Impact of roads on environmental protected areas: analysis and comparison of metrics for assessing habitat fragmentation.

The present study focuses on evaluating the effect of fragmentation caused by road infrastructures on a territory with singular characteristics such as low population density and a high proportion of its surface area protected by the Natura 2000 network. Based on the IFI, UFI, Meff and DIVI metrics, the state of fragmentation of the landscape units (LU) was studied from two different approaches, considering two different protection figures, and the degree of suitability of the metrics used for the objective pursued was analysed. The results show that the expressions proposed for the indicators which measure the fragmentation of landscape units (LU) originated by road infrastructures (IFI, Meff and DIVI) assess different causes and consequences in the territory than that proposed for fragmentation originated by urban areas (UFI). The combination of all indicators allows for the identification of shortcomings and strengths of the LU analysed and, consequently, evaluation of the effectiveness of the design of the LU and need for improvement. The outcomes of fragmentation analysis of the LU in the area under study varied depending on the criterion applied and the protection figure considered. A general increasing trend for all indicators was found in terms of the number of LU units and LU surface as the level of fragmentation rises. The results of this study are useful for decision-making on territory and road infrastructures management and new approaches to the organisation of the Natura 2000 network.

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Sánchez-Fernández M. Barrigón Morillas J.M. Montes González D. y de Sanjosé Blasco J.J. Impact of roads on environmental protected areas: analysis and comparison of metrics for assessing habitat fragmentation. MDPI, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101843

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Retrieved: 24 Feb 2025 06:00:05
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Resource type Text
Date of creation 2024-12-02
Date of last revision 2024-12-02
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Metadata identifier b24fe93e-5eff-5833-aaec-b46d3d15f611
Metadata language Spanish
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ISO 19115 topic category biota
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Name of the dataset creator Sánchez-Fernández, M., Barrigón Morillas, J.M., Montes González, D. y de Sanjosé Blasco, J.J.
Name of the dataset editor MDPI
Other identifier DOI: 10.3390/land11101843
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