Local Connectedness, Unstratified, Northern Appalachians

The local connectedness dataset measures how impaired the structural connections are between natural ecosystems within a local landscape. Roads, development, noise, exposed areas, dams, and other structures all directly alter processes and create resistance to species movement by increasing the risk (or perceived risk) of harm. This dataset is an important component of resilience because it indicates whether a process is likely to be disrupted or how much access a species has to the microclimates within its given neighborhood. The method used to map local connectedness for the region was resistant kernel analysis, developed and run by Brad Compton using software developed by the UMASS CAPS program (Compton et al. 2007, http://www.umasscaps.org). Connectedness refers to the connectivity of a focal cell to its ecological neighborhood when it is viewed as a source; in other words, it asks the question: to what extent are ecological flows outward from that cell impeded or facilitated by the surrounding landscape? Specifically, each cell is coded with a resistance value base on land cover and roads, which are in turn assigned resistance weights by the user. The theoretical spread of a species or process outward from a focal cell is a function of the resistance values of the neighboring cells and their distance from the focal cell out to a maximum distance of three kilometers.