Modelling the ecological niches of reptiles in highly biodiverse protected areas

Species distribution modelling is a valuable tool for understanding and managing protected areas globally. This study used MaxEnt modelling with high-resolution environmental data and extensive in-situ observations to create habitat suitability maps for 16 reptile species in the highly biodiverse Souss-Massa National Park (SMNP), Morocco. The study examined the influence of environmental variables on species distribution and identified ecologically significant areas (species-rich areas). The results indicated that 94% of the models exhibited excellent predictive performance (AUC >0.9). Habitat types emerged as the most influential environmental variable for 75% of species, while the remaining taxa were primarily affected by soil type, vegetation density, and ocean proximity. Habitat suitability maps revealed distinct habitat preferences among species. The potential species richness map revealed variations within SMNP. Fenced reserves and undisturbed habitats both had a greater composition of highly diverse areas compared to unfenced and disturbed areas, respectively. The substantial proportion of disturbed areas with low species richness further supports the findings from a recent study conducted in the same area, which indicated that habitat disturbance can lead to the loss or decline of reptile populations. Priority for conservation should shift towards less protected areas to better safeguard reptile biodiversity, as most areas needing attention are outside well-protected reserves.