o_19ko2dt161ng2j4e1tgnoqv1s45a.pdf

APPLICATION OF GIS TO CONSERVATION ASSESSMENTS AT THE ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS, KEW
were automatically calculated in ArcView, and the results displayed on histograms (Fig. 4),
enabling poorly protected areas to be identified.
This technique enables plant diversity assessments of hotspot areas to be compiled relatively
rapidly, which can then be used to identify conservation priorities, so that new reserves can be
targeted to conserve the greatest possible diversity of species.
Fig. 4. (From Du Puy & Moat 1998).
FUTURE WORK
The GIS unit at RBG Kew is continuing to develop techniques to aid conservation efforts, in
particular through improving automated conservation assessments based on IUCN Categories
and Criteria. Ecological niche modelling has been investigated as a potential tool for estimating
species range size and may be useful in delimiting isolated populations, therefore informing
studies of fragmentation. Lack of data may be the biggest problem for these techniques as
large numbers of data points (i.e. unique localities) are often needed to a) run the algorithms
and b) validate the final models. As previously mentioned an index for fragmentation based
on Rapoport’s mean propinquity method and dispersal ability is also being investigated. The
algorithms for the methods as outlined above are available from the GIS unit upon request.
This initial work on the Madagascar Vegetation is being updated using remote sensing
techniques for the year 2000/1/2 (Anon. 2005) This uses MODIS imagery, which separates
vegetation classes with a single-date surface reflectance image combined with entire year
vegetation greenness data. Composite images of Landsat ETM imagery were used to eliminate
cloud cover. An initial classification separated 11 land cover classes, and then a higher resolution
254