The elements of connectivity where corridor quality is variable

It is concluded that corridor quality is an important element of connectivity and contributes substantially to the effects of fragmentation and should be carefully considered by landscape planners.

Abstract

Small mammals in heterogeneous environments have been found to disperse along corridors connecting habitat patches. Corridors may have different survivability values depending on their size and the degree of cover they provide. This deterministic model tests the effects of varying corridor quality on the demographics of a metapopulation of Peromyscus leucopus. Two types of corridors are defined based on the probability of survival during a dispersal event. Results indicate that mortality during movement through corridors influences metapopulation demographics. We found that: We conclude that corridor quality is an important element of connectivity. It contributes substantially to the effects of fragmentation and should be carefully considered by landscape planners.