Developing a national indicator of functional connectivity

Habitat loss is a significant driver of biodiversity loss, causing fragmentation into small, isolated patches suitable land cover. This reduces the permeability landscapes to movement individuals and likelihood metapopulation persistence. Quantifying functional connectivity, ability focal species move between resource patches, therefore essential for conservation management. There substantial evidence supporting technique based on ‘population synchrony’- degree correlation in time-series annual population growth rates different long-term monitoring sites, provide measure connectivity. However, synchronised dynamics are not only driven by but also shared environmental conditions which must be accounted for. Here, we use survey data from over four decades investigate average levels temporal trends synchrony 58 British bird butterfly species. We first show that significantly associated with some seasonal climatic variables. Once spatiotemporal patterns, found butterflies declined time 71% 1985 2000 increased 64% recent years. Synchrony birds showed decline 1999 2005, after there appears being recovery, however most (74%) no overall change synchrony. Our proposed indicator provides ‘species-eye-view’ connectivity using widely available abundance data. Developing such indicators can updated annually, crucial improve effectiveness management strategies under increasing change.