Compatibility with the Gap Analysis products is also an integral component of this research. This area is adjacent to Monterey Bay and the Pacific Ocean, allowing a variety of ecological factors to be modeled including coastal influences, agriculture, steep terrain, rivers, forests, and open grasslands. As the Santa Cruz pilot project nears completion, additional areas are being considered for study to refine the models under different ecosystems and urban trends. Locator map of Santa Cruz County pilot area. As researchers study species and habitat use, a frequent goal of the investigation is to assess present or future ecosystem health.
Biodiversity is one metric for health, functioning at particular spatial scales and thematic levels.
With this perspective in mind, species level biodiversity over hectare to kilometer sized areas is the primary focus of my study, though my methods are not restricted to a specific sampling domain. Compared to the single species approach, the composite method I use has the disadvantage of lowering end product precision, however I also receive the beneficial trade-off of increasing relevance to biodiversity. These five ecological components are quantified as individual sub-models. By attempting to maintain each sub-model as in independent analysis, I promote flexibility in the model, enable open dialog between model users and stakeholders, and clarify my final results. After completion of each sub-model, my preliminary results are additively combined to comprehensively assess each land area, prescribing a measure of biodiversity value.