Species distribution Modelling - GeoHero

Dr. Thomas Groen talks about models of species distribution and their role in species conservation, monitoring of invasive species, spreading of diseases and much more.
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#itcfamily #utwente #speciesconservation #modelling #biodiversity #naturalresources #ecosystems

[@user-xg9dt7dg1d]

What is the difference between ecological niche modelling and species distribution modelling

[@jobhabraken445]

How is species distribution modelling different from occupancy modelling?

[@ThomasGroen]

My answer would be a bit along the same lines as to the below question. Personally I would group both habitat suitability modelling (see previous question) and occupancy modelling as some kind of variations of SDM's. Occupancy modelling basically suggests that you try to predict whether a site is occupied. You would use similar techniques to calculate the probability of a location to be suitable. But in occupancy models you take it one step further by also trying to establish whether suitable sites are also really occupied. For example by repeat sampling or cameratrapping. The fact that a site is suitable doesn't automatically mean that a species will also actually occupy it, for example because it is inaccessible due to (natural) barriers, or because of more ephemeral factors, such as weather, which make that a species to not show up at a certain moment. So when making occupancy models you often also separate the more constant explanatory factors for a site (e.g. climate or topography, which you use to establish suitability) from the more "observation specific" conditions, such as time of the year or day or weather conditions (which can help in explaining occupancy). I hope this makes it more clear? Do reach out when you would like to know more.

[@ullemoyong2036]

Is Species Distribution Modeling and Habitat Suitability Modeling same or differ???

[@ThomasGroen]

It is kind of similar, but with a few subtle differences, but these are mainly semantic. In SDM, the key idea is to model the "Distribution" of a species: so to produce a map of where you expect a species to occur and where not. In "Habitat suitability modelling" you focus more on whether a location would be suitable for a species or not. That may seem the same, but the fact that an area has suitable habitat for a species does not necessarily mean the species is there. So it emphasizes more the "potential" range rather than the "actual" range. You can use the same statistical techniques in SDM and HSM, but your interpretation afterwards will be different.