Elf owl - Habitat Intactness, DRECP

This dataset represents current terrestrial intactness values (estimated at the 1km level) within the modeled distribution of the Elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi).  It was created from the updated Elf owl distribution ,model (which was produced on 6/3/2013)

Terrestrial intactness is high in areas where development is low, vegetation intactness is high, and fragmentation is low. Consequently, this dataset serves as a general* indication of habitat quality within the distribution of this conservation element.

Estimates of current terrestrial intactness were generated by an EEMS fuzzy logic model that integrates multiple measures of landscape development and vegetation intactness, including agriculture development (from LANDFIRE EVT v1.1), urban development (from LANDFIRE EVT v1.1 and NLCD Impervious Surfaces), linear development (from Tiger 2012 Roads, utility lines, and pipelines), energy and mining development (from state mine and USGS national mines datasets as well as geothermal wells, oil/gas wells, wind turbines, and power plant footprints), vegetation departure (from LANDFIRE VDEP), invasive vegetation (multiple sources combined for invasives analyses), OHV recreation areas, BLM grazing allotments, and measures of natural vegetation fragmentation calculated using FRAGSTATS.

*Caution is warranted in interpreting this dataset because terrestrial intactness values are not tied to individual species’ requirements or tolerances to the various model inputs. The degree of terrestrial intactness likely varies for a particular species or conservation element, and may depend on additional factors or thresholds not included in this model. Instead, this model should be taken as a general measure of intactness that can serve as a template for evaluating across many species at the ecoregion scale, and provides a framework within which species-specific parameters can be incorporated for more detailed analyses.

For additional information, refer to the current terrestrial landscape Intactness model (version15a, 1km) from which this dataset was derived.