DETERMINATION OF OPTIMAL LOCATIONS OF AMPHIBIAN ECO-DUCTS BY USING GENETIC ALGORITHMS: A CASE STUDY OF ODAESAN NATIONAL PARK IN KOREA

Abstract

There are currently no systematic guidelines for placing the animal passes for wildlife to cross safely the human-made roads. This study presents a mathematical model that determines the optimal locations for amphibian eco-ducts by using a genetic algorithm. The study area is route no. 6 of Odaesan National Park in Korea, and the animals of focus are amphibians. The most crucial factor, the migration distance between amphibian road-kill sites and proposed eco-duct sites, was considered for determination of the optimal locations of amphibian eco-ducts. They were determined by calculating the minimum total distances associated with this factor near the road-kill sites. The model determined 69 optimal locations of eco-duct sites in eight sections of route no. 6.