Open AccessMulti‐scale habitat modelling identifies spatial conservation priorities for mainland clouded leopards ( Neofelis nebulosa )
Author(s) -
Macdonald David W.,
Bothwell Helen M.,
Kaszta Żaneta,
Ash Eric,
Bolongon Gilmoore,
Burnham Dawn,
Can Özgün Emre,
CamposArceiz Ahimsa,
Channa Phan,
Clements Gopalasamy Reuben,
Hearn Andrew J.,
Hedges Laurie,
Htun Saw,
Kamler Jan F.,
Kawanishi Kae,
Macdonald Ewan A.,
Mohamad Shariff Wan,
Moore Jonathan,
Naing Hla,
Onuma Manabu,
Penjor Ugyen,
Rasphone Akchousanh,
Mark Rayan Darmaraj,
Ross Joanna,
Singh Priya,
Tan Cedric Kai Wei,
Wadey Jamie,
Yadav Bhupendra P.,
Cushman Samuel A.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
diversity and distributions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.918
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1472-4642
pISSN - 1366-9516
DOI - 10.1111/ddi.12967
Subject(s) - habitat , geography , deforestation (computer science) , ecology , threatened species , ecological niche , habitats directive , habitat conservation , environmental niche modelling , range (aeronautics) , flagship species , species distribution , habitat destruction , endangered species , biology , materials science , computer science , composite material , programming language
Aim Deforestation is rapidly altering Southeast Asian landscapes, resulting in some of the highest rates of habitat loss worldwide. Among the many species facing declines in this region, clouded leopards rank notably for their ambassadorial potential and capacity to act as powerful levers for broader forest conservation programmes. Thus, identifying core habitat and conservation opportunities are critical for curbing further Neofelis declines and extending umbrella protection for diverse forest biota similarly threatened by widespread habitat loss. Furthermore, a recent comprehensive habitat assessment of Sunda clouded leopards ( N. diardi ) highlights the lack of such information for the mainland species ( N. nebulosa ) and facilitates a comparative assessment. Location Southeast Asia. Methods Species–habitat relationships are scale‐dependent, yet <5% of all recent habitat modelling papers apply robust approaches to optimize multivariate scale relationships. Using one of the largest camera trap datasets ever collected, we developed scale‐optimized species distribution models for two con‐generic carnivores, and quantitatively compared their habitat niches. Results We identified core habitat, connectivity corridors, and ranked remaining habitat patches for conservation prioritization. Closed‐canopy forest was the strongest predictor, with ~25% lower Neofelis detections when forest cover declined from 100 to 65%. A strong, positive association with increasing precipitation suggests ongoing climate change as a growing threat along drier edges of the species’ range. While deforestation and land use conversion were deleterious for both species, N. nebulosa was uniquely associated with shrublands and grasslands. We identified 800 km 2 as a minimum patch size for supporting clouded leopard conservation. Main conclusions We illustrate the utility of multi‐scale modelling for identifying key habitat requirements, optimal scales of use and critical targets for guiding conservation prioritization. Curbing deforestation and development within remaining core habitat and dispersal corridors, particularly in Myanmar, Laos and Malaysia, is critical for supporting evolutionary potential of clouded leopards and conservation of associated forest biodiversity.