| The success of ecological networks is to a great extent determined by the effectiveness of defragmentation measures at transport corridors that cross the ecological networks. The knowledge about the effectiveness of such measures on animal populations is still limited. The project aims to develop, in close collaboration with experts from abroad, a method to quantify the ecological benefit of defragmentation measures at transport corridors (roads, railroads, canals) as part of (inter)national ecological networks (NEN, PEEN, Natura 2000), and to assess the effect on population viability. To develop an applicable method applied methods will be reviewed, model simulations will be conducted to assess optimal monitoring schemes and meetings with experts will be organized. The project will result in a monitoringprogram to assess the ecological benefit of defragmentation measures in terms of population viability. Consequently the project provides a tool to fill the identified knowledge gab about effects of defragmentation on animal populations en thus supports the improvement of planning and decision-making of spatial integration of ecological and transport networks. |
