Integrating fundamental concepts of ecology, biogeography, and sampling into effective ecological niche modeling and species distribution modeling

Abstract

Correlative techniques for estimating environmental requirements of species – variably termed ecological niche modeling or species distribution modeling – are becoming very popular tools for ecologists and biogeographers in understanding diverse aspects of biodiversity. These tools, however, are frequently applied in ways that do not fit well into knowledge frameworks in population ecology and biogeography, or into the realities of sampling biodiversity over real-world landscapes. We offer 10 “fixes” – adjustments to typical methodologies that will take into account population ecological and biogeographic frameworks to produce better models.

Keywords:

• Ecological niche modeling
• spatial distribution models

Acknowledgments

We thank the University of Kansas Niche Modeling Group (past and present) for rich discussions and debates on many of the topics treated in this contribution. Funding was provided by Microsoft Research.