scholarly journals Challenges in updating habitat suitability models: An example with the lesser prairie-chicken

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0256633
Author(s):  
Catherine S. Jarnevich ◽  
Pairsa N. Belamaric ◽  
Kent Fricke ◽  
Mike Houts ◽  
Liza Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Current Information ◽  
Land Cover Data ◽  
Prairie Chicken ◽  
Anthropogenic Development ◽  
Iteration Model

Habitat loss from land-use change is one of the top causes of declines in wildlife species of concern. As such, it is critical to assess and reassess habitat suitability as land cover and anthropogenic features change for both monitoring and developing current information to inform management decisions. However, there are obstacles that must be overcome to develop consistent assessments through time. A range-wide lek habitat suitability model for the lesser prairie-chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), currently under review by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service for potential listing under the Endangered Species Act, was published in 2016. This model was based on lek data from 2002 to 2012, land cover data ranging from 2001 to 2013, and anthropogenic features from circa 2011, and has been used to help guide lesser prairie-chicken management and anthropogenic development actions. We created a second iteration model based on new lek surveys (2015 to 2019) and updated predictors (2016 land cover and cleaned/updated anthropogenic data) to evaluate changes in lek suitability and to quantify current range-wide habitat suitability. Only three of 11 predictor variables were directly comparable between the iterations, making it difficult to directly assess what predicted changes resulted from changes in model inputs versus actual landscape change. The second iteration model showed a similar positive relationship with land cover and negative relationship with anthropogenic features to the first iteration, but exhibited more variation among candidate models. Range-wide, more suitable habitat was predicted in the second iteration. The Shinnery Oak Ecoregion, however, exhibited a loss in predicted suitable habitat that could be due to predictor source changes. Iterated models such as this are important to ensure current information is being used in conservation and development decisions.

Habitat Suitability Modeling of the Federally Endangered Poweshiek Skipperling in Michigan

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 359-368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clint D. Pogue ◽  
Michael J. Monfils ◽  
David L. Cuthrell ◽  
Benjamin W. Heumann ◽  
Anna K. Monfils
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Habitat Model ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Habitat Suitability Modeling ◽  
Natural Land ◽  
Oarisma Poweshiek ◽  
Prairie Fen

Abstract The Poweshiek skipperling Oarisma poweshiek (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae) is a historically common prairie butterfly with a range extending throughout the mesic prairies and prairie fens of the upper Midwestern United States and southern Manitoba, Canada. Rapid, range-wide declines have reduced the number of verified Poweshiek skipperling locations to seven, four of which occur in Michigan. To assist with monitoring and, ultimately, conservation efforts, we developed a habitat model using the software Maxent with ecological and geographical factors. Using a lowest-presence threshold methodology, our habitat suitability model indicated potentially high suitability in 26 of 138 prairie fens with no documentation of Poweshiek skipperling occurrence. The strongest predictors of suitable habitat in our model were prairie fen area and surrounding natural land cover. Wildlife managers can use results from this analysis to expand monitoring to include sites with suitable habitat where Poweshiek skipperling are not currently documented, in addition to identifying potential introduction sites.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Habitat Suitability for Rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) in Orang National Park Using Geo-Spatial Tools

ISRN Ecology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pranjit Kumar Sarma ◽  
B. S. Mipun ◽  
Bibhab Kumar Talukdar ◽  
Rajeev Kumar ◽  
Ajit Kumar Basumatary
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
National Park ◽  
Geographical Area ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Swamp Forest ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
North East India ◽  
North East ◽  
Rhinoceros Unicornis

Orang National Park (Orang NP) is one of the important conservation areas in the Brahmaputra valley within North East India biogeographic zone covering an area of 78.8 km2. It is one of the prime habitats of one horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis) in its distribution range in south Asia. Satellite imagery of November 2008 was used to evaluate the rhino habitat pattern in the park. A habitat suitability model for one horned rhino was prepared using primary and secondary sources. Result indicates that out of total geographical area of the park 25.85% is covered by woodland. About 26.06% is covered by wet alluvial grassland and 17.97% is covered by dry savannah grassland. Similarly degraded grassland is covering 15.23% and eastern seasonal swamp forest is covering 1.72% of the park. About 8.22% of the park is covered by water body and 6.83% is covered by sandy area. The habitat suitability model for rhino shows that 25.13% of the park is most suitable habitat for rhino, 13.62% is moderately suitable and 61.23% is less suitable habitat for rhino in the park. This information will help the park managers to conserve rhino and its habitat in Orang NP.

