Special Issue on Dynamic Landscape Connectivity
Kathy Zeller
Habitat fragmentation and degradation are two of the greatest threats to habitat availability and quality, posing a direct risk to species persistence and, consequently, biodiversity. Establishing or preserving landscape connectivity alleviates the negative effects of fragmentation and allows for movement and gene flow among populations, increasing the likelihood of population persistence in altered environments. Further, connectivity can support the recovery of populations after events such as fire and disease outbreaks, and facilitate the movement of species in response to climate change. Traditionally, terrestrial connectivity assessments and planning efforts have assumed a static environment. In recent years, research has focused on capturing the inherent dynamic nature of landscapes and species movement for connectivity planning. The Special Issue “Dynamic Connectivity” of Land will explore the advances that have been made in connectivity evaluation and assessment, planning, and implementation that incorporate spatial and temporal landscape dynamics that affect structural and functional connectivity. These dynamic features can be driven by seasonal or annual fluctuations, extreme events, climate change, as well as human impacts like land or resource use, urbanization or other anthropogenic factors.
In this Special Issue, we invite papers focusing on, but not limited to, actionable approaches to understand, assess, and implement landscape connectivity in dynamic systems. Submissions may include:
- Case studies of dynamic connectivity analyses or implementation;
- Approaches to address specific challenges in dynamic systems;
- Overviews of best practices and lessons learned for researchers and practitioners;
- Explorations of the role of social networks and collaborative efforts in successful dynamic connectivity planning and implementation;
- Approaches for stakeholder engagement, plan delivery, decision-making strategies, and implementation actions.
Prof. Dr. Rebecca Lewison
Dr. Megan Jennings
Dr. Katherine Zeller
Guest Editors