Habitat suitability modelling to correlate gene flow with landscape connectivity

Landscape connectivity is important in designing corridor and reserve networks. Combining genetic distances among individuals with least-cost path (LCP) modelling helps to correlate indirect measures of gene flow with landscape connectivity. Applicability of LCP modelling, however, is reduced if knowledge on dispersal pathways or routes is lacking. Therefore, we integrated habitat suitability modelling into LCP analysis to avoid the subjectivity common in LCP analyses lacking knowledge on dispersal pathways or routes. We used presence-only data and ecological niche factor analysis to model habitat suitability for the spiny rat, Niviventer coninga, in a fragmented landscape of western Taiwan. We adapted the resultant habitat suitability map for incorporation into LCP analyses. Slightly increased Mantel correlations indicated that a class-weighted suitability map better explained genetic distances among individuals than did geographical distances. The integration of habitat suitability modelling into LCP analysis can thus generate information on distribution of suitable habitats, on potential routes of dispersal, for placement of corridors, and evaluate landscape connectivity.