Modeling habitat suitability of the Red-backed Shrike (Lanius collurio) in the Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot

Identifying suitable habitats of species is essential knowledge to conserve them successfully. Human activities causes the reduction of population size and habitat suitability of many species. Red-backed Shrike is a widespread in western Palearctic. However, the population of this specie has declined in its geographical range due to the loss of suitable habitats. Therefore, it is necessary to identify its suitable habitats and factors affecting species habitat suitability and to protect its reduction population size. The aim of the present study was to identify the suitable habitat of the Red-backed Shrike and determine the most important predictors of its suitable habitat in Irano-Anatolian biodiversity hotspot. To achieve this goal, species presence points were first collected and seven environmental variables related to climate, topography and anthropogenic activities, were used to construct the species habitat suitable model. Models were built using five distribution modeling methods: Maxent, GAP, GLM, RF and GBM in sdm package. Then the models were Ensemble from 5 different models and the final model was constructed. The results of this study showed that the most suitable habitats of this species are in the western and northern parts of the area of study. The mean annual temperature with 41% contribution was the most important variable in constructing the habitat suitability model for this specie. In addition, climate variables with 75% contribution were identified as the most important habitat suitability factor for this specie. Also in relation to conservation of the Red-backed Shrike species in the Irano-Anatolian region, it can be stated that the extent of distribution and presence of this specie has been extended to the northern latitudes due to climate change. As a result, the temperature and climate factor should be given special attention in the management of bird habitats in this area.

Download Full-text

Predicting Impacts of Climate Change on Northward Range Expansion of Invasive Weeds in South Korea

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10081604 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 1604

Author(s):

Sun Hee Hong ◽

Yong Ho Lee ◽

Gaeun Lee ◽

Do-Hun Lee ◽

Pradeep Adhikari

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

South Korea ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Southern Region ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Invasive Weeds ◽

Northern Regions ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

Control And Management

Predicting the distribution of invasive weeds under climate change is important for the early identification of areas that are susceptible to invasion and for the adoption of the best preventive measures. Here, we predicted the habitat suitability of 16 invasive weeds in response to climate change and land cover changes in South Korea using a maximum entropy modeling approach. Based on the predictions of the model, climate change is likely to increase habitat suitability. Currently, the area of moderately suitable and highly suitable habitats is estimated to be 8877.46 km2, and 990.29 km2, respectively, and these areas are expected to increase up to 496.52% by 2050 and 1439.65% by 2070 under the representative concentration pathways 4.5 scenario across the country. Although habitat suitability was estimated to be highest in the southern regions (<36° latitude), the central and northern regions are also predicted to have substantial increases in suitable habitat areas. Our study revealed that climate change would exacerbate the threat of northward weed invasions by shifting the climatic barriers of invasive weeds from the southern region. Thus, it is essential to initiate control and management strategies in the southern region to prevent further invasions into new areas.

Download Full-text

The Extent of Seasonally Suitable Habitats May Limit Forage Fish Production in a Temperate Estuary

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.706666 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Mary C. Fabrizio ◽

Troy D. Tuckey ◽

Aaron J. Bever ◽

Michael L. MacWilliams

Keyword(s):

Chesapeake Bay ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Reference Points ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Habitat Conditions ◽

