Integration of Landscape Connectivity and Spatial Arrangement of Habitat Patches as an Available Habitat Index

Habitat destruction has been one of the main causes of biodiversity loss. Hence, habitat restoration has a very high priority in management of these areas. The aim of this study was to introduce an applied index of habitat availability through integrating two principal components of connectivity and spatial arrangement of habitat patches. The index can be used in monitoring of habitat changes. The used tools and approaches include: suitability and resistance surfaces, patch network based on graph theory and least-cost method. The results indicated a clear picture of habitat changes in Javaher Dasht Protected Area over the years of study during which the habitat availability index was decrease by at least 52%. This index has high potential in ranking of protected areas on region and country scales and for identifying of strategic restoration patches within these areas. This information can be used in managing and redesigning of protected areas in the country.