Connectivity of landscapes in the agroforestry farm “El Ocho de Mella”, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba

Abstract

The main goal of conservation outside protected areas is to confront and adapt the productive processes that threaten biodiversity and the loss of connectivity, with less impact production. The objective of this research was to analyze the connectivity of landscapes in the agroforestry farm "El Ocho de Mella", taking into account the plant diversity, the types of vegetation present, the degree of affinity between habitats, the different land uses, the internal and external connectors, and handling practices. A rapid biological inventory was carried out to identify and characterize the different ecosystems, as well as the richness and composition of species of the flora present in each one of them. To evaluate the degree of affinity between habitats, the Sorensen biological similarity index was used. 214 superior plants were presented, of which four are endemic and one Endangered (Marcgravia evenia). Seven types of vegetation were identified, representing the mesophilic semi-deciduous forest, the most conserved ecosystem. The greatest similarity between habitats was between the farm and the ecotone with a biological similarity of 47.3%. Landscape connectivity in the “El Ocho de Mella” agroforestry farm is limited as a consequence of various land uses, and as a result, the existence of fragmentation. Nor was there an abundance and diversification of internal and external connectors (living fences) that favored forest connectivity between the agricultural matrices and the conserved area.