Application of a combined model simulation to determine ecological corridors for western black-crested gibbons in the Hengduan Mountains, China

作者：Jiacheng Wu, Claudio O. Delang, Yijie Li, Quan Ye, Jie Zhou, Huan Liu, Hongming He, Wenming He · 发表于：Ecological Indicators · 年份：2021 · DOI：10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107826 · 被引用次数：30 · 研究领域：Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation、Wildlife Ecology and Conservation、Species Distribution and Climate Change

Habitat fragmentation is a critical contributor to biodiversity degradation and species extinction, as illustrated by the severely fragmented habitat of the western black-crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor), a critically endangered species in the Hengduan Mountains, China. An integrated simulation model, including the random forest algorithm (RFA), empirical bayesian kriging regression (EBKR), and the least-cost path model (LCP), is introduced to determine ecological corridors for western black-crested gibbons in the Hengduan Mountains. In this study, we identified habitat variables and movement behaviors of western black-crested gibbons through RFA and then proposed EBKR, which is combined with LCP to determine potential corridors. Model simulation results suggest that the western black-crested gibbons' habitat is mostly dependent on forests with an altitude of about 2,000 m and a 20° slope, areas undisturbed by human activities. Two land use and cover classes predominate inside the corridors, tree cover and mostly natural vegetation, corresponding to 67.55% and 18.54% of total land use, respectively. A total of nine corridors were planned in Hengduan Mountains via LCP. The shortest corridor, which has recently been incorporated into national park planning, is 7.40 km, and is a route that has no need for bridge construction. The longest corridor is 95.74 km and would require construction of three bridges. Mobility of western black-crested gibbons can increase by 39.49% using ...