Suitable areas for conservation of biodiversity, A case with wintering habitat of Asian houbara bustard, Chlamydotis macqueenii in Sistan, Iran

Abstract

Numerous published research in habitat suitability of various flora and fauna ‎‎species show that habitat conservation is the most important component of biodiversity ‎‎conservation. Among wildlife species, some are more important due to the declining population ‎‎and known ecological importance. In fact, these species can be used as an indicator to consider ‎‎new places or modify conservation areas' boundaries. The complexity of allocating ‎‎land for conservation increases when species become more dependent on artificial and semi-‎artificial lands, due to the destruction of natural habitats. The present study was conducted to ‎‎investigate the suitability habitat of Asian houbara bustard as a rare species that faced a sharp ‎‎decline in population in recent decades in part of its wintering habitat in Sistan. The method for ‎assessing ‎ habitat suitability was Maxent. The results showed that the most important ‎‎environmental variables were the distance from human settlements and agricultural lands. This ‎species has a strong tendency to human-made areas. Although part of its suitable habitat ‎overlaps ‎with protected areas, conservation of this species has not been adequate so far, and a ‎sharp ‎decline was seen in its population in recent years. The results of this study emphasize the ‎need to take management measures to reduce the conflict of interest between humans and this ‎bird and increase public participation in the conservation of this species.‎