Analysis Of Forest Fragmentation Research Articles

Assessing forest fragmentation due to land use changes from 1992 to 2023: A spatio-temporal analysis using remote sensing data

The increasing pressures of urban development and agricultural expansion have significant implications for land use and land cover (LULC) dynamics, particularly in ecologically sensitive regions like the Murree and Kotli Sattian tehsils of the Rawalpindi district in Pakistan. This study's primary objective is to assess spatial variations within each LULC category over three decades (1992–2023) using cross-tabulation in ArcGIS to identify changes in LULC and investigates into forest fragmentation analysis using the Landscape Fragmentation Tool (LFTv2.0) to classify forest into several classes such as patch, edge, perforated, small core, medium core, and large core. Utilizing remote sensing data from Landsat 5 and Landsat 9 satellites, the research focuses on the temporal dynamics in various land classes including Coniferous Forest (CF), Evergreen Forest (EF), Arable Land (AR), Buildup Area (BU), Barren Land (BA), Water (WA), and Grassland (GL). The Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier and ArcGIS software were employed for image processing and classification, ensuring accuracy in categorizing different land types. Our results indicate a notable reduction in forested areas, with Coniferous Forest (CF) decreasing from 363.9 km2, constituting 45.0 % of the area in 1992, to 291.5 km2 (36.0 %) in 2023, representing a total decrease of 72.4 km2. Similarly, Evergreen Forests have also seen a significant reduction, from 177.9 km2 (22.0 %) in 1992 to 99.8 km2 (12.3 %) in 2023, a decrease of 78.1 km2. The study investigates into forest fragmentation analysis using the Landscape Fragmentation Tool (LFTv2.0), revealing an increase in fragmentation and a decrease in large core forests from 20.3 % of the total area in 1992 to 7.2 % in 2023. Additionally, the patch forest area increased from 2.4 % in 1992 to 5.9 % in 2023, indicating significant fragmentation. Transition matrices and a Sankey diagram illustrate the transitions between different LULC classes, providing a comprehensive view of the dynamics of land-use changes and their implications for ecosystem services. These findings highlight the critical need for robust conservation strategies and effective land management practices. The study contributes to the understanding of LULC dynamics and forest fragmentation in the Himalayan region of Pakistan, offering insights essential for future land management and policymaking in the face of rapid environmental changes.

Analysis of Forest Fragmentation and Connectivity Using Fractal Dimension and Succolarity

Forests around the world, vital for ecological, economic, and social functions, are facing increasing threats such as deforestation and habitat fragmentation. This study introduces “succolarity” to analyse forest connectivity and fragmentation directionally in the Romanian Carpathians from 2000 to 2021. Besides traditional indices such as the fractal fragmentation index (FFI), the fractal fragmentation and disorder index (FFDI), the local connected fractal dimension (LCFD), and succolarity, two novel indices are proposed: potential succolarity and delta (Δ) succolarity, which provide nuanced insights into environmental changes and human interventions in forests worldwide. The succolarity tests showed invariance at the image scale and sensitivity to the obstacles in different image scenarios. The combined analysis of succolarity and fractal indices reveals dynamic patterns of connectivity, fragmentation, and spatial disturbance. The directional insights of succolarity highlight and enhance understanding of deforestation patterns. The FFI and FFDI show different levels of fragmentation across mountain groups, while the LCFD details local connectivity. The adaptability of the method makes it globally applicable, supporting biodiversity conservation and landscape management. In conclusion, the integration of succolarity and traditional fractal indices provides a robust methodology for the comprehensive analysis of forest fragmentation. This advancement not only supports the sustainable management of the Romanian Carpathians but also represents a versatile approach applicable to ecosystems worldwide, ensuring the long-term resilience of forested regions.

