IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Zeller, K.A.; Rabinowitz, A. | |
| Using geographic information systems for range-wide species conservation planning | |
| 2011 Book Chapter | |
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provide important tools for developing comprehensive and effective conservation strategies throughout the entire range of a species. Range-wide conservation strategies have typically used GIS to identify and prioritize populations across a species' distribution. We propose the addition of corridors to these range-wide exercises. Corridors facilitate genetic exchange, can ameliorate the negative effects of demographic and environmental stochasticity, and may increase the survival probability of species in the face of climate change. We present a new range-wide conservation model for the jaguar (Panthera onca) that uses GIS, expert input, and graph-based connectivity metrics to incorporate corridors into an existing range-wide priority setting exercise. The jaguar is an ideal species for this type of modeling because of extensive genetic exchange across its current distribution. Using expert input, we first developed a movement cost surface for the historic range of the jaguar. We then used this cost surface with the 90 known jaguar populations to model least-cost corridors. Results indicate that 78% of historic jaguar range, an area of approximately 14.9 million km2, still holds potential for jaguar movement and dispersal. One-hundred eighty-two corridors were identified between populations, ranging from 3 to 1,607 km in length. We then identified three types of priority areas for conservation across jaguar range; populations of ecological importance, populations and corridors of network importance, and vulnerable corridors. Based on our criteria, we identified 32 populations of ecological importance, 23 populations and 13 corridors of network importance, and 44 corridors that are vulnerable due to their limited width, and high potential for being break points in the network. These results are novel in that they account for dispersal and genetic exchange between populations throughout the full range of a widely distributed large carnivore species. By prioritizing areas for conservation based on ecological and network importance we developed a more comprehensive and meaningful tool for jaguar conservation across their current distribution. The methods and GIS techniques used here can easily be applied to other wide-ranging species. |
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