GIS-Based Assessment of Habitat Networks for Conservation Planning in Kas-Kekova Protected Area (Turkey)

Dilek Tezel,Sultan Kocaman,Saban Inam

doi:10.3390/ijgi9020091

Abstract

The determination of protected area (PA) boundaries and the level of restrictions is very important for sustainable conservation, and such decisions must involve biodiversity data and assessment. In a PA, the consensus of the government and the locals is crucial to ensure protection–use balance. The PA restrictions constrain legal human activities, and the boundary determination and the restrictions should be based on various scientific analyses to achieve consensus. In this study, a GIS-based approach is proposed to utilize the biodiversity data for efficient conservation and land use planning in Kas-Kekova PA, which is among the most important PAs in Turkey. Spatial analysis methods, i.e., kernel density estimation, natural breaks classification and integrated density index, were performed for the assessment of the habitat networks using georeferenced biodiversity datasets, and the results were evaluated with respect to the actual land use data and the land ownership pattern. The developed spatial analysis approach is efficient to produce the conservation base maps required for regional land use planning, for defining sustainable conservation strategies, and to provide a widely accepted base for land use planning and biodiversity monitoring in the PA; although careful investigations and expert opinions are still required for data deficient areas.

Highlights

In the Earth Summit on Development carried out in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, it was accepted that the loss of biodiversity is an important issue that can be prevented by coordinated global efforts
A quick and feasible method based on kernel density estimation (KDE) and the integrated density index to define the habitat patterns, buffer zones and ecological corridors of threatened species in Kas-Kekova protected area (PA), Turkey was investigated in the present study
It can be concluded that the KDE is powerful to derive a connected habitat network from discrete points of threatened species locations, the selection of a kernel radius that may be suitable for diverse species types can be challenging

Summary

Introduction

In the Earth Summit on Development carried out in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, it was accepted that the loss of biodiversity is an important issue that can be prevented by coordinated global efforts. As output of spatial analysis, habitat patterns can be obtained and assessed for defining the regional ecological network Such a network can be used for improving the habitat connections and proposed as a solution to the land fragmentation problems while ensuring the protection of threatened species and biodiversity [15,16]. The main goals of the present study are; (a) to develop an easy-to-use approach for producing the base maps to present and involve the biodiversity data for defining land use restrictions in Kas-Kekova PA; (b) to integrate the threatened biodiversity elements (discretely collected flora and fauna data) in land use planning; (c) and to propose additional conservation principles on top of the legal principles defined. The main findings of the study are discussed in the final section

Main Characteristics of the Kas-Kekova Protected Area

Conservation Strategies

Findings

Conclusions and Future Works