A journey through space and time: impact of forest planning approaches on spatio-temporal habitat connectivity

A journey through space and time: impact of forest planning approaches on spatio-temporal habitat connectivity | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article A journey through space and time: impact of forest planning approaches on spatio-temporal habitat connectivity Juliette Hunault-Fontbonne, Rémi Duflot, Kyle Eyvindson This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7063475/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Journal of Environmental Management → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Context Biodiversity and habitat protection are becoming increasingly important components of forest planning. However, key ecological concepts of spatial and temporal connectivity are often overlooked in planning studies. To effectively integrate biodiversity protection strategies into forest planning, we need to quantify their impacts on connectivity. Objectives We evaluate the economic, ecological, and connectivity impacts of different forest planning approaches aiming at landscape multifunctionality in a boreal forest. Methods We use multi-objective optimization to develop four scenarios that maximize the combined economic and ecological value for a small, boreal forest landscape in Norway. The scenarios explore two key landscape planning dimensions: (1) land unit specialization , comparing functional segregation and Triad functional zoning, and (2) spatial configuration , comparing a mosaic landscape with a spatially clustered configuration. We evaluate each scenario for economic value (using net present value), ecological value (using deadwood volume and habitat availability), and spatio-temporal connectivity for three forest bird species of conservation interest over a 50-years planning horizon. Results We find that the Triad functional zoning approach performs better in terms of deadwood volume and habitat availability with a slight degradation of economic performance when compared to the functional segregation approach. The Triad approach also sustains higher spatio-temporal connectivity of habitats on average for all species. Spatial clustering of conservation stands improves the economic value but decreases habitat availability and spatio-temporal connectivity. Conclusions Spatial clustering does not lead to connectivity gains when the landscape provides very little habitat. Our results suggest that focus should be on improving habitat availability first, while species-specific connectivity patterns can inform managers on how to improve connectivity of existing habitats. Overall, the inclusion of connectivity as an assessment criterion improves the decision-making process when planning for species conservation in a managed forest landscape. Habitat Connectivity Spatial Planning Triad Optimization Graph Theory Ecological modelling Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Supplementary Files SupplementaryInformationHunaultFontbonneDuflotEyvindson.docx Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 02 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Journal of Environmental Management → Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7063475","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":484526254,"identity":"5b784e79-7875-4b6a-a84e-c642f777066a","order_by":0,"name":"Juliette Hunault-Fontbonne","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA+klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACxgbmhgNglgSYtGDgZ2BgI6CFEaglwQCmRUJCsoGAFpAmBhQtBgcIaGGekdh44OOPP3IM0j1mD362SdQZ3+5Oe8zDcEcOpx0zEhsOzkgwMGaQOWNu2NsmIWF25+x2Yx6GZ8b4tBzmSTBIbJDIMZPgBWm5kbtNmofhcGIDPi1/EgzqQVok/wK1GM8gRgvQ+wkMQC3SIFsMJAhp6XnYcLAnzdiwTSKtTFrmnITkjBu52w3nGBzG6RfD9uTDH37YyMnzSyRvk3xTZsPPD3TYgzcVh3GGmCHMerS4MMClgYFBHrfUKBgFo2AUjAIoAABFdVOGok0nzgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"","institution":"Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Juliette","middleName":"","lastName":"Hunault-Fontbonne","suffix":""},{"id":484526255,"identity":"71a86faa-9ad0-4171-b116-0e0722c5518f","order_by":1,"name":"Rémi Duflot","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Jyväskylä","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rémi","middleName":"","lastName":"Duflot","suffix":""},{"id":484526258,"identity":"fab15bfc-c312-405b-935a-a565ea99141f","order_by":2,"name":"Kyle Eyvindson","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Kyle","middleName":"","lastName":"Eyvindson","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-07 09:08:22","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":{"humanSubjects":false,"vertebrateSubjects":false,"conflictsOfInterestStatement":false,"humanSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false,"humanSubjectConsent":false,"humanSubjectClinicalTrial":false,"humanSubjectCaseReport":false,"vertebrateSubjectEthicalGuidelines":false},"doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7063475/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7063475/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129155","type":"published","date":"2026-03-03T00:00:00+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":105563112,"identity":"c6913d8c-1a4e-4ea0-9c8c-0733a7421116","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-27 12:46:00","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":932959,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ConnectivitystudyHunaultFontbonneDuflotEyvindson.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7063475/v1_covered_6b4a8287-584e-4a7f-b822-5fbc745f8f61.pdf"},{"id":105063971,"identity":"caeec1a3-36d5-4964-ab94-34de6c7823cc","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-03-20 13:32:22","extension":"docx","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"supplement","size":400375,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"SupplementaryInformationHunaultFontbonneDuflotEyvindson.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7063475/v1/ffc9a856acf19f663cda9a17.docx"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"A journey through space and time: impact of forest planning approaches on spatio-temporal habitat connectivity","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Habitat Connectivity, Spatial Planning, Triad, Optimization, Graph Theory, Ecological modelling","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7063475/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7063475/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eContext\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBiodiversity and habitat protection are becoming increasingly important components of forest planning. However, key ecological concepts of spatial and temporal connectivity are often overlooked in planning studies. To effectively integrate biodiversity protection strategies into forest planning, we need to quantify their impacts on connectivity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eObjectives\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe evaluate the economic, ecological, and connectivity impacts of different forest planning approaches aiming at landscape multifunctionality in a boreal forest.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMethods\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe use multi-objective optimization to develop four scenarios that maximize the combined economic and ecological value for a small, boreal forest landscape in Norway. The scenarios explore two key landscape planning dimensions: (1) \u003cb\u003eland unit specialization\u003c/b\u003e, comparing functional segregation and Triad functional zoning, and (2) \u003cb\u003espatial configuration\u003c/b\u003e, comparing a mosaic landscape with a spatially clustered configuration.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe evaluate each scenario for economic value (using net present value), ecological value (using deadwood volume and habitat availability), and spatio-temporal connectivity for three forest bird species of conservation interest over a 50-years planning horizon.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResults\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWe find that the Triad functional zoning approach performs better in terms of deadwood volume and habitat availability with a slight degradation of economic performance when compared to the functional segregation approach. The Triad approach also sustains higher spatio-temporal connectivity of habitats on average for all species. Spatial clustering of conservation stands improves the economic value but decreases habitat availability and spatio-temporal connectivity.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eConclusions\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSpatial clustering does not lead to connectivity gains when the landscape provides very little habitat. Our results suggest that focus should be on improving habitat availability first, while species-specific connectivity patterns can inform managers on how to improve connectivity of existing habitats. Overall, the inclusion of connectivity as an assessment criterion improves the decision-making process when planning for species conservation in a managed forest landscape.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"A journey through space and time: impact of forest planning approaches on spatio-temporal habitat connectivity","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-14 07:31:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7063475/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"13bcfce7-b72d-49e4-9e4e-cc195861d2c0","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 14th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-03-20T13:35:17+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7063475","link":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129155","journal":{"identity":"journal-of-environmental-management","isVorOnly":true,"title":"Journal of Environmental Management"},"publishedOn":"2026-03-03 00:00:00","publishedOnDateReadable":"March 3rd, 2026"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-14 07:31:46","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129155","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.129155","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7063475","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7063475","identity":"rs-7063475","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}