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Cited by 461Wildlife-Road Interactions and ConservationWildlife Ecology and ConservationLand Use and Ecosystem Services

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 106 of the 106 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; 8 of the 56 sources its claims cite were checked for support.

Circuit‐theory applications to connectivity science and conservation

Open access
Dickson, Brett G., Albano, Christine M., Anantharaman, Ranjan, Beier, Paul, Fargione, Joe, Graves, Tabitha A., Gray, Miranda E., Hall, Kimberly R., Lawler, Josh J., Leonard, Paul B., Littlefield, Caitlin E., McClure, Meredith L., Novembre, John, Schloss, Carrie A., Schumaker, Nathan H., Shah, Viral B., Theobald, David M.·2019·Conservation Biology
DOI 10.1111/cobi.13230PMC PMC6727660
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Abstract

Conservation practitioners have long recognized ecological connectivity as a global priority for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem function. In the early years of conservation science, ecologists extended principles of island biogeography to assess connectivity based on source patch proximity and other metrics derived from binary maps of habitat. From 2006 to 2008, the late Brad McRae introduced circuit theory as an alternative approach to model gene flow and the dispersal or movement routes of organisms. He posited concepts and metrics from electrical circuit theory as a robust way to quantify movement across multiple possible paths in a landscape, not just a single least-cost path or corridor. Circuit theory offers many theoretical, conceptual, and practical linkages to conservation science. We reviewed 459 recent studies citing circuit theory or the open-source software Circuitscape. We focused on applications of circuit theory to the science and practice of connectivity conservation, including topics in landscape and population genetics, movement and dispersal paths of organisms, anthropogenic barriers to connectivity, fire behavior, water flow, and ecosystem services. Circuit theory is likely to have an effect on conservation science and practitioners through improved insights into landscape dynamics, animal movement, and habitat-use studies and through the development of new software tools for data analysis and visualization. The influence of circuit theory on conservation comes from the theoretical basis and elegance of the approach and the powerful collaborations and active user community that have emerged. Circuit theory provides a springboard for ecological understanding and will remain an important conservation tool for researchers and practitioners around the globe.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

This review synthesizes how circuit theory, introduced to ecology and conservation biology by Brad McRae in 2006–2008, has been applied to model gene flow, organismal movement, corridors, and other connectivity processes. Drawing on 459 citing papers, it surveys applications from landscape genetics to fire spread, water flow, and ecosystem services, and outlines future opportunities and caveats.

Key findings

  • Of 459 papers identified via Web of Science or Google Scholar citing McRae et al. (2008) or the Circuitscape user guide, 277 directly used the software; applications spanned every continent (including off Antarctica) and disciplines from conservation to epidemiology.
  • McRae & Beier (2007) found isolation by resistance explained genetic patterns of wolverine (*Gulo gulo*) and bigleaf mahogany (*Swietenia macrophylla*) about 50–200% better than isolation by distance and least-cost paths, even though both species were undergoing rapid human-caused demographic change.
  • Among reviewed studies, the vast majority addressed animals (n = 228), with 10 on plants and one on protists; mammals were the most common vertebrates, followed by birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, with arthropods studied almost as frequently as birds.
  • Circuitscape-derived regional flow maps underpin The Nature Conservancy's Conserving Nature's Stage approach, which to date has helped guide decisions on US$38 million in land protection funding; in India, national tiger-reserve policy has been informed by Circuitscape models.

Methods

  • Narrative review and synthesis of circuit-theory applications, structured around foundations of the theory, a synthesis of recent publications across geographies, and future directions.
  • Literature search identified 459 papers citing McRae et al. (2008) or the Circuitscape user guide (McRae & Shah 2009; McRae et al. 2013); 277 of these directly used the software.
  • Applications are organized thematically: landscape and population genetics, animal movement pathways and corridors, anthropogenic barriers, climate change, and non-traditional uses (fire spread, water flow, ecosystem services).

