barrierereiche

Barrierereiche is a term used in landscape ecology to describe regions characterized by a high density of barriers that impede ecological connectivity. The concept refers to landscapes in which both natural features (such as rivers, mountain ridges, and dense vegetation boundaries) and human-made structures (such as roads, railways, fences, and urban development) collectively limit the movement of organisms and the flow of genes across the area.

Etymology and scope: the word is formed from the German elements Barriere (barrier) and reich (rich), indicating a landscape that is rich in impediments to movement. In practice, barrierereiche descriptions emphasize spatial patterns of fragmentation rather than a single isolating feature.

Impacts and dynamics: high barrier density often leads to reduced dispersal success, smaller effective population sizes, and increased population isolation. This can alter species distributions, shift community composition, and modify ecosystem processes that depend on connectivity, such as pollination and seed dispersal. However, some barrier-rich areas may also create diverse edge habitats and microclimates that support certain species.

Management implications: addressing barrierereiche conditions typically involves connectivity-focused planning. Approaches include identifying critical movement corridors, implementing wildlife crossings or underpasses, creating habitat patches that function as stepping stones, and coordinating land use to reduce further fragmentation. Landscape-scale modeling and ecological networks are commonly used to evaluate and improve connectivity in barrierereiche regions.

See also: landscape connectivity, habitat fragmentation, wildlife corridors, metapopulation dynamics.