Comparing the Habitat Suitability of Acinonyx jubatus venaticus with that of Predator Competitors in Kavir National Park

Subject Areas : Biodiversity

Behnaz Jourablou ¹ , Mehdi Ramezani ² , Nematollah Khorasani ³

1 - MSc in Environmental Education, Department of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.
2 - Assistant professor of Environmental science, Department of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. * (Corresponding Author)
3 - Professor of Environmental science, Department of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran.

Received: 2015-08-03 Accepted : 2016-01-16 Published : 2017-08-23

Keywords: Habitat suitability, Cheetah, Max. Ent. Modeling, Kavir National Park,

Abstract :

Background and Objective: The purpose of this article is to compare the habitat of Asiatic cheetah with that of the predators competing this species in the National Park. Method: At the present study, the habitat suitability of Asiatic cheetah at the Kavir National Park was studied and modeled by MaxEnt in 10 years. Findings: The results show that the factors such as distance from water resources, land use and competitor predators with the scores of 27/8, 22/1, 19/50% had the highest share in suitablity of cheetah’s habitat. Maximum possibility of the existence of the species at the north is at the elevation range of 1200-1300 m, at the slope range of 15-60%, and at a distance less than 10 km from water resources. Maximum possibility of the existence of cheetah is at moderate pastures, undeveloped lands, and very poor coverage. Conclusion: The habitat of caracal has the highest overlap with the habitat of cheetah than other predators. Accordingly, change of pastures and establishing the lands containing the preys for cheetah at the zones weher are found to be a suitable habitat, can be introduced as leading contributors to the sustainable development of habitat for this species

References:

1-      کرمی. م، قدیریان. ط و فیض الهی. ک، 1391، اطلس پستانداران ایران، در دست چاپ.

2-      منصوری. جمشید، 1387، راهنمای پرندگان ایران، انتشارات فرزانه، چاپ دوم.

3-      مجنونیان. هنریک، 1378، زیست گاه ها و حیات وحش، سازمان حفاظت از محیط زیست.

4-      عطاردی. م، 1390، پارک ملی و منطقه حفاظت شده کویر، جلد اول: زیست گاه های یوزپلنگ آسیایی در ایران، انتشارات برگ زیتون.

5-      ضیایی. ه، 1388، راهنمای صحرایی پستانداران ایران، کانون آشنایی با حیات وحش.

6-      Harrison DL, Bates PJJ. 1991. Felidae. In: The mammals of Arabia. 2 ed. Sevenoaks, UK: Harrison Zoological Museum;

7-   اکبری هارونی.ح، بهروزی راد.ب، حسن زاده کیابی.ب، 1387، بررسی مطلوبیت زیست گاه آهو در منطقه حفاظت شده کالمند-بهادران، استان یزد، مجله محیط شناسی،سال سی و چهارم، تابستان 87.

8-      پروژه حفاظت از یوزپنگ، 1387، سازمان محیط زیست.

9-      فیروز. اسکندر، 1378، حیات وحش ایران (مهره داران، مرکز نشر دانشگاهی تهران.

10-  Hirzel, A., Le Lay, G., 2008. Habitat suitability modelling & niche theory. Journal of Applied ecology, 2008, 45, 1372–1381.

11-  Franklin. J. 2010. Mapping Species Distributions. Cambridge University Press.