18th Annual Student Research Conference
Interdisciplinary
Habitat Suitability Models for Missouri Bladder-pod (Lesquerella filiformis): Comparison and Application
Laura Varney* and Miju Kim
Dr. Michael I. Kelrick and Dr. Hyun-Joo Kim, Faculty Mentors
Effective management of rare species likely depends on reliable spatially explicit information. Habitat suitability models relate relevant habitat attribute data to presence/absence of a species, yielding predictions of occurrence patterns. Our project compared habitat suitability models created using data gathered at two spatial scales for Missouri bladder-pod, a federally threatened plant species endemic to southern Missouri glades. We pursued four objectives: 1) comparing habitat suitability models created; 2) evaluating statistical methods used to characterize model qualities; 3) validating “best” models; and 4) measuring “goodness of fit” between predicted and observed values in validation. Results can be used to assess how models generated from data collected at one spatial scale perform in predicting observations collected at another scale. Practical implications include simulating management approaches, then determining how altered habitat attributes influence presence/absence. Such models also help identify target areas where monitoring efforts should be concentrated or areas that can be neglected.
Keywords: Missouri bladder-pod, threatened species, habitat suitability , spatial scale, validation, management
Topic(s):Interdisciplinary
Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: 18-2
Location: VH 1408
Time: 10:00