Seminar: Estimating connectivity for landscape conservation: opportunities, pitfalls, and other considerations

Landscape connectivity has been called 'Nature's Safety Net' because of the ability of corridors to combat the negative effects of habitat fragmentation and population isolation. Connectivity can also provide for movement of species in response to climate change and future human development. However, estimating connectivity is a complex task with many decision points -- all of which can affect not only inference but also on-the-ground conservation initiatives. In this seminar I will talk about the complexities of estimating landscape connectivity through three focal species, jaguars in Central America, mountain lions in southern California, and black bears in Massachusetts.