Assessing Ecological Connectivity Between Forest Fragments in Anambra State, South East Nigeria

Habitat fragmentation in South East Nigeria has reduced many once-continuous forests to isolated patches surrounded by agricultural landscapes, threatening the long-term viability of forest-dependent species. This study assessed ecological connectivity among forest fragments in Anambra State using landscape ecology metrics and modelling approaches. Satellite imagery was used to map forest fragments and the surrounding matrix of farmland, plantations, and settlements. Forest patch area, shape complexity, and inter-patch distances were quantified using landscape analysis software. Connectivity modelling using Circuitscape software identified potential wildlife movement corridors between fragments based on resistance surface values assigned to different land cover types. Species occurrence data for forest-specialist birds were collected at multiple fragments and used to validate connectivity model predictions. Results showed high landscape fragmentation, with mean forest patch size of only 4.8 hectares and mean nearest-neighbour distance of 2.1 kilometres. Connectivity model outputs identified three priority riparian forest corridors with potential to functionally link the largest fragments across agricultural matrices. Bird species richness was positively correlated with patch area and predicted connectivity score. The study recommends targeted restoration of riparian gallery forests along identified corridors and incorporation of connectivity considerations into state-level land use planning and environmental impact assessment guidelines in Anambra State. Keywords: habitat fragmentation, ecological connectivity, Anambra State, landscape ecology, forest birds.