Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity
Abstract Many protected areas worldwide increasingly resemble habitat isolates embedded in human-modified landscapes. However, establishing linkages among protected areas could significantly reduce species-loss rates. Here we present a novel method having broad applicability for assessing enhanced r...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2023-01-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26428-z |
| _version_ | 1797952568275501056 |
|---|---|
| author | William D. Newmark John M. Halley Paul Beier Samuel A. Cushman Phoebe B. McNeally Michael E. Soulé |
| author_facet | William D. Newmark John M. Halley Paul Beier Samuel A. Cushman Phoebe B. McNeally Michael E. Soulé |
| author_sort | William D. Newmark |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Many protected areas worldwide increasingly resemble habitat isolates embedded in human-modified landscapes. However, establishing linkages among protected areas could significantly reduce species-loss rates. Here we present a novel method having broad applicability for assessing enhanced regional connectivity on persistence of mammal diversity. We combine theoretically-derived species relaxation rates for mammal communities with empirically-derived pathways. We assess the value of enhanced regional connectivity for two hypothetical networks of national parks in western North America: the Yellowstone-Glacier network and the Mount Rainier-North Cascades network. Linking the Yellowstone and Glacier park assemblages by eliminating barriers to movement in identified mammal dispersal pathways and by incorporating adjacent wilderness areas and known ungulate migratory routes into a protected area network would greatly enlarge available habitat. This would enhance medium to large mammal species persistence time by factor of 4.3, on average, or ~ 682 generations relative to individual parks. Similarly, linking Mount Rainier and North Cascades park assemblages would enhance mammal species persistence time by a factor of 4.3, on average, or ~305 generations relative to individual parks. Enhancing regional connectivity among western North America parks could serve as an important template for landscape-scale conservation in the 21st century. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:48:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a32b6f16fd8246c2a340ed23c7c00020 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T22:48:26Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-a32b6f16fd8246c2a340ed23c7c000202023-01-15T12:10:20ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-01-0113111210.1038/s41598-022-26428-zEnhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversityWilliam D. Newmark0John M. Halley1Paul Beier2Samuel A. Cushman3Phoebe B. McNeally4Michael E. SouléNatural History Museum of Utah, University of UtahDepartment of Biological Applications and Technology, University of IoanninaSchool of Forestry and Merriam-Powell for Environmental Research, Northern Arizona UniversityUS Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research StationDepartment of Geography, University of UtahAbstract Many protected areas worldwide increasingly resemble habitat isolates embedded in human-modified landscapes. However, establishing linkages among protected areas could significantly reduce species-loss rates. Here we present a novel method having broad applicability for assessing enhanced regional connectivity on persistence of mammal diversity. We combine theoretically-derived species relaxation rates for mammal communities with empirically-derived pathways. We assess the value of enhanced regional connectivity for two hypothetical networks of national parks in western North America: the Yellowstone-Glacier network and the Mount Rainier-North Cascades network. Linking the Yellowstone and Glacier park assemblages by eliminating barriers to movement in identified mammal dispersal pathways and by incorporating adjacent wilderness areas and known ungulate migratory routes into a protected area network would greatly enlarge available habitat. This would enhance medium to large mammal species persistence time by factor of 4.3, on average, or ~ 682 generations relative to individual parks. Similarly, linking Mount Rainier and North Cascades park assemblages would enhance mammal species persistence time by a factor of 4.3, on average, or ~305 generations relative to individual parks. Enhancing regional connectivity among western North America parks could serve as an important template for landscape-scale conservation in the 21st century.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26428-z |
| spellingShingle | William D. Newmark John M. Halley Paul Beier Samuel A. Cushman Phoebe B. McNeally Michael E. Soulé Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity Scientific Reports |
| title | Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity |
| title_full | Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity |
| title_short | Enhanced regional connectivity between western North American national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity |
| title_sort | enhanced regional connectivity between western north american national parks will increase persistence of mammal species diversity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-26428-z |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT williamdnewmark enhancedregionalconnectivitybetweenwesternnorthamericannationalparkswillincreasepersistenceofmammalspeciesdiversity AT johnmhalley enhancedregionalconnectivitybetweenwesternnorthamericannationalparkswillincreasepersistenceofmammalspeciesdiversity AT paulbeier enhancedregionalconnectivitybetweenwesternnorthamericannationalparkswillincreasepersistenceofmammalspeciesdiversity AT samuelacushman enhancedregionalconnectivitybetweenwesternnorthamericannationalparkswillincreasepersistenceofmammalspeciesdiversity AT phoebebmcneally enhancedregionalconnectivitybetweenwesternnorthamericannationalparkswillincreasepersistenceofmammalspeciesdiversity AT michaelesoule enhancedregionalconnectivitybetweenwesternnorthamericannationalparkswillincreasepersistenceofmammalspeciesdiversity |