Modeling Habitat Connectivity for the Monarch Butterfly among Protected Areas and its Significance in Conservation

Conefor Sensinode 2.2

 

The Conefor software is useful for connectivity analysis with a functional perspective (Saura and Torne, 2009). Conefor will be used to consider habitat arrangement (structural connectivity), the dispersal distance, and the response of species in the structure of the habitat patches (functional connectivity). In respects to my study, the Conefor binary connection model was used to compute Euclidian distances and effective distances  between protected areas by considering the various dispersal abilities and mortality risk of a species through different land cover types. I will rank habitat patches by their contribution to landscape connectivity and this will distinguish which are the critical patches for conservation planning efforts for the monarch butterflies.

 

Monarch butterflies have the ability to fly great distances to complete their migration from Canada to central Mexico (up to 5000 km), however fat reserves obtained before the long flight have since been lost in the overwintering areas and monarchs can no longer disperse as far as 4830 km (Urquhart and Urquhart, 1978). On clear days monarchs fly back and forth to water as far as a kilometre from the colony (Masters et al., 1988). One kilometer (1000 decimal degrees) dispersal distance will be the criteria for maximum dispersal between patches.

 

Conefore is an important decision-making tool in landscape planning for conservation because different patches can be excluded from the landscape or added to better maintain connectivity. I will use this program to aid me in deciding which patches are most critical for overall effectiveness of linkage within the network.