Pooling biodiversity offsets to improve habitat connectivity and species conservation

JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

卷:277

Article

Tarabon, Simon^1,2  Dutoit, Thierry²  Isselin-Nondedeu, Francis^2,3 

[1] Soberco Environm, Chemin Taffignon, F-69630 Chaponost, France

[2] Aix Marseille Univ, Avignon Univ, IUT Avignon, Inst Mediterraneen Biodivers & Ecol,UMR CNRS IRD, 337 Chemin Meinajaries,Site Agroparc BP 61207, F-84911 Avignon 09, France

[3] Univ Tours, Ecole Polytech, Dept Amenagement & Environm, UMR CNRS CITERES 7324, 33-35 Allee Ferdinand de Lesseps, F-37200 Tours, France

关键词: Biodiversity offsets;    Mitigation hierarchy;    Offset efficiency;    Habitat connectivity;    Graph theory;   

DOI  :  10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.111425

来源: Elsevier

【 摘 要 】

Land developers can apply biodiversity offsetting in different ways, from a project-by-project approach to a pooled and proactive approach, this latter appearing to provide greater advantages both in terms of implementation and of the No Net Loss objective. Incorporating landscape connectivity into the mitigation hierarchy is commonly recommended, but the benefits of pooling and anticipating offsets have never really been demonstrated from modeling approaches. Here, we compare connectivity gains from two different offsetting scenarios, when interconnections at offset sites are taken and not taken into account. Assuming that gains can be increased by optimizing the location of offsets, we identified sites where biodiversity offsetting generates the greatest ecological gains in habitat connectivity. The method was applied to a study case in the suburbs of Lyon (Southern France) using several representative species and the landscape functional connectivity model Graphab. Pooling biodiversity offsets led to additional gains in overall habitat connectivity of +103% on average, which we show can be further improved (+8%) by using a patch addition process available in Graphab to plan spatially and ecologically coherent offsetting areas. Pooling and anticipating biodiversity offsets in this way can help preserve the biodiversity and the functionality of natural environments at the territorial scale.

【 授权许可】

Free