Unraveling landscape connectivity: The impact of mega-projects on Istanbul's Northern Forests and conservation pathways

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dc.contributor.authorSenik, Berfin
dc.contributor.authorUzun, Osman
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-11T20:48:32Z
dc.date.available2025-10-11T20:48:32Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.departmentDüzce Üniversitesien_US
dc.description.abstractNatura 2000 and the Emerald Network are crucial for habitat protection across Europe. Istanbul's Northern Forests are a key part of the Pan-European Ecological Network (PEEN). The rapid expansion of large-scale infrastructure projects, such as Istanbul Airport (IA), the Northern Marmara Motorway (NMM), and Kanal Istanbul (KI), in Northern Forests, has severely weakened landscape connectivity and threatened biodiversity in this vital region. This study assesses mega-project impacts on structural and functional connectivity using directional graph analysis from 2000 to 2020, identifying 2010 as a turning point due to the initiation of these projects. Results show a significant decrease in connectivity metrics, such as a 26.8% reduction in structural corridors and substantial decreases in corridor length and node degree, particularly in the NW, N, and W directions identified as high-impact areas. These areas, located near IA, NMM, and KI, exhibit critical losses in ecological corridors and stepping stones. Potential corridors also diminished markedly in length and density, indicating reduced functional connectivity. It was observed that these declines accelerated in 2020 and might accelerate in the 2020-KI periods, especially after the construction of mega-projects started in 2013 and afterward. The study emphasizes the need to reframe landscapes as habitable spaces for ecological sustainability and outlines specific policy recommendations, including the establishment of a legal framework that defines ecological network components and connectivity types, as well as short-, medium-, and long-term ecological restoration strategies. These measures aim to mitigate the impacts of rapid infrastructure development and ensure the long-term protection of Istanbul's Northern Forests within the broader ecological network.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipScientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK) under the 2214-A International Research Fellowship Programmeen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipDuzce University (DU) Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office [2023.02.01.1427]en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipTUBITAKen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipDUen_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThis study was supported by The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkiye (TUBITAK) under the 2214-A International Research Fellowship Programme for PhD Students Programme and the Duzce University (DU) Scientific Research Projects Coordination Office (Project no: 2023.02.01.1427). The authors would like to express gratitude to TUBITAK and DU for their support. The authors are also grateful to the reviewers for their invaluable feedback on this article.en_US
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126995
dc.identifier.issn1617-1381
dc.identifier.issn1618-1093
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-105008659200en_US
dc.identifier.scopusqualityQ2en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnc.2025.126995
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12684/21959
dc.identifier.volume87en_US
dc.identifier.wosWOS:001521166400002en_US
dc.identifier.wosqualityQ2en_US
dc.indekslendigikaynakWeb of Scienceen_US
dc.indekslendigikaynakScopusen_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherElsevier Gmbhen_US
dc.relation.ispartofJournal For Nature Conservationen_US
dc.relation.publicationcategoryMakale - Uluslararası Hakemli Dergi - Kurum Öğretim Elemanıen_US
dc.rightsinfo:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccessen_US
dc.snmzKA_WOS_20250911
dc.subjectEcological corridorsen_US
dc.subjectIstanbulen_US
dc.subjectLandscape connectivityen_US
dc.subjectMega-projectsen_US
dc.subjectMinimum cumulative resistance modelen_US
dc.subjectMSPA analysisen_US
dc.subjectNorthern forestsen_US
dc.titleUnraveling landscape connectivity: The impact of mega-projects on Istanbul's Northern Forests and conservation pathwaysen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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