Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation
Predictive species distribution models allow identifying suitable areas of animal for their conservation. Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an endemic primate species to Ethiopia, and the exact distribution ranges and suitable habitats of this species are not well known due to limited surveys. T...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
PAGEPress Publications
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Tropical Zoology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.pagepress.org/biology/tz/article/view/182 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1846094700524601344 |
|---|---|
| author | Alembrhan Assefa Teklay Girmay |
| author_facet | Alembrhan Assefa Teklay Girmay |
| author_sort | Alembrhan Assefa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Predictive species distribution models allow identifying suitable areas of animal for their conservation. Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an endemic primate species to Ethiopia, and the exact distribution ranges and suitable habitats of this species are not well known due to limited surveys. The species distribution model was prepared using MaxEnt to predict the potential geographic distribution and to identify the environmental factors that influence the distribution of gelada in Ethiopia. To prepare the model, 23 occurrence records of the species were used along with 20 climatic and topographic variables. The results show that the distribution of gelada is influenced by climatic and non-climatic variables. The minimum temperature of coldest month, altitude and mean temperature of driest quarter were the most important predictor variables. The predictive map of the species shows that high habitat suitability is found in the northern highlands (a majority in the Amhara region and few parts of the Tigray region) and in the central highlands (Oromia region). The present study indicates that gelada has a potential distribution in the highlands of Ethiopia, and this requires further exploration for conservation and management.
|
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-52f588cea94c4538955a7742431961e7 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0394-6975 1970-9528 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | PAGEPress Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tropical Zoology |
| spelling | doaj-art-52f588cea94c4538955a7742431961e72025-01-02T12:27:16ZengPAGEPress PublicationsTropical Zoology0394-69751970-95282025-01-01373-410.4081/tz.2024.182Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservationAlembrhan Assefa0Teklay Girmay1Department of Biology, Aksum University, AksumDepartment of Biology, Adigrat University, Adigrat Predictive species distribution models allow identifying suitable areas of animal for their conservation. Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an endemic primate species to Ethiopia, and the exact distribution ranges and suitable habitats of this species are not well known due to limited surveys. The species distribution model was prepared using MaxEnt to predict the potential geographic distribution and to identify the environmental factors that influence the distribution of gelada in Ethiopia. To prepare the model, 23 occurrence records of the species were used along with 20 climatic and topographic variables. The results show that the distribution of gelada is influenced by climatic and non-climatic variables. The minimum temperature of coldest month, altitude and mean temperature of driest quarter were the most important predictor variables. The predictive map of the species shows that high habitat suitability is found in the northern highlands (a majority in the Amhara region and few parts of the Tigray region) and in the central highlands (Oromia region). The present study indicates that gelada has a potential distribution in the highlands of Ethiopia, and this requires further exploration for conservation and management. https://www.pagepress.org/biology/tz/article/view/182Ethiopiaenvironmental factorsgeladapredictive distribution |
| spellingShingle | Alembrhan Assefa Teklay Girmay Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation Tropical Zoology Ethiopia environmental factors gelada predictive distribution |
| title | Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation |
| title_full | Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation |
| title_fullStr | Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation |
| title_short | Predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas (<i>Theropithecus gelada</i>) in Ethiopia based on MaxEnt ecological niche model: implication for conservation |
| title_sort | predicting the potential geographic distribution of geladas i theropithecus gelada i in ethiopia based on maxent ecological niche model implication for conservation |
| topic | Ethiopia environmental factors gelada predictive distribution |
| url | https://www.pagepress.org/biology/tz/article/view/182 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alembrhanassefa predictingthepotentialgeographicdistributionofgeladasitheropithecusgeladaiinethiopiabasedonmaxentecologicalnichemodelimplicationforconservation AT teklaygirmay predictingthepotentialgeographicdistributionofgeladasitheropithecusgeladaiinethiopiabasedonmaxentecologicalnichemodelimplicationforconservation |