Anticipating Knowledge to Inform Species Management: Predicting Spatially Explicit Habitat Suitability of a Colonial Vulture Spreading Its Range

Abstract

BackgroundThe knowledge of both potential distribution and habitat suitability is fundamental in spreading species to inform in advance management and conservation planning. After a severe decline in the past decades, the griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) is now spreading its breeding range towards the northwest in Spain and Europe. Because of its key ecological function, anticipated spatial knowledge is required to inform appropriately both vulture and ecosystem management.Methodology/FindingsHere we used maximum entropy (Maxent) models to determine the habitat suitability of potential and current breeding distribution of the griffon vulture using presence-only data (N = 124 colonies) in north-western Spain. The most relevant ecological factors shaping this habitat suitability were also identified. The resulting model had a high predictive performance and was able to predict species' historical distribution. 7.5% (∼1,850 km2) of the study area resulted to be suitable breeding habitat, most of which (∼70%) is already occupied by the species. Cliff availability and livestock density, especially of sheep and goats, around 10 km of the colonies were the fundamental factors determining breeding habitat suitability for this species.Conclusions/SignificanceGriffon vultures could still spread 50–60 km towards the west, increasing their breeding range in 1,782 km2. According to our results, 7.22% of the area suitable for griffon vulture will be affected by wind farms, so our results could help to better plan wind farm locations. The approach here developed could be useful to inform management of reintroductions and recovery programmes currently being implemented for both the griffon vulture and other threatened vulture species.

Assessing Species Habitat Using Google Street View: A Case Study of Cliff-Nesting Vultures

“…This idea is supported by our results showing that the species that use larger nesting cliffs (i.e. the griffon vulture; authors’s unpublished data) [14], [21] registered a greater mean distance from the road to the identified cliff. Other limitations of this method were those related with meteorological and light conditions (e.g.…”

“…The species is classified as of Least Concern by the IUCN [20], but it is locally threatened in some regions where recovery programmes are carried out [21]. The species use caves, ledges and crevices to install their nests.…”

Maxent modeling for predicting the spatial distribution of three raptors in the Sanjiangyuan National Park, China

“…Some studies have demonstrated that raptors can be regarded as "indicators of biodiversity," indicating a positive and direct relationship can be established between the raptors and the richness of other plant and animal species in the same domain (Burgas, Byholm, Parkkima, & Thompson, 2014;Martín & Ferrer, 2013;Sergio, Newton, Marchesi, & Pedrini, 2006). Since the three raptors face certain threats or a predictable decline in population, it is therefore necessary to assess the distribution of suitable habitats targeting these three raptors in China and make suggestions for their protection and management (Mateo-Tomas & Olea, 2010). In addition, raptors as umbrella species can benefit other species when they are attached great importance and protected (Oliveira, Olmos, Santos-Filho, & Bernardo, 2018).…”

Livestock-driven land use change to model species distributions: Egyptian vulture as a case study

“…nest-site and landscape) was investigated by examining Moran's correlograms of residuals computed using the freeware package SAM (Spatial Analysis in Macroecology; Rangel et al, 2006;Mateo-Tomás and Olea, 2010c for further details). Model residuals did not show significant spatial autocorrelation after Bonferroni correction (i.e.…”