Species distribution model for swift fox in Nebraska.
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2016-11-28
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Abstract:The grasslands of Nebraska are highly altered due to anthropogenic development and
degradation. The loss and degradation of grasslands has significantly impacted populations of
swift fox (Vulpes velox), a Nebraska Natural Legacy Plan Tier‐1 at risk species. We began a
project to document the occurrence of swift fox in Nebraska and identify the anthropogenic and
ecological factors that limit swift fox distribution through the development of a species
distribution model. Over two years we conducted four surveys on 200 public and private sites
within Western Nebraska. From nearly 5 million images representing 22,670 trap nights, we only
detected swift fox on roughly 3.5% of our surveys. Although we were able to make a visual
model of the estimated distribution of swift fox in Nebraska, the low numbers of presence data
resulted in a model that performed poorly in predicting swift fox habitat suitability. Because
swift fox are a species of concern, errors of omission are extremely important, and therefore we argue
that predicted distribution map should interpreted and used cautiously.
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Main Document Checksum:urn:sha256:571adfb97c593482577d691f08094c34c2d9592a2eaf77ff3dd3a32572ecdcc3
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