Testing expert groups for a habitat suitability model for the lynx Lynx lynx in the Swiss Alps
| Autor: | Nathalie Doswald, Fridolin Zimmermann, Urs Breitenmoser |
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| Rok vydání: | 2007 |
| Předmět: |
Local expert
Computer science business.industry Ecology (disciplines) Environmental resource management Management Monitoring Policy and Law Expert group Test (assessment) Habitat suitability Strategic approach business Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Exploitation of natural resources Nature and Landscape Conservation |
| Zdroj: | Wildlife Biology. 13:430-446 |
| ISSN: | 0909-6396 |
| Popis: | the local expert model was better (rs 5 0.964, P , 0.001) than the scientific expert model (rs 5 0.833, P , 0.001). The models were also evaluated in the Jura Mountains to test the local nature of the models. It was found that the local expert model performed less well (rs 5 0.939, P , 0.001) than the scientific expert model (rs 5 0.967, P , 0.001) as expected. Comparison between weights for each expert group revealed some interesting differences, which showed the local nature of answers and how personal experience and theoretical knowledge can lead to different answers. Our study shows that expert knowledge, and especially local knowledge, can be employed to create a good habitat suitability model. This has important implications for conservation and science because it shows not only that expert knowledge may be used when no other data exist, but also that local 'ground workers' should be employed more often in the development of habitat suitability models or conservation plans. However, there are limitations to the models and, as expert models are relatively new in ecology, more research is needed. Nevertheless, in a climate where there is pressure to keep up with human exploitation of natural resources and to adopt a more strategic approach to conservation, the findings of our study are encouraging. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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