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

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.

scholarly journals Potential habitat connectivity for Malayan gaur (Bos gaurus) in a fragmented forest area in Peninsular Malaysia

2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (3(SI)) ◽  
pp. 798-805
Author(s):  
N.A.T. Ariffin ◽  
◽  
M.A. Mustapha ◽  
T.M. Taher ◽  
N.F. Khodri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Forest Area ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Fragmented Forest ◽  
Auc Value ◽  
Bos Gaurus ◽  
Suitable Habitats ◽  
Fragmented Forest Area

Aim: To predict the distribution of suitable habitats for Malayan gaur (Bos gaurus) at a highly fragmented forest area in Peninsular Malaysia and to identify the potential connectivity between suitable habitat patches. Methodology: Maximum entropy (MaxEnt) approach was used to predict the distribution of suitable habitats of the Malayan gaur. Gaur presence-only data and six environmental variables were collated for the habitat suitability modeling, and area under curve (AUC) value was used to estimate the performance of the model. The resulting model was then used to derive a potential connectivity map through least-cost analysis using Corridor Designer toolbox in ArcGIS 10.4. Results: The AUC value of the habitat suitability model was 0.84. Distance from urban areas indicated the highest relative contribution to the model (26.9%), followed by distance from water body (24.2%) land use (18.0%) elevation (14.3%), slope (14.0%) and lithology (2.6%). Predicted suitable habitats for gaur were found mostly in lowland forest areas, especially in the vicinity of rivers within forest reserves. A total of five wildland blocks were derived from the habitat suitability model, and several potential corridor swaths were identified connecting the wildland blocks. Interpretation: The absence of gaur occurrence in suitable habitats suggest that fragmented habitats greatly affected gaur distribution and population. Road network and agricultural lands are the major barriers of gaur movement as they are very sensitive towards disturbances and conflict. Thus, this research proposes potential connectivity at a regional scale for Malayan gaur for use in future planning in conservation, management and development.

scholarly journals Habitat Suitability Modeling for the Newell's Shearwater on Kauai

2014 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeff R. Troy ◽  
Nick D. Holmes ◽  
Joseph A. Veech ◽  
André F. Raine ◽  
M. Clay Green
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Conservation Action ◽  
Habitat Suitability Modeling ◽  
Rock Fragments ◽  
The North ◽  
Isolation Index ◽  
Anthropogenic Threats ◽  
Privately Owned

Abstract The Newell's shearwater, or ‘A’o Puffinus newelli, is endemic to the main islands of the Hawaiian Archipelago and is listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Using abiotic and biotic environmental variables, we developed a terrestrial habitat suitability model for this species on Kauai to predict habitat that could be suitable in the absence of anthropogenic threats. In addition, we developed a habitat/threat-isolation index incorporating information from our suitability model to identify regions of structurally suitable habitat with less exposure to certain anthropogenic threats (relative to other portions of the island). The habitat suitability model suggests that slope, density of rock fragments within the soil, and native vegetation cover are important factors associated with the current known distribution of the Newell's shearwater on Kauai, and that a moderate portion of the sloped interior terrain of Kauai could potentially be suitable nesting habitat for this species. The habitat/threat-isolation index identified the mountains on the north-central portion of the island as structurally suitable habitat most isolated from a combination of major anthropogenic disturbances (relative to other portions of the island). Much of this region, however, is privately owned and not designated as an official reserve, which could indicate a need for increased conservation action in this region in the future. This information is important for conservation biologists and private landowners because expanding efforts to control nonnative predators, as well as management of additional lands as reserves, may be necessary for the protection and preservation of the Newell's shearwater.

Habitat suitability models indicate the White-breasted Thrasher Ramphocinclus brachyurus occupies all suitable habitat in Saint Lucia

2016 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
EMMA M. SASS ◽  
JENNIFER L. MORTENSEN ◽  
J. MICHAEL REED
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Full Range ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Models ◽  
Full Range Model ◽  
Saint Lucia

