest plan revision under the United States Forest Service's 2012 planning rule

Williamson

Creech

Carnwath³

et al. 2019

Conservat Sci and Prac

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The United States Forest Service promulgated new planning regulations under the National Forest Management Act in 2012 (i.e., the Planning Rule). These new regulations include the first requirements in U.S. public land management history for National Forests to evaluate, protect, and/or restore ecological connectivity as they revise their land management plans. Data and resource limitations make single-species, functional connectivity analyses for the myriad species that occur within the 78 million ha the Forest Service manages implausible. We describe an approach that relies on freely available data and generic species, virtual species whose profile consists of ecological requirements designed to reflect the needs of a group of real species, to address the new Planning Rule requirements. We present high-resolution connectivity estimates for 10 different generic species across a 379,000 ha study area centered on the Custer Gallatin National Forest (CGNF) in Montana and South Dakota under two different movement models. We identify locations important for connectivity for multiple species and characterize the role of the CGNF for regional connectivity. Our results informed the Plan Revision process on the CGNF and could be readily exported to other National Forests currently or planning to revise their land management plans under the new Planning Rule. K E Y W O R D Scoarse and fine filter, forest planning, generic species, National Forest Management Act, wildlife connectivity

show abstract

Informing Strategic Efforts to Expand and Connect Protected Areas Using a Model of Ecological Flow, with Application to the Western United States

Cited by 73 publications

References 32 publications

Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient

Managing the middle: A shift in conservation priorities based on the global human modification gradient

A range‐wide model of contemporary, omnidirectional connectivity for the threatened Mojave desert tortoise

Incorporating wildlife connectivity into forest plan revision under the United States Forest Service's 2012 planning rule

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About