Inferring landscape effects on gene flow: a new model selection framework

摘要: Populations in fragmented landscapes experience reduced gene flow, lose genetic diversity over time and ultimately face greater extinction risk. Improving connectivity is now a major focus of conservation biology. Designing effective wildlife corridors for this purpose, however, requires an accurate understanding how shape flow. The preponderance landscape resistance models generated to date, subjectively parameterized based on expert opinion or proxy measures While the relatively few studies that use data are more rigorous, frameworks they employ frequently yield only weakly related observed patterns isolation. Here, we describe new framework uses as starting point. By systematically varying each model parameter, sought either validate assumptions opinion, identify peak support highly This approach also accounts interactions between variables, allows nonlinear responses excludes variables reduce performance. We demonstrate its utility population mountain goats inhabiting Cascade Range, Washington.