Determination of ecological networks for vegetation connectivity using GIS & AHP technique in the Mediterranean degraded karst ecosystems

Dindaroglu T.

JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS, cilt.188, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 188
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2020.104385
  • Dergi Adı: JOURNAL OF ARID ENVIRONMENTS
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Aerospace Database, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Communication Abstracts, Environment Index, Geobase, Index Islamicus, Metadex, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Habitat suitability, Plant connectivity, Ecological network, Karst ecosystem, AHP
  • Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Hayır

Özet

Full-scale intensive silvicultural activities, such as afforestation and rehabilitation, can deteriorate the fragile structural features and functions of karst ecosystems. Within these ecosystems, degraded and fragmented habitats can only be connected to each other through a landscape network that poses a positive umbrella effect over these areas. The aim of this research was to determine suitable eco-regions and landscape corridors for reforestation and restoration based on several biotic and abiotic habitat factors using Analytic Hierarchic Processes (AHP) and Geographic Information System (GIS). This approach was targeted at plant species naturally associated with the degraded Mediterranean karst ecosystem, such as Pinus brutia Ten, Juniperus drupacea, Styrax officinalis L., Pistacia terebinthus L., Laurus nobilis L., and Cerasus mahaleb L. in the study area, which is located in the Andirin Sarimsak Mountains in Kahramanmaras, Turkey. In this study, potential landscape corridors and their habitat qualities have been identified for the target species, where ratings from 'poor' to 'best' were assigned depending on the condition of degradation. Of the 33 identified corridors, 8 were characterized as 'poor', 10 as 'average', 10 as 'good', and 5 as 'best' Specifically, the 'best' corridors are recommended for afforestation, while rehabilitation is suggested for 'poor' corridors to increase the effectiveness of landscape networks in the degraded karst ecosystem.