Improved connectivity analysis using multiple low-cost paths to evaluate habitat for the endangered San Martin titi monkey (Callicebus oenanthe) in north-central Peru
Abstract
Graph theoretic evaluations of habitat connectivity often rely upon least cost path
analyses to determine the connectedness of any two habitat patches, based on an underlying
cost surface. I present two improvements upon these commonly used methods. First,
rather than using a single least-cost path, I use multiple low-cost paths. This allows
me to differentiate between habitat patches that are connected only through a single
narrow corridor, and habitat patches that are connected through a wide swath of traversable
lands. The ability to identify habitat patches with greater numbers of possible routes
to other patches is of interest for resiliency planning and prioritization in the
face of continued habitat loss and climate change. The second improvement I present
is that instead of relying upon a single cost surface to evaluate connectivity, I
iteratively generate landscapes with spatially varying costs. By testing a variety
of alternative cost surfaces, I can better account for spatial uncertainty in my input
data. As a case study to test these methods, I am evaluating habitat connectivity
for the endangered San Martin titi monkey (Callicebus oenanthe) in north-central Peru.
Type
Master's projectSubject
ConnectivityGraph theory
Multiple low-cost paths
Cost surfaces
San Martin titi monkey (Callicebus oenanthe)
Peru
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https://hdl.handle.net/10161/14198Citation
Walker, Nathan (2017). Improved connectivity analysis using multiple low-cost paths to evaluate habitat for
the endangered San Martin titi monkey (Callicebus oenanthe) in north-central Peru.
Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/14198.Collections
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