The effect of buildings on landscape fragmentation in Natura 2000 sites. A quantitative and comparative assessment

Landscape fragmentation - i.e. the process where habitat patches tend to become smaller and more isolated over time – is mainly due to human activities. Such a phenomenon has effects on biodiversity, and influences ecosystem balance and ecological networks. Thus, new rules and planning approaches are called todefine proper protection and management measures. Urbanized areas - including suburban and rural sprawl - and transport and mobility infrastructures have effects on landscapes and habitats quality, and biodiversity too. Landscape fragmentation can affect conservation areas defined according to Habitats and Birds Directives. In the light of the foregoing considerations, this study focuses on landscape fragmentation in Natura 2000 sites. We measure landscape fragmentation in Special Protection Areas, Sites of Community Importance and Special Areas of Conservation in six landscape units ofSardinia (Italy) by applying the rural buildings fragmentation index (RBFI) and the effective mesh density (Seff). Then, we propose a comparative analysis and report on the least and the most fragmented Natura 2000 sites. Finally, we assess if there is correlation between RBFI and seff. In this study, RBFI and seff provide conflicting outcomes and, according to the Pearson correlation coefficient, the metrics appear slight related each other.