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Identifying structural connectivity priorities in eastern Paraguay's fragmented Atlantic Forest
Noé U de la Sancha1,2, Sarah A Boyle3, Nancy E McIntyre4
1Department of Biological Science, Chicago State University, Chicago, IL, USA. delaSancha@msn.com.
Scientific Reports
|August 10, 2021
Summary
Deforestation in Paraguay
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Landscape Ecology
Background:
- The Atlantic Forest in eastern Paraguay faces severe deforestation, leaving fragmented forest remnants.
- This fragmentation disrupts landscape connectivity crucial for forest-dependent fauna, especially mammals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify critical forest remnants for maintaining landscape structural connectivity for mammals in eastern Paraguay.
- To assess the impact of fragmentation on connectivity across various spatial scales and time periods.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a graph theory approach to analyze forest remnant networks from 2000-2019.
- Quantified structural connectivity using 10 graph theory metrics at landscape, nested spatial, and individual remnant levels.
- Assessed network complexity, dispersal efficiency, and remnant importance for connectivity.
Main Results:
- Identified key forest remnants acting as stepping stones, hubs, and articulation points essential for connectivity.
- Structural connectivity is limited for mammals unable to traverse 9-12 km, particularly impacting area-sensitive specialists.
- Identified critical remnants largely outside the proposed "green corridor".
Conclusions:
- Prioritizing identified forest remnants is crucial for effective connectivity conservation in the fragmented Atlantic Forest.
- Conservation efforts should extend beyond current "green corridor" plans to include these vital connectivity nodes.
- Urgent action is needed to mitigate further connectivity loss due to ongoing deforestation.
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