SummaryHabitat suitability models can guide species conservation by identifying correlates of occurrence and predicting where species are likely to occur. We created habitat suitability models for the White-breasted Thrasher Ramphocinclus brachyurus, a narrowly distributed endangered songbird that occupies dry forest in Saint Lucia and Martinique. Eighty-five percent of the global population inhabits two ranges in Saint Lucia, both of which are largely unprotected and threatened by development. We developed three habitat suitability models using Maxent techniques and published occupancy datasets collected from the species’ two Saint Lucian ranges, and used abiotic, land cover, and predator distribution predictors. We built one model with occupancy data from both ranges, and two others with occupancy data specific to each range. The best full-range model included 11 predictors; high suitability was associated with close proximity to Saint Lucia fer-de-lance Bothrops caribbeaus range, moderately low precipitation, and areas near streams. Our assessment of suitable sites island-wide was more restricted than results from a recent model that considered older land cover data and omitted predator distributions. All sites identified in our full-range model as highly suitable were in or adjacent to the species’ current designated range. The model trained on southern range occurrences predicted zero suitable habitat in the northern range, where the population is much smaller. In contrast, the model trained on northern range occurrences identified areas of moderate suitability within the southern range and patches of moderately suitable habitat in the western part of the island, where no White-breasted Thrashers currently occur. We interpret these results as suggesting that White-breasted Thrashers currently occupy virtually all suitable habitat on the island, that birds in the northern range occupy marginal habitat, or that an important correlate of suitability is missing from the model. Our results suggest that habitat management should focus on currently occupied areas.

scholarly journals Habitat-Suitability Model for the Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) in the Northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi, USA

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 848 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly M. Morris ◽  
Eric C. Soehren ◽  
Mark S. Woodrey ◽  
Scott A. Rush
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Gulf Coast ◽  
Geographic Area ◽  
Migratory Bird ◽  
Present Condition ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Management Actions ◽  
High Conservation ◽  
Northern Gulf Coast

The yellow rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) is a migratory bird of high conservation priority throughout its range and winters across the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains regions of the southeastern United States. Although the winter ecology of this species has been recently explored, no studies have addressed their distribution and abundance in relation to suitable habitat capable of supporting this species during winter along the northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi. The objectives of this study were to develop a habitat-suitability model for yellow rail wintering in the northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi. We then used this model to evaluate the distribution of habitat suitable for supporting yellow rail in this geographic area. Using a multivariate approach that makes use of presence-only data through a maximum entropy framework we compared the distribution of where the focal species was observed to a reference set of the whole study area. Of the 784,657 ha over which our model was applied, only 1% (8643 ha) of this area was predicted suitable in its present condition, for supporting yellow rail in winter. Our analysis indicates that the yellow rail along the northern Gulf Coast of Alabama and Mississippi occupy a very narrow range of environmental conditions highlighting need for specific management actions to maintain and conserve suitable winter landscapes for this habitat-restricted species.

scholarly journals Conservation of threatened San Joaquin antelope squirrels: distribution surveys, habitat suitability, and conservation recommendations

2021 ◽  
pp. 345-366
Author(s):  
Brian L. Cypher ◽  
Erica C. Kelly ◽  
Reagen O’Leary ◽  
Scott E. Phillips ◽  
Lawrence R. Saslaw ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Habitat Suitability ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Ground Squirrels ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Habitat Suitability Model ◽  
Habitat Conditions ◽  
Kangaroo Rats ◽  
California Ground Squirrels

The San Joaquin antelope squirrel (Ammospermophilus nelsoni: SJAS) is listed as Threatened pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act due to profound habitat loss throughout its range in the San Joaquin Desert in California. Habitat loss is still occurring and critical needs for SJAS include identifying occupied sites, quantifying optimal habitat conditions, and conserving habitat. Our objectives were to (1) conduct surveys to identify sites where SJAS were present, (2) assess habitat attributes on all survey sites, (3) generate a GIS-based model of SJAS habitat suitability, (4) use the model to determine the quantity and quality of remaining habitat, and (5) use these results to develop conservation recommendations. SJAS were detected on 160 of the 326 sites we surveyed using automated camera stations. Sites with SJAS typically were in arid upland shrub scrub communities where desert saltbush (Atriplex polycarpa) or jointfir (Ephedra californica) were the dominant shrubs, although shrubs need not be present for SJAS to be present. Sites with SJAS usually had relatively sparse ground cover with >10% bare ground and Arabian grass (Schismus arabicus) was the dominant grass. SJAS were more likely to occur on sites where kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spp.) were present and burrow abundance was greater, but SJAS were less likely to be present on sites with California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi). Based on our habitat suitability model, an estimated 5,931 km2 of high or moderately high quality habitat and 4,753 km2 of lower quality habitat remain. To conserve SJAS, we recommend (1) conducting additional SJAS surveys on sites not surveyed but with suitable habitat, (2) conserving unprotected lands with suitable habitat, (3) managing vegetation on occupied sites if necessary, (4) restoring disturbed lands to increase suitability for SJAS, and (5) conducting translocations of SJAS to unoccupied sites with suitable habitat.

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