scholarly journals Gap Analysis Project (GAP) Terrestrial Vertebrate Species Richness Maps for the Conterminous U.S.

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Gergely ◽  
Kenneth G. Boykin ◽  
Alexa J. McKerrow ◽  
Matthew J. Rubino ◽  
Nathan M. Tarr ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate Species

scholarly journals Testing the Effectiveness of Environmental Variables to Explain European Terrestrial Vertebrate Species Richness across Biogeographical Scales

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. e0131924 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maud Mouchet ◽  
Christian Levers ◽  
Laure Zupan ◽  
Tobias Kuemmerle ◽  
Christoph Plutzar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate Species

The relationships between terrestrial vertebrate species richness in China’s nature reserves and environmental variables

2006 ◽  
Vol 84 (9) ◽  
pp. 1368-1374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuqing Zhao ◽  
Jingyun Fang ◽  
Changhui Peng ◽  
Zhiyao Tang
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Primary Productivity ◽  
Environmental Variables ◽  
Net Primary Productivity ◽  
Nature Reserves ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate ◽  
Physiologically Based ◽  
Richness Patterns ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate Species

Explaining species richness patterns over broad geographic scales is a central issue of biogeography and macroecology. In this study, we took spatial autocorrelation into account and used terrestrial vertebrate species richness data from 211 nature reserves, together with climatic and topographical variables and reserve area, to explain terrestrial vertebrate species richness patterns in China and to test two climatically based hypotheses for animals. Our results demonstrated that species richness patterns of different terrestrial vertebrate taxa were predicted by the environmental variables used, in a decreasing order, as reptiles (56.5%), followed by amphibians (51.8%), mammals (42%), and birds (19%). The endothermic vertebrates (mammals and birds) were closely correlated with net primary productivity (NPP), which supports the productivity hypothesis, whereas the ectothermic vertebrates (amphibians and reptiles) were strongly associated with both water and energy variables but weakly with NPP, which supports the physiologically based ambient climate hypothesis. The differences in the dependence of endothermic and ectothermic vertebrates on productivity or ambient climate may be due in part to their different thermoregulatory mechanisms. Consistent with earlier studies, mammals were strongly and positively related to geomorphologic heterogeneity, measured by elevation range, implying that the protection of mountains may be especially important in conserving mammalian diversity.

scholarly journals Shortfalls and opportunities in terrestrial vertebrate species discovery

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mario R. Moura ◽  
Walter Jetz
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Management ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Species Discovery ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate ◽  
Policy Goals ◽  
Discovery Potential ◽  
Living Species ◽  
Automated Sensors ◽  
Species Descriptions ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate Species

AbstractMeter-resolution imagery of our world and myriad biodiversity records collected through citizen scientists and automated sensors belie the fact that much of the planet’s biodiversity remains undiscovered. Conservative estimates suggest only 13 to 18% of all living species may be known at this point 1–4, although this number could be as low as 1.5% 5. This biodiversity shortfall 6,7 strongly impedes the sustainable management of our planet’s resources, as the potential ecological and economic relevance of undiscovered species remains unrecognized 8. Here we use model-based predictions of terrestrial vertebrate species discovery to estimate future taxonomic and geographic discovery opportunities. Our model identifies distinct taxonomic and geographic unevenness in future discovery potential, with greatest opportunities for amphibians and reptiles and for Neotropical and IndoMalayan forests. Brazil, Indonesia, Madagascar, and Colombia emerge as holding greatest discovery opportunities, with a quarter of future species descriptions expected there. These findings highlight the significance of international support for taxonomic initiatives and the potential of quantitative models to aid the discovery of species before their functions are lost in ignorance 8. As nations draw up new policy goals under the post-2020 global biodiversity framework, a better understanding of the magnitude and geography of this known unknown is critical to inform goals and priorities 9 and to minimize future discoveries lost to extinction10.

scholarly journals Integrating Recent Land Cover Mapping Efforts to Update the National Gap Analysis Program's Species Habitat Map

2014 ◽  
Vol XL-1 ◽  
pp. 245-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. McKerrow ◽  
A. Davidson ◽  
T. S. Earnhardt ◽  
A. L. Benson
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Google Earth ◽  
Land Cover Mapping ◽  
Suitable Habitat ◽  
Vertebrate Species ◽  
Distribution Models ◽  
Terrestrial Vertebrate ◽  
Landscape Characterization ◽  
Land Cover Map

Over the past decade, great progress has been made to develop national extent land cover mapping products to address natural resource issues. One of the core products of the GAP Program is range-wide species distribution models for nearly 2000 terrestrial vertebrate species in the U.S. We rely on deductive modeling of habitat affinities using these products to create models of habitat availability. That approach requires that we have a thematically rich and ecologically meaningful map legend to support the modeling effort. In this work, we tested the integration of the Multi-Resolution Landscape Characterization Consortium's National Land Cover Database 2011 and LANDFIRE's Disturbance Products to update the 2001 National GAP Vegetation Dataset to reflect 2011 conditions. The revised product can then be used to update the species models. <br><br> We tested the update approach in three geographic areas (Northeast, Southeast, and Interior Northwest). We used the NLCD product to identify areas where the cover type mapped in 2011 was different from what was in the 2001 land cover map. We used Google Earth and ArcGIS base maps as reference imagery in order to label areas identified as "changed" to the appropriate class from our map legend. Areas mapped as urban or water in the 2011 NLCD map that were mapped differently in the 2001 GAP map were accepted without further validation and recoded to the corresponding GAP class. We used LANDFIRE's Disturbance products to identify changes that are the result of recent disturbance and to inform the reassignment of areas to their updated thematic label. We ran species habitat models for three species including Lewis's Woodpecker (<i>Melanerpes lewis</i>) and the White-tailed Jack Rabbit (<i>Lepus townsendii</i>) and Brown Headed nuthatch (<i>Sitta pusilla</i>). For each of three vertebrate species we found important differences in the amount and location of suitable habitat between the 2001 and 2011 habitat maps. Specifically, Brown headed nuthatch habitat in 2011 was &minus;14% of the 2001 modeled habitat, whereas Lewis's Woodpecker increased by 4%. The white-tailed jack rabbit (<i>Lepus townsendii</i>) had a net change of &minus;1% (11% decline, 10% gain). For that species we found the updates related to opening of forest due to burning and regenerating shrubs following harvest to be the locally important main transitions. In the Southeast updates related to timber management and urbanization are locally important.

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