Characterisation of range restriction amongst the rare flora of Banded Ironstone Formation ranges in semiarid south-western Australia

Banded Ironstone Formation (BIF) ranges feature numerous rare and endemic plant species. We tested whether non-occurrence in neighbouring ranges is due to habitat dissimilarity across five groups of proximal ranges for three sets of species (18 taxa). Set 1 comprised 15 BIF-specialist species centred on the Helena and Aurora Range (HAR); Set 2, of one BIF species endemic to Mt Jackson and Set 3, of two non-BIF species. All species were used as input into ecological niche models to determine the importance and behaviour of five environmental variables derived from 2m resolution LiDAR imagery over 1605km2, extrapolate habitat suitability and compare niche similarity. We hypothesised that if BIF species are not range-restricted, suitable habitat will be found on all five groups and variable importance and behaviour will be similar for Sets 1 and 2 but not for Set 3. Topographical control on surface hydrology is the most important predictive variable for most BIF species, with ruggedness and shade also important to species in Sets 1–2 but not Set 3, which either preferred flat plains or had no preference (habitat generalist). We conclude that habitat suitability is not range restrictive. Such endemism is more likely a result of stochasticity and limited seed dispersal.

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Caution Is Needed When Using Niche Models to Infer Changes in Species Abundance: The Case of Two Sympatric Raptor Populations

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11072020 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 2020

Author(s):

Adrián Regos ◽

Luis Tapia ◽

Alberto Gil-Carrera ◽

Jesús Domínguez

Keyword(s):

Habitat Suitability ◽

Species Abundance ◽

Peat Bogs ◽

Population Abundance ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Landsat Images ◽

Sympatric Populations ◽

Circus Pygargus ◽

Hen Harrier ◽

Niche Models

Despite the mounting evidence supporting positive relationships between species abundance and habitat suitability, the capacity of ecological niche models (ENMs) to capture variations in population abundance remains largely unexplored. This study focuses on sympatric populations of hen harrier (Circus cyaneus) and Montagu’s harrier (Circus pygargus), surveyed in 1997 and 2017 in an upland moor area in northwestern Spain. The ENMs performed very well for both species (with area under the ROC curve and true skill statistic values of up to 0.9 and 0.75). The presence of both species was mainly correlated with heathlands, although the normalized difference water index derived from Landsat images was the most important for hen harrier, indicating a greater preference of this species for wet heaths and peat bogs. The findings showed that ENM-derived habitat suitability was significantly correlated with the species abundance, thus reinforcing the use of ENMs as a proxy for species abundance. However, the temporal variation in species abundance was not significantly explained by changes in habitat suitability predicted by the ENMs, indicating the need for caution when using these types of models to infer changes in population abundance.

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Cross-scale monitoring of habitat suitability changes using satellite time series and ecological niche models

The Science of The Total Environment ◽

10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.147172 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 147172

Author(s):

Salvador Arenas-Castro ◽

Neftalí Sillero

Keyword(s):

Time Series ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Ecological Niche ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Niche Models

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Estimating circumpolar distributions of lanternfish using 2D and 3D ecological niche models

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps13384 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 647 ◽

pp. 179-193

Author(s):

JJ Freer ◽

GA Tarling ◽

MA Collins ◽

JC Partridge ◽

MJ Genner

Keyword(s):

Ecological Niche ◽

3D Models ◽

Environmental Data ◽

Data Availability ◽

Habitat Characteristics ◽

Depth Information ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Environmental Predictors ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Niche Models

Ecological niche models (ENMs) can be a practical approach for investigating distributions and habitat characteristics of pelagic species. In principle, to reflect the ecological niche of a species well, ENMs should incorporate environmental predictors that consider its full vertical habitat, yet examples of such models are rare. Here we present the first application of ‘3D’ ENMs to 10 Southern Ocean lanternfish species. This 3D approach incorporates depth-specific environmental predictor data to identify the distribution of suitable habitat across multiple depth levels. Results were compared to those from the more common ‘2D’ approach, which uses only environmental data from the sea surface. Measures of model discriminatory ability and overfitting indicated that 2D models often outperform 3D methods, even when accounting for reduced available sample size in the 3D models. Nevertheless, models for species with a known affinity for deeper habitat benefitted from the 3D approach, and our results suggest that species can track their ecological niche in latitude and depth leading to equatorward or poleward range extensions beyond that expected from incorporating only surface data. However, since 3D models require comprehensive depth-specific data, both data availability and the need for depth-specific model outputs must be considered when choosing the appropriate modelling approach. We advocate increased effort to include depth-resolved environmental parameters within marine ENMs. This will require collection of mesopelagic species occurrence data using appropriate temporal and depth-stratified methods, and inclusion of accurate depth information when occurrence records are submitted to global biodiversity databases.

