The Application of Neutral Landscape Models in Conservation Biology

Neutral landscape models, derived from percolation theory in the field of landscape ecology, are grid‐based maps in which complex habitat distributions are generated by random or fractal algorithms. This grid‐based representation of landscape structure is compatible with the raster‐based format of geographical information systems (GIS), which facilitates comparisons between theoretical and real landscapes. Neutral landscape models permit the identification of critical thresholds in connectivity, which can be used to predict when landscapes will become fragmented. The coupling of neutral landscape models with generalized population models, such as metapopulation theory, provides a null model for generating predictions about population dynamics in fragmented landscapes. Neutral landscape models can contribute to the following applications in conservation: (1) incorporation of complex spatial patterns in (meta)population models; (2) identification of species’ perceptions of landscape structure; (3) determination of landscape connectivity; (4) evaluation of the consequences of habitat fragmentation for population subdivision; (5) identification of the domain of metapopulation dynamics;