Forage Production ◽

Forage Fishes ◽

Annual Variations ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

Bay Anchovy

The sustained production of sufficient forage is critical to advancing ecosystem-based management, yet factors that affect local abundances and habitat conditions necessary to support aggregate forage production remain largely unexplored. We quantified suitable habitat in the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries for four key forage fishes: juvenile spotted hake Urophycis regia, juvenile spot Leiostomus xanthurus, juvenile weakfish Cynoscion regalis, and bay anchovy Anchoa mitchilli. We used information from monthly fisheries surveys from 2000 to 2016 coupled with hindcasts from a spatially interpolated model of dissolved oxygen and a 3-D hydrodynamic model of the Chesapeake Bay to identify influential covariates and construct habitat suitability models for each species. Suitable habitat conditions resulted from a complex interplay between water quality and geophysical properties of the environment and varied among species. Habitat suitability indices ranging between 0 (poor) and 1 (superior) were used to estimate seasonal and annual extents of suitable habitats. Seasonal variations in suitable habitat extents in Chesapeake Bay, which were more pronounced than annual variations during 2000–2016, reflected the phenology of estuarine use by these species. Areas near shorelines served as suitable habitats in spring for juvenile spot and in summer for juvenile weakfish, indicating the importance of these shallow areas for production. Tributaries were more suitable for bay anchovy in spring than during other seasons. The relative baywide abundances of juvenile spot and bay anchovy were significantly related to the extent of suitable habitats in summer and winter, respectively, indicating that Chesapeake Bay habitats may be limiting for these species. In contrast, the relative baywide abundances of juvenile weakfish and juvenile spotted hake varied independently of the spatial extent of suitable habitats. In an ecosystem-based approach, areas that persistently provide suitable conditions for forage species such as shoreline and tributary habitats may be targeted for protection or restoration, thereby promoting sufficient production of forage for predators. Further, quantitative habitat targets or spatial thresholds may be developed for habitat-limited species using estimates of the minimum habitat area required to produce a desired abundance or biomass; such targets or thresholds may serve as spatial reference points for management.

Download Full-text

Habitat Suitability Study of Hylomecon Japonica Based on Maxent Model in China

10.21203/rs.3.rs-76168/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Cao Zhen ◽

Zhang Xiaoyan ◽

Xue Xuanji ◽

Zhang Lei ◽

Zhan Guanqun ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Suitability ◽

Potential Distribution ◽

Mean Annual Temperature ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Entropy Model ◽

Factors Affecting ◽

Jackknife Test ◽

Maxent Model ◽

Growth Area ◽

The Mean

Abstract Background: To understand the potential distribution and habitat suitability of H. japonica in China. And to provide guidance for the wild cultivation and standardized planting of H. japonica. Methods: The maximum entropy model (Maxent) and geographic information system (ArcGIS) were applied to predict the potential suitable habitat of H. japonica species, and the contribution of variables were evaluated by using the jackknife test. Results: The AUC value confirmed the accuracy of the model prediction based on 101 occurrence records. The potential distributions of H. japonica were mainly concentrated in Jilin, Liaoning, Shaanxi and other provinces (adaptability index>0.6). Jackknife experiment showed that the precipitation of driest month (35.6%), precipitation of wettest quarter (13.4%), the mean annual temperature (7.8%) and the subclass of soil (7.8%) were the most important factors affecting the potential distribution of H. japonica. Conclusion: The niche parameters of the most suitable growth area (adaptability index>0.8) for H. japonica were precipitation of driest month (5 mm), precipitation of wettest quarter (400-490 mm), the mean annual temperature (-2-4 °C) and the subclass of soil (Glossy Chernozem, Gleyic Lime, Haplic Gypsisols).

Download Full-text

Sea pens in the Mediterranean Sea: habitat suitability and opportunities for ecosystem recovery

ICES Journal of Marine Science ◽

10.1093/icesjms/fsy010 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 75 (5) ◽

pp. 1722-1732 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Azzurra Bastari ◽

Daniela Pica ◽

Francesco Ferretti ◽

Fiorenza Micheli ◽

Carlo Cerrano

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Generalized Additive Models ◽

Additive Models ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Ecosystem Recovery ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

Vulnerable Habitats ◽

Available Information

Abstract The aim of this study is to synthesize available information on sea pens in the Mediterranean Sea and fill existing knowledge gaps through modelling of suitable habitat, with the overarching goal of informing strategies for protecting sea pen habitats from trawling impacts and facilitating their recovery. A review spanning the last 30 years was conducted to map the distribution of Mediterranean sea pen species. In the Adriatic Sea, presence–absence data were modelled with generalized additive models (GAMs) to identify potentially suitable habitats for Funiculina quadrangularis, Virgularia mirabilis, and Pennatula spp. Results show that sea pen distribution in the Mediterranean is mainly limited to continental northern shelves. Six species have been recorded throughout the Adriatic basin, where habitat suitability models confirm that its soft bottoms yield favourable conditions for sea pen assemblages. This information can help guide strategies for diminishing and reversing the impacts of bottom trawling on these vulnerable habitats.

