Mapping habitat for multiple species in the Desert Southwest
Open-File Report
2014-1134
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Abstract
Many utility scale renewable energy projects are currently proposed across the Mojave Ecoregion. Agencies that manage biological resources throughout this region need to understand the potential impacts of these renewable energy projects and their associated infrastructure (for example, transmission corridors, substations, access roads, etc.) on species movement, genetic exchange among populations, and species’ abilities to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Understanding these factors will help managers’ select appropriate project sites and possibly mitigate for anticipated effects of management activities. We used species distribution models to map habitat for 15 species across the Mojave Ecoregion to aid regional land-use management planning. Models were developed using a common 1 × 1 kilometer resolution with maximum entropy and generalized additive models. Occurrence data were compiled from multiple sources, including VertNet (http://vertnet.org/), HerpNET (http://www.herpnet.org), and MaNIS (http://manisnet.org), as well as from internal U.S. Geological Survey databases and other biologists. Background data included 20 environmental covariates representing terrain, vegetation, and climate covariates. This report summarizes these environmental covariates and species distribution models used to predict habitat for the 15 species across the Mojave Ecoregion.
Suggested Citation
Inman, R., Nussear, K.E., Esque, T., Vandergast, A.G., Hathaway, S.A., Wood, D.A., Barr, K.R., and Fisher, R.N., 2014, Mapping habitat for multiple species in the Desert Southwest: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2014-1134, Report: vi, 92 p.; Species Distribution Models; Environmental Covariates, https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20141134.
ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)
Study Area
| Publication type | Report |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | USGS Numbered Series |
| Title | Mapping habitat for multiple species in the Desert Southwest |
| Series title | Open-File Report |
| Series number | 2014-1134 |
| DOI | 10.3133/ofr20141134 |
| Year Published | 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | U.S. Geological Survey |
| Publisher location | Reston, VA |
| Contributing office(s) | Western Ecological Research Center |
| Description | Report: vi, 92 p.; Species Distribution Models; Environmental Covariates |
| Country | United States |
| Other Geospatial | Mojave Ecoregion |
| Projection | USA Contiguous Albers Equal Area Projection |
| Online Only (Y/N) | Y |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | Y |