Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area

The bay areas along migratory bird flyways are essential stopover habitats. However, urbanization has led to fragmentation and loss of coastal habitats, resulting in rapid declines in migratory bird populations. Although habitat networks have proven effective in enhancing habitat connectivity, many...

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Main Authors: Xinyu Liu, Ye Zhao, Lin Fan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Global Ecology and Conservation
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989424005845
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author Xinyu Liu
Ye Zhao
Lin Fan
author_facet Xinyu Liu
Ye Zhao
Lin Fan
author_sort Xinyu Liu
collection DOAJ
description The bay areas along migratory bird flyways are essential stopover habitats. However, urbanization has led to fragmentation and loss of coastal habitats, resulting in rapid declines in migratory bird populations. Although habitat networks have proven effective in enhancing habitat connectivity, many studies of migratory bird habitat networks oversimplify coastal areas, treating them as nodes in a graphical structure and failing to adequately address the relationship between environmental characteristics and bird distribution. This study proposes a habitat network approach focused on the conservation of endangered migratory birds. We first assessed the habitat suitability of seven endangered species in the bay area separately using the MaxEnt model, then constructed and analyzed habitat networks for three groups of migratory birds using the least-cost path model and circuit theory, and finally identified ecologically critical areas that should be prioritized for conservation and restoration. Our findings revealed that (1) land use, food source, and human disturbance are the three primary environmental variables influencing habitat suitability; (2) habitat networks in the bay area are centered around estuarine wetlands and mudflats, with a fragmentation trend of habitats from the ocean to inland areas; and (3) habitat patches and corridors closer to the ocean have higher centrality levels in the network compared to those further inland. This study offers innovative insights into the construction and management of habitat networks for endangered migratory birds in bay areas, providing valuable decision support for the conservation of migratory bird diversity in coastal regions.
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spelling doaj-art-81da33a0367a4b44a95096eaa3f2c1832025-01-23T05:26:58ZengElsevierGlobal Ecology and Conservation2351-98942025-01-0157e03380Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay areaXinyu Liu0Ye Zhao1Lin Fan2College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, 266033, ChinaCollege of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, 266033, China; Corresponding author at: College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, Room 201, No.11, Fushun Street, Shibei District, Qingdao 266033, China.Northwest Surveying, Planning Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, 710048, ChinaThe bay areas along migratory bird flyways are essential stopover habitats. However, urbanization has led to fragmentation and loss of coastal habitats, resulting in rapid declines in migratory bird populations. Although habitat networks have proven effective in enhancing habitat connectivity, many studies of migratory bird habitat networks oversimplify coastal areas, treating them as nodes in a graphical structure and failing to adequately address the relationship between environmental characteristics and bird distribution. This study proposes a habitat network approach focused on the conservation of endangered migratory birds. We first assessed the habitat suitability of seven endangered species in the bay area separately using the MaxEnt model, then constructed and analyzed habitat networks for three groups of migratory birds using the least-cost path model and circuit theory, and finally identified ecologically critical areas that should be prioritized for conservation and restoration. Our findings revealed that (1) land use, food source, and human disturbance are the three primary environmental variables influencing habitat suitability; (2) habitat networks in the bay area are centered around estuarine wetlands and mudflats, with a fragmentation trend of habitats from the ocean to inland areas; and (3) habitat patches and corridors closer to the ocean have higher centrality levels in the network compared to those further inland. This study offers innovative insights into the construction and management of habitat networks for endangered migratory birds in bay areas, providing valuable decision support for the conservation of migratory bird diversity in coastal regions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989424005845Migratory birdsProtected areaHabitat suitabilityHabitat networkEcological connectivityJiaozhou Bay area
spellingShingle Xinyu Liu
Ye Zhao
Lin Fan
Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area
Global Ecology and Conservation
Migratory birds
Protected area
Habitat suitability
Habitat network
Ecological connectivity
Jiaozhou Bay area
title Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area
title_full Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area
title_fullStr Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area
title_full_unstemmed Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area
title_short Constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the Jiaozhou Bay area
title_sort constructing habitat networks to protect endangered migratory birds in the jiaozhou bay area
topic Migratory birds
Protected area
Habitat suitability
Habitat network
Ecological connectivity
Jiaozhou Bay area
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989424005845
work_keys_str_mv AT xinyuliu constructinghabitatnetworkstoprotectendangeredmigratorybirdsinthejiaozhoubayarea
AT yezhao constructinghabitatnetworkstoprotectendangeredmigratorybirdsinthejiaozhoubayarea
AT linfan constructinghabitatnetworkstoprotectendangeredmigratorybirdsinthejiaozhoubayarea