Limitations

  • Stated by the paper: isolation by resistance may not perform as well as other frameworks (e.g., isolation by distance) in less fragmented landscapes, or when assessing migration rather than dispersal pathways; assumptions and utility should be assessed project-by-project.
  • Stated by the paper: unresolved caveats include modeling long-distance dispersal events and asymmetric migration, and future work could account for temporal variation in dispersal rates and patterns at adaptive loci.
  • Stated by the paper: early statistical approaches comparing inter-individual genetic distances with resistance distances (e.g., Mantel tests) often led to faulty inferences by assuming linearity, ignoring spatial structure, and failing to account for variable local population density; Marrotte et al. (2017) found current density was not usually a good predictor of gene flow for four terrestrial mammal species in Ontario, especially where habitat amount was high or pinch points were observed.
  • Evident from the text: this is a narrative review without a stated systematic search protocol or quantitative meta-analysis, so the synthesis reflects the authors' selection and interpretation of examples.

Model-written summary. Check it against the paper before relying on it.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1111/cobi.13230

Cites

106 of 106 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Verification

Claims the paper makes

8 of 56 cited sources checked · 5 supported · 0 flagged · accuracy not yet measured

  • Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Doyle & Snell (1984) demonstrated that resistance distances from circuit theory are directly proportional to the movements of Markovian random walkers on graphs.

    “Specifically, Doyle & Snell (1984) demonstrated that resistance distances from circuit theory are directly proportional to the movements of Markovian random walkers on graphs, and Chandra et al. (1996) related resistance distances to “commute times,” or the time it takes a random walker to travel from one point to another and back again.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Doyle & Snell (1984) source

      Section 1.3.1 connects random walks on graphs with resistor networks and reversible Markov chains, and §1.3.4 relates effective resistance to a walker's probability of reaching one vertex before returning to another. But §1.3.4 gives that probability as proportional to effective conductance—the reciprocal of resistance—not as directly proportional to resistance. The claimed direct proportionality to the walker's “movements” is therefore not established. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuit theory has been found suitable for characterizing relative frequency of routine movements along multiple potential paths through urban and other fragmented landscapes.

    “Still, circuit theory has been found suitable for characterizing relative frequency of routine movements along multiple potential paths through urban and other fragmented landscapes (e.g., Braaker et al. 2014; Rödder et al. 2016; Grafius et al. 2017).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim2 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Braaker et al. 2014 source
    • cites Rödder et al. 2016 source
    • cites Grafius et al. 2017 source

      The Introduction says circuit theory considers multiple alternative pathways, and Methods > Connectivity and circuit theory describes cumulative current as a representation of wildlife-flow intensity in an urban landscape. But the Discussion says the study used bird abundance as a proxy rather than direct movement data, and Results > Comparison with observed bird abundance data reports mostly weak or nonsignificant relationships. The paper therefore supports modelling relative movement intensity, not a finding that the model accurately characterizes the frequency of routine movements across urban and other fragmented landscapes. (LLM, conf=0.82)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
  • Interpretationcitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Even greater generality can result from 'species-agnostic' approaches to estimating ecological flows that base landscape resistance on the degree to which habitats are unaltered or otherwise modified by humans.

    “Even greater generality can result from ‘species-agnostic’ approaches to estimating ecological flows that base landscape resistance on the degree to which habitats are unaltered or otherwise modified by humans (e.g., Bennie et al. 2014; Dickson et al. 2017).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Bennie et al. 2014 source

      The ‘Application of model to an ecological system’ section models ecological connectivity using landscape resistance, supporting that part of the claim. But it sets resistance proportional to artificial light intensity for a hypothetical light-avoiding bat, not to overall human modification in a species-agnostic approach. The indexed passages provide no page number. (LLM, conf=0.86)

      Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
    • cites Dickson et al. 2017

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    We reviewed 459 papers identified by either Web of Science or Google Scholar that cited McRae et al. (2008) or the Circuitscape user guide.

    “Because Circuitscape is the principal tool that researchers and practitioners use to apply the method, we reviewed 459 papers identified by either Web of Science or Google Scholar that cited McRae et al. (2008) or the Circuitscape user guide (McRae & Shah 2009; McRae et al. 2013).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    Of the 459 reviewed papers, 277 directly used the Circuitscape software.

    “Of these studies, 277 directly used the software.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 33
  • It may state two separate claims as one. 11

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Increasingly, circuit theory-based analyses are being conducted on larger and more complex datasets through recent advances in open-source software, programming, and cluster- or cloud-based computing resources.

    “Increasingly, circuit theory-based analyses are being conducted on larger and more complex datasets through recent advances in open-source software (e.g., gflow; Leonard et al. 2017b), programming (e.g., the Julia numerical computing language; Bezanson et al. 2017), and cluster- or cloud-based computing resources.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Leonard et al. 2017b

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites Bezanson et al. 2017 source

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Omnidirectional or wall-to-wall approaches avoid the need to arbitrarily define and delineate discrete areas to connect, revealing important areas for connectivity over continuous landscape gradients.

