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Research article2005Peer reviewed

Modelling habitat suitability for deciduous forest focal species - a sensitivity analysis using different satellite land cover data

Manton MG, Angelstam P, Mikusinski G

Abstract

We explored the usefulness of three satellite land cover data sets available to land managers in south-central Sweden for conservation planning using four deciduous forest focal resident bird species with different habitat requirements. Habitat suitability models using empirical species-specific habitat parameters and a Geographic Information System were applied to evaluate and compare the degree of consistency among three different land cover data sets. The study area encompassed 10,000 km(2) in a landscape mosaic of managed boreal forests and is within the distribution range of all four focal species. Although the three land cover data sets indicated similar total amounts of deciduous forest, the habitat suitability models showed that different land cover data yielded inconsistent results regarding the amount and distribution of suitable habitat within 5x5 km grid cells. Given this sensitivity to the choice of land cover data sets, the habitat suitability models showed positive relationships among the selected focal species for each land cover data set separately. As expected, decreasing amounts of suitable habitat were identified for species with higher specialisation. Thus, because habitat suitability models are an appropriate way to gain insight into the functionality and connectivity of habitat networks, land cover data must be carefully evaluated and if necessary combined with other landscape information for effective conservation planning

Keywords

Birds - Conservation planning - Forests - Geographic Information Systems - Habitat networks - Habitat modelling - Land management - Remote sensing - Sweden

Published in

Landscape Ecology
2005, Volume: 20, number: 7, pages: 827-839
Publisher: SPRINGER

      SLU Authors

      • Mikusinski, Grzegorz

        • Department of Conservation Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

      UKÄ Subject classification

      Environmental Sciences related to Agriculture and Land-use
      Forest Science

      Publication identifier

      DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-005-3703-z

      Permanent link to this page (URI)

      https://res.slu.se/id/publ/7500