TITLE:
Landscape Connectivity Approach in Oceanic Islands by Urban Ecological Island Network Systems with the Case Study of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos (Ecuador)
AUTHORS:
Verónica Lorena Andrade Sierra, Xuan Feng
KEYWORDS:
Oceanic Island, Island Network System, Socio-Ecosystem, Santa Cruz Island, Pelican Bay Watershed
JOURNAL NAME:
Current Urban Studies,
Vol.6 No.4,
December
27,
2018
ABSTRACT: The oceanic islands are well known for their high biodiversity where the dynamic
integration of the ecosystems inside the populated islands is such as a
living laboratory of ecological and social relations of interdependence. Oceanic
islands are experimenting significant pressure on their ecosystems. Habitat
fragmentation produces poor spatial connectivity between protected areas
and human settlements. The essence of the research approach is to develop a
new framework of Oceanic Island Network System based on urban ecological
networks in dealing with island connectivity issues space. This new urban
ecological planning tool can help to generate an integrator balance by a physical
linkage system in a socio-ecosystem island. Facilitating the territorial ordering
based on the spatial and functional relations between ecological functions
and urban structure through the island network system has not been
analyzed yet as an essential resource for integrating the natural and human
systems in oceanic islands. This paper presents a landscape theory connectivity
analysis of the built space vs. the natural space of oceanic islands with the
case study of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos into the Pelican Way Watershed
boundaries. In this context, spatial network elements are considered under
land movement concept. The analysis is intended to determine the spatial
elements interrelationships by socio-ecological networks establishing a new
landscape system strategy. Additionally, it is valuable and necessary to establish
a new concept of land use network for oceanic islands, such as a potential
resource to generating a physical structure of environmental balance connectivity,
which includes social needs and ecological potentialities for successful
urban ecological conservation and development.