TY - JOUR
T1 - Optimal design of compact and functionally contiguous conservation management areas
AU - Önal, Hayri
AU - Wang, Yicheng
AU - Dissanayake, Sahan T.M.
AU - Westervelt, James D.
N1 - This research was partially supported by the ERDC-CERL Project no. W81EWF-7204-6330, CREES Project no. ILLU 05-0361, and National Natural Science Foundation of China ( 71202096 ).
PY - 2016/6/16
Y1 - 2016/6/16
N2 - Compactness and landscape connectivity are essential properties for effective functioning of conservation reserves. In this article we introduce a linear integer programming model to determine optimal configuration of a conservation reserve with such properties. Connectivity can be defined either as structural (physical) connectivity or functional connectivity; the model developed here addresses both properties. We apply the model to identify the optimal conservation management areas for protection of Gopher Tortoise (GT) in a military installation, Ft. Benning, Georgia, which serves as a safe refuge for this ‘at risk’ species. The recent expansion in the military mission of the installation increases the pressure on scarce GT habitat areas, which requires moving some of the existent populations in those areas to suitably chosen new conservation management areas within the boundaries of the installation. Using the model, we find the most suitable and spatially coherent management areas outside the heavily used training areas.
AB - Compactness and landscape connectivity are essential properties for effective functioning of conservation reserves. In this article we introduce a linear integer programming model to determine optimal configuration of a conservation reserve with such properties. Connectivity can be defined either as structural (physical) connectivity or functional connectivity; the model developed here addresses both properties. We apply the model to identify the optimal conservation management areas for protection of Gopher Tortoise (GT) in a military installation, Ft. Benning, Georgia, which serves as a safe refuge for this ‘at risk’ species. The recent expansion in the military mission of the installation increases the pressure on scarce GT habitat areas, which requires moving some of the existent populations in those areas to suitably chosen new conservation management areas within the boundaries of the installation. Using the model, we find the most suitable and spatially coherent management areas outside the heavily used training areas.
KW - (D) OR in natural resources
KW - Compactness
KW - Integer programming
KW - Landscape connectivity
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U2 - 10.1016/j.ejor.2015.12.005
DO - 10.1016/j.ejor.2015.12.005
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84952705939
SN - 0377-2217
VL - 251
SP - 957
EP - 968
JO - European Journal of Operational Research
JF - European Journal of Operational Research
IS - 3
ER -