DOI: 10.5061/dryad.8w9ghx3jj
title: Data from: Assessing the usefulness of Citizen Science Data for habitat suitability modelling: opportunistic reporting versus sampling based on a systematic protocol

description: Aim: To evaluate the potential of models based on opportunistic reporting
 (OR) compared to models based on data from a systematic protocol (SP) for
 modelling species distributions. We compared model performance for eight
 forest bird species with contrasting spatial distributions, habitat
 requirements, and rarity. Differences in the reporting of species were
 also assessed. Finally, we tested potential improvement of models when
 inferring high quality absences from OR based on questionnaires sent to
 observers. Location: Both datasets cover the same large area (Sweden) and
 time period (2000 -2013). Methods: Species distributions were modelled
 using logistic regression. Predictive performance of OR models to predict
 SP data were assessed based on AUC. We quantified the congruence in
 spatial predictions using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. We
 related these results to species characteristics and reporting behaviour
 of observers. We also assessed the gain in predictive performance of OR
 models by adding inferred absences. Finally, we investigated the potential
 impact of sampling bias in OR. Results: For all species, and despite the
 sampling biases, results from OR overall agreed well with those of SP, for
 the nationwide spatial congruence of habitat suitability maps and the
 selection and directions of species-environment relationships. The OR
 models also performed well in predicting the SP data. The predictive
 performance of the OR models increased with species rarity and even
 outperformed the SP model for the rarest species. No significant impact of
 observer behaviour was found. Main Conclusions: Relatively simple analyses
 with inferred absences could produce reliable spatial predictions of
 habitat suitability. This was especially true for rare species. OR data
 should be seen as a complement to SP, as the weakness of one is the
 strength of the other, and OR may be especially useful at large spatial
 scales or where no systematic data collection protocols exist.
description: <strong>Grey-headed woodpecker_Opportunistic
 reporting</strong>: Presence observations and inferred absences of
 grey-headed woodpecker 2000-2013 (downloaded from https://analysisportal
 and processed according to Appendix S3) and environmental data computed in
 a 1km square buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details).
 Spatial reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Grey-headed woodpecker_Systematic
 protocol</strong>: Presence and absence observations of grey-headed
 woodpecker 2000-2013 (from http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed
 according to Appendix S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square
 buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial
 reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Hazel grouse woodpecker_Opportunistic
 reporting</strong>: Presence observations and inferred absences of
 hazel grouse 2000-2013 (downloaded from https://analysisportal and
 processed according to Appendix S3) and environmental data computed in a
 1km square buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details).
 Spatial reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Hazel grouse woodpecker_Systematic
 protocol</strong>: Presence and absence observations of hazel grouse
 2000-2013 (from http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed according to
 Appendix S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around
 each observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and
 y coordinates: EPSG 3021. <strong>Lesser spotted
 woodpecker_Opportunistic reporting</strong>: Presence observations
 and inferred absences of lesser spotted woodpecker 2000-2013 (downloaded
 from https://analysisportal and processed according to Appendix S3) and
 environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each observation
 (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y coordinates:
 EPSG 3021. <strong>Lesser spotted
 woodpecker_Systematic protocol</strong>: Presence and absence
 observations of lesser spotted woodpecker 2000-2013 (from
 http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed according to Appendix
 S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each
 observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y
 coordinates: EPSG 3021. <strong>Long-tailed
 tit_Opportunistic reporting</strong>: Presence observations and
 inferred absences of long-tailed tit 2000-2013 (downloaded from
 https://analysisportal and processed according to Appendix S3) and
 environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each observation
 (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y coordinates:
 EPSG 3021. <strong>Long-tailed tit_Systematic
 protocol</strong>: Presence and absence observations of long-tailed
 tit 2000-2013 (from http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed
 according to Appendix S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square
 buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial
 reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Red-breasted flycatcher_Opportunistic
 reporting</strong>: Presence observations and inferred absences of
 red-breasted flycatcher 2000-2013 (downloaded from https://analysisportal
 and processed according to Appendix S3) and environmental data computed in
 a 1km square buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details).
 Spatial reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Red-breasted flycatcher_Systematic
 protocol</strong>: Presence and absence observations of red-breasted
 flycatcher 2000-2013 (from http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed
 according to Appendix S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square
 buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial
 reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Siberian jay_Opportunistic
 reporting</strong>: Presence observations and inferred absences of
 Siberian jay 2000-2013 (downloaded from https://analysisportal and
 processed according to Appendix S3) and environmental data computed in a
 1km square buffer around each observation (see manuscript for details).
 Spatial reference for x and y coordinates: EPSG 3021.
 <strong>Siberian jay_Systematic protocol</strong>:
 Presence and absence observations of Siberian jay 2000-2013 (from
 http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed according to Appendix
 S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each
 observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y
 coordinates: EPSG 3021. <strong>Siberian
 tit_Opportunistic reporting</strong>: Presence observations and
 inferred absences of Siberian tit 2000-2013 (downloaded from
 https://analysisportal and processed according to Appendix S3) and
 environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each observation
 (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y coordinates:
 EPSG 3021. <strong>Siberian tit_Systematic
 protocol</strong>: Presence and absence observations of Siberian tit
 2000-2013 (from http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed according to
 Appendix S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around
 each observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and
 y coordinates: EPSG 3021. <strong>Three-toed
 woodpecker_Opportunistic reporting</strong>: Presence observations
 and inferred absences of three-toed woodpecker 2000-2013 (downloaded from
 https://analysisportal and processed according to Appendix S3) and
 environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each observation
 (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y coordinates:
 EPSG 3021. <strong>Three-toed
 woodpecker_Systematic protocol</strong>: Presence and absence
 observations of three-toed woodpecker 2000-2013 (from
 http://www.fageltaxering.lu.se/ and processed according to Appendix
 S2) and environmental data computed in a 1km square buffer around each
 observation (see manuscript for details). Spatial reference for x and y
 coordinates: EPSG 3021.   For all
 species and both protocols (opportunistic reporting and systematically
 collected), environmental data include: -the
 <b>distance to the nearest city or village</b>
   In a 1km square buffer around each
 observation (see manuscript for details): -the
 <b>mean forest age </b>(in year) -the
 <b>mean total volume of forest </b>(in m<sup>3
 </sup>/ha) -the <b>mean elevation
 </b>(in m) -the <b>percentage of different
 tree specie</b>s : beech, oak, birch, deciduous trees, spruce, pine
 (excluding contorta), contorta pine and coniferous trees
 -<b>climate data</b>: spring and winter temperature
 (in °C), spring and winter precipitation (in mm) -the
 <b>percentage of forest</b>  
 For opportunistic data only:
   An estimation of the sampling
 effort, corresponding to the <b>number of observations</b>
 (ie. one observation per observer and date) or the <b>number of
 birds</b> (potentially several birds listed per observation) for the
 location and time period (see manuscript for details)
   For systematic data
 only:   The
 <strong>number of time the transect have been sampled</strong>
 during the period (“MatchYear”), see manuscript for details