    “‘Omnidirectional’ or ‘wall-to-wall’ approaches (e.g., Walpole et al. 2012; Koen et al. 2014; Pelletier et al. 2014; Anderson et al. 2016; McRae et al. 2016; Supporting Information) avoid the need to arbitrarily define and delineate discrete areas to connect (e.g., habitat cores or patches), revealing important areas for connectivity over continuous landscape gradients.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim2 of 3 sources checked
    • cites Walpole et al. 2012 source
    • cites Koen et al. 2014 source
    • cites Pelletier et al. 2014 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuit theory can be used to identify key places for mitigating or restoring connectivity.

    “In addition, circuit theory can be used to identify key places for mitigating or restoring connectivity (e.g., McRae et al. 2012; Torrubia et al. 2014) in areas where new investments in transportation infrastructure might prioritize crossing structures for wildlife.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim1 of 2 sources checked
    • cites McRae et al. 2012 source
    • cites Torrubia et al. 2014 source

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuitscape has been most frequently applied to single, focal species, though studies of two or more species are becoming more common.

    “Whatever the geographic or conservation context, Circuitscape has been most frequently applied to single, focal species, though studies of two or more species are becoming more common (Fig. 2).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    One of the reviewed studies focused on protists.

    “The vast majority of studies addressed animals (n = 228), but ten focused on plants, and one on protists (Dong et al. 2016).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Dong et al. 2016 source

      Checked before — its earlier verdict is held back until a new check runs.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    Of the reviewed studies, 228 addressed animals.

    “The vast majority of studies addressed animals (n = 228), but ten focused on plants, and one on protists (Dong et al. 2016).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    Ten of the reviewed studies focused on plants.

    “The vast majority of studies addressed animals (n = 228), but ten focused on plants, and one on protists (Dong et al. 2016).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Findingcitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuitscape has been applied on every continent (including off the coast of Antarctica).

    “Circuitscape has been applied on every continent (including off the coast of Antarctica; Dambach et al. 2016), and several applications spanned multiple continents (e.g., Lawler et al. 2013, Tassi et al. 2015; Fig. 1).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Dambach et al. 2016 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Findingown data
    § INTRODUCTION

    Mammals were by far the most common vertebrates studied, followed by birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, though arthropods have been studied almost as frequently as birds.

    “Mammals were by far the most common vertebrates studied, followed by birds, amphibians, reptiles, and fish, though arthropods have been studied almost as frequently as birds (Fig. 3).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.

    Findingnone given
    § INTRODUCTION

    At least five mammal-focused studies addressed human genomics or movement patterns.

    “At least five mammal-focused studies addressed human genomics or movement patterns.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Ecological connectivity is a global priority for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem function.

    “Ecological connectivity is a global priority for preserving biodiversity and ecosystem function (UNEP 2015; IUCN 2017) and has long been of interest to conservation biologists (Harris 1984).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites UNEP 2015

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites IUCN 2017

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Chandra et al. (1996) related resistance distances to "commute times," or the time it takes a random walker to travel from one point to another and back again.

    “Specifically, Doyle & Snell (1984) demonstrated that resistance distances from circuit theory are directly proportional to the movements of Markovian random walkers on graphs, and Chandra et al. (1996) related resistance distances to “commute times,” or the time it takes a random walker to travel from one point to another and back again.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Chandra et al. (1996) source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisenone given
    § INTRODUCTION

    In IBR (but not least-cost models), increasing the number of paths always decreases the total resistance and genetic distance among subpopulations.

    “For example, in IBR (but not least-cost models) increasing the number of paths always decreases the total resistance and genetic distance among subpopulations, and habitat degradation increases genetic distance, even outside the least-cost path.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    McRae et al. (2008) illustrated how circuit theory could be used to identify multiple (i.e., redundant) movement pathways or habitat corridors and reveal critical 'pinch points' constraining potential flow between focal areas.

