Connectivity analysis of ecological landscape networks by cut node ranking

Abstract

Ecological landscape networks represent the current paradigm for the protection of biodiversity. In the analysis of land features that precedes the establishment of land management plans, graph-theoretic approaches become increasingly popular due to their aptness for the representation of connectivity. Ecological corridors, seen as connecting elements for geographically distant areas dedicated to the preservation of endangered species, can be analyzed for the identification of critical land patches, by ranking cut nodes according to a score that encompasses various criteria for prioritized intervention.