Download Full-text

Facilitating Adaptive Forest Management under Climate Change: A Spatially Specific Synthesis of 125 Species for Habitat Changes and Assisted Migration over the Eastern United States

Forests ◽

10.3390/f10110989 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 989 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Louis R. Iverson ◽

Anantha M. Prasad ◽

Matthew P. Peters ◽

Stephen N. Matthews

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

United States ◽

Tree Species ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Analysis Data ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Eastern United States ◽

Data Set ◽

The Face ◽

Suitable Habitats

We modeled and combined outputs for 125 tree species for the eastern United States, using habitat suitability and colonization potential models along with an evaluation of adaptation traits. These outputs allowed, for the first time, the compilation of tree species’ current and future potential for each unit of 55 national forests and grasslands and 469 1 × 1 degree grids across the eastern United States. A habitat suitability model, a migration simulation model, and an assessment based on biological and disturbance factors were used with United States Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis data to evaluate species potential to migrate or infill naturally into suitable habitats over the next 100 years. We describe a suite of variables, by species, for each unique geographic unit, packaged as summary tables describing current abundance, potential future change in suitable habitat, adaptability, and capability to cope with the changing climate, and colonization likelihood over 100 years. This resulting synthesis and summation effort, culminating over two decades of work, provides a detailed data set that incorporates habitat quality, land cover, and dispersal potential, spatially constrained, for nearly all the tree species of the eastern United States. These tables and maps provide an estimate of potential species trends out 100 years, intended to deliver managers and publics with practical tools to reduce the vast set of decisions before them as they proactively manage tree species in the face of climate change.

Download Full-text

Anticipated climate changes reveal shifting in habitat suitability of high-altitude selaginellas in Java, Indonesia

Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity ◽

10.13057/biodiv/d211157 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 21 (11) ◽

Author(s):

AHMAD DWI SETYAWAN ◽

Jatna Supriatna ◽

Nisyawati ◽

Ilyas Nursamsi ◽

SUTARNO SUTARNO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Altitude ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Climate Changes ◽

Anthropogenic Activities ◽

Annual Rainfall ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Distribution Models ◽

Climate Conditions ◽

Presence Data ◽

Pessimistic Scenario

Abstract. Setyawan AD, Supriatna J, Nisyawati, Nursamsi I, Sutarno, Sugiyarto, Sunarto, Pradan P, Budiharta S, Pitoyo A, Suhardono S, Setyono P, Indrawan M. 2020. Anticipated climate changes reveal shifting in habitat suitability of high-altitude selaginellas in Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 5482-5497. High-altitude ecosystems with humid and cool climate are the preferred habitat for some Selaginella species (selaginellas). Such habitats are available in Java, Indonesia, which also has fertile soils with rich mineral contents resulted from volcanic activities. However, the high-altitude ecosystems in Java are threatened by various anthropogenic activities as well as changes in climate conditions, potentially affecting some Selaginella species. This study aimed to investigate the shift in suitable habitat of four species of high-altitude Selaginella spp. (Selaginella involvens, S. opaca, S. ornata, and S. remotifolia) in Java Island under current and future climate conditions predicted by several representative greenhouse gas concentration pathways. Presence data of Selaginella localities were collected from field survey between 2007 and 2014 across the island, as well as occurrence points from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility database. A total of 1,721 occurrence points data along with environmental and climate data were used to develop species distribution models using MaxEnt. Future habitat distributions were projected under four climate scenarios to see the shift in suitable habitat and altitudinal ranges. The results showed that the distribution of the four high-altitude Selaginella species are strongly influenced by altitude, annual average temperature, and annual rainfall. In the present time, 37.32% (48,974 km2) of the area of Java has been predicted to be suitable for high-altitude Selaginella. Under the optimistic climate scenario (RCP 2.6), the highly suitable area will likely to decrease by almost 35% in the year 2080, whereas the medium and low suitable areas will reduce by about 37.2% and 18.3%, respectively. Under the pessimistic scenario (RCP 8.5), about 21.2% of low suitable areas will be lost in 2080, whereas the medium and highly suitable areas are predicted to decrease by around 38.1% and 33.4%, respectively. Under the pessimistic scenario, there will be upward shift by 51.1 m in the year 2030 from the current’s mean altitude and will shift by almost 150 m in the year 2080. The maximum altitude of predicted suitable habitat is also predicted to increase to reach almost 3500 m asl in the year 2080. The results of this study imply that habitat shift of four high-altitude Selaginella species varies depending on the scenario, but in all cases, the losses are greater than gains.

