Ecological Corridor Construction Based on Least-Cost Modeling Using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Nighttime Light Data and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index

Jiameng Hu, Yanfang Liu and Jian Fang
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Jiameng Hu: College of Public Administration, South-Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan 430074, China
Yanfang Liu: School of Resource and Environmental Science, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430079, China
Jian Fang: College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China

Land, 2021, vol. 10, issue 8, 1-15

Abstract: Anthropic pressure is one of the main drivers of landscape change and biodiversity loss. Artificial nighttime light, which can affect species behavior, is an important human-induced threat to biodiversity, but it is often ignored in ecological connectivity research. To mitigate the adverse impacts of artificial lighting on biodiversity, this study integrates artificial nighttime light in landscape ecology and analyzes the influence of artificial nighttime light on landscape connectivity. A quantitative approach integrating nighttime light brightness from a Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) with a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from a Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) is proposed to estimate the matrix resistance, which can identify the sensitive areas that are disrupted by nighttime light. It was found that the nightscape in the study area is significantly disrupted by nighttime light and the matrix resistance in the center of the study area significantly increases. Compared to the least-cost routes from the NDVI, the “dark” least-cost ecological corridors constructed using our approach apparently change in both location and distance. The corridors moved to the outer suburbs and rural areas, and the maximum increase in distance of the least-cost paths was 37.94%. Due to less disturbance from human activity and the maintenance of a pristine nightscape, “dark” ecological corridors can reduce the adverse effects of night lights and contribute to biodiversity. However, natural habitats have been greatly affected by nighttime light with the increase in global illumination, and it is essential that we improve public awareness of light pollution and formulate light-reduction policies and legislation.

Keywords: ecological corridor; connectivity; least-cost path; NDVI; VIIRS; nighttime light (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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