Brook trout climate persistence

This GIS product represents the climate persistence index for brook trout in headwater creeks based on current habitat and current and future climate conditions. Brook trout are a representative species for cool/cold headwater creeks. This layer was derived from a model developed by Ben Letcher and associates at the USGS Conte Anadromous.shp Fish Lab. Specifically, this index is the average of the current probability of occurrence (see brookTroutLc.shp) and the future probability of occurrence in 2080 (averaged over two future climate scenarios: RCP 4.5 and 8.5), presented as an integerized range from 0 (low) to 100 (high) probability of persistent occurrence. The brook trout climate persistence is applied only to headwater creeks, as used in the probability of occurrence model. Note, the brook trout climate persistence index, as computed, is analogous to the climate persistence index (see speciesClpers80) developed for representative terrestrial wildlife species; it represents the suitability of habitat and climate conditions today and where future climate conditions are likely to remain suitable for brook trout. This index is an input into the selection of core areas (see loticCores.shp) in headwater creeks along with the Index of Ecological Integrity (see iei.tif).