    “McRae et al. (2008) illustrated how circuit theory could be used to identify multiple (i.e., redundant) movement pathways or habitat corridors and reveal, for example, critical ‘pinch points’ constraining potential flow between focal areas.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McRae et al. (2008) source

  • Probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    McRae (2006) described the concept that the genetic distance among subpopulations of interest can be estimated by representing the landscape as a circuit board, where each pixel in a raster depiction of the landscape is a resistor, and gene flow between any two subpopulations occurs via all possible chains of resistors linking them, not just along the single chain with the lowest sum of resistanc

    “McRae (2006) described the concept that the genetic distance among subpopulations of interest can be estimated by representing the landscape as a circuit board, where each pixel in a raster depiction of the landscape is a resistor, and gene flow between any two subpopulations occurs via all possible chains of resistors linking them, not just along the single chain with the lowest sum of resistanc”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McRae (2006)

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper may give no reason why it holds.

    Premisenone given
    § INTRODUCTION

    Least-cost paths often have clear limitations, including an assumption that individuals have perfect knowledge of the landscape and therefore select a single optimal route.

    “However, least-cost paths often have clear limitations, including an assumption that individuals have perfect knowledge of the landscape and therefore select a single optimal route.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    The species in McRae & Beier (2007) were undergoing rapid human-caused demographic changes, violating the IBR model assumption that all populations are in genetic equilibrium.

    “The findings were striking because the species were undergoing rapid human-caused demographic changes, violating the IBR model assumption that all populations are in genetic equilibrium (i.e., based on the response variable, FST).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McRae & Beier 2007 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. It may be too vague to check against evidence. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § INTRODUCTION

    Because circuit theory uses the same underlying landscape resistance data used by least-cost and other connectivity models, it could readily be added to the toolkits of conservation planners.

    “Because circuit theory uses the same underlying landscape resistance data used by least-cost and other connectivity models, it could readily be added to the toolkits of conservation planners.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    The open-source program Circuitscape has provided accessible means of implementing circuit theory concepts across a range of projects and disciplines.

    “The development of accompanying software, such as the open-source program Circuitscape (McRae et al. 2008, 2013; www.circuitscape.org), has provided accessible means of implementing circuit theory concepts across a range of projects and disciplines.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites McRae et al. 2008 source
    • cites McRae et al. 2013

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    McRae et al. (2008) introduced many readers to the key concepts and metrics used in electrical circuit theory, and how they could be applied to model and map the process of connectivity over extensive landscape, habitat, or population networks.

    “Finally, McRae et al. (2008) introduced many readers to the key concepts and metrics used in electrical circuit theory, and how they could be applied to model and map the process of connectivity over extensive landscape, habitat, or population networks (using georeferenced raster grids).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McRae et al. (2008) source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisenone given
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuit theory provided a much-needed theoretical basis for understanding and mapping patterns of connectivity.

    “The approach provided a much-needed theoretical basis for understanding and mapping patterns of connectivity and has been rapidly adopted in conservation biology, other ecological disciplines, and beyond.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim.

    Premisenone given
    § Abstract

    McRae posited concepts and metrics from electrical circuit theory as a robust way to quantify movement across multiple possible paths in a landscape, not just a single least-cost path or corridor.

    “He posited concepts and metrics from electrical circuit theory as a robust way to quantify movement across multiple possible paths in a landscape, not just a single least-cost path or corridor.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.

    Premisenone given
    § Abstract

    From 2006-2008, Brad McRae introduced circuit theory to many ecologists and conservation biologists as an alternative approach to model gene flow and the dispersal or movement routes of organisms.

    “From 2006–2008, the late Brad McRae introduced circuit theory to many ecologists and conservation biologists as an alternative approach to model gene flow and the dispersal or movement routes of organisms.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Littlefield et al. (2017) mapped connections between climatic conditions today and where those conditions will be in the future (i.e., climate analogs).

    “For example, Lawler et al. (2013) used species distribution models to map the routes that organisms might follow to track shifting climates, and Littlefield et al. (2017) mapped connections between climatic conditions today and where those conditions will be in the future (i.e., climate analogs).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Littlefield et al. (2017) source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. The paper may give no reason why it holds.

    Premisenone given
    § INTRODUCTION

    Beyond the impacts of transportation corridors, circuit theory applications have addressed a wide range of anthropogenic impacts on connectivity, including urbanization, agriculture, and energy infrastructure.

    “Beyond the impacts of transportation corridors, circuit theory applications have addressed a wide range of anthropogenic impacts on connectivity, including urbanization, agriculture, and energy infrastructure (see Supporting Information).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Advances in data visualization tools have assisted the communication of circuit theory results to a broader set of conservation practitioners, stakeholders, and planning efforts.

