Saideh Maleki Najfabadi

Abstract

A Geographic Information System (GIS)-based model, using presence-only data and a statistical approach were used to predict suitability of habitat for Ovis Orientalis Isfahanica in Moteh wildlife refuge. The management-driven study focused on rare and economically valuable herbivores during the resource-limited season. The modeling software Biomapper was used to quantify species–habitat suitability and derive habitat suitability (HS) maps.   Also, this study compared the ability of two techniques, a presence-only (Ecological Niche-Factor Analysis) and one presence-absence technique (Generalized Linear Modeling) to model and predict the distribution of specie. This study is the first attempt to compare their predictive abilities for specie by biomapper in Iran. Presence-only techniques may be advantageous over traditional presence-absence approaches because a) they avoid potential bias associated with absence data
(i.e. uncertainty with the separation of ‘true’ absences, where species are actually absent from an area, from ‘false’ absences, where speices are present but undetectable to observers on the surface, and b) they enable the analysis of a wider range of data sources which can not be analysed using techniques such as GLM and GAM (i.e. data not collected from dedicated effort-based surveys at sea e.g. public sightings databases). However, a composite map combining the predictions of all techniques provided the best overall representation of actual harbour porpoise distribution in the study area. Therefore, for future modeling, a combination of different techniques may be preferential for predicting species occurrence since the limitations of anyone modeling technique can be compensated by the strengths of another model.This study shows that in spring, hills and lower area were selected. In summer highest hill were selected and in autumn lower area that were nearby area with lowest slope had selected. Totally area with 2200m elevation and 20-30% slope that had covered with Artemisia ausheri had been suitable