Effect of Human Population on Land Use and Species Viability: Methodology and Software

Distribution and abundance of endangered species are adversely affected by changes in the land-use patterns that cause habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, pollution or other disturbances. As sensitivity to human impact on local, regional, and global ecologies increases, researchers, planners, and managers are faced with the task of developing local and regional strategies to safeguard biodiversity in the face of human population growth and economic development. This project will integrate models for projecting human population change and land-use change with models for projecting wildlife populations, to produce a flexible forecasting, management, and research tool. Users will be able to employ these projections to make better-informed decisions regarding potential development, management, and wildlife protection scenarios.