PANDORA 3.0 plugin: A new biodiversity ecosystem service assessment tool for urban green infrastructure connectivity planning

- The paper presents the QGIS plugin for PANDORA model implementation.
- The plugin spatially evaluates ES provided by biodiversity and landscape connectivity.
- A sample study case is provided to show the plugin usability in urban contexts.
- PANDORA model plugin represents an innovative tool for green infrastructure planning.

Ecosystem services related to landscape connectivity are of paramount importance for biodiversity conservation. However, due to the complexity of urban systems, both landscape connectivity assessment and the analysis of ecosystem services related to landscape connectivity are often inadequately conducted, or even completely lacking, in urban planning. The PANDORA 3.0 model, developed as a QGIS plugin and illustrated here with a study case, is the first free, open-source tool for an integrated evaluation of ecosystem services related to landscape connectivity for biodiversity conservation purposes in urban contexts. The PANDORA 3.0 model plugin aims to be a versatile and innovative tool for assessing Green Infrastructure value in terms of ecological connectivity and biodiversity, useful for the planning of sustainable and resilient landscapes and cities. Its open code availability means that users, scientists, developers and planners involved in urban and landscape ecology will have the opportunity to test the PANDORA 3.0 model in several contexts and even contribute further improvements.