Evaluating ecological uniqueness over broad spatial extents using species distribution modelling

Local contributions to beta diversity (LCBD) can be used identify sites with high ecological uniqueness and exceptional species composition within a region of interest. Yet, these indices are typically on local or regional scales relatively few sites, as they require information complete community compositions difficult acquire larger scales. Here, we investigated how LCBD predicted over broad spatial extents using distribution modelling examined the effect scale changes quantification. We Bayesian additive regression trees (BARTs) predict warbler distributions in North America based observations recorded eBird database. then calculated for observed data compared site-wise difference direct comparison, association test generalized linear regression. also relationship between values richness different regions at various extents. Our results showed that models provided estimates highly correlated data. The form variance LCBD–richness varied according total extent size. was affected by proportion rare communities. Therefore, identified unique may vary characteristics. These show extents, which could help hotspots important targets conservation purposes unsampled locations.