18 Aug 2022

Geospatial Suitability Indices (GSI) Toolbox: User’s Guide

Abstract: Habitat suitability models have been widely adopted in ecosystem management and restoration to assess environmental impacts and benefits according to the quantity and quality of a given habitat. Many spatially distributed ecological processes require application of suitability models within a geographic information system (GIS). This technical report presents a geospatial toolbox for assessing habitat suitability. The geospatial suitability indices (GSI) toolbox was developed in ArcGIS Pro 2.7 using the Python 3.7 programming language and is available for use on the local desktop in the Windows 10 environment. Two main tools comprise the GSI toolbox. First, the suitability index (SIC) calculator tool uses thematic or continuous geospatial raster layers to calculate parameter suitability indices using user-specified habitat relationships. Second, the overall suitability index calculator (OSIC) combines multiple parameter suitability indices into one overarching index using one or more options, including arithmetic mean, weighted arithmetic mean, geometric mean, and minimum limiting factor. The result is a raster layer representing habitat suitability values from 0.0–1.0, where zero (0) is unsuitable habitat and one (1) is ideal suitability. This report documents the model purpose and development and provides a user’s guide for the GSI toolbox.

17 Aug 2022

Ecological Model Development: Toolkit for interActive Modeling (TAM)

Overview: Ecological models provide crucial tools for informing many aspects of ecosystem restoration and management, ranging from increasing understanding of complex ecological functions to prioritizing restoration sites and quantifying benefits for project reporting. The diversity of ecosystem types and restoration objectives often precludes the use of existing models; as such, model development is commonly required to inform restoration decision-making. Index-based habitat models are a common approach for assessing ecosystem condition. These models relate habitat quality to species’ distributions. Habitat suitability (quality) typically ranges on a scale from 0 to 1. Habitat models have been developed to assess habitat suitability for specific taxa, communities, or ecosystem functions. Restoration-project timelines often require that these models be developed rapidly and in conjunction with many external stakeholders or partners. Here, the Toolkit for interActive Modeling (TAM) is proposed as a platform for rapidly developing index-based models, particularly for US Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) ecosystem-restoration or mitigation planning processes. The TAM is a consistent quantitative framework that allows for development of a generic platform for index-based model development

20 Jul 2022

Scenario Analyses in Ecological Modeling and Ecosystem Management

Purpose: Ecosystem management and restoration practitioners are challenged with complex problems, diverse project goals, multiple management alternatives, and potential future scenarios that change the systems of interest. Scenario analysis aids in forecasting, evaluating, and communicating outcomes of potential management actions under different plausible conditions, such as land-use change or sea level rise. However, little guidance exists for practitioners on the utility and execution of scenario analysis. Therefore, this technical note highlights the usefulness of scenario analysis as a tool for addressing uncertainty in potential project outcomes. The mechanics of the scenario-analysis process are explained, and examples of different types of scenario analyses are described for context on the breadth of its use. Lastly, two hypothetical case studies of scenario analysis in ecological modeling are presented showing a semiquantitative approach for assessing anadromous fish and a quantitative approach examining freshwater mussel habitat. Overall, this technical note provides a brief review of the utility and application of scenario analyses in the context of ecological modeling and ecosystem management decision-making.

27 Apr 2020

PUBLICATION NOTICE: Proceedings from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)–National Ocean Service (NOS): Ecological Habitat Modeling Workshop

ABSRACT: This special report summarizes the activities of the Ecological Habitat Modeling Workshop held April 11–12, 2019, at the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge Visitors Center in Cambridge, Maryland. The workshop guided 21 participants through the process of conceptualizing, quantifying, evaluating, and communicating ecological responses to inform guidance and management decisions for ecological restoration projects. Working in interactive groups, participants used the restoration work already in progress at nearby Swan Island as the basis for their model development. Over the course of the two-day workshop, participants learned the mechanics and challenges of applying modeling processes to shape the restoration of dynamic ecosystems. Through group work and brainstorming, they identified a number of benchmarks to assess restoration success and future resilience. To accommodate the changeable and often unpredictable natural events that can shape ecosystems, workshop facilitators emphasized building iterative, fluid ecological habitat models. Next steps include publishing this special report and scheduling a follow-up workshop that will include a site visit to Swan Island.