삵의 서식지 적합성 평가를 위한 분석단위 설정 및 보전지역 선정 - 충청도 지역을 중심으로 - (A Study on the Analytic Unit of Habitat Suitability Assessment and Selection in Conservation Areas for Leopard Cat(Prionailurus bengalensis) - Focus on Chungcheong Province Area -)

The purpose of this study is to compare a habitat suitability grid unit included within a radius of 100m and 1km2, 2km2, 4km2 watershed units in order to predict suitable habitats for Chungcheong province’s endangered leopard species (Prionailurus bengalensis). Other developed countries have carried out habitat assessment and established management policies for species conservation using such methods as HEP(Habitat Evaluation Procedures), HSI(Habitat Suitability Index) and GAP(Gap Analysis Program), etc. In accordance with these studies, many evaluation methods for habitat conservation have been proposed in Korea, but these studies are lacking in consideration of analytic units and general application of analysis results. This study predicted leopard habitat using a logistic regression analysis according to analytic units by data from 56 location and 8 sources of environmental data, including elevation, slope, forest area, land cover, roads, water, broadleaf trees, and human habitation. Moreover, the habitat suitability assessment unit was confirmed by a model comparison process encompassing model explanation, verification, and application on a regional scale. Results showed that assessment methods that took into consideration areas in and around the location points were beneficial in predicting habitat and that the assessment unit was appropriate for a 30m grid unit including areas within a radius of 100m and a 1km2 watershed unit in Chungcheong Province. This study suggests a method for regional habitat conservation to complement existing conservation area selection methods, and the results are expected to be used in conservation area selection and ecosystem management policies for endangered species.

The purpose of this study is to compare a habitat suitability grid unit included within a radius of 100m and 1km2, 2km2, 4km2 watershed units in order to predict suitable habitats for Chungcheong province’s endangered leopard species (Prionailurus bengalensis). Other developed countries have carried out habitat assessment and established management policies for species conservation using such methods as HEP(Habitat Evaluation Procedures), HSI(Habitat Suitability Index) and GAP(Gap Analysis Program), etc. In accordance with these studies, many evaluation methods for habitat conservation have been proposed in Korea, but these studies are lacking in consideration of analytic units and general application of analysis results. This study predicted leopard habitat using a logistic regression analysis according to analytic units by data from 56 location and 8 sources of environmental data, including elevation, slope, forest area, land cover, roads, water, broadleaf trees, and human habitation. Moreover, the habitat suitability assessment unit was confirmed by a model comparison process encompassing model explanation, verification, and application on a regional scale. Results showed that assessment methods that took into consideration areas in and around the location points were beneficial in predicting habitat and that the assessment unit was appropriate for a 30m grid unit including areas within a radius of 100m and a 1km2 watershed unit in Chungcheong Province. This study suggests a method for regional habitat conservation to complement existing conservation area selection methods, and the results are expected to be used in conservation area selection and ecosystem management policies for endangered species.