Threat Analysis of Forest Fragmentation and Degradation for Peruvian Primates

Peru has 55 primate taxa (including all species and subspecies), a third of which are threatened. The major drivers of habitat loss, degradation and fragmentation are grazing, forestry, agriculture and transport infrastructure. Other activities such as hunting exacerbate these threats. We assessed the threats from degradation and fragmentation facing Peruvian primates to aid in the design and implementation of mitigation strategies. Through GIS-based mapping, statistical modeling and specialist assessments, we evaluated all primate taxa using the IUCN Conservation Measures Partnership Unified Classifications of Direct Threats across five categories (direct threats to primates, threats to habitat, causes of fragmentation, factors exacerbating fragmentation and threats to primates and habitats as a consequence of fragmentation), highlighting which were most common and most severe. Our results showed that all primate taxa were affected by degradation and fragmentation in Peru. The most common and severe direct threat was hunting, whereas housing and urban development, smallholder crop farming, smallholder grazing and large-scale logging were the most common and severe threats across the other categories. The families Cebidae and Atelidae face the highest overall threat. Our analysis showed that the current IUCN listing of Leontocebus leucogenys [LC] underestimates the true threat level this species faces and that Lagothrix lagothricha tschudii [DD] should be listed under one of the threat categories. In Peru, the need for mitigating the threat of habitat fragmentation is clear. To ensure the survival of Peru’s diverse primate taxa, forest connectivity needs to be maintained or recovered through the protection and restoration of key areas considering their biological and social needs.

Temporal Analysis of Forest Fragmentation in the Amazon Rainforest of Tocantins State, Brazil

Temporal Analysis of Forest Fragmentation in the Amazon Rainforest of Tocantins State, Brazil

Assessment of forest fragmentation in greater Gir landscape area, Gujarat using geospatial techniques

Due to the negative consequences of climate change, the fragmentation of forest areas worldwide as a result of increased anthropogenic pressure has become a source of concern. The objective of this research study was to evaluate forest fragmentation analysis around the Greater Gir Landscape, Gujarat. The Fragmentation assessment was performed based on Land-use & Land-cover (LULC) analysis using the Landsat 8 OLI images of 2015 and 2019 as primary datasets for the study. Geographic Information System (GIS) techniques were employed for LULC mapping with seven classes showing increment in the agriculture and vegetation patches with the year 2019 in compare to year 2015 due to accumulative rainfall pattern. The Spatial Metric was performed with the use of FRAGSTATS software, where Landscape Metrics were quantified using Class level, Landscape level and Moving Window Analysis. The trend observed in all the metrics calculated indicates increasing of continuity in Greater Gir Landscape. The forest has not undergone severe degradation but a rise in the natural classes like agriculture, vegetation patches, and waterbodies has led to increase in the level of continuity which is leading to conversion of these land patches in homogeneity of the areas using geospatial techniques. These spatial metrics using FRAGSTATS helps in simplifying quantification of the complex spatial processes and can be used for generating a positive framework for forest conservation.

Quantifying transportation infrastructure pressure on Southeast Asian World Heritage forests

Transportation infrastructure has expanded rapidly in Southeast Asian forests over the last 20 years, opening up remote areas to the degrading effects of internal forest fragmentation and human exploitation. Natural World Heritage sites (NWHS) can be a powerful policy instrument to safeguard tropical forest ecosystems (when adequately implemented and enforced, and communicated to all relevant stakeholders); however, despite this mechanism, transportation infrastructure pressure has been increasing in NWHS forests. Here we propose a novel GIS approach to assess spatial and temporal changes in transportation infrastructure pressure on NWHS in Southeast Asia using a Transportation Infrastructure Pressure Index (TIPI) and forest fragmentation analysis, underpinned by global open-source datasets. Mean pressure in Southeast Asian NWHS is lower than in their surrounding areas (15 km), suggesting that NWHS protection is preventing some deterioration. However, in the last 5 years, these sites have also come under increasing transportation infrastructure pressure (at a mean rate of 14.9% over the period 2014–2019 across 12 sites in Southeast Asia). Furthermore, increases in transportation pressure in NWHS surrounding areas are correlated with increases in transportation pressure inside NWHS. With transportation infrastructure projected to continue to expand globally, GIS-based analysis methods such as these could enhance existing NWHS monitoring efforts, providing early warning about pressures that may be contributing to forest degradation and biodiversity declines in NWHS.

