Modeling species distribution versus habitat suitability: A case study on red spruce (Picea rubens)
Faculty Advisor Name
Dr. Heather Griscom
Department
Department of Biology
Description
Ecological niche modeling has become common practice amongst ecologists in the last two decades. The terms in the field of ecological niche modeling, such as ecological niche model, species distribution model, and habitat suitability model are often used interchangeably, although each term can have very different meanings depending on the context of the study. Without full understanding of model inputs and careful interpretation of model outputs, there is a possibility that the dimension of the ecological niche being predicted does not align with the modeling goals of the author. This study showcases an example which indicates that it is possible to intentionally model species distribution and habitat suitability separately. Red spruce (Picea rubens) distribution was modeled by collecting true-absence points in proximity to red spruce presence points. Red spruce suitable habitat was modeled by excluding true-absence points and only using pseudo-absence points along with presence points. Models which included proximal true-absences had functionally greater discriminatory ability in map projections and were more sensitive to subtle environmental changes when compared to models which only included pseudo-absence points. Therefore, models which included true-absence points more closely approximated the current distribution of red spruce whereas models which only included pseudo-absences more closely approximated the potential distribution or suitable habitat of red spruce. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of explicitly modeling distribution separately from habitat suitability and the need for further evaluation of modeling procedures and sampling practices in the field of ecological niche modeling.
Modeling species distribution versus habitat suitability: A case study on red spruce (Picea rubens)
Ecological niche modeling has become common practice amongst ecologists in the last two decades. The terms in the field of ecological niche modeling, such as ecological niche model, species distribution model, and habitat suitability model are often used interchangeably, although each term can have very different meanings depending on the context of the study. Without full understanding of model inputs and careful interpretation of model outputs, there is a possibility that the dimension of the ecological niche being predicted does not align with the modeling goals of the author. This study showcases an example which indicates that it is possible to intentionally model species distribution and habitat suitability separately. Red spruce (Picea rubens) distribution was modeled by collecting true-absence points in proximity to red spruce presence points. Red spruce suitable habitat was modeled by excluding true-absence points and only using pseudo-absence points along with presence points. Models which included proximal true-absences had functionally greater discriminatory ability in map projections and were more sensitive to subtle environmental changes when compared to models which only included pseudo-absence points. Therefore, models which included true-absence points more closely approximated the current distribution of red spruce whereas models which only included pseudo-absences more closely approximated the potential distribution or suitable habitat of red spruce. This study demonstrates the potential benefits of explicitly modeling distribution separately from habitat suitability and the need for further evaluation of modeling procedures and sampling practices in the field of ecological niche modeling.