    “Similarly, advances in data visualization tools have assisted the communication of circuit theory results to a broader set of conservation practitioners, stakeholders, and planning efforts.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Lawler et al. 2013 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    The electronic circuit analogy has been used in a variety of subdisciplines within the field of hydrology.

    “The electronic circuit analogy has been used in a variety of subdisciplines within the field of hydrology.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuit theory's basis in random walk theory results in an implicit assumption that individuals moving across a landscape have no knowledge of relative resistance beyond their immediate surroundings, making it particularly appropriate for modeling natal dispersal paths.

    “Circuit theory’s basis in random walk theory results in an implicit assumption that individuals moving across a landscape have no knowledge of relative resistance beyond their immediate surroundings, making it particularly appropriate for modeling natal dispersal paths (McRae et al. 2008).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McRae et al. 2008 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Understanding the effects of linear infrastructure such as transportation corridors and other barriers on connectivity and gene flow was a primary impetus for McRae's interest in the theory and development of Circuitscape.

    “Indeed, understanding the effects of linear infrastructure such as transportation corridors and other barriers (e.g., international boundary structures, fence lines) on connectivity and gene flow was a primary impetus for McRae’s interest in the theory and development of Circuitscape (McRae 2006).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites McRae 2006

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    In their comparison of microsatellite genetic datasets to maps of current density derived using circuit theory, Marrotte et al. (2017) found that current density was not usually a good predictor of gene flow for four terrestrial mammal species in Ontario, especially where habitat amount was high or pinch points were observed.

    “In their comparison of microsatellite genetic datasets to maps of current density derived using circuit theory, Marrotte et al. (2017) found that current density was not usually a good predictor of gene flow for four terrestrial mammal species in Ontario, especially where habitat amount was high or pinch points were observed.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Marrotte et al. (2017)

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationreasoning
    § INTRODUCTION

    Users of Circuitscape v5.0 are now able to solve for landscape grids that are larger or derived at finer resolutions than those used in earlier versions, as well as pairwise resistance calculations between a higher number of focal points.

    “Users are now able to solve for landscape grids that are larger or derived at finer resolutions than those used in earlier versions, as well as pairwise resistance calculations between a higher number of focal points (see also Supporting Information).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
    • Rests on an assumption: The Julia implementation of Circuitscape (v. 5.0) has greatly improved performance and scalability.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    National policy in India associated with the Wildlife Protection Act has been informed by Circuitscape-derived models and maps.

    “In India, national policy associated with the Wildlife Protection Act, which delineates key habitat areas as tiger reserves, has been informed by Circuitscape-derived models and maps (Qureshi et al. 2014; Dutta et al. 2016).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Qureshi et al. 2014

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites Dutta et al. 2016

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Using genetic data to inform models of landscape resistance to movement using circuit theory has since become a standard practice.

    “Using genetic data to inform models of landscape resistance to movement using circuit theory has since become a standard practice (Zeller et al. 2012; Simpkins et al. 2018).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Zeller et al. 2012 source
    • cites Simpkins et al. 2018

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    More recent studies have assessed the vulnerability of populations to climate change due to fragmentation that could potentially impede adaptive shifts in distributions.

    “More recent studies have assessed the vulnerability of populations to climate change due to fragmentation that could potentially impede adaptive shifts in distributions (e.g., Leonard et al. 2017a).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Leonard et al. 2017a

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it. It may state two separate claims as one.

    Interpretationcitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Resulting metrics and maps of potential fire connectivity may be used to target areas on the landscape where fuel breaks could most effectively hinder fire movement through wildlife habitat, and disrupt the invasive grass-fire cycle.

    “Resulting metrics (e.g., current density and centrality) and maps of potential fire connectivity may be used to target areas on the landscape where fuel breaks could most effectively hinder fire movement through wildlife habitat (Welch et al. 2015), and disrupt the invasive grass-fire cycle (Gray & Dickson 2016).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites Welch et al. 2015

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites Gray & Dickson 2016 source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Lawler et al. (2013) used species distribution models to map the routes that organisms might follow to track shifting climates.

