Predicted Terrestrial Vertebrate Species Distributions for Wyoming

Range maps which rely only on the location of specimens do not include information on the ecological conditions that favor the presence of the species. Habitat features, such as vegetation, can enhance traditional approaches despite some limitations (Scott et al. 1993).

Using both point locality records and habitat conditions, these predicted distributions provide better estimates about the actual amount of habitat area and the nature of its configuration. Besides gap analysis, the predicted terrestrial vertebrate species distributions may be used to answer a wide variety of management, planning, and research questions relating to individual species or groups of species. This dataset contains the predicted distributions of 445 terrestrial vertebrate species in Wyoming, created in a GIS modeling process using species habitat assocation rules in combination with species geographic range.