A national approach for mapping and quantifying habitat-based biodiversity metrics across multiple spatial scales

摘要: Abstract Ecosystem services, i.e., services provided to humans from ecological systems have become a key issue of this century in resource management, conservation planning, and environmental decision analysis. Mapping quantifying ecosystem strategic national interests for integrating ecology with economics help understand the effects human policies actions their subsequent impacts on both function well-being. Some aspects biodiversity are valued by varied ways, thus important include any assessment that seeks identify quantify benefits ecosystems humans. metrics clearly reflect (e.g., abundance diversity harvestable species), whereas others may indirect difficult relationships relevance species resilience, cultural value native species). Wildlife habitat has been modeled at broad spatial scales can be used map number metrics. In present study, we an approach (1) identifies mappable related or other stakeholder concerns, (2) maps these throughout large multi-state region, (3) compares metric values obtained selected watersheds within regional context. The broader focus is design flexible mapping produce national-scale product. We 20 reflecting all vertebrate except fish. Metrics richness vertebrates, specific taxon groups, (i.e., upland game, waterfowl, furbearers, small big game), threatened endangered species, state-designated greatest need, also land cover) diversity. project being conducted multiple phased approach, starting place-based studies, then areas, culminating into national-level atlas. As example incremental provide results southwestern United States states Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, Colorado) portions two region: San Pedro River (Arizona) Rio Grande (New Mexico). Geographic patterns differed considerably among across study area, but watershed areas were generally greater than those region as whole.