Species distribution modelling is needed to support ecological impact assessments

Species distribution modelling to support marine conservation planning

Species distribution modelling to support marine conservation planning Charlotte Emily Marshall This thesis explores some important practical considerations concerning the use of species distribution models in marine conservation planning. Using geo-referenced gorgonian distribution data, together with explanatory environmental variables, predictive models have been used to map the spatial dist...

Considering Ecological Processes in Environmental Impact Assessments

Species distribution modelling of invasive alien species; Pterois miles for current distribution and future suitable habitats

The present study aims to predict the potential geographic distribution and future expansion of invasive alien lionfish (Pterois miles) with ecological niche modelling along the Mediterranean Sea. The primary data consisted of occurrence points of P. miles in the Mediterranean and marine climatic data layers were collected from global databases. All the used models run 100% su...

Limitations to the Use of Species-Distribution Models for Environmental-Impact Assessments in the Amazon

Species-distribution models (SDM) are tools with potential to inform environmental-impact studies (EIA). However, they are not always appropriate and may result in improper and expensive mitigation and compensation if their limitations are not understood by decision makers. Here, we examine the use of SDM for frogs that were used in impact assessment using data obtained from the EIA of a hydroe...

Decision Support for Ecosystem Management and Ecological Assessments

In the face of mounting confrontation and after almost 20 years of increasingly contentious public unhappiness with the management of National Forests, the USDA Forest Service officially adopted ecosystem management as a land management paradigm (Overbay, 1992). Other federal forest land management agencies, such as the USDI Bureau of Land Management, the USDI National Park Service, the USDI Fi...