The Effects of Land Use on Habitat Fragmentation in the Allegheny National Forest

Alexander M. Lawson*, Sara M. Crayton, and Donald J. Brown

Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Presentation Category: Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (Poster Presentation #56)

Student’s Major: Wildlife and Fisheries Resources

Habitat fragmentation is the process by which large, uninterrupted tracts of land are broken up into smaller tracts by human activity. As the large tracts of land are broken up into smaller tracts of land, edge habitat is formed. While edge habitat can be important for some wildlife species, it can be harmful to the environment due to potential increases in erosion and invasive species along potential changes to water quality. Additional research is needed on this topic to better understand the effects of land use on habitat fragmentation. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of different types of land use on the levels of fragmentation of the Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania. During this study, we will use GIS technology along with spatial analysis tools to quantify fragmentation due to several different land uses, including oil and gas activity, logging roads, agricultural operations, and residential development in the Allegheny National Forest. We will then look for a correlation between the different land uses and fragmentation. We expect oil and gas activity and logging roads to fragment the habitat more than agricultural operations and residential development. As the human population continues to grow, fragmentation will continue to increase due to an increased human presence.

Funding: Federal Work Study

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course