Forest Fragmentation Analysis in Part of Kalsubai Harishchandragad Wildlife Sanctuary of Northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra

The Western Ghats is rich in a variety of flora, fauna and specifically about its endemism. The uncontrolled human interference in the area created the problems that leads to environmental degradation. In the Western Ghats, changing land-use patterns caused forest fragmentation, habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, loss of movement corridor for the wildlife and it became a primary concern for sustainabilityof biodiversity. To understand the forest fragmentation in the study area, the research work attempts to developed forest fragmentation analysis for the year of 1991 to 2020 using the Landscape Fragmentation Tool (LFT). The result revealed that from 1991 to 2020, non-forest types like water bodies, agriculture land, barren land, scrubland and settlement has been increased by 3.71% (834 ha), 3.36% (755 ha), 2.22% (499 ha), 1.92% (433 ha), and 0.08% (18 ha) . Fragmentation analysis reveals increasing edges by 3.14% (707 ha) and a respectively decrease in the core forest by 6.12% (1376 ha). The result shows that forests are becoming more fragmented and isolated during a period of last three decades. This help to understand and conserve the forest environments.

Fragmentation Typology of Sumatran Tropical Lowland Forest, Labuhanbatu Selatan - Indonesia

Forest land cover experienced changes caused by various factors. Deforestation and forest degradation decreased forest structure and size that produce forest fragmentation. This study aimed to determine spatial distribution patterns and typology of forest fragmentation in the Labuhanbatu Selatan district. The study uses land cover image analysis, forest fragmentation analysis, correlation analysis, and typology analysis. Forest fragmentation is determined based on patch area (CA), patch density (PD), contiguity index (CONTIG), and proximity index (PROX). The study analyzes the correlation between variable factors and the degrees of forest fragmentation to develop a typology of fragmentation forest. The variables used to construct the typology of forest fragmentation are population density, productive age ratio, income, and slope. The classification of forest fragmentation has been completed to create a forest fragmentation typology. To determine the typology of forest fragmentation, the K-Means Cluster analysis method is used. Typology of forests fragmentation of Labuhanbatu Selatan district is three typologies. Typology 1 is the low forest fragmentation of Torgamba, Silangkitang, and Kota Pinang sub-district, typology 2 is moderate forest fragmentation are the Kampung Rakyat, and Typology 3 is high forest fragmentation of Sungai Kanan sub-district.

Monitoring of Urban Landscape Ecology Dynamics of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), Pakistan, Over Four Decades (1976–2016)

In the late 1960s, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s capital shifted from Karachi to Islamabad, officially named Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). In this aspect, the ICT is a young city, but undergoing rapid expansion and urbanization, especially in the last two decades. This study reports the measurement and characterization of ICT land cover change dynamics using Landsat satellite imagery for the years 1976, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2016. Annual rate of change, landscape metrics, and urban forest fragmentation spatiotemporal analyses have been carried out, along with the calculation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicator 11.3.1 Land Consumption Rate to the Population Growth Rate (LCRPGR). The results show consistent increase in the settlement class, with highest annual rate of 8.79% during 2000–2010. Tree cover >40% and <40% canopy decreased at an annual rate of 0.81% and 0.77% between 1976 to 2016, respectively. Forest fragmentation analysis reveals that ‘core forests of >500 acres’ class decreased from 392 km2 (65.41%) to 241 km2 (55%), and ‘patch forest’ class increased from 15 km2 (2.46%) to 20 km2 (4.54%), from 1976 to 2016. The LCRPGR ratio was 0.62 from 1976 to 2000, increasing to 1.36 from 2000 to 2016.

