Abstract Detail

Conservation of North American Lichens and the Ecosystems They Support

Allen, Jessica [1], Lendemer, James [2].

Species distribution modeling and conservation: How well do modern techniques work for lichens?

Species distribution modeling, or niche modeling, is now regularly used in fields from conservation to epidemiology. Recent, rapid advances in this field have resulted in the ability to test evolutionary hypotheses and predict the affects of climate change like never before, yet many questions regarding their accuracy and utility still remain. I will explore their applicability to lichens using original research in eastern North America and examples from the literature. Specifically, Southern Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain systems raise modeling issues that are broadly applicable, including limited locality data and highly biased sampling effort. In these systems inventories have recently filled gaps in distributional data, allowing direct comparisons between pre- and post-inventory model quality, as well as predictions of the affects of climate change on species distributions. These data show that niche modeling can be used to effectively predict where previously undiscovered populations exist to help guide field work. Although using modeling in this way can be useful, these data also show that there is no substitute for direct observation of species in the field. One way to increase the number of observation records for easily recognizable species is to harness the power of citizen science. I will discuss some ways that citizen science projects can be designed to generate useful and accurate occurrence data, while simultaneously educating a broad audience about frequently overlooked biodiversity.

1 - The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA
2 - New York Botanic Garden, 200th Street And Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY, 10458, USA

Keywords:
niche modeling
species distribution modeling
Climate change
Citizen Science
lichens.

Presentation Type: Symposium or Colloquium Presentation
Session: SY11
Location: Salmon/Snake/Boise Centre
Date: Wednesday, July 30th, 2014
Time: 2:45 PM
Number: SY11004
Abstract ID:381
Candidate for Awards:None