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Mapping habitat suitability for Asiatic black bear and red panda in Makalu Barun National Park of Nepal from Maxent and GARP models

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-93540-x ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Huiyi Su ◽

Manjit Bista ◽

Mingshi Li

Keyword(s):

Land Cover ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

National Park ◽

Black Bear ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Asiatic Black Bear ◽

Habitat Suitability Modeling ◽

Red Panda ◽

Panda Habitat

AbstractHabitat evaluation is essential for managing wildlife populations and formulating conservation policies. With the rise of innovative powerful statistical techniques in partnership with Remote Sensing, GIS and GPS techniques, spatially explicit species distribution modeling (SDM) has rapidly grown in conservation biology. These models can help us to study habitat suitability at the scale of the species range, and are particularly useful for examining the overlapping habitat between sympatric species. Species presence points collected through field GPS observations, in conjunction with 13 different topographic, vegetation related, anthropogenic, and bioclimatic variables, as well as a land cover map with seven classification categories created by support vector machine (SVM) were used to implement Maxent and GARP ecological niche models. With the resulting ecological niche models, the suitable habitat for asiatic black bear (Ursus thibetanus) and red panda (Ailurus fulgens) in Nepal Makalu Barun National Park (MBNP) was predicted. All of the predictor variables were extracted from freely available remote sensing and publicly shared government data resources. The modeled results were validated by using an independent dataset. Analysis of the regularized training gain showed that the three most important environmental variables for habitat suitability were distance to settlement, elevation, and mean annual temperature. The habitat suitability modeling accuracy, characterized by the mean area under curve, was moderate for both species when GARP was used (0.791 for black bear and 0.786 for red panda), but was moderate for black bear (0.857), and high for red panda (0.920) when Maxent was used. The suitable habitat estimated by Maxent for black bear and red panda was 716 km2 and 343 km2 respectively, while the suitable area determined by GARP was 1074 km2 and 714 km2 respectively. Maxent predicted that the overlapping area was 83% of the red panda habitat and 40% of the black bear habitat, while GARP estimated 88% of the red panda habitat and 58% of the black bear habitat overlapped. The results of land cover exhibited that barren land covered the highest percentage of area in MBNP (36.0%) followed by forest (32.6%). Of the suitable habitat, both models indicated forest as the most preferred land cover for both species (63.7% for black bear and 61.6% for red panda from Maxent; 59.9% black bear and 58.8% for red panda from GARP). Maxent outperformed GARP in terms of habitat suitability modeling. The black bear showed higher habitat selectivity than red panda. We suggest that proper management should be given to the overlapping habitats in the buffer zone. For remote and inaccessible regions, the proposed methods are promising tools for wildlife management and conservation, deserving further popularization.

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Graminoid Invasion in an Insular Endemism Hotspot and Its Protected Areas

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d11100192 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (10) ◽

pp. 192 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anna J. Walentowitz ◽

Severin D. H. Irl ◽

Aurelio Jesús Acevedo Rodríguez ◽

Ángel Palomares-Martínez ◽

Vanessa Vetter ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Species Richness ◽

Protected Areas ◽

Plant Species ◽

Plant Species Richness ◽

Grass Species ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Endemic Plant ◽

Island Ecosystems ◽

La Palma ◽

Endemic Plant Species

Invasive plant species are increasingly altering species composition and the functioning of ecosystems from a local to a global scale. The grass species Pennisetum setaceum has recently raised concerns as an invader on different archipelagos worldwide. Among these affected archipelagos are the Canary Islands, which are a hotspot of endemism. Consequently, conservation managers and stakeholders are interested in the potential spreading of this species in the archipelago. We identify the current extent of the suitable habitat for P. setaceum on the island of La Palma to assess how it affects island ecosystems, protected areas (PAs), and endemic plant species richness. We recorded in situ occurrences of P. setaceum from 2010 to 2018 and compiled additional ones from databases at a 500 m × 500 m resolution. To assess the current suitable habitat and possible distribution patterns of P. setaceum on the island, we built an ensemble model. We projected habitat suitability for island ecosystems and PAs and identified risks for total as well as endemic plant species richness. The suitable habitat for P. setaceum is calculated to cover 34.7% of the surface of La Palma. In open ecosystems at low to mid elevations, where native ecosystems are already under pressure by land use and human activities, the spread of the invader will likely lead to additional threats to endemic plant species. Forest ecosystems (e.g., broadleaved evergreen and coniferous forests) are not likely to be affected by the spread of P. setaceum because of its heliophilous nature. Our projection of suitable habitat of P. setaceum within ecosystems and PAs on La Palma supports conservationists and policymakers in prioritizing management and control measures and acts as an example for the potential threat of this graminoid invader on other islands.