Land Use/Land Cover Changes Assessment and Forest Fragmentation Analysis in the Baroro River Watershed, La Union, Philippines

The Baroro River Watershed, like most watersheds in the Philippines, has been experiencing widespread land use changes. With the increasing interest on studies of watersheds as valuable water resources, this study attempted to assess the land use/land cover changes and forest fragmentation using landscape metrics. Three official land cover maps (2003, 2010, and 2015) were obtained. Cross-tabulation detection method in the Geographic Information System module was used to detect land cover changes during the first period (2003-2010) and second period (2010-2015). The landscape fragmentation tool (LFT v2.0) generated a forest fragmentation map, then analyzed patterns and changes in three time periods: 2003-2010, 2010-2015, and 2003-2015. The annual rate of change in the forest cover has a negative trend in all three time periods: 1.16%, 0.91%, and 1.06%, respectively. Conversely, forest fragmentation analysis revealed a markedly decrease of large forest areas and that the number of patches, percentage of land, and edge density of forest patch, edge and small core increased over time. Also, smaller patches (0 – 100 ha) in large forest areas increased rapidly (3 to 225 patches), indicating a more fragmented forest landscape. In 12 years, there were widespread land cover changes and forest fragmentation in the watershed mainly due to expansion in agricultural and built-up areas. It is hoped that results of this study, particularly the application of landscape metrics using spatial data, can serve as necessary inputs in crafting sustainable land use policies, plans, and interventions for effective and comprehensive watershed management.

Land use change and fragmentation in the protected areas of peninsular Malaysia: The cases of Klang Gate and Sungai Dusun wildlife reserves

Ongoing economic and demographic growth in developing countries has exponentially increased the need for anthropogenic land use. The expansion of human populations into pristine environments has publicized the fierce competition between environmental conservation and anthropogenic resource demands. Because protected areas (PAs) are increasingly imperilled by human land use, particularly in the tropical regions, PAs should be regularly monitored and assessed for land use modifications in order to determine the impact on long term sustainability. In this work, land use change assessments and forest fragmentation analysis were conducted for the period between 1988 and 2012 at two PAs in peninsular Malaysia — Klang Gate and Sungai Dusun wildlife reserve. The findings demonstrated that Klang Gate lost 29.9% of its forest cover due to surrounding development and commercial agriculture; while commercial agriculture in Sungai Dusun caused only a 5% forest loss. Furthermore, Klang Gate also showed a higher degree of forest fragmentation when compared to Sungai Dusun. The fact that Klang Gate experienced ∼6x more habitat loss than Sungai Dusun implies that area underwent unsustainable development. Thus, more in depth evaluation regarding the effectiveness of conservation measures within PAs of developing countries is crucial to identifying gaps in management and conservation policy.

Multitemporal spatial analysis of forest fragments in the Barra Seca River basin, ES: a case study

Multitemporal spatial analysis of forest fragments in the Barra Seca River basin, ES: a case study

Forest Fragmentation Analysis from Multiple Imaging Formats

Abstract In landscape ecology, forest fragmentation studies with emphasis on effects of scale on fragmentation patch metrics, is an important research area. With increasing availability of satellite data at multiple scales and varied resolutions, it has become important to understand effects of comparing fragmentation metrics acquired from coarse resolution images and those from finer resolution imagery. This is crucial because coarse resolution images such as Landsat imagery, are relatively easier to find because of their cheaper costs, availability and broad coverage, whereas finer resolution imagery is more expensive and therefore, spans only small areas. This paper examines effects of varied spatial resolutions on common fragmentation metrics using Landsat, Sentinel, National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) imagery obtained in November, 2017 of the Whitethorne area near Blacksburg, Virginia. The images are analyzed using FRAGSTATS and ArcGIS software programs. The results show significant differences in fragmentation metrics despite simultaneous acquisition of all images in the same area. Discussion of results obtained in this study centers on the reasons for this disparity, and examines uses of imagery of different resolutions for forest fragmentation analysis.

