Ecological networks as a new approach for nature conservation in Turkey: A case study of İzmir Province

• Published in: Landscape and urban planning Vol. 90; no. 3; pp. 143 - 154
• Main Authors: Hepcan, Şerif, Hepcan, Çiğdem Coşkun, Bouwma, Irene M., Jongman, Rob H.G., Özkan, Mehmet Bülent
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.04.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Ecological network; Felis chaus; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Hyaena hyaena; Key Biodiversity Areas; Lynx lynx; Minimum Viable Population; Target species; Turkey; Turkey; Asia; Mediterranean Basin; Middle east; Turkey, Anatolia, Izmir; Target species; Ecological network; Turkey; Minimum Viable Population; Key Biodiversity Areas; Ecology; Biodiversity; Case study; Network; Population; Species; Environmental protection; Environment quality
• ISSN: 0169-2046; 1872-6062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.landurbplan.2008.10.023

This paper aims to identify and evaluate a potential ecological network including core areas and large-scale corridors in the İzmir Province and its surrounding areas, Turkey. It is one of the first studies on the connectivity for mammal species and the detection of potential ecological corridors for Turkey. Four wide-ranging species ( Hyaena hyaena, Lynx lynx, Caracal caracal, and Felis chaus) have been chosen as target species. Existing Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and surrounding lands have been evaluated based on a three criteria: (1) vegetation/habitat types, (2) carrying capacity and (3) road density using simple GIS-based models. The results are evaluated using the Minimum Viable Metapopulation (MVMP) standards. No KBA in the study region has a Key Population (KP) or Minimum Viable Population (MVP) with the exception of Boz Dağlar. Least cost-path analysis has been applied to identify linkages between KBAs relevant for the four target species. The conclusion is that it is possible to maintain MVPs in the region when the KBAs are linked by ecological corridors.