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Ecological networks connect ecosystems and populations of
species that are threatened by fragmented habitats, facilitating
exchange between different populations and thus increasing
the chances of survival of endangered species (CBD, 2006). Mi-
gratory species represent perhaps the most vulnerable ecologi-
cal elements on the planet as they depend entirely on a network
of well-functioning ecosystems to refuel, reproduce and survive
in every “station” they visit and upon unrestricted travel. Much
as our own modern transport system of airports, harbours, and
roads cannot exist without international agreements and with-
out refueling capacity in different countries, neither can these
species persist without such agreements.
Habitat transformation is a primary cause of changes in
biodiversity and the breakdown of ecosystem function and
services. As ecosystems are inherently complex with innu-
Figure 2:
A spatial configuration
of an Ecological Network, show-
ing how various resources are
connected in the landscape.
merable interactions, the perception of ecological networks
is a more powerful approach to understanding the impacts
of both habitat loss and fragmentation (Gonzalez
et al.
,
2011). Indeed, understanding effects at the landscape scale
provides a perhaps simpler, yet more holistic way of under-
standing and perceiving the threats of fragmentation. Ac-
knowledging ecological networks and how their disruption
may have an impact on populations of migratory species is
essential for the survival of these species and for fostering
international collaboration.
In the following, an overview of the global pressure on biodi-
versity is given, along with a description of a series of critical
examples of how international collaboration is crucial to some
migratory species, and how failure to achieve it can jeopardize
these populations (Fig. 3a-c).
Buffer zone
Core area
Landscape corridor
Linear corridor
Sustainable
use area
Stop-over sites
Spatial configuration on an
ecological network
What are ecological networks?