The optimal sampling design for littoral habitats modelling: A case study from the north-western Mediterranean.

ABSTRACT: Species distribution models (SDMs) have been used to predict potential distributions of habitats and to model the effects of environmental changes. Despite their usefulness, currently there is no standardized sampling strategy that provides suitable and sufficiently representative predictive models for littoral marine benthic habitats. Here we aim to establish the best performing and most cost-effective sample design to predict the distribution of littoral habitats in unexplored areas. We also study how environmental variability, sample size, and habitat prevalence may influence the accuracy and performance of spatial predictions. For first time, a large database of littoral habitats (16,098 points over 562,895 km of coastline) is used to build up, evaluate, and validate logistic predictiv

SUBMITTER: Cefali ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5967749 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature