For thirty years, controversy has surrounded the introduction and proposals to introduce lynx into Germany. Central to the controversy were questions of suitable habitat patches for lynx and the functional connectivity between habitat patches. In spite of the many initiatives to reintroduce lynx and the natural establishment of lynx in the Bavarian Forest, no spatially explicit model exists that can define habitat suitability for lynx, the functional connectivity between lynx habitat patches, and the expansion of lynx populations. I use an individually based and spatially explicit model to simulate the spatio-temporal population dynamic of lynx and to test the viability of lynx populations under different scenarios, such as natural development of the population, reintroductions and landscape changes. Using telemetry data of lynx I calculated a basic habitat suitability map. In a patch connectivity analysis I used a pattern-oriented modelling approach to calibrate the dispersal component of the spatially explicit model. Finally, the population dynamics were simulated under different scenarios and in the network of suitable habitat patches. Besides developing and applying new methods of ecological modelling the study also investigated management scenarios in respect to a viable lynx population in Germany. The analysis suggests that if mortality causes can be reduced, viable populations are possible in most of the larger habitat patches, such as Harz, Black Forest, Palatine Forest and Thuringian Forest. However, the analysis suggests that these populations are functionally isolated, except in the German-Czech border region. The model suggests that establishment of new populations in other habitat patches can not occur, though single individuals could reach other suitable habitat patches.
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For thirty years, controversy has surrounded the introduction and proposals to introduce lynx into Germany. Central to the controversy were questions of suitable habitat patches for lynx and the functional connectivity between habitat patches. In spite of the many initiatives to reintroduce lynx and the natural establishment of lynx in the Bavarian Forest, no spatially explicit model exists that can define habitat suitability for lynx, the functional connectivity between lynx habitat patches, an...
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