Redai dili (Jul 2024)
Habitat Landscape Connectivity Analysis and Wildlife Passage Identification: A Case Study of Guangzhou
Abstract
Expanding road infrastructure has caused severe fragmentation of wildlife habitats. Conducting wildlife habitat connectivity analyses and identifying potential locations for wildlife passages are valuable for regional ecological restoration and habitat protection. Taking Guangzhou as the study area, this study used a combination of the habitat suitability model, Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA), and landscape connectivity index to identify and analyze wildlife habitats. Wildlife dispersal paths were extracted using hydrological analyses, and the potential sites for wildlife passages were identified. The results revealed the following: (1) The study identified 21 wildlife habitats in Guangzhou with a total area of about 1,074.39 km², which are scarce in number and area, and present an unbalanced pattern of "concentrated in the eastern and northern regions and scattered in the central and western regions." Wildlife habitats can maintain the relative stability of their internal ecological functions with a high proportion of perforation areas and edge areas. However, the insufficient number of small core areas around the wildlife habitat has caused a lack of small ecological spaces outside the habitat to provide ecological stepping stones, thus harming wildlife dispersal. (2) The overall connectivity of wildlife habitats in Guangzhou increases as the diffusion ability of wild animals enhances. Wild animals with low diffusion abilities are threatened by limited habitat ranges and insufficient gene exchange. (3) There are significant differences in the role of different habitat patches in maintaining the overall connectivity of wildlife habitats. This study identified four core patches and nine important patches that play irreplaceable roles in energy flow and material circulation in wildlife habitats. Therefore, based on the importance of the patches, it is recommended that a basic pattern is developed with core patches as the cornerstone of the ecosystem in Guangzhou and important patches as support. This will provide an effective reference for wildlife habitat conservation strategies and spatial planning in the region. (4) The wildlife dispersal paths are prone to path interruption and decreased dispersal levels in areas adjacent to construction sites and road infrastructure. In total, 221.94 km of first-level wildlife dispersal paths and 84.09 km of second-level dispersal paths have been identified. A total of 51 wildlife passages were identified, including 38 points located on primary wildlife dispersal paths. The identified wildlife passage sites are mainly located at forest edges and in cultivated areas with moderate habitat suitability that are vulnerable to human activities. Considering the potential risk of habitat quality deterioration in these areas in the future, there is an urgent need to implement strategies such as forest protection zone construction and wildlife passage construction, including underground culverts and road bridge overpasses. The construction of wildlife passages can effectively ensure unimpeded dispersal paths for wild animals while reducing the negative impact of road infrastructure on habitat connectivity. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for regional road infrastructure planning, ecological conservation, and restoration.
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