Functional Habitat Connectivity Analysis for the Township of Langley, British Columbia

In response to the growing concern of loss of biodiversity due to global urbanization, much research has investigated its influence on habitat connectivity, yet little is known about the functional habitat connectivity of the Coastal Douglas-fir (CDF) and the Western Hemlock (CWH) BEC Zone in urban areas. This study aimed to assess the functional habitat connectivity of the Township of Langley in British Columbia, Canada, to facilitate urban planning and urban biodiversity conservation. Using lidar-derived and land cover data, quantified habitat connectivity was quantified with the probability of connectivity index (PC) for three species (the western red-backed salamander, the American red squirrel, and the brown creeper) with different habitat requirements and mobility. Suitable habitat patches were filtered and selected based on the habitat requirements of each species, and habitat networks were generated considering dispersal distance to model the connectivity index in the Conefor software. Key patches, hub patches, and key-hub patches were identified based on the patch importance level generated from Conefor. The study found a large variance in PC and distribution of important patches among species in the landscape. The major connectivity corridor, identified according to the distribution of key-hub patches for all species, showed some important areas for overall connectivity improvement. Despite limitations on timeliness, computational power and consideration of dispersal barriers, this study enhances understanding of local-scale connectivity and offers guidance for urban planners and developers seeking to incorporate biodiversity conservation in decision-making. Identification of key patches, hub patches, and key-hub patches also highlights potential areas for habitat preservation, which is particularly relevant for urban green infrastructure design that supports both human well-being and biodiversity conservation.针对全球城市化引发的生物多样性丧失问题，学界已开展大量研究探讨其对生境连通性的影响，但针对城市区域内沿海道格拉斯冷杉（Coastal Douglas-fir, CDF）与西部铁杉（Western Hemlock, CWH）生物地理气候区（BEC Zone）的功能性生境连通性，目前仍缺乏深入认知。本研究以加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省兰利镇为研究区域，旨在评估其功能性生境连通性，为城市规划与城市生物多样性保护工作提供决策支撑。研究采用激光雷达（lidar）衍生数据与土地覆盖数据，基于连通性概率指数（probability of connectivity index, PC），针对3种生境需求与扩散能力各异的物种——西部红背蝾螈、美洲红松鼠与棕旋木雀，量化了生境连通性水平。研究人员依据各物种的生境需求筛选出适宜生境斑块，并结合物种扩散距离构建生境网络，随后在Conefor软件中对连通性指数进行建模计算。基于Conefor软件生成的斑块重要性等级，研究识别出关键斑块、核心斑块（hub patches）与关键核心斑块（key-hub patches）。研究结果显示，景观中不同物种的连通性概率指数（PC）与重要斑块分布均存在显著差异。基于所有物种的关键核心斑块分布所识别出的主要连通廊道，明确了若干可用于提升整体生境连通性的关键区域。尽管本研究在时效性、计算性能以及扩散障碍考量方面存在一定局限，但仍深化了对局域尺度生境连通性的认知，并为旨在将生物多样性保护纳入决策流程的城市规划者与开发者提供了科学参考。对关键斑块、核心斑块与关键核心斑块的识别，也为生境保护划定了潜在优先区域，这对于兼顾人类福祉与生物多样性保护的城市绿色基础设施设计尤为重要。