lconnect R package: A versatile tool for evaluating landscape connectivity and prioritizing habitat patches in conservation research

Biodiversity conservation faces significant challenges due to human-induced climate and habitat change. Understanding these threats' effects and interactions is crucial for effective conservation planning. Here, we present the lconnect R package, a user-friendly tool for assessing landscape connectivity and prioritizing habitat patches. The package allows researchers to analyze and quantify structural connectivity metrics and prioritize patches based on their contribution to overall landscape connectivity. By facilitating the evaluation of landscape connectivity and patch prioritization, lconnect supports informed decision-making in landscape ecology and conservation biology. The package's advantages, relative to other available tools, are discussed, and an example of its application is presented. Overall, the lconnect R package presents a valuable addition to the toolbox of landscape ecologists, empowering them to better understand and address the challenges of habitat fragmentation and loss in biodiversity conservation.