Hussain Majid, Akhtar Hassan, Saqib Zafeer, Khan Muhammad Tayyab, Afridi Zarak Khan, Afzal Hasnain, Habiba Ume, Khalil Sangam, Raza Ghulam, Rahman Hamid Ur, Shah Sher, Yousaf Muhammad Sohail, Alahmadi Tahani Awad
Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, The University of Haripur, Haripur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
Department of Environmental Sciences, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
PLoS One. 2024 Dec 31;19(12):e0306570. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306570. eCollection 2024.
The habitat suitability of Salvadora oleoides and Tamarix aphylla can be one of the most significant steps towards conserving these tree species. Habitat loss presents a critical threat to the existence of S. oleoides and T. aphylla. Protecting their suitable habitats and implementing conservation approaches is crucial to address this challenge. By ensuring the preservation of their habitats and adopting effective conservation strategies, we can mitigate the threat of habitat loss and promote the survival of these species. The potential distribution of S. oleoides and T. aphylla was predicted using a MaxEnt model. This study also presents the conservation status of S. oleoides and T. aphylla in the tropical thorn forests of the Bahawalpur subdivision. Data were gathered from the field survey based on bioclimatic variables. Overall, 20 sample plots were taken, and the coordinates were recorded for each sample plot. MaxEnt software and the environmental variables were used to study each tree species separately (19 bioclimatic variables were used). The Jackknife test was conducted to find the total general tree cover and mean temperature. The MaxEnt model showed high accuracy for each tree species, with the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) area under the curve (AUC) training mean testing values for S. oleoides being 0.976 and T. aphylla 0.987. The study showed that both species were distributed irregularly in the tropical thorn forest of the Bahawalpur subdivision. The results highlight that it is essential to implement proven long-term management and conservation techniques to ensure the well-being and sustainability of forest trees in the Bahawalpur sub-division. In conclusion, concerted efforts to map, understand habitat suitability, and raise awareness of endangered species in the tropical thorn forest are crucial for effective conservation planning and resource allocation in the face of climate change.
油橄榄叶刺树和无叶柽柳的栖息地适宜性可能是保护这些树种最重要的步骤之一。栖息地丧失对油橄榄叶刺树和无叶柽柳的生存构成了重大威胁。保护它们的适宜栖息地并实施保护措施对于应对这一挑战至关重要。通过确保其栖息地的保护并采取有效的保护策略，我们可以减轻栖息地丧失的威胁，促进这些物种的生存。使用MaxEnt模型预测了油橄榄叶刺树和无叶柽柳的潜在分布。本研究还介绍了巴哈瓦尔布尔分区热带荆棘林中油橄榄叶刺树和无叶柽柳的保护状况。数据是基于生物气候变量从实地调查中收集的。总共设置了20个样地，并记录了每个样地的坐标。使用MaxEnt软件和环境变量分别研究每种树种（使用了19个生物气候变量）。进行刀切法检验以确定总乔木覆盖面积和平均温度。MaxEnt模型对每种树种都显示出很高的准确性，油橄榄叶刺树的训练平均测试值的曲线下面积（AUC）的受试者工作特征（ROC）为0.976，无叶柽柳为0.987。研究表明，这两个物种在巴哈瓦尔布尔分区的热带荆棘林中分布不均。结果强调，必须实施经过验证的长期管理和保护技术，以确保巴哈瓦尔布尔分区森林树木的健康和可持续性。总之，在面对气候变化的情况下，齐心协力绘制地图、了解栖息地适宜性并提高对热带荆棘林中濒危物种的认识，对于有效的保护规划和资源分配至关重要。
