Evaluating expert-based habitat suitability information of terrestrial mammals with GPS-tracking data

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Zoology

Background:

• Macroecological studies often rely on expert opinion for habitat suitability data, which can be subjective and error-prone.
• The increasing availability of GPS tracking data presents an opportunity to empirically validate expert-based information.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare habitat suitability information from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with data derived from GPS tracking of mammal species.
• To assess the reliability of expert-based habitat suitability data for macroecological research.

Main Methods:

• Habitat suitability was estimated using GPS tracking data from 1,498 individuals across 49 mammal species.
• Two measures were calculated: proportional habitat use and selection ratio, then compared against IUCN classifications.

Main Results:

• High agreement (>95% probability) between GPS-derived and IUCN data was found for 33 species (proportional use) and 25 species (selection ratio).
• Over 50% agreement was observed for 37 species (proportional use) and 34 species (selection ratio).

Conclusions:

• GPS tracking data can effectively evaluate IUCN habitat suitability information.
• IUCN data is largely appropriate for macroecological studies, with GPS data aiding in identifying areas for re-evaluation.