The road to success and the fences to be crossed: Considering multiple infrastructure in landscape connectivity modelling (Dataset and script)

Linear infrastructure represent a barrier to movement for many species,
reducing the connectivity of the landscapes in which they reside. Of all
linear infrastructure, roads and fences are two of the most ubiquitous,
and are understood to reduce landscape connectivity for wildlife. However,
what is often neglected consideration is a holistic approach of modelling
the effects of multiple types of linear infrastructure simultaneously. Few
studies have examined this, typically assessing the impacts of a singular
kind of infrastructure on landscape connectivity. Therefore, the aim of
this study is to address the relative importance of considering multiple
kinds of linear infrastructure in landscape connectivity modelling. We
utilised presence data of red deer Cervus elaphus and
wild boar Sus scrofa in Doñana Biosphere Reserve (Spain) to
generate a sequential approach of scenarios of landscape connectivity;
firstly only with environmental variables, secondly with roads as the sole
infrastructure, thirdly with the addition of fences, and finally with the
further addition of fences and wildlife road-crossing structures. We found
that the connectivity of the landscape was greatly affected by the
addition of fences and wildlife road-crossing structures in both species,
with fences in particular causing considerable alterations to estimated
movement pathways. Our finding impresses a need to consider multiple
different types of linear infrastructure when modelling landscape
connectivity to enable a more realistic view of wildlife movement and
inform mitigation and conservation measures more accurately.