Managing Landscape Urbanization and Assessing Biodiversity of Wildlife Habitats: A Study of Bobcats in San Jose, California

Yongli Zheng, Yuxi Wang (), Xinyi Wang, Yuhan Wen and Shuying Guo
Additional contact information
Yongli Zheng: Department of Landscape Architecture, Heilongjiang Ecological Engineering College, Harbin 150080, China
Yuxi Wang: The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Xinyi Wang: The Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
Yuhan Wen: School of Architecture, Tianjin University, Nankai District, Tianjin 300072, China
Shuying Guo: Landscape Architecture and Spatial Planning Group, Wageningen University and Research, Droeven Forum, Daalse Steeg 2, 6708 PB Wageningen, The Netherlands

Land, 2024, vol. 13, issue 2, 1-25

Abstract: In the rapid process of urbanization, crucial habitats for mid-sized felids such as bobcats are increasingly compromised. This study employs Geographic Information System (GIS) tools and Machine Learning to investigate the subtle impacts of urbanization on bobcat habitats. Focused on the San Jose area, our extensive geospatial analysis has developed a complex ecological model for bobcat habitats. Our findings emphasize the significant influence of factors like vegetation cover, water body distribution, road traffic volume, and intersection density on the suitability of habitats for bobcats. Specifically, we discovered that while vegetation cover typically supports habitat suitability, its proximity to busy roads significantly undermines this advantage, indicating a need for strategic urban planning that incorporates wildlife mobility. By synthesizing natural and urban elements, we offer fresh insights into urban ecosystem management and propose specific conservation tactics: identifying optimal wildlife crossings, integrating corridors with urban infrastructure, and placing fencing and signage strategically to facilitate wildlife movement safely. These measures aim to reduce road-related threats and enhance the integrity of natural habitats, strengthening bobcat conservation efforts. More than its direct implications for bobcat conservation, this study offers actionable insights for urban wildlife conservation and introduces innovative methods for assessing and mitigating the broader ecological impacts of urbanization.

Keywords: bobcat; road crossings; suitability map; landscape urbanization; biodiversity; geospatial design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/152/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/13/2/152/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:2:p:152-:d:1328311

Access Statistics for this article

Land is currently edited by Ms. Carol Ma

More articles in Land from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().