TITLE:
Habitat Suitability Modeling of Endangered Primates in Nigeria: Integrating Satellite Remote Sensing and Spatial Modeling Techniques
AUTHORS:
Alex O. Onojeghuo, Alan G. Blackburn, Francis Okeke, Ajoke R. Onojeghuo
KEYWORDS:
Maxent, Remote Sensing, Primates, GIS, Deforestation, Markov, FRAGSTATS
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Geoscience and Environment Protection,
Vol.3 No.8,
October
13,
2015
ABSTRACT: This
paper investigates the impacts of forest cover and spatial structure changes on
the forest landscape across Afi-Mbe-Okwangwo protected area of Cross River
State, Nigeria and its corresponding implication on two endangered primates
(Cross River Gorilla and Nigeria-Cameroon Chimpanzee) habitat using satellite
remote sensing and modeling techniques. Using remote sensing change detection
analysis, the spatial extent and annual rate of deforestation for the study
area was determined as 34,620 hectares and 1.5% respectively (from 2000 to
2014). The protected areas with highest annual deforestation rates were Afi
Mountain Wildlife Sanctuary (2.6%) and Mbe Mountains (2.2%), both prominent for
gorilla and chimpanzee sightings and nests. Further investigations on changes
to the forest landscape structure revealed high levels of forest fragmentation
across the study area for the 14-year period investigated. As a means of further
understanding effects of forest landscapes changes across the study area, a
14-year forward simulation was performed using the Markov model as to determine
the spatial extent of futuristic forest cover changes. The results showed that
if this current trend of forest cover change continued, 28,121 hectares of
forests would be lost to deforestation in 2028 (approximately 16% of the total
landmass of the entire study area). Using Maxent modeling, suitable primate
habitats were predicted and the total coverage determined as 30,940 hectares
(54.4% situated in CRNP—Okwangwo division, 29.4% in AMWS, 14.3% in Mbe
Mountains and 1.9% in ARFR). Further analysis revealed 6468 hectares of
predicted primate habitat were affected by deforestation in 2014 (21% of the
predicted primate habitats). These results indicate that suitable primate
habitats (particularly for gorillas and chimpanzees) are under immense pressure
from deforestation and forest fragmentation. This paper presents a cost
effective and time saving approach for determining suitable primate habitats
and understanding the effects of forest transition on primate habitat
suitability.