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Ecological niche modeling, niche overlap, and good old Rabinowitz’s rarities applied to the conservation of gymnosperms in a global biodiversity hotspot

10.21203/rs.3.rs-809204/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Paula Quiroga ◽

Cintia Souto

Keyword(s):

Habitat Suitability ◽

Ecological Niche ◽

Ecological Niche Modeling ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Biodiversity Hotspot ◽

Conservation Priorities ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Endemic Plant ◽

Key Species ◽

Global Biodiversity

Abstract ContextBiodiversity hotspots harbor 77% of endemic plant species. Patagonian Temperate Forest (PTF) is a biodiversity hotspot, but over the past centuries, has been over-exploited, fragmented and replaced with exotic species plantations, lately plus the threat of climate change. ObjectivesOur aim is to better understand patterns of habitat suitability and niche overlap of nine endemic gymnosperm species, key elements of the PTF, complementing traditional approaches of biodiversity conservation. MethodsUsing R packages and 3024 occurrence data, we deployed ecological niche models (ENM) in MaxEnt via KuENM, and classified species according to Rabinowitz’s types of rarity. We then overlapped their niches calculating Schoener's D index, and considered types of rarity in a spatial ecological context. Finally, we overlay high species’ suitability and protected areas and detect conservation priorities using GapAnalysis. ResultsWe generated simplified ENMs for nine Patagonian gymnosperms and found that most niches overlap, and only one species displayed a unique niche. Surprisingly, we found that three species have divergent suitability of habitats across the landscape. We showed that the rarer a species is the smaller niche volume tend to have, that six out of nine studied species have high conservation priority, and that there are conservation gaps in the PTF. ConclusionOur approach showed that there are unprotected suitable areas for native key species at high risk in Patagonian forests. Suggesting that integrating habitat-suitability models of multiple species, types of rarity, and niche overlap, can be a handy tool to identify potential conservation areas in global biodiversity hotspots.

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Ecological niche differentiation between Acanthodactylus micropholis and A. khamirensis (Sauria: Lacertidae) in southern Iran

Zoologia (Curitiba) ◽

10.3897/zoologia.36.e27357 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 ◽

pp. 1-5 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Nastaran Heidari

Keyword(s):

Habitat Suitability ◽

Ecological Niche ◽

Species Distribution Modeling ◽

Niche Overlap ◽

Niche Differentiation ◽

Valid Species ◽

Ecological Niches ◽

Species Differentiation ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Niche Models

Acanthodactylusmicropholis Heidari, Rastegar-Pouyani, Rastegar-Pouyani & Rajabizadeh, 2013 and A.khamirensis Blanford, 1874 are genetically and morphologically distinct, but their ecological differentiation has not previously been evaluated. The ecological niche models of these two sister species Acanthodactylus were reconstructed using climate and geographical data. Species distribution modeling for A.micropholis and A.khamirensis was used to make predictions and showed that most parts of southern and southeastern Iran are suitable for the distribution of both species. Habitat suitability was mostly dependent upon minimum temperature of the coldest month and seasonal precipitation for A.micropholis and A.khamirensis, respectively. Niche similarity tests (niche overlap and identity tests) were performed to evaluate species differentiation based on the ecological species criterion. Our results indicate that both species have different ecological niches and are significantly separated from each other. Therefore, our study corroborates previous analyses based on molecular and morphological evidences that suggested that A.micropholis and A.khamirensis were valid species.

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Comparing Suitable Habitat Models to Predict Rare and Endemic Plant Species Distributions: What are the Limits of the Niche of Cola lorougnonis (Malvaceae) in Cote d'Ivoire?

Environment and Natural Resources Research ◽

10.5539/enrr.v6n3p1 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Bi Tra Aime Vroh ◽

Constant Yves Adou Yao ◽

Kouassi Bruno Kpangui ◽

Zoro Bertin Gone Bi ◽

Djaha Kouame ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cote D'ivoire ◽

Environmental Variables ◽

Côte D’Ivoire ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Endemic Plant ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Cote D’Ivoire ◽

