A wildlife corridor site selection method based on the habitat suitability assessment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Abstract

The development of transportation infrastructure disrupts wildlife movement, leading to habitat fragmentation and roadkill. While the establishment of wildlife corridors is a global strategy to mitigate these impacts, research on the intersections between wildlife corridors and transportation networks in China, along with the verification of corridor sites, is limited. This study focuses on the Three-River-Source (TRS) region and Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii), and proposes a wildlife corridor selection method consisting of the following four steps: evaluating habitat suitability, identifying wildlife corridors, determining conflict sites, and conducting on-site verification. By evaluating the habitat suitability of the Tibetan antelope and identifying wildlife corridors using circuit theory and the minimum cumulative resistance model, road-corridor intersection areas and conflict sites are identified. Based on the findings, 14 corridor sites for Tibetan antelope are recommended, and the feasibility of Corridor 6 is successfully verified. The proposed method offers a valuable reference for selecting wildlife corridor sites in similar regions.