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Remotely sensed landscape heterogeneity as a rapid tool for assessing local biodiversity value in a highly modified New Zealand landscape

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Abstract

The widespread conversion of natural habitats to agricultural land has created a need to integrate intensively managed landscapes into conservation management priorities. However, there are no clearly defined methods for assessing the conservation value of managed landscapes at the local scale. We used remotely sensed landscape heterogeneity as a rapid practical tool for the assessment of local biodiversity value within a predominantly agricultural landscape in Canterbury, New Zealand. Bird diversity was highly significantly correlated with landscape heterogeneity, distance from rivers and the Christchurch central business district, altitude and average annual household income, indicating that remotely sensed landscape heterogeneity is a good predictor of local biodiversity patterns. We discuss the advantages and limitations of using geographic information systems to determine local areas of high conservation value.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Robert M. Ewers & Raphael K. Didham

  2. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 2072, Balboa, Panama

    Robert M. Ewers

  3. Centre for Advanced Bio-Protection Technologies, Division of Soil, Plant and Ecological Sciences, Lincoln University, P.O. Box 84, Canterbury, New Zealand

    Stephen D. Wratten & Jason M. Tylianakis

  4. Fachgebiet Agrarokologie, Georg August Universitat, Waldweg 26, D-37073, Göttingen, Germany

    Jason M. Tylianakis

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  1. Robert M. Ewers
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  2. Raphael K. Didham
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  4. Jason M. Tylianakis
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Correspondence to Raphael K. Didham.

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Ewers, R.M., Didham, R.K., Wratten, S. et al. Remotely sensed landscape heterogeneity as a rapid tool for assessing local biodiversity value in a highly modified New Zealand landscape. Biodivers Conserv 14, 1469–1485 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-004-9786-z

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