Prioritizing Habitat Connectivity for Asiatic Cheetah in Arid Ecosystem of Central Iran, Based on Landscape Metrics Approach.

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems of central Iranian plateau is the last remaining habitats for Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus). Restricted distribution of the species in one hand, and anthropogenic threats in another hand have challenged long-term conservation of Asiatic cheetah. This research aims to investigate the distribution of the Asiatic cheetah through arid ecosystems of Central Iranian plateau. To do this we compiled the presence points of the species recorded by Conservation of the Asiatic Cheetah Project (CACP) and, different algorithms of distribution modelling using BIOMOD framework in R environment to investigate species habitat modelling. We then identified core habitats and the pattern of habitat connectivity was explored using circuitscape software. Finally using landscape metrics in Conefor software we prioritized habitat patches for maintenance of landscape connectivity and species conservation planning. The results indicated that availability of prey species, avoidance of human-dominated areas and their infrastructures, and rough landscapes covered with sparse vegetation are the most predictive factors of the core habitats for the last cheetah population in Asia. Although relatively vast, the cheetah core habitats appeared to be fragmented with restricted connectivity between the northern and southern fragments of this distribution. This study through combining methods of habitat suitability modelling, habitat connectivity and landscape metrics is an applicable tool for specifying distribution pattern and prioritizing last remaining strongholds for Asiatic cheetah in arid ecosystems of central Iran.

Keywords:

Habitat suitability modelling , habitat corridors , landscape metrics , conservation planning , Asiatic Cheetah