Seminar 15th November 2011 noon B2/ 1039
An agent-based model of jaguar movement through conservation corridors
Angela Watkins
University of Southampton, School of Biological Sciences
- Categories
- Agents, Complex Systems, Eclipse, Ecology
- Submitter
- Angela Watkins
Jaguar, Panthera onca.
Wildlife corridors mitigate against habitat fragmentation by connecting otherwise isolated regions, bringing well established benefits to conservation both in principle and practice. Populations of large mammals in particular may depend on habitat connectivity, yet conservation managers struggle to optimise corridor designs with the rudimentary information generally available on movement behaviours. We present an agent-based model of jaguars (Panthera onca) scaled for fragmented habitat in Belize where proposals already exist for creating a jaguar corridor. We use a least-cost approach to simulate movement paths through alternative possible landscapes. Six different types of corridor and three control conditions differ substantially in their effectiveness at mixing agents across the environment despite relatively little difference in individual welfare. Our best estimates of jaguar movement behaviours suggest that a set of five narrow corridors may out-perform one wide corridor of the same overall area. We discuss the utility of Artificial Life modelling for conservation management.