Incorporating Bioclimatic Zones into Informing Ecological Networks for Better Biodiversity Conservation

Abstract

Building ecological networks can effectively enhance the quality and stability of ecosystems and better conserve biodiversity. Previous studies mainly determined ecological corridors based on selecting ecological sources at a regional scale (e.g., an administrative area), without considering the bioclimatic heterogeneity within the study area. Here, we propose a novel integrating approach involving bioclimatic zoning and selecting ecological sources from various bioclimatic zones to design ecological corridors. Taking Xi’an City, China, as an example, key bioclimatic variables were first chosen, and we partitioned the study area based on its bioclimatic characteristics through a combination of K-means clustering and variance inflation factor (VIF). Ecological sources were then identified from the combination of ecosystem services and habitats of 36 endangered species. Subsequently, the minimum cumulative resistance (MCR) model was used to build ecological networks within different bioclimatic zones and across the entire region. We found the following: (1) In Xi’an city, a total of 49 source areas and 117 corridors were identified. The identified network can protect 97.77% of species, facilitating connectivity between 30.50% of ecosystems and 35.5% of species-rich areas. (2) The integrating approach protects 12.26% more species richness and 10.95% more ecosystem services than the average value of the regional and bioregional approaches. Compared to regional and bioregional methods, integrating approaches demonstrate greater advantages in preserving species richness and ecosystem services. This study introduces a novel approach to constructing regional ecological networks, which integrates the impact of bioclimatic zoning into the process of network construction to improve ecosystem services and protect species habitats.