How Wildlife Corridors and Crossings Can Contribute to Ecological Connectivity

By Olivia Kokkinen, NSEN Journalism Volunteer

In order for an ecosystem to be healthy, organisms must be able to move freely across a connected landscape. Ecological connectivity refers to the ability of plants, animals and processes to freely move and interact across the landscape. The ultimate goal is to create a network of natural and semi-natural elements, to create an interconnected environment that supports life's essential movements. Let's dive into the significance of ecological connectivity, the factors influencing it, and the conservation strategies employed to maintain this delicate balance.

The Importance of Ecological Connectivity

Ecological connectivity affects all species, influencing their daily survival, reproduction, and adaptation to environmental changes. From wolves covering vast territories to the smallest pollinators ensuring the proliferation of plant life, the interconnectedness of ecosystems plays a pivotal role. For humans, a connected environment provides vital ecosystem services, such as pollination and protection against natural disasters like flooding.

Factors Influencing Ecological Connectivity

The forested landscape of Nova Scotia, like many others, faces fragmentation due to human activities. Roads, development, deforestation, and agriculture contribute to the stress on ecological functions. Spatial and temporal scales, along with factors like distance between natural environments, size of habitats, species behaviour, and disturbances, influence the assessment of ecological connectivity. Understanding these factors is crucial for preserving interconnected landscapes and migration patterns.

Conservation Strategies: Cores, Corridors, Crossings, and Networks

Conservation Cores:

These are vital habitats that sustain populations and ecosystems, ensuring natural processes and promoting adaptation and resilience.

Corridors:

Ecological corridors connect natural environments, enabling the movement of animals for essential needs such as food, water, and mating. They vary in size, can be natural or developed, and are crucial for maintaining biodiversity.

Figure 1: Demonstrating the difference between no connectivity methods, corridors or wildlife as restoration methods (Rachel Caldwell/Center for Large Landscape Conservation)

Crossings:

Wildlife crossings, including underpasses, overpasses, and culverts, are human-built structures that facilitate safe animal movement across roads and other infrastructure. They reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions and preserve habitat connectivity.

Figure 2: Example of a wildlife crossing in Banff National Park, Alberta (Parks Canada)

Ecological Networks:

Bringing together conservation cores and ecological corridors, ecological networks allow for a comprehensive evaluation of territory connectivity. The analysis helps identify essential components for effective conservation efforts.

Figure 3: Example of how Conservation cores and corridors interact to create connectivity and facilitate the movement of species across the landscape.

Goals and Functions of Corridors and Crossings

To Reach Food and Water:

By creating a landscape where species are able to move freely it ensures access to diverse habitats with abundant food and water resources. Additionally, during seasonal changes or periods of scarcity in one location, connected landscapes provide the opportunity for animals to move to areas with more favourable conditions and available resources.

To Find Mates:

Ecological connectivity is vital for species to find mates, allowing for movement and interaction is essential for successful reproduction. Connected landscapes enable the expansion of breeding territories, allowing animals to explore and establish areas conducive to attracting mates. Genetic diversity, which is critical for species health, is promoted through the free movement of individuals across habitats, offering a broader pool of potential mates for selection. Additionally, ecological connectivity prevents barriers to movement, such as roads or habitat fragmentation, which can lead to genetic isolation, by ensuring populations remain interconnected. Connectivity facilitates long-distance migrations for mating purposes and supports communication and courtship behaviours. Ultimately, maintaining ecological connectivity contributes to the resilience and viability of species by providing the necessary pathways for individuals to find mates and engage in successful reproduction.

To Adapt to Environmental Changes:

Ecological connectivity is critical for species to navigate and adapt to the challenges created by climate change. In a warming world, interconnected landscapes and corridors play a pivotal role in facilitating the movement of species, allowing them to shift their ranges and access suitable habitats in response to changing climatic conditions. The flexibility provided by ecological connectivity enables species to track and find resources essential for survival and adapt to alterations in vegetation and environmental features.

Furthermore, ecological connectivity contributes to the genetic diversity of species, fostering the exchange of genetic material between populations. This genetic interchange enhances the adaptive capacity of species, allowing them to evolve and respond to novel environmental stressors associated with climate change. By preventing isolation and supporting migration routes, ecological connectivity protects species against localized extinction events, providing species with the means to survive amidst the uncertainties of a changing climate. Conservation efforts aimed at preserving and enhancing ecological connectivity are therefore fundamental in the resilience of ecosystems and protecting biodiversity in the face of ongoing climate challenges.

To Avoid Vehicle Strikes:

Ecological connectivity protects species from vehicle strikes on roads and highways through the implementation of wildlife crossings, including bridges and tunnels. These crossings provide safe passage for species, minimizing the risk of collisions with vehicles during critical movements for feeding, mating, and migration. By reducing the fragmentation caused by roads, ecological connectivity, often facilitated through wildlife corridors, it ensures that species can navigate landscapes without frequently encountering traffic, therefore lowering the likelihood of accidents.

Furthermore, the conservation of core habitats, facilitated by ecological connectivity, plays a pivotal role. By maintaining the integrity of essential habitats and connecting them through corridors, species are less inclined to venture onto roads in search of resources, decreasing their exposure to the dangers of vehicle traffic. Community-based solutions, such as wildlife-friendly infrastructure and fencing, further contribute to minimizing conflicts between wildlife and vehicles. Ultimately, ecological connectivity is critical in fostering the coexistence between human transportation systems and the natural habitats vital for the survival of species.

To Avoid Conflicts with People:

Ecological connectivity serves as a buffer in preventing conflicts between wildlife and people by establishing connected landscapes and wildlife corridors. These ecological pathways offer species safe routes to access necessities such as food, water, and mating grounds without venturing too close to human settlements. The physical separation maintained by ecological connectivity not only reduces the likelihood of potential encounters between humans and wildlife but also minimizes conflicts arising from property damage and competition for resources. By allowing animals to follow natural behaviours and find sustenance in their native habitats, ecological connectivity mitigates the risk of reliance on human-provided food sources, fostering a more harmonious relationship.

Moreover, maintaining adequate ecological connectivity reduces the potential for zoonotic diseases, as it limits the proximity of wildlife to human communities, promoting the overall health and well-being of both ecosystems and the people who inhabit them. Community education and engagement play a critical role in these conservation efforts, empowering local residents to actively contribute to the preservation of ecological connectivity and the reduction of conflicts between species and human populations.

Continued Reading

Parks Canada National Program for Ecological Corridors

Ecological Corridor Pilot Program

Current Ecological Connectivity Projects in Eastern Canada and New England

Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals page on Ecological Connectivity

A summary of Resolution 40-3, a report reviewing the science of connectivity and projects in North Eastern United States and Atlantic Canada

References

Parks Canada. (2022, November 26). Ecological corridors. Parks Canada Agency, Government of Canada. https://parks.canada.ca/nature/science/conservation/info-corridors 

Quebec Ecological Corridors Initiative. (2021). What is Ecological Connectivity?. Ecological Connectivity. https://ecologicalconnectivity.com/node/79?_ga=2.6943858.1773274361.1701301365-1202282179.1694569500 

Shor, M. (2022, July 2). 5 ways corridors help wildlife survive and thrive. Center for Large Landscape Conservation. https://largelandscapes.org/news/5-ways-corridors-help-wildlife/ 

Shor, M. (2022, July 6). Corridors vs. crossings: What’s the difference? Center for Large Landscape Conservation. https://largelandscapes.org/news/corridorvscrossing/