Abstract
This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of habitat connectivity for the Mongolian saiga, a species endemic to Western Mongolia. We utilized a resource selection function (RSF) to identify core habitats (CHs) throughout the saiga’s entire range. Additionally, the Circuitscape approach was employed to map the least-cost paths (LCPs) among these core habitats. The RSF models revealed a strong preference for high productivity areas, while avoiding disturbed regions. Through a spatially explicit model, 34 CHs covering an area of 12,480 km2 (30.7% of the saiga’s range) were identified. The connectivity models identified 68 LCPs between various pairs of CHs, totaling 1700 km in length across the entire saiga range. The core habitat in the center of the saiga range displayed the highest centrality scores, highlighting their critical importance in maintaining their habitat interconnectedness. Furthermore, the presence of pinch points was observed in several CH pairs within the northwest region, suggesting potential bottlenecks that may hinder movement between these habitats. It is imperative to implement measures aimed at addressing these pinch points and establishing secure corridors to facilitate the saiga movement between the CHs. To ensure the survival of the saiga, it is also crucial to mitigate the impact of existing and planned linear infrastructures, as well as other human disturbances that have the potential to fragment habitats and disrupt connectivity. These findings serve as valuable insights for targeted conservation efforts and the formulation of effective management strategies geared toward safeguarding this iconic species in Western Mongolia.
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Data availability
The data included in this study is available upon request from the corresponding author.
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Acknowledgements
The authors thank World Wide Fund for Nature’s Mongolia Program Office for providing support to compile the saiga occurrence data and Wildlife Conservation Society’s Mongolia Program, Institute of Biology at Mongolian Academy of Sciences made contributions to the acquisition of the environmental variables.
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All authors contributed to the study conception and design. Data preparation was performed by SD and NM. Data analyses were performed by BC, BB, and NG. The first draft of the manuscript was written by BC and BB, and all authors commented on draft versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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Chimeddorj, B., Buuveibaatar, B., Galsandorj, N. et al. From isolation to integration: assessing habitat connectivity of the endangered saiga antelope in Mongolia. Mamm Biol (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00391-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-023-00391-2