Spatial Analysis of Forest Fragmentation in the Atlantic Forest Bioma Areas

The goal of this work was to calculate landscape ecology metrics using the R language, allowing the analysis of forest fragments under the Atlantic Forest domain located in the sub-basin of Arroio Jaquirana, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. For the mapping of the forest fragments, we used images from the REIS/RapidEye sensor dated 2016, and the classification was supervised through the Bhattacharya algorithm. The fragments were analyzed in seven size classes, to separate them and to calculate the landscape metrics it was used R language. The results attained demonstrated that the native forest occupied 34.01% of the study area, covering a total of 1,995 fragments, of which 93.43% were less than 5 ha. The highest values of edge and perimeter-area ratio were found in the small fragments indicating a greater edge effect, with the central areas of these remnants being exposed to the external matrix effects. Thus, it is concluded that the Atlantic Forest is highly fragmented and is extremely important to establish measures to minimize the effects and/or increase the connectivity between the fragments through ecological corridors using the smaller fragments, in addition, it makes necessary the development of public policies and research for the management of the region in order to preserve the remnants.

Geotechnology in the analysis of forest fragments in northern Mato Grosso, Brazil

Pasture implantation fragments and reduces the Amazonian forest area. The objective was to quantify landscape changes in 1985, 2000 and 2015 in northern Mato Grosso, Brazil. The study was carried out in three scenes obtained by the LANDSAT satellite of a microbasin (2742.33 ha) in the municipality of Alta Floresta. Forest, water bodies, pasture and exposed soil were the thematic classes determined to e mapping the land use evolution. The edge, density and shape indexes of the fragments were measured. Normalized vegetation difference (NDVI) values were high in 1985. Land use and occupation over 15 years (1985–2000) reduced forest cover by 69.8%, but it increased by 1.7% over the next 15 years (2000–2015). The number of exposed soil patches increased between the periods, but the total area and number of the patches of the forest fragments decreased. The high values of NDVI in 1985 showed vegetated areas with high density. Reducing forest cover decreases the size of the fragments, increases the isolation and the number of soil patches exposed. The mapping of land use showed a reduction of the Amazon forest in the microbasin in the north of Mato Grosso, in the years 2000 and 2015 compared to 1985.

Remote Sensing Based Forest Fragmentation Analysis Using GIS along Fringe Forests of Kollam District, Kerala

Remote Sensing Based Forest Fragmentation Analysis Using GIS along Fringe Forests of Kollam District, Kerala

Assessment of Land-Use/Land-Cover Change and Forest Fragmentation in the Garhwal Himalayan Region of India

The Garhwal Himalaya has experienced extensive deforestation and forest fragmentation, but data and documentation detailing this transformation of the Himalaya are limited. The aim of this study is to analyse the observed changes in land cover and forest fragmentation that occurred between 1976 and 2014 in the Garhwal Himalayan region in India. Three images from Landsat 2 Multispectral Scanner System (MSS), Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) were used to extract the land cover maps. A cross-tabulation detection method in the geographic information system (GIS) module was used to detect land cover changes during the 1st period (1976–1998) and 2nd period (1998–2014). The landscape fragmentation tool LFT v2.0 was used to construct a forest fragmentation map and analyse the forest fragmentation pattern and change during the 1st period (1976–1998) and 2nd period (1998–2014). The overall annual rate of change in the forest cover was observed to be 0.22% and 0.27% in the 1st period (1976–1998) and 2nd period (1998–2014), respectively. The forest fragmentation analysis shows that a large core forest has decreased throughout the study period. The total area of forest patches also increased from 1976 to 2014, which are completely degraded forests. The results indicate that anthropogenic activities are the main causes of the loss of forest cover and forest fragmentation, but that natural factors also contributed. An increase in the area of scrub and barren land also contributed to the accumulation of wasteland or non-forest land in this region. Determining the trend and the rate of land cover conversion is necessary for development planners to establish a rational land use policy.

