A model of second-degree Virtual Cut Nodes applied to Complex Networks in Ecological Landscape

In recent years, complex networks have become more and more tools of interest to study dynamics related to land analysis. A further step forward was made studying ecological corridors, useful sets of land patches that connect areas of interest otherwise disjointed and independent. Ecological corridors have proven themselves as particularly useful in order to allow animals, mostly land animals, to migrate in case of adversity taking place in the area of origin, or starvation. It is now established that take care of single areas of interest, like those of the Natura 2000 project, has shown its limits. Ecological corridors are therefore crucial for better preservation of fauna. However, it is not easy to understand what are the critical issues that lead to critical or unusable ecological corridors. This paper analyzes how patches of ecological corridors can quickly jeopardize the usefulness of the corridor itself and of the entire network which it belongs, even if from a first analysis they do not seem particularly important. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.