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Using Ecological Land Units In A Gap Analysis For Conservation Planning In A Southwestern Ohio Watershed, Christopher Lee Zimmerman

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Gap analysis is a method to identify insufficiency in biodiversity protection. In degraded agricultural landscapes, it requires information on the past, present, and the potential natural distribution of forest vegetation to construct a comprehensive nature reserve network. Using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), I conducted a biodiversity gap analysis to assess the representation of ecological land units (ELUs) supporting forest vegetation both within and external to the current reserve network in the Lower Twin Creek Watershed (LTCW), southwestern Ohio. I used this analysis to make conservation planning recommendations to the local park district. ELUs are based on relatively stable associations of …