Download Full-text

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

Journal of Environmental Biology ◽

10.22438/jeb/42/3(si)/jeb-09 ◽

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.

Download Full-text

Suitable Habitat Modeling of Prehistoric Antelope-like Bovid Duboisia Santeng in Java Island in The Early Pleistocene

10.20944/preprints202009.0355.v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Andri Wibowo

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Potential Distribution ◽

Habitat Modeling ◽

Early Pleistocene ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Migration Routes ◽

Suitable Habitats ◽

Surrounding Areas ◽

Asian Mainland

The migration routes have facilitated the distribution of mammals from south east Asian mainland to the Sundaland including Java island in the early Pleistocene. One of species that has migrated through that route is antelope-like bovid Duboisia santeng. In the present study, the potential distribution areas and the suitable habitats of D. santeng have been projected and modeled. The modeled habitat was a forest river basin sizing 302.91 Ha in the central of Java island. The model has classified and reconstructed the habitat suitability ranged from low to high back to Pleistocene. The surrounding areas of forest were mostly classified as medium and low related to the limited tree covers. Most suitable habitats were identified in the middle of forest river basin where the tree covers were presented

Download Full-text

Habitat suitability – density relationship in an endangered woodland species: the case of the Blue Chaffinch (Fringilla polatzeki)

10.7287/peerj.preprints.3136 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Luis M. Carrascal ◽

Angel C. Moreno ◽

Alejandro Delgado ◽

Víctor Suárez ◽

Domingo Trujillo

Keyword(s):

Population Size ◽

Habitat Suitability ◽

Management Practices ◽

Habitat Preferences ◽

Pine Forests ◽

Tree Cover ◽

Distribution Model ◽

Gran Canaria ◽

Western Palearctic ◽

Local Abundance

Background. Understanding constraints to the distribution of threatened species may help to ascertain whether there are other suitable sectors for reducing the risks associated with species that are recorded in only one protected locality, and to inform about the suitability of other areas for reintroduction or translocation programs. Methods. We studied the Gran Canaria blue chaffinch (Fringilla polatzeki), a habitat specialist endemic of the Canary Islands restricted to the pine forest of Inagua, the only area where the species has been naturally present as a regular breeder in the last 25 years. A suitability distribution model using occurrences with demographic relevance (i.e., nest locations of successful breeding attempts analysed using boosted classification trees) was built considering orographic, climatic and habitat structure predictors. By means of a standardized survey program we monitored the yearly abundance of the species in 100 sectors since the declaration of Inagua as a Strict Nature Reserve in 1994. Results. The variables with the highest relative importance in blue chaffinch habitat preferences were pine height, tree cover, altitude, and rainfall during the driest trimester (July-September). The observed local abundance of the blue chaffinch in Inagua (survey data) was significantly correlated with habitat suitability derived from modelling the location of successful nesting attempts (using linear and quantile regressions). The outcomes of the habitat suitability model were used to quantify the suitability of other natural, historic, pine forests of Gran Canaria. Tamadaba is the forest with most suitable woodland patches for the species. We estimated a population size of 195-430 blue chaffinches in Inagua since 2011 (95% CI), the smallest population size of a woodland passerine in the Western Palearctic. Discussion. Habitat suitability obtained from modelling the location of successful breeding attempts is a good surrogate of the observed local abundance during the reproductive season. The outcomes of these models can be used for the identification of potential areas for the reintroduction of the species in other suitable pine forests and to inform forest management practices.

Download Full-text