Enhancing connectivity in agroecosystems: focus on the best existing corridors or on new pathways?

摘要: Restoring or establishing corridors between residual forest patches is one of the most adopted strategies for conservation animal populations and ecosystem processes in fragmented landscapes. This study aimed to assess whether it more effective focus restoration actions on existing establish habitats other strategic areas that can create new dispersal pathways enhance connectivity. We considered a real agroecosystem northern Italy, based our analyses graph-theory habitat availability metrics, focused Hazel Dormouse as target species. compared connectivity increase resulting from (i) simulated priority corridors, i.e., those with significant presence but which would still result considerable gains, (ii) plantation 30 hedgerows along pathways, no current cover creation be beneficial Implementing resulted substantially larger gains (+ 38%) than when efforts were concentrated improving already (+ 11%). Establishing allowed enhancing complementary functionality full set landscape proved efficient just strengthening where flows concentrated. demonstrated importance analytical procedures able compare effectiveness different management Our approach may applied multiple species sensitive fragmentation heterogeneous landscapes geographical contexts.