LANDSCAPE ECOLOGOY

Designing Landscapes for

Biodiversity

Lois Balin, Urban Wildlife Biologist

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department

Photo by Lois Balin

Landscape Design Concepts for Wildli

•Habitat

•Design Concepts

•Regional Impacts

Photo by Lois Balin

 Habitat Considerations

• Food, water, cover and space

for wildlife

• Diversity of plant
communities

• Diversity of plant species

Habitat Diversity - Layers of Habitat Types

Drawing by John Davis, Urban Wildlife Biologist

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
 Species Selection

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report
SRS-109
 Landscape Ecology Terms

• Patch: A small area that differs in structure and function

than the surrounding landscape.

• Corridor or Buffer: A linear patch having enhanced

functions.

• Matrix: The background within which patches and buffers

exist.
 Key Matrix Guidelines
Desert
Scrub

• Consider the matrix at multiple spatial and temporal scales.

• Cluster development to protect more open space.
• Minimize disturbance of natural vegetation.
• Minimize introduction and spread of non-native species.
• Reduce earth-moving to reduce negative impacts.

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
Design Concepts: • Edge Effect

• Habitat “Patches”

• Habitat
Connectivity

• Habitat Circuitry

Photo by John
Davis, TPWD
 The Edge Effect
• Edge is inversely proportional to species diversity
• Number of predators increase at edges
• Number of cowbird nest predations increase at edges

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
 Edges and Boundaries
Habitat A Habitat B
Habitat A Habitat B

ess edge = higher species diversityMore edge = lower species diversity

Drawings by John Davis, TPWD
 Habitat Patches

Limited Movement

Drawing by John Davis, TPWD

 Patches and Edge
Higher biodiversity within a unified
patch of same area of fragmented
patch

Species interaction increases as the

distance between patches decreases

Less edge provides greater

benefits for interior species
which are often species of
concern.
rawings from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS-
109
Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS-109
 Stepping Stones and Gaps

rawings from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS-
109
 Restore gaps in higher order streams
first to provide the greatest benefit
for biodiversity

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
Conservation Buffers and Corridors

• Enhance landscape functions

• Improve resource conditions
• Perform more than one function
• Design should include intended and
unintended functions
 Conservation Buffers
• Link buffers and corridors as a conservation strategy.
• Buffer zones protect sensitive landscape patches from
negative external pressures.
• Corridors are used to connect the buffered landscape
patches.

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
 Key Corridor Design Considerations

• Provide quality habitat in corridors.

• Locate corridors along dispersal and migration
routes.
• Regional corridors should be in varied topographic
settings.
• Similarity in vegetation between corridors and
patches is beneficial.
• Restore historical connections.
 Corridors

Wider corridors = more travel, reduced

edge

Narrow corridors = less

travel
Drawings by John Davis, TPWD
 Corridor Width

• Width is based on the desired ecological

functions, landscape context, and external
pressures.
• Upland buffers of 250 to 1,000 feet around
wetlands have been recommended for
turtles and amphibians.
• For wildlife reserves or parks, buffer zones
may need to be several miles wide.
Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
 Corridor Network

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
 Street

Wildlife Corridor

Street Drawing by John Davis, TPWD

 Connectivity

There’s a gap to cross...

Drawing by John Davis, TPWD

 Connectivity

Worst
Better Even Better
Best

Lower Connectivity Higher Connectivity

Drawing by John Davis, TPWD
 Circuitry
Corridor of Habitat
Corridor of Habitat

Movement Between
Patches
Drawing by John Davis, TPWD
 Circuitry
Corridor of Habitat
Corridor of Habitat

Low Circuitry
Drawing by John Davis, TPWD
 High Circuitry

Drawing by John Davis, TPWD

Metapopulation and Source/Sink Dynamics

Source
Sink
Drawing from Principles of Conservation Biolog
Modified from Mette and Carroll
Regional Impacts and Conservation
Buffers
 Effects of Urbanization on the Land:

Fragmentation

Non-Native Plants Habitat

Simplification
Pollution

Habitat Diversity
 Effects of Urbanization on Wildlife

Habitat Diversity

Specialists
Generalists
Interspecific Competition Thrive!
(many are not native)
 Key Considerations
• Landscape scale and cumulative effects
• Design for multi-purposes
• Maintain flexible design
• Higher plant diversity offers greatest
benefits
• Bigger is better

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
 Location Determines Actual Functions of
Buffer

• Site characteristics
• Slope
• Soils

Drawing from Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors, and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS
109
Ecosystem Benefits Related to Buffer
Functions

1. Biodiversity
2. Water Quality
3. Productive Soils
 Buffer functions for Biodiversity
Objectives: Enhance terrestrial and aquatic
habitat
1. Increase habitat area
2. Protect sensitive habitats
3. Restore connectivity
4. Increase access to resources
5. Shade stream to maintain temperature
 Buffer Functions for Water Quality
Objectives: Reduce erosion and runoff of sediment,
nutrients, and other potential pollutants. Remove
pollutants from water runoff and wind

1. Slow water runoff and enhance infiltration

2. Trap pollutants in surface runoff
3. Trap pollutants in subsurface flow
4. Stabilize soil
5. Reduce bank erosion
 Buffer Functions for Soils
Objectives: Reduce wind energy, Stabilize
soil, Improve soil quality, Remove soil
pollutants

1. Reduce soil erosion

2. Increase soil productivity
3. Reduce water runoff energy
 Buffers and Economic
Opportunities
Objectives: Produce marketable products,
Reduce energy consumption, Increase
property values, Provide ecosystem
services

1. Provide income sources

2. Increase economic diversity
3. Increase economic value
 Buffers, Aesthetics and Visual Quality

Objectives: Enhance visual interest, Screen

undesirable views, Screen undesirable noise
and pollutants, Filter air pollutants and odors

1. Enhance visual quality

2. Control noise levels
 Buffers and Outdoor Recreation
Objectives: Increase natural areas, Enhance
recreation options, Provide wildlife corridor

1. Promote nature-based recreation

2. Use buffers as recreational trails
 Buffers and Protection and Safety

Objectives: Enhance habitat for pest

predators, Reduce flood water levels and
erosion, Reduce hazards

1. Increase biological pest control

2. Protect from floodwaters
 Conceptual Conservation Buffers

Conservation Buffers: Guidelines for Buffers, Corridors,

and Greenways. USDA General Technical Report SRS-109
September 2008
 In summary

• Consider the landscape context when

designing buffers.
• Design each buffer for multiple
objectives.
• Be aware of potential unintended effects
of buffers.
• Recognize the benefits and limitations of
buffers.
 Guiding
Guiding Principles
Principles
AA thing
thing is
is right
right when
when it
it tends
tends to
to preserve
preserve the
the
integrity,
integrity, stability
stability and
and beauty
beauty ofof the
the biotic
biotic
community.
community. It It is
is wrong
wrong when
when it
it tends
tends otherwise.
otherwise.
-Aldo
-Aldo Leopold
Leopold

Work with local decision makers to

improve the status and management of
natural systems
Photo by Lois Balin, TPWD
The right people
in the right positions
make the right decisions.
 Someday, Son,
This will all be yours.

The Far Side