Assessing congruence of opportunistic records and systematic surveys for predicting Hispaniolan mammal species distributions.

摘要: Comparative assessment of the relative information content different independent spatial data types is necessary to evaluate whether they provide congruent biogeographic signals for predicting species ranges. Opportunistic occurrence records and systematically collected survey are available from Dominican Republic Hispaniola's surviving endemic non-volant mammals, Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus) hutia (Plagiodontia aedium); opportunistic (archaeological, historical recent) exist across entire country, systematic have been seven protected areas. Species distribution models were developed in maxent solenodons hutias using both types, with habitat suitability potential country-level predicted biotic abiotic environmental variables. Three produced compared each species: (a) model, starting model incorporating abiotic-only predictors; (b) total (c) reduced predictors allow further comparison model. All predict suitable conditions a broadly congruent, relatively large area Republic, providing baseline conservation-priority landscapes that might support native mammals. Correlation between high species, indicating substantial explanatory power variables mammal distributions. However, correlation only moderately positive. derived can predictions about threatened likely reflecting incompleteness bias sampling associated types. Models must therefore be applied critically cautiously.