Linkages in the Landscape

https://portals.iucn.org/library/efiles/documents/FR-021.pdf

PART 2 VALUES OF LINKAGES

CONNECTIVITY AND WILDLIFE CONSERVATION

Corridors, stepping stones and other habitat configurations to enhance connectivity

Landscape connectivity can be achieved for animal species in two main ways (Fig. 4–1): by managing the
whole landscape mosaic to promote movement and population continuity, or by managing specific
habitats within the landscape to achieve this purpose.

managed in a way that maintains connectivity for species, communities and ecological processes.

suitable for species that perceive the landscape as a mosaic of habitats of varying suitability, none of
which are hostile

Habitat mosaics

habitat mosaic is likely to be an effective way to provide connectivity

• a large part of the landscape will remain in a natural or semi-natural form;

• the species or communities of concern have a high level of tolerance to existing land uses;

• the goal is to protect wide-ranging species that require large areas of habitat

Habitat corridors
provides a continuous, or near continuous, link of suitable habitat through an inhospitable environment.
Such corridors have been variously termed ‘wildlife corridors’, ‘dispersal corridors’, or ‘movement
corridors’ where they are known to be used by animals for movement

• where a large part of the landscape is modified and inhospitable to native species;

• for species that are habitat specialists or have obligate dependence on undisturbed habitats;

• for species that have a limited scale of movement in relation the distance to be traversed. In these
situations, the habitat corridor must provide resources to sustain resident individuals or a population;

• where the goal is to maintain continuity of populations between habitats, rather than simply fostering
infrequent movements of individuals;

• where the goal is the continuity of entire faunal communities;

‘• where maintenance of ecosystem processes requires continuous habitat for their function.
Natural habitat corridors, such as streams and their associated riparian vegetation - follow topographic
or environmental contours and are the result of natural environmental processes.

Remnant habitat corridors, such as strips of unlogged forest within clear-cuts, natural woodland along
roadsides, or natural habitats retained as links between nature reserves, are the result of clearing,
alteration or disturbance to the surrounding environment.

Regenerated habitat corridors occur as the result of regrowth of a strip of vegetation that was formerly
cleared or disturbed. Fencerows and hedges composed of plants that originate from rootstocks, soil-
stored seed, or seeds dispersed by wind or birds, are examples.

Planted habitat corridors, such as farm plantations, windbreaks or shelterbelts, many hedgerows and
some urban greenbelts have been established by humans. They frequently are composed of non-
indigenous plant species, or exotic plants.

Disturbance habitat corridors include railway lines, roads, cleared transmission lines and other features
that result from sustained disturbance within a linear strip. The connecting feature is a line of disturbed
land that differs from the surroundings. Many disturbance corridors, such as powerline easements

Advantages and disadvantages of linkages

Practical measures to promote connectivity of habitats in disturbed landscapes are being widely
adopted in land management, but the concept is not without criticism and debate.

Advantages

Assist the movement of individuals through disturbed landscapes, nomadic or migratory species that
move between irregular or seasonally-varying resources

Increase immigration rates to habitat isolates, maintain a higher species richness and diversity

Facilitate the continuity of natural ecological processes in developed landscape

Disadvantages

Increase immigration rates to habitat isolates, spread of unwanted species such as pests

Increase exposure of animals, predators, hunting or poaching