Is Britain still great for pine marten? A habitat suitability assessment

Abstract Context Species distribution models are used to predict habitat suitability for a species, by quantifying the environmental characteristics that allow a species to occupy a geographical area. The abundance and range of pine marten (Martes martes) has declined substantially in Great Britain, with remaining populations restricted to Scotland. Objectives Here, we perform species distribution modelling using the BIOMOD2 modelling framework to determine habitat suitability, and inform the identification of potential reintroduction sites for pine marten in Great Britain. Methods Using a global range dataset of 4,189 occurrences and seven environmental variables, ensemble species distribution models were used to predict habitat suitability across Europe at 1 km resolution and Great Britain at 100 m resolution. Results Across the extent of both Europe and Britain, results indicate high suitability in areas with woody vegetation cover in low topographic positions, and low suitability in urban areas and extensive areas of arable land. In Britain, high habitat suitability is identified across substantial areas in South East England, parts of South West England, East Yorkshire and Gloucestershire, with pockets of suitable habitat along the west coast of Britain. The results indicate that elevation and land cover are important drivers of suitability in Britain. Conclusion Habitat suitability modelling at a high resolution of 100 m proves effective for informing potential reintroduction sites for pine marten in Britain. We also demonstrate the importance of using occurrence data from the global range of the pine marten to predict optimal habitat suitability.