Symposium
Anna Thonis, Ecology and Evolution
PhD candidate
Stony Brook University
Stony Brooik, New York, United States
Adam Smith, Global Change Ecology Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development
Assistant Scientist
Missouri Botanical Garden
St. Louis, MO, United States
Species distribution models (SDMs, also known as ecological niche models) have soared in popularity as tools for understanding species present-day distributions and for forecasting and hindcasting species probability of occurrence (or habitat suitability) in space and time. SDMs work by correlating species presence records with a set of environmental predictor variables using one of many available algorithms. Although the range of approaches for using SDMs has led to a boom in the sheer number of distribution models, it has also resulted in a fundamental lack of understanding of how SDMs work, how and why model tuning is important, how models should be validated and evaluated, what can be deduced from these models, and how dispersal constraints can influence model predictions. The objective of this symposium is to bring together SDM experts and novices, and those interested in learning more about their potential and pitfalls, to work towards improving the overall implementation and understanding of SDMs in the conservation and ecological communities. To this end, we focus on SDMs developed to address a range of questions, with special attention paid to the methodological choices made in developing these models. These include accounting for dispersal, defining the calibration region, inclusion of multiple life-stages, and other biologically-relevant aspects that are often ignored in modeling.
These talks will explicitly focus on the methodological components of SDMs, including, but not limited to, background and pseudo-absence selection, correcting for sampling bias, choice of modeling algorithm, model tuning, validation, and evaluation. This symposium underscores the importance of understanding each step of the modeling process and aims to educate and guide those presently using or interested in using SDMs for their own work on the best practices and multitude of ways in which SDMs can be developed.
This symposium specifically highlights SDMs developed to (1) assess the role of extreme events in shaping species distributions, (2) identify conflicting areas used for renewable energy and biodiversity conservation, and (3) make major conservation decisions.
Presenting Author: Anna Thonis, Ecology and Evolution – Stony Brook University
Co-author: Alyssa Stansfield, PhD – Colorado State University
Co-author: Resit Akcakaya, PhD – Stony Brook University
Presenting Author: Adam B. Smith, Global Change Ecology Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development – Missouri Botanical Garden
Co-author: Adam B. Smith, Global Change Ecology Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development – Missouri Botanical Garden
Presenting Author: Uzma Ashraf, Wild Energy Center, Institute of the Environment - Energy and Efficiency Institute – Global Ecology and Sustainability Lab, Land, Air & Water Resources Department, Wild Energy Center, Institute of the Environment - Energy and Efficiency Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
Co-author: Adam B. Smith, Global Change Ecology Center for Conservation and Sustainable Development – Missouri Botanical Garden
Co-author: Toni Lyn Morelli, PhD – USGA NECASC
Co-author: Michael Levin – Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York
Co-author: Tyler Scott – Center for Environmental Policy and Behavior, University of California, Davis
Co-author: Daphne Condon, n/a – Global Ecology and Sustainability Lab, Land, Air & Water Resources Department, Wild Energy Center, Institute of the Environment - Energy and Efficiency Institute, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
Co-author: Rebecca R. Hernandez – Global Ecology and Sustainability Lab, Land, Air & Water Resources Department, Wild Energy Center, Institute of the Environment - Energy and Efficiency Institute,University of California, Davis, CA, USA
Presenting Author: Cybil Cavalieri – USGS Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center