Influence of Abandoned Farmland and Protection Fence on Agglomeration and Connectivity of Wild Boar Habitat around Orchard Field

— Field survey in the island of Seto Inland Sea Area with citrus fruit production —

Abstract

Agglomeration and connectivity of wild boar habitat in the island of Seto Inland Sea Area with citrus fruit production were measured in this paper. As a result, woodland as natural habitat is separated n=44 patch by cultivated fields, while connected woodland by abandoned fields as additional habitat collects together n=13 patch. The maximum patch size is 12.3ha of woodland, while that expands into 41.0ha of connected habitat. Additionally, if cultivated field with no fence behaves as corridor between habitat patch, 80% of habitat area is connected. We showed also the locating method of key patch and corridor with described habitat connectivity by the graph. We can say that fences have function to protect the field itself, but also habitat management function to fragment wild boar habitat in the area, resulting in blocking wild boar inhabitation around cultivated filed.