Habitat Models ◽

Côte D'ivoire ◽

Endemic Plant Species

Cola lorougnonis is an endemic, rare, and treated species. It was recently recorded in Dekpa forest near Agbaou (a village of Divo region, Cote d’Ivoire). In the same forest, 20 other rare and endemic plant species were recorded. Accurate modeling of geographical distributions of these species is crucial to various applications in ecology and biodiversity conservation. The present study analyzed suitable habitat models for the 21 species. The main objective was to test geographical predictions for the focused species: Cola lorougnonis. We used Maxent modelling method for predicting potential suitable habitats combining environmental variables and species records. We evaluated Maxent predictions using the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUC). For each species, the map of distribution was engineered using DIVA-GIS. We compared the suitable habitat areas among species. Principal Canonical Analysis allowed the ordination of species according to environmental variables. AUC values allowed to get 11 species with excellent distribution models, 8 species with good distribution models, and 2 species with predictive models considered as acceptable. Cola lorougnonis (AUC = 0.99) and Drypetes singroboensis (AUC = 0.96) have the same focused area: moist semi-deciduous forest in Cote d’Ivoire. They are more sensitive to changes in rainfall of both warmest and coldest seasons. The State of Côte d’Ivoire has to undertake monitoring, assessment and reporting of conservation status facilitation for all habitats where these species could be found within the territory. Additional studies focusing on the investigation areas and niche models onto future conditions of climate could be considered.

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Modeling impacts of climate change on the potential habitat of an endangered Brazilian endemic coral: discussion about deep sea refugia

10.1101/517359 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Umberto Diego Rodrigues de Oliveira ◽

Gislaine Vanessa de Lima ◽

Paula Braga Gomes ◽

Ralf Tarciso Silva Cordeiro ◽

Carlos Daniel Pérez

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Deep Sea ◽

Ecological Niche ◽

Human Impacts ◽

Marine Conservation ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Ecological Niche Models ◽

Potential Habitat ◽

Niche Models ◽

Impacts Of Climate Change

AbstractClimate and environmental changes are determinant for coral distribution and their very existence. Effects of such changes on distribution can be predicted through ecological niche models, anticipating suitable habitats for subsistence of species. Mussismilia harttii is one of the most widespread Brazilian endemic reef building corals, and in increasing risk of extinction. The ecological niche models were used through the maximal entropy approach to determine the potential present and future habitats for M. harttii, estimating suitable habitat losses and gains at the end of the 21st century. For this purpose, records published in the last 20 years and current and future environmental variables were correlated. The models were evaluated through the Area Under the Operational Curve of the Receiver, using the AUC values and additionally AUCratio, a new approach using independent occurrence data. Both approaches showed that the models performed satisfactorily in predicting areas of potential habitat for the species. The results showed that the area to the south of the São Francisco River is the most suitable for the current habitat of the species, and that nitrate was the most influential variable for the models. Simultaneously, the salinity and temperature exerted greater influence for the models in future scenarios, in which current northernmost and southernmost limits of the potential habitats shifted towards deeper regions, so these deeper sites may serve as a refugia for the species in global warming scenarios. Coral communities at such depths would be less susceptible to the impacts of climate change on temperature and salinity. However, deep sea is not free from human impacts and measures to protect deeper ecosystems should be prioritized in environmental policy for Brazilian marine conservation.

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Predicting bycatch hotspots based on suitable habitat derived from fishery-independent data

Marine Ecology Progress Series ◽

10.3354/meps13302 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 641 ◽

pp. 159-175

Author(s):

J Runnebaum ◽

KR Tanaka ◽

L Guan ◽

J Cao ◽

L O’Brien ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Suitability ◽

Mixed Model ◽

Linear Mixed Model ◽

Gulf Of Maine ◽

Homarus Americanus ◽

Management Tool ◽

American Lobster ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Suitability Index

Bycatch remains a global problem in managing sustainable fisheries. A critical aspect of management is understanding the timing and spatial extent of bycatch. Fisheries management often relies on observed bycatch data, which are not always available due to a lack of reporting or observer coverage. Alternatively, analyzing the overlap in suitable habitat for the target and non-target species can provide a spatial management tool to understand where bycatch interactions are likely to occur. Potential bycatch hotspots based on suitable habitat were predicted for cusk Brosme brosme incidentally caught in the Gulf of Maine American lobster Homarus americanus fishery. Data from multiple fisheries-independent surveys were combined in a delta-generalized linear mixed model to generate spatially explicit density estimates for use in an independent habitat suitability index. The habitat suitability indices for American lobster and cusk were then compared to predict potential bycatch hotspot locations. Suitable habitat for American lobster has increased between 1980 and 2013 while suitable habitat for cusk decreased throughout most of the Gulf of Maine, except for Georges Basin and the Great South Channel. The proportion of overlap in suitable habitat varied interannually but decreased slightly in the spring and remained relatively stable in the fall over the time series. As Gulf of Maine temperatures continue to increase, the interactions between American lobster and cusk are predicted to decline as cusk habitat continues to constrict. This framework can contribute to fisheries managers’ understanding of changes in habitat overlap as climate conditions continue to change and alter where bycatch interactions could occur.

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