The R Language in Spatial Analysis of Forest Fragments

The R Language in Spatial Analysis of Forest Fragments

PRIORITY AREAS FOR FOREST CONSERVATION IN AN URBAN LANDSCAPE AT THE TRANSITION BETWEEN ATLANTIC FOREST AND CERRADO

ABSTRACT Urbanization and agriculture growth are some of the major causes of natural ecosystems depletion and biodiversity loss. Conservation efforts can be developed through the prioritization of areas for forest conservation in order to minimize this process. Here, we establish conservation strategies based on a spatial analysis of forest fragments in an urban landscape at the transition between two important Brazilian biodiversity hotspots: Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. A high-resolution mapping of forest patches was used to quantify forest cover and to provide spatial analysis. We developed a Forest Conservation Priority Index (FCPI) derived from landscape metrics to select priority areas for forest conservation efforts. We used area, shape and proximity metrics as landscape structure indicators. Landscape metrics were classified and we attributed a rank and weights for them to calculate the FCPI. Forest covers 17% of the study area. 60% of the forest patches comprise less than one hectare, 95% less than 10 ha and only 1% more than 50 ha. The largest fragments (> 100ha) are all long and narrow. Also, fewer than half the patches are connected to others. Regions classified as high and very high priority for forest conservation are localized at greater slopes, along rivers and on private lands. Our index allowed the prioritization of forest fragments in an urban landscape, directing efforts of conservation. Creating protected areas and restoration plans are necessary for the better situation of the natural ecosystem. Land-use planning must resolve human demands and conservation of this important ecosystem.

Geospatial analysis of forest fragmentation in Uttara Kannada District, India

Landscapes consist of heterogeneous interacting dynamic elements with complex ecological, economic and cultural attributes. These complex interactions help in the sustenance of natural resources through bio-geochemical and hydrological cycling. The ecosystem functions are altered with changes in the landscape structure. Fragmentation of large contiguous forests to small and isolated forest patches either by natural phenomena or anthropogenic activities leads to drastic changes in forest patch sizes, shape, connectivity and internal heterogeneity, which restrict the movement leading to inbreeding among Meta populations with extirpation of species. Landscape dynamics are assessed through land use analysis by way of remote sensing data acquired at different time periods. Forest fragmentation is assessed at the pixel level through computation of two indicators, i.e., P f (the ratio of pixels that are forested to the total non-water pixels in the window) and P ff (the proportion of all adjacent (cardinal directions only) pixel pairs that include at least one forest pixel, for which both pixels are forested). Uttara Kannada District has the distinction of having the highest forest cover in Karnataka State, India. This region has been experiencing changes in its forest cover and consequent alterations in functional abilities of its ecosystem. Temporal land use analyses show the trend of deforestation, evident from the reduction of evergreen - semi evergreen forest cover from 57.31 % (1979) to 32.08 % (2013) Forest fragmentation at the landscape level shows a decline of interior forests 64.42 % (1979) to 25.62 % (2013) and transition of non-forest categories such as crop land, plantations and built-up areas, amounting now to 47.29 %. PCA prioritized geophysical and socio variables responsible for changes in the landscape structure at local levels. Terrestrial forest ecosystems in Uttara Kannada District of Central Western Ghats have been experiencing threats due to deforestation with land use changes and fragmentation of contiguous forests, as is evident from the decline of interior forests and consequent increases in patch, transitional, edge and perforated forests. Interior or intact forest cover in this ecologically fragile region is now 25.62 %. Considering the accelerating rates of forest fragmentation in recent times, the focus should be on reforestation and regeneration of natural vegetation to sustain food and water security and the livelihood of local populations. This requires innovation with holistic approaches in the management of forests by involving all local stakeholders to minimize the encroachment of forests, and improvements in regeneration.