2026-07-01 TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH PART D-TRANSPORT AND ENVIRONMENT 2026 156(卷), null(期), (null页)
Road construction influences wildlife habitats across diverse ecosystems, including arid regions, through habitat fragmentation. We examined the effects of the Taklimakan Desert Highway (TDH) and Taklimakan Desert Highway Shelterbelt (TDHS), a vegetated roadside corridor, on the habitat of the Xinjiang ground-jay, an endemic species of the Taklimakan Desert. We used Species Distribution Models and Equivalent Connectivity Area analyses to compare habitat suitability and connectivity between 1985-2004 (pre-construction) and 2005-2024 (post-construction). Suitable habitat of ground-jay increased by 53,065 km2 (20.25%) during the latter period, driven by the expansion of 120,788 km2 into the desert hinterland that compensated for a loss of 67,695 km2 at habitat edges. This study reveals that TDH and TDHS can serve as ecological corridors and habitats for the Xinjiang ground-jay and suggests long-term monitoring to balance road construction and conservation efforts.