Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Environment, Faculty of Natural Resources, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran Water, Energy and Environment Research Institute, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
2
Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran Water, Energy and Environment Research Institute, Ardakan University, Ardakan, Iran
3
Department of Supervision and Monitoring Expert of Environmental Protection, Bardskan, Mashhad, Iran
4
Expert in charge of Habitats and Regional Affairs of the General Department of Environmental Protection, Mashhad, Iran
10.48308/envs.2024.1418
Abstract
Abstract
Introduction:Introduction: Habitat destruction is one of the main threats to biodiversity. Today, large mammals and especially herbivores such as wild goat are exposed to habitat loss and destruction more than other wildlife species. Hence, the prediction of species distribution is considered a basic element of conservation biology. Despite the wide distribution of the wild goat species (Capra aegagrus) in Iran, there is no detailed information about its habitat selection, especially in the northeastern regions of the country. Based on this, it is necessary to identify and evaluate the spatial patterns of habitat hot spots of this species in these areas. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the habitat of the wild goat species (Capra aegagrus) in the Darune protected area of Razavi Khorasan province and to identify its habitat hot spots.
Methodology: To do so, after collecting the data on the species' presence using field surveys and direct observations and the indices left from it such as dung and footprints during the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter of 2023 and recording Their location using the Global Positioning System and also preparation of environmental data including elevation, slope, aspect, distance from residential areas, distance from water sources and distance from the road, the habitat suitability of the species was modeled using Maximum entropy software and applying the maximum entropy method. The number of presence data for importing to the model was 79 points. In the next step, spatial data mining of habitat hot spots was performed by applying spatial statistics and two methods of Getis-Ord Gi hotspot analysis and spatial autocorrelation analysis, Anselin Local Moran`s I ) in the GIS environment and finally, the performance of these approaches was evaluated using the Receiver characteristic curve.
Results: The results indicated that the central part of the study area has the greatest potential to obtain the habitat needs of the studied species, and the model has a high ability to predict the distribution of wild goat in the region. the sensitivity analysis of the model using Jackknife method revealed that the distance from water resources, distance from settlement and distance from the road have a higher priority for the habitat suitability of wild goat. The results of spatial data mining showed that Getis-Ord G, identifying the habitatspots of the target species and it identifies habitat hotspots with 94% accuracy.
Discussion: Assessing wildlife habitat suitability is crucial for the effectiveness of biodiversity protection strategies. The findings indicate that both approaches used have a relatively strong ability to pinpoint habitat hotspots and areas requiring priority protection for goat species, serving as a suitable criterion for assessing the model's accuracy. The construction of goat habitats should be considered in the study area. Overall, identifying habitat hotspots is a valuable tool for integrating wildlife management and biodiversity conservation strategies. The study's results can assist wildlife managers in identifying areas with high conservation value and enhancing management and conservation efforts related to the favorable habitats of goat species in the study area.
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