    “For example, Lawler et al. (2013) used species distribution models to map the routes that organisms might follow to track shifting climates, and Littlefield et al. (2017) mapped connections between climatic conditions today and where those conditions will be in the future (i.e., climate analogs).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Lawler et al. (2013) source

  • Probably not a substantial claim. The paper’s conclusions may not depend on it.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Koh et al. (2013) concluded that the flow of multiple predators on soybean aphids was improved by the presence of adjacent, native 'conservation plantings' that maximize such biocontrol services.

    “They concluded that the flow of multiple predators on soybean aphids (Aphis glycines) was improved by the presence of adjacent, native ‘conservation plantings’ that maximize such biocontrol services.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites Koh et al. (2013) source

  • It may state two separate claims as one.

    Premisecitation
    § INTRODUCTION

    Circuit theory has assumptions and caveats that still need to be addressed, including modeling long-distance dispersal events and asymmetric migration.

    “Additionally, several assumptions and caveats still need to be addressed, such as modeling long-distance dispersal events (McRae 2006) and asymmetric migration (McRae et al. 2008; but see Hanks 2017).”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites McRae 2006

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

    • cites McRae et al. 2008 source
    • cites Hanks 2017

      Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

38 of 38

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    The Julia implementation of Circuitscape (v. 5.0) has greatly improved performance and scalability.

    “The Julia implementation of Circuitscape (v. 5.0) has greatly improved performance and scalability.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Circuitscape and other related applications have undergone rapid and near constant refinement and improvement since the initial applications of circuit theory in conservation.

    “Since the initial applications of circuit theory in conservation, Circuitscape and other related applications have undergone rapid and near constant refinement and improvement.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    McRae played a major role in the development of generalized connectivity maps produced with wall-to-wall and ‘Omniscape’ versions of Circuitscape models.

    “In his work at TNC, McRae played a major role in the development of generalized connectivity maps produced with wall-to-wall (Anderson et al. 2016) and ‘Omniscape’ (McRae et al. 2016; Supporting Information) versions of Circuitscape models.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Regional-scale flow maps remain a key component in TNC’s Conserving Nature’s Stage approach for identifying land protection priorities.

    “These regional-scale flow maps remain a key component in TNC’s Conserving Nature’s Stage approach for identifying land protection priorities, which to date has helped guide decisions on US$38 million in land protection funding.”

  • The paper relies on this without support.

    TNC’s Conserving Nature’s Stage approach has to date helped guide decisions on US$38 million in land protection funding.

    “These regional-scale flow maps remain a key component in TNC’s Conserving Nature’s Stage approach for identifying land protection priorities, which to date has helped guide decisions on US$38 million in land protection funding.”
5 of 5

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Circuit theory models spatial connectivity in contexts where individuals have limited but directed knowledge of the landscape.

    “This logic is compatible with the application of circuit theory [25], which models spatial connectivity in contexts where individuals have limited but directed knowledge of the landscape.”

    From Tracing neanderthal mobility through the romanian carpathians: a GIS-based least-cost connectivity model (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Introduction says circuit theory is particularly appropriate when moving individuals have limited knowledge of the surrounding landscape. It describes the model as a random walk in which individuals have no knowledge of relative resistance beyond their immediate surroundings; it does not support the added characterization of their knowledge as directed. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • GIS technologies and least-cost analysis tools such as Linkage Mapper and Circuitscape have demonstrated potential in diverse fields, from biodiversity conservation to ecological networks.

    “GIS technologies and least-cost analysis tools, such as Linkage Mapper [19] and Circuitscape [20], have demonstrated their potential in diverse fields, from biodiversity conservation to the study of ecological networks [21–25].”

    From Tracing neanderthal mobility through the romanian carpathians: a GIS-based least-cost connectivity model (2025) · cites this paper as [25]

    The Introduction identifies Circuitscape as software used across projects and disciplines, supporting its use as an example of a connectivity tool. But it describes circuit theory as an alternative to least-cost modeling, so calling Circuitscape a least-cost analysis tool is not supported. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • In just two years, the collection of Circuitscape applications grew by over 180 papers compared to the Dickson et al. review.

    “In just two years, the collection grew by over 180 papers (Figure 1a,b).”

    From Circuitscape in julia: empowering dynamic approaches to connectivity assessment (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

    The Introduction reports that Dickson et al. reviewed 459 papers, of which 277 directly used Circuitscape, providing a baseline for comparison. It does not report that the collection grew by over 180 papers in the following two years; that later increase is not established by this source. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The circuit-theoretic approach to connectivity modeling has been gaining popularity over the past decade.

