Ecological niche modelling and prioritizing areas for species reintroductions

Martínez‐Meyer, Enrique; Peterson, A. Townsend; Servín, Jorge; Kiff, Lloyd F.

doi:10.1017/s0030605306001360

Cited by 93 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…Therefore, future studies should combine current range estimates with selection indices to indicate the factors limiting and influencing endangered species' distributions. Habitat or resource selection indices allow managers to model current and future species distributions, understand the potential impacts of ecosystem degradation and various management decisions, and conserve essential resources for endangered species (Millspaugh et al 2006;Martinez-Meyer et al 2006). Such indices may be particularly important in conservation decision-making for patchily-distributed species, and can aid in the identification and assessment of critical habitat both in and between current population patches (Harris et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subpopulation range estimation for conservation planning: a case study of the critically endangered Cross River gorilla

Sawyer

2012

Biodivers Conserv

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Measuring and characterizing the area utilized by a population or species is essential for assessment of conservation status and for effective allocation of habitat to ensure population persistence. Yet population-level range delineation is complicated by the variety of available techniques coupled with a lack of empirical methods to compare the relative value of these techniques. This study assesses the effect of model choice on resulting subpopulation range estimation for the critically endangered and patchily distributed Cross River gorilla, and evaluates the conservation conclusions that can be drawn from each model. Models considered range from basic traditional approaches (e.g. minimum convex polygon) to newer home range techniques such as local convex hull (LoCoH). Overlap analysis comparing sub-sampled to complete data sets are used to evaluate the robustness of various modeling techniques to data limitations. Likelihood cross validation criterion is employed to compare core range model performance. Results suggest that differing LoCoH models produce similar range estimates, are robust to data requirements, provide a good fit for core habitat estimation, and are best able to detect unused habitat within the subpopulation range. LoCoH methods may thus be useful for studies into habitat selection and factors limiting endangered species distributions. However, LoCoH models tend to over-fit data, and kernel methods may provide similar information about animal space use while supporting protection of larger swaths of critical habitat. Subpopulation range analyses for conservation/management planning should therefore explore multiple modeling techniques, and employ both qualitative and quantitative assessments to select the best models to inform decision making for species of conservation concern.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Subpopulation range estimation for conservation planning: a case study of the critically endangered Cross River gorilla

Sawyer

2012

Biodivers Conserv

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“…However, based on the results of species niche modeling, studies cannot be considered unequivocally true, and it is necessary to permit identification via detailed fieldwork to ensure that proper decisions are being made (Costa et al 2007). This validation approach has demonstrated considerable predictive power of models generated with scarce locality records, for example in targeting field surveys to accelerate the discovery of unknown populations of known or unknown species and species (Raxworthy et al 2003;Pearson et al 2007), and can be highly informative to conservation efforts in identifying suitable sites (Martínez-Meyer et al 2006). More detailed field surveys, such as in areas where only indirect evidence of the species' presence was recorded, will likely maximize utility of ecological niche modeling as a tool for locating new populations and individuals of Gymnocladus assamicus species, which is a critically rare and endangered tree species endemic to northeastern India (Menon et al 2010).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lizard species richness patterns in China and its environmental associations

et al. 2011

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Many ecological hypotheses have been widely used to explain species richness variation across the globe. We investigated lizard species richness patterns in China, and identified areas of high species richness. Furthermore, we tested hypotheses concerning the relationships between lizard richness and environmental variables. A large data including 30,902 records of point locality data for 151 lizard species occurring in China were retrieved from Herpetology museums of CIB/CAS and other museums through HerpNET, and published sources, and then predicted distributions maps were generated using ecological niche modeling. We overlaid all species prediction maps into a composite map to describe species richness patterns. A multiple regression analysis using eigenvector-based spatial filtering (SEVM) was performed to examine the best environmental predictors of species richness. Richness peaked mainly in southern China located in the Oriental realm. Our best multiple regression models explained a total of 80.1% variance of lizard richness (r 2 = 0.801; F = 203.47; P \ 0.001). Among related factors in shaping species richness distribution, the best environmental predictors of species richness were: frost-day frequency, elevation, vegetation, and wet-day frequency. Based on models selection, our results revealed that underlying mechanisms related to different ecological hypotheses might work together and best explain lizard richness in China. We are in an initial step to develop a large data set on species richness, and provide the necessary conservation implications from habitat loss. Additional studies that test species richness at different geographical scale are required to better understand the factors that may influence the species richness distribution in East Asia.

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“…Given the species' demographic characteristics (Choudhury et al 2007a), seedling and sapling populations do not contribute to the maintenance of natural regeneration stock. As such, introduction and reintroduction of the species in suitable ecological habitats may be an important option to restore Gymnocladus assamicus populations, another point at which ENM can be useful: niche models can be useful in identifying suitable sites for such efforts (Martínez-Meyer et al 2006). Supplementary regeneration to restore populations could be an additional adaptive strategy to combat decline in G. assamicus populations (Choudhury et al 2007a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ecological niche modeling and local knowledge predict new populations of Gymnocladus assamicus a critically endangered tree species

Menon¹,

Choudhury²,

Khan³

et al. 2010

Endang. Species. Res.

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Gymnocladus assamicus is a critically endangered tree species endemic to northeastern India. Local inhabitants traditionally used this species for a variety of purposes. However, rapid population declines led to the species being considered extinct, until fieldwork in 2004 to 2007 identified 14 discrete populations of 1 to 7 trees each. To overcome constraints on field surveys imposed by the region's remoteness and rugged terrain, we targeted areas of further field inventories by estimating the potential distribution of the species. Ecological niche modeling enabled us to identify 26 sites which the model predicted to be highly suitable for the species' occurrence. We conducted rapid field surveys at 14 of the most accessible of these predicted sites. New populations were discovered at 5 of the 14 surveyed sites. In the remaining 12 less accessible sites, we interviewed residents from nearby villages and obtained indirect evidence of populations at 5 additional sites, which remain to be confirmed by direct field observations. This study demonstrates the utility of niche modeling as a tool for locating new populations of rare and endangered species. Our results will enhance ongoing efforts towards in situ conservation of this endangered species.

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Ecological niche modelling and prioritizing areas for species reintroductions

Cited by 93 publications

References 36 publications

Subpopulation range estimation for conservation planning: a case study of the critically endangered Cross River gorilla

Subpopulation range estimation for conservation planning: a case study of the critically endangered Cross River gorilla

Lizard species richness patterns in China and its environmental associations

Ecological niche modeling and local knowledge predict new populations of Gymnocladus assamicus a critically endangered tree species

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