Tricolored blackbird - Species Distribution Model, DRECP

These data are statistical model outputs for Tricolored blackbird (Agelaius tricolor) species distribution, completed by Frank Davis’ Biogeography Lab at UC Santa Barbara.

Based on consultation with biologists, CBI used the model's narrow extent output clipped to the following land cover classes: 'Agriculture', 'Grassland', 'Wetland', 'Riparian'. Land cover classes were derived from Dr. Todd Keeler-Wolf’s updated Land Cover/Natural Vegetation Communities dataset generated for the DRECP study area. This vegetation dataset does not extend beyond the DRECP boundary. Consequently, the binary representation of tricolored blackbird habitat is constrained to the DRECP boundary, while the continuous surface extends beyond the boundary.

Predictions of habitat occupancy for ~70 species were generated from Maxent models for the CA Energy Commission’s project “Cumulative Biological Impacts Framework for Solar Energy in the CA Desert”, 500-10-021.

Species distribution models were produced at 270 m resolution using a subset of 22 environmental variables. Models were evaluated with 10-foldcross validated AUC scores. 

Both continuous probability surfaces and binary layers are available for each species modeled. Binary layers depicting predicted suitable habitat were derived using the equal training sensitivity and specificity threshold.

For more information on the environmental variables used, modeling process, and model diagnostics, please refer to the supporting document “Data Descriptions: UCSB DRECP Species Distribution Models, June 12, 2013" provided by Frank Davis.