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Evaluate Movement Landscape identifies areas that may potential provide adequate wildlife movement habitat based on the location of structures and user specified input parameters. This tool is intended for fine-scale analysis within areas identified as potential wildlife corridors to identify areas important for maintaining habitat connecitivity within an existing landscape, or to evaluate the potential impact of a proposed development on wildlife habitat connectivity.
This tool requires a spatial analyst license. Areas suitable for animal movement are first identified by calculating euclidian distance from each cell in the analysis area to the nearest structure. Areas beyond the specified disturbance distance are considered potential movement areas. Next areas within the potential movement landscape that are equal to, or greater than, the minimum corridor width specified are identified by calculating the euclidian distance from the nearest disturbed area boundary and calculating the focal maximum using a circular neighborhood with radius equal to one half the minimum corrdor width. Cells with a focal max greater than one half the minimum corridor width are coded as suitable for animal movement.
Using a relatively small cell size produces the most accurate results but may significantly increase processing time and disk storage requirements for the final output. If no cell size is specified, the default cell size is Minimum Corridor Width ÷ 30 which is usually sufficient to produce a good result. If large areas must be analyzed, we recommend dividing the analysis area into two or more overlapping analysis extents rather than increasing the cell size. Final results can be mosaiced into a single output raster by specifying 'maximum' as the mosaic type.
Specifying an analysis extent layer is optional. If no analysis extent is specified, it will be set to the extent of the input structures layer. In most cases an analysis extent should be specified that is larger than the extent of the structures layer and the extent should include all areas between source habitats between which habitat connectivity is desired for the target species.
Expression | Explanation |
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<Structures_Layer> |
A point layer representing the location of structures on the landscape. |
<Minimum_Corridor_Width> |
The minimum width of undisturbed area required for the target species to move freely. |
<Disturbance_Distance> |
The distance from roads and houses the target species is likely to avoid or where habitat quality is degraded. |
<Output_Raster> |
The name and location of the output raster to store the results. Cell values of the output raster are 1 for areas suitable for animal movement and 0 for areas that are less likely to be used as movement habitat by the target species. |
{Analysis_Cell_Size} |
The cell size to use for analysis. Relatively small cell sizes produce more accurate results but may significantly increase processing times and disk storage requirements. See 'Usage Tips' under help for more information. If analysis cell size is not specified, it will be set to Minimum Corridor Width ÷ 30. |
{Analysis_Extent} |
Extent to be used as boundary for analysis area. For most accurate results, the analysis area should be large enough to include all area between source habitats where wildlife habitat connectivity is desired. If no extent is specified, the analysis area will be the extent of the input structures layer. |
Expression | Explanation |
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Structures Layer (Required) |
A point layer representing the location of structures on the landscape. |
Minimum Corridor Width (Required) |
The minimum width of undisturbed area required for the target species to move freely. |
Disturbance Distance (Required) |
The distance from roads and houses the target species is likely to avoid or where habitat quality is degraded. |
Output Raster (Required) |
The name and location of the output raster to store the results. Cell values of the output raster are 1 for areas suitable for animal movement and 0 for areas that are less likely to be used as movement habitat by the target species. |
Analysis Cell Size (Optional) |
The cell size to use for analysis. Relatively small cell sizes produce more accurate results but may significantly increase processing times and disk storage requirements. See 'Usage Tips' under help for more information. If analysis cell size is not specified, it will be set to Minimum Corridor Width ÷ 30. |
Analysis Extent (Optional) |
Extent to be used as boundary for analysis area. For most accurate results, the analysis area should be large enough to include all area between source habitats where wildlife habitat connectivity is desired. If no extent is specified, the analysis area will be the extent of the input structures layer. |