An analysis of the current state of the vegetation cover connectivity in the Tunjuelo middle river basin

Abstract

The study analyzed the structural connectivity of the vegetation cover at the Tunjuelo middle river basin. Additionally, an approximation to the functional connectivity was also included into the analysis. The vegetation cover map was used as a «base map» on which connectivity indexes at landscape and class level were applied. Similarly, minimum cost paths were measured through a permeability map elaborated by calculating the level of resistance of the landscape matrix and by a cost distance model. At the landscape level the structural connectivity of the vegetation cover at the study area is highly influenced by the anthropic matrix. Furthermore, the low level of the structural connectivity of the forest cover and scrubland was evident. Conversely, it was confirmed the capacity of the riparian vegetation to link the spatial connectivity. Through minimum cost paths it was reinforced the importance to assure the connectivity by riparian vegetation and at the same time to diminish the level of resistance of the anthropic matrix.