Member-only story
A New Study by IIT Analyses Forest Connectivity in India
Strengthening Forest cores and building bridges between them
While tree cover is often used as an indicator of a country’s greenery, focusing solely on this metric can be misleading.
Calculating tree cover may exclude fragmented forests, which are not ideal ecosystems.
Forest connectivity is crucial because it allows wildlife to move freely, enabling species to find food, mates, and suitable habitats, which supports healthy populations and genetic diversity.
Connected forests also help maintain crucial ecological processes such as seed dispersal, pollination, and predator-prey relationships, making forest ecosystems more resilient to threats like disease, climate change, and habitat loss.
In contrast, fragmented forests, where habitats are isolated by roads, agriculture, or development, often result in small, vulnerable populations, reduced genetic diversity, and higher risks of extinction.
Fragmentation can also disrupt ecosystem services, like clean water and air regulation, ultimately reducing the overall health and productivity of the…