    “The circuit-theoretic approach to connectivity modeling was a more recent innovation, and it has been gaining popularity over the past decade (Dickson et al., 2019;McRae, 2006;McRae et al., 2008).”

    From Omniscape.jl: software to compute omnidirectional landscape connectivity (2021) · cites this paper as Dickson et al., 2019

  • The authors assembled a comprehensive set of peer-reviewed Circuitscape applications.

    “In support of the effort to update Circuitscape without McRae's leadership, and inspired by the breadth of applications described in the Dickson et al. review [16], we assembled a comprehensive set of peer-reviewed Circuitscape applications.”

    From Circuitscape in julia: empowering dynamic approaches to connectivity assessment (2021) · cites this paper as [16]

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

Each contradiction between two passages listed here was confirmed by an independent check.

  • gflow citation points to the sea-level-rise paper

    Minor

    The text cites Leonard et al. 2017b for gflow software, but the 2017b reference concerns connectivity losses due to sea-level rise and land-use change. The gflow paper is listed as Leonard et al. 2017a.

  • Climate-change citation points to the gflow software paper

    Minor

    The text cites Leonard et al. 2017a for connectivity losses associated with sea-level rise and land-use change, but the 2017a reference is a paper about gflow software. The sea-level-rise paper is listed as Leonard et al. 2017b.

2 of 2

Citations

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 8

  1. Anderson MG, 2016, Resilient and connected landscapes for terrestrial conservation
  2. Fetter C., 2001, Applied hydrogeology
  3. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), 2017, Connectivity conservation
  4. Krosby M, 2016, The Washington‐British Columbia Transboundary Climate‐Connectivity Project: identifying climate impacts and adaptation actions for wildlife habitat connectivity in the transboundary region of Washington and British Columbia
  5. McRae BH, 2016, Conserving nature's stage: mapping omnidirectional connectivity for resilient terrestrial landscapes in the Pacific Northwest
  6. McRae BH, 2009, Circuitscape user's guide
  7. Qureshi Q, 2014, Connecting tiger populations for long‐term conservation
  8. Washington Wildlife Habitat Connectivity Working Group (WWHCWG), 2010, Washington Connected Landscapes Project: statewide analysis

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Metadata

Authors
Dickson, B. G., Albano, C. M., Anantharaman, R., Beier, P., Fargione, J., Graves, T. A., Gray, M. E., Hall, K. R., Lawler, J. J., Leonard, P. B., Littlefield, C. E., McClure, M. L., Novembre, J., Schloss, C. A., Schumaker, N. H., Shah, V. B., & Theobald, D. M.
Affiliations
  • Northern Arizona University (US)
  • Conservation Science Partners (US)
  • Julia Computing 45 Prospect Street Cambridge MA 02139 U.S.A.
  • The Nature Conservancy (US)
  • Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center (US)
  • University of Washington (US)
  • United States Fish and Wildlife Service (US)
  • University of Chicago (US)
  • Environmental Protection Agency (US)
Corresponding author
Dickson, Brett G.
ORCID
Venue
Conservation Biology
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2018-11-27
Volume
33
Issue
2
Pages
239-249
ISSN
  • 0888-8892 (ISSN-L)
  • 1523-1739
DOI
10.1111/cobi.13230
PMC
PMC6727660
OpenAlex
W2896699618
Cited by
461
References
106
Citations by year
2026: 84 · 2025: 81 · 2024: 73 · 2023: 67 · 2022: 61 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 29 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 1
FWCI
2.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Conservation Biology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Wilburforce Foundation
  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration
  • University of Washington
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
Keywords
circuit theory, ecological connectivity, Circuitscape, gene flow, animal dispersal, landscape genetics, population genetics, anthropogenic barriers, fire behavior, water flow, ecosystem services, habitat use, animal movement
MeSH terms
Animals, Conservation of Natural Resources, Ecology, Ecosystem, Gene Flow, Islands

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

A language model drew the claims from the paper on 2026-11-08, under version 3 of the claim definition (model deepseek-v4.1-flash, prompt extract-v3).

A second model labelled each claim on 2026-11-08 (model jev-1.13-20260917, definition revision gold-guideline-v0.2).

Cited sources are checked with a language model’s help (gpt-6-sol).

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

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