Land cover change is the largest direct driver of global biodiversity loss, but often the relationships between the biophysical characteristics of landscapes and species occurrence are unknown. Therefore, for effective biodiversity conservation, tools are required to quantify the relationships between land cover change and probability of species occurrence.

As part of this project, we used the best available data on species occurrence, climate, landscape characteristics, and land use, to predict the probability of occurrence of 329 terrestrial vertebrate species at the quarter section scale across Prairie Canada. Combining models across species allows depiction of biodiversity potential in the form of biodiversity 'maps' for all, or subsets of species (e.g. amphibians, birds, species at risk). Because models specifically incorporate the magnitude of effect for land use change on each species, predictions of how landscape change (positive or negative) will potentially impact biodiversity are possible. This mapping effort can be used to target areas for conserving and restoring habitats, and to predict biodiversity response to landscape change and conservation effort.

Our results highlighted the importance of retaining natural habitats, including wetlands, grasslands, and forests within agricultural landscapes to support biodiversity.

The presentation will be held at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre community room, located in the Lethbridge river valley at the north end of Indian Battle Road South.