Predicting the distributions of predator (snow leopard) and prey (blue sheep) under climate change in the Himalaya.

ABSTRACT: Future climate change is likely to affect distributions of species, disrupt biotic interactions, and cause spatial incongruity of predator-prey habitats. Understanding the impacts of future climate change on species distribution will help in the formulation of conservation policies to reduce the risks of future biodiversity losses. Using a species distribution modeling approach by MaxEnt, we modeled current and future distributions of snow leopard (Panthera uncia) and its common prey, blue sheep (Pseudois nayaur), and observed the changes in niche overlap in the Nepal Himalaya. Annual mean temperature is the major climatic factor responsible for the snow leopard and blue sheep distributions in the energy-deficient environments of high altitudes. Currently, about 15.32% and 15.93% area of t

SUBMITTER: Aryal A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4875782 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature