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Predictive mapping of powerful owl (Ninox strenua) breeding sites using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) in urban Melbourne, Australia

journal contribution
posted on 2008-03-03, 00:00 authored by Bronwyn Isaac, Raylene CookeRaylene Cooke, Dianne Simmons, Fiona Hogan
Urban expansion is a principal process threatening biodiversity globally. It is predicted that over half of the world's population will reside in urban centres by 2010. If we are to conserve biodiversity, a shift in perspective from traditional ecological studies based in natural environments, to studies based in less natural environments is paramount. To effectively conserve species which occur in urban environments, comprehensive analysis is necessary to determine the processes that are driving this urban usage. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) technology provides a valuable tool for efficient spatial analysis and predictive mapping of species distributions.

This study used GIS to analyze current breeding sites for the powerful owl, a vulnerable top order predator in urban Melbourne, Australia. GIS analysis suggests that a number of ecological attributes were influencing powerful owl usage of urban environments. Using these ecological attributes, predictive mapping was undertaken, which identified a number of potential breeding sites for powerful owls within urbanized Melbourne.

Urban environments are traditionally perceived as “the wastelands” of natural environments, however, this study demonstrates that they have the potential to support apex predators, an important finding for the management of rare and threatened species.

History

Journal

Landscape and urban planning

Volume

84

Issue

3-4

Pagination

212 - 218

Publisher

Elsevier B.V.

Location

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

ISSN

0169-2046

eISSN

1872-6062

Language

eng

Notes

Available online 19 September 2007

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2007, Elsevier B.V.