ABSTRACT

Ecological connectivity across landscapes is vital for the maintenance of biodiversity and the processes that enable life on earth. Despite this, environmental planning decisions are usually made at the scale of individual projects, failing to account for landscape-scale impacts. Incorporating habitat connectivity analysis in Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) could provide an opportunity to address this gap. We present a novel approach to model habitat connectivity in an EIA undertaken for the Heathrow Third Runway Expansion Project, a proposed development in south-east England. Drawing on field data, remote sensing, and species-specific literature reviews, a circuit theory approach was used to assess functional connectivity across the project landscape for grass snakes Natrix helvetica and soprano pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus. Results indicated key areas for species movement and potential ‘pinch-points’ vulnerable to development impacts. We discuss lessons learnt, potential applications to inform impact assessment, mitigation design, and biodiversity net gain approaches, and further work required to mainstream connectivity analyses in EIA and decision-making.

摘要

跨景观的生态连通性对于维持生物多样性和促进地球上生命的过程至关重要。尽管如此，环境规划决策通常是在单个项目的规模上做出的，没有考虑到景观规模的影响。将栖息地连通性分析纳入环境影响评估 (EIA) 可以提供解决这一差距的机会。我们在为希思罗机场第三跑道扩建项目进行的环境影响评估中提出了一种模拟栖息地连通性的新方法，该项目是英格兰东南部的一项拟议开发项目。利用现场数据、遥感和特定物种的文献综述，使用电路理论方法来评估草蛇Natrix helvetica在整个项目景观中的功能连通性和女高音 pipistrelles Pipistrellus pygmaeus。结果表明物种迁移的关键区域和易受发展影响的潜在“关键点”。我们讨论了经验教训、为影响评估、缓解设计和生物多样性净增益方法提供信息的潜在应用，以及将连通性分析纳入 EIA 和决策主流所需的进一步工作。