Determining the Probable corridors for Persian leopard between Golestan national park and KHoshyailagh wildlife refuge by using Circuitscape theory

Maintaining and restoring the relationship between different parts of the terrestrial landscape requires communication models and indicators that are reliable and efficient. One of these models is a communication model based on electrical circuit theory. To predict the pattern of movement in terrestrial landscape, identification of important habitat spots and corridors with the aim of planning for conservation has been used. Electricity is a network of nodes connected to each other by the resistors (electrical conductive parts of the current) and the amount of flow through the nodes is determined by the potential difference and the resistors. The circuit theory assumes that the terrestrial image is a conductive surface that converts each pixel into a node and connects it to adjacent electrical circuits. In this study, the desirability of the Iranian leopard habitat in two habitats of Khobyyalagh wildlife sanctuary and Golestan National Park was investigated by means of factor analysis of ecological niches and Biomper software. The data layers used as variables affecting the presence of species including elevation, slope, and vegetation index (NDVI), distance from roads, distance from villages, springs and rivers. Also, in the present study, the theory of electrical circuits was used to investigate the Iranian lagoon habitat links between the two habitats, and based on flow maps, movement patterns and functional communication for target species as well as important communication areas in the study area were identified.