Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq
Climate is a vital factor that shapes habitat suitability for many species across space and time. Gazella subgutturosa (Goitered gazelle) is a globally vulnerable mammal already extinct in some areas of Armenia and Georgia and is highly threatened in other areas of its distribution. In this study, n...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2023-02-01
|
| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022037896 |
| _version_ | 1811161854929534976 |
|---|---|
| author | Emad Kaky Victoria Nolan Mohammed I. Khalil Ameer M. Ameen Mohammed Aram Afrasiaw Ahmed Jaf Saman Mohammed Mohammed-Amin Yadgar Ali Mahmood Francis Gilbert |
| author_facet | Emad Kaky Victoria Nolan Mohammed I. Khalil Ameer M. Ameen Mohammed Aram Afrasiaw Ahmed Jaf Saman Mohammed Mohammed-Amin Yadgar Ali Mahmood Francis Gilbert |
| author_sort | Emad Kaky |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Climate is a vital factor that shapes habitat suitability for many species across space and time. Gazella subgutturosa (Goitered gazelle) is a globally vulnerable mammal already extinct in some areas of Armenia and Georgia and is highly threatened in other areas of its distribution. In this study, new data were gathered for 33 locations in north-eastern Iraq, and then together with literature data, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) were used to explore the geographical distribution of the gazelle under current and future climate change scenarios. We studied the relationship between seven climate variables and 43 occurrence records to predict habitat suitability of the gazelle under the current climate, and also under four future climate scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 for both 2050 and 2080). Annual precipitation and isothermality had the most influence on the distribution of Gazella subgutturosa. The most suitable habitat in both the current and future scenarios was located in north-eastern Iraq close to the Iranian border near the Zagros Mountains. There was no difference in habitat suitability for the gazelle inside Iraqi Protected Areas (PAs) compared to outside the PAs. Using the occurrence records and IUCN Red List national assessments, we found Iraqi Goitered gazelle populations to be classified as Endangered (EN). Our results suggest urgent conservation planning is needed to save this species, including the establishment of new PAs. These results contribute new baseline information, which was currently missing Goitered gazelle in about Iraq, to the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group, which will hopefully aid with future global assessments and conservation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:21:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-97c33ecdcffa474f837541ce63295cda |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:21:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-97c33ecdcffa474f837541ce63295cda2023-03-02T04:59:42ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-02-0192e12501Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in IraqEmad Kaky0Victoria Nolan1Mohammed I. Khalil2Ameer M. Ameen Mohammed3Aram Afrasiaw Ahmed Jaf4Saman Mohammed Mohammed-Amin5Yadgar Ali Mahmood6Francis Gilbert7Kalar Technical College, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Qirga District, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq; Corresponding author.School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKDepartment of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, IraqKalar Technical College, Sulaimani Polytechnic University, Qirga District, Sulaymaniyah, IraqDepartment of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, IraqDepartment of Biology, College of Education, University of Garmian, IraqField Crops Department, College of Agricultural and Engineering Science, University of Garmian, IraqSchool of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UKClimate is a vital factor that shapes habitat suitability for many species across space and time. Gazella subgutturosa (Goitered gazelle) is a globally vulnerable mammal already extinct in some areas of Armenia and Georgia and is highly threatened in other areas of its distribution. In this study, new data were gathered for 33 locations in north-eastern Iraq, and then together with literature data, Species Distribution Models (SDMs) were used to explore the geographical distribution of the gazelle under current and future climate change scenarios. We studied the relationship between seven climate variables and 43 occurrence records to predict habitat suitability of the gazelle under the current climate, and also under four future climate scenarios (RCP2.6 and RCP8.5 for both 2050 and 2080). Annual precipitation and isothermality had the most influence on the distribution of Gazella subgutturosa. The most suitable habitat in both the current and future scenarios was located in north-eastern Iraq close to the Iranian border near the Zagros Mountains. There was no difference in habitat suitability for the gazelle inside Iraqi Protected Areas (PAs) compared to outside the PAs. Using the occurrence records and IUCN Red List national assessments, we found Iraqi Goitered gazelle populations to be classified as Endangered (EN). Our results suggest urgent conservation planning is needed to save this species, including the establishment of new PAs. These results contribute new baseline information, which was currently missing Goitered gazelle in about Iraq, to the IUCN SSC Antelope Specialist Group, which will hopefully aid with future global assessments and conservation.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022037896Climate changeSpecies distribution models (SDMs)FaunaMammalsProtected areas (PAs)IUCN Red list |
| spellingShingle | Emad Kaky Victoria Nolan Mohammed I. Khalil Ameer M. Ameen Mohammed Aram Afrasiaw Ahmed Jaf Saman Mohammed Mohammed-Amin Yadgar Ali Mahmood Francis Gilbert Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq Heliyon Climate change Species distribution models (SDMs) Fauna Mammals Protected areas (PAs) IUCN Red list |
| title | Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq |
| title_full | Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq |
| title_fullStr | Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq |
| title_full_unstemmed | Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq |
| title_short | Conservation of the Goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) under climate changes in Iraq |
| title_sort | conservation of the goitered gazelle gazella subgutturosa under climate changes in iraq |
| topic | Climate change Species distribution models (SDMs) Fauna Mammals Protected areas (PAs) IUCN Red list |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844022037896 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT emadkaky conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT victorianolan conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT mohammedikhalil conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT ameermameenmohammed conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT aramafrasiawahmedjaf conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT samanmohammedmohammedamin conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT yadgaralimahmood conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq AT francisgilbert conservationofthegoiteredgazellegazellasubgutturosaunderclimatechangesiniraq |