A survey on current distribution and habitat suitability of the Great Bustard in West Azerbaijan, Iran
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22120/jwb.2017.28295Keywords:
Habitat Assessment, GIS, Otis tarda, Remote SensingAbstract
Great Bustard (Otis tarda) is a vulnerable species is exposed to extinction risk mainly due to habitat destruction and hunting pressure. This study was conducted to assess the species' current geographical range and its habitat suitability in northwestern parts of Iran. Based on previous investigations and observations, I mapped current habitats of the species using GIS, and the important environmental variables affecting the species habitat usage were modeled by Ecological Niche Factor Analysis (ENFA). The results show that the species' geographical range is limited to the habitats of the area like Sutav, Yngijeh, Alblagh, and Qazelian Plains. ENFA analysis indicated that Great Bustard tends to live in marginal habitats and is a very sensitive species in the study area. The suitability map depicts that 6.5% of the study area is suitable for the species, however, this value is not consistent with the current habitats in terms of area and location.
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