Abstract
Context Promoting habitat networks of natural grasslands within agricultural landscapes is crucial to supporting biodiversity and protecting endangered grassland species. Understanding the degree of fragmentation of these habitat networks assists in better elucidating their value to the grassland network. However, natural grassland characteristics in intensively used landscapes often need to be more adequately documented, which hinders effective grassland biodiversity conservation.Objectives We combined local data and modeling to identify conservation priorities for natural grasslands through assessing population and habitat patch characteristics for European Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus citellus, EGS), a keystone grassland specialist, in agricultural settings.Methods We used available information with presence/absence data and two spatially explicit models (LARCH and Circuitscape) to assess the potential of the current landscape in northern Serbia to protect the EGS. We applied the LARCH model to indicate potential habitat networks for the EGS and Circuitscape to assess connectivity of areas within and between these networks and identify areas of interventions that will serve as corridors between networks after restoration work. Together with the presence/absence data, this is used to set priorities for conservation actions for each network.Results We identified the presence of 15 habitat networks. The networks differ in connectivity, size, capacity, and sustainability to support local EGS populations.Conclusions The results revealed areas on which spatial adaptation measures and actions should be deployed to accommodate the long-term survival of EGS. In addition, the findings help the conservation of (semi)natural grassland and future land planning in terms of sustainable land use in an agricultural setting.