Connectivity-Adjusted Condition (NCIC) is a composite metric that reflects not just how intact the habitat is but also how well it is connected across the landscape.
The NCIC is derived as the geometric mean of two components for the long-term epoch (1988–2022):
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Habitat condition (from HCAS)
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National Connectivity Index (NCI)
This calculation provides a single score that captures both ecosystem integrity and connectivity.
Scale & Interpretation
NCIC ranges continuously from 0.0 to 1.0:
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0.0 indicates ecosystem integrity is essentially lost and connectivity is effectively extinguished.
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1.0 means the ecosystem is intact (in reference condition) and fully connected
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Summary Table
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Habitat condition (HCAS) | Reflects the health/integrity of ecosystems relative to a reference condition (0 = severely degraded, 1 = intact) |
| National Connectivity Index (NCI) | Measures how connected habitat is across the landscape (0 = unconnected, 1 = fully connected) |
| NCIC | Geometric mean of habitat condition and NCI; a holistic measure of ecological integrity and connectivity |
NCIC is a powerful metric that helps identify areas where ecosystems are not only in good ecological shape but also well connected—making it especially useful for conservation planning, biodiversity monitoring, and ecosystem management across Australia.