Biokäytävä

Biokäytävä, known in English as a biocorridor or ecological corridor, is a fundamental concept in landscape ecology and conservation biology. It refers to a strip of natural habitat or undeveloped land that connects two or more larger, isolated areas of natural habitat. The primary purpose of a biokäytävä is to facilitate the movement of species between these larger habitat patches.

The creation and maintenance of biokäytävät are crucial for several reasons. They help to reduce habitat fragmentation, a major threat to biodiversity, which occurs when large, continuous habitats are broken into smaller, isolated parcels. By providing pathways for movement, biokäytävät allow populations to interbreed, thereby increasing genetic diversity and reducing the risk of inbreeding depression. This connectivity is vital for the long-term survival of many species, especially those that require large home ranges or are sensitive to environmental changes.

Biokäytävät can vary greatly in size and form. They can be natural features such as river valleys, forest edges, or hedgerows, or they can be artificially created or restored landscapes. The effectiveness of a biokäytävä depends on factors like its width, the quality of the habitat it provides, and the presence of any barriers that might impede movement. Urban planning and land management strategies increasingly incorporate the concept of biokäytävät to support biodiversity within human-dominated landscapes.