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A prioritization metric and modelling framework for fragmented saltmarsh patches restoration

A prioritization metric and modelling framework for fragmented saltmarsh patches restoration

Authors :
Dongdong Shao
Kang Liu
Hannah L. Mossman
Matthew P. Adams
Hongfang Wang
Dongxue Li
Yu Yan
Baoshan Cui
Source :
Ecological Indicators, Vol 128, Iss , Pp 107833- (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
Elsevier, 2021.

Abstract

Saltmarsh is a coastal ecosystem providing crucial ecosystem services, and its continued degradation and fragmentation has drawn increasing attention. However, how to effectively restore the connectivity between fragmented saltmarsh patches remains an open challenge. In this study, we developed a metric and modelling framework that prioritised saltmarsh patches for restoration. To demonstrate our approach, we simulated spatially explicit restoration schedules for Suaeda salsa patches at the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve, China, using three strategies: increasing-patch-area, increasing-number-of-patches and a benchmark unrestrictive prioritization strategy. We prioritised patches for restoration based on a number of widely used graph-theoretic landscape connectivity and metapopulation capacity metrics. Our simulation results suggested the rank connectivity-importance of extant patches was correlated within the group of graph-theoretic connectivity metrics or metapopulation capacity metrics, but unrelated across group. The unrestrictive prioritization strategy clearly outperformed the strategies of increasing-patch-area and increasing-number-of-patches which returned comparable connectivity restoration outcomes. For the more effective unrestrictive prioritization strategy, there were substantial differences in the simulated priority patches between metrics that considered stepping stone effects and those did not. While the former resulted in corridor-building priority patches that led to a more connected landscape throughout the region, the latter led to local clustering. We recommend use of the total probability of connectivity (PC) among the metrics we tested due to similarity of results to other metrics and its simulation efficiency. The proposed framework is readily applicable to prioritise areas for connectivity conservation and restoration in any monospecific ecosystem at the regional scale.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
1470160X
Volume :
128
Issue :
107833-
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Ecological Indicators
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.0069b05804fe4680b30f8d4a960ec15c
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2021.107833