A Graph-Theory Approach to Landscape Connectivity

How does network analysis improve the understanding of landscape dynamics?

Photo by Red Zeppelin on Unsplash

Conservation efforts have relied on ecological modelling for a long time now.

To consider an effective conservation action future implications need be to predicted under habitat fragmentation scenarios.

Network analysis is a valuable analytic tool in ecology because it combines habitat patch dynamics, distribution and habitat suitability within a landscape-scale analysis.

Here, graph theory can be used in connectivity analysis to locate high-quality patches in the landscape networks and improve the knowledge of species movements in patchy environments such as suburban areas.

This article aims to present a case study on how to use network analysis while prioritizing landscape areas for a threatened amphibian species.

Contents:
I. Landscape connectivity and animal movements
1.1 Amphibian migration movements
1.2 Importance of identifying High-quality habitat (HQH)
II. Connectivity modelling using graph theory
III. Mitigation implications and conclusions