A New Technique For Predicting Distribution of Terrestrial Vertebrates Using Inferential Modeling

A new technique for predicting species geographic distribution is described.The approach involves 3 steps:1)setting up geographic base data;2)collecting and georeferencing distributional points;3)modeling ecological niches using the biodiversity species workshop implementation of the genetic algorithm for rule-set prediction (GARP).To illustrate these procedures,an example based on the Brown Eared Pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) is developed.This technique constitutes a useful tool for assessing geographic distribution for questions of ecology,biogeography,systematics,and conservation biology.