Open AccessIntroducing B io SARN – an ecological niche model refinement tool
Author(s) -
Heap Marshall J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.17
H-Index - 63
ISSN - 2045-7758
DOI - 10.1002/ece3.2331
Subject(s) - niche , ecological niche , edaphic , range (aeronautics) , environmental niche modelling , species distribution , ecology , computer science , tree (set theory) , spatial distribution , class (philosophy) , land use , environmental science , habitat , remote sensing , geography , mathematics , soil water , biology , artificial intelligence , materials science , composite material , mathematical analysis
Environmental niche modeling outputs a biological species' potential distribution. Further work is needed to arrive at a species' realized distribution. The Biological Species Approximate Realized Niche ( B io SARN ) application provides the ecological modeler with a toolset to refine Environmental niche models ( ENM s). These tools include soil and land class filtering, niche area quantification and novelties like enhanced temporal corridor definition, and output to a high spatial resolution land class model. Bio SARN is exemplified with a study on Fraser fir, a tree species with strong land class and edaphic correlations. Soil and land class filtering caused the potential distribution area to decline 17%. Enhanced temporal corridor definition permitted distinction of current, continuing, and future niches, and thus niche change and movement. Tile quantification analysis provided further corroboration of these trends. Bio SARN does not substitute other established ENM methods. Rather, it allows the experimenter to work with their preferred ENM , refining it using their knowledge and experience. Output from lower spatial resolution ENM s to a high spatial resolution land class model is a pseudo high‐resolution result. Still, it maybe the best that can be achieved until wide range high spatial resolution environmental data and accurate high precision species occurrence data become generally available.