This animation was created for the Center for Plant Conservation’s Rare Plant Academy course video library.
In this video, we’ll explore the differences between a Species Distribution Model (SDM) and an Ecological Niche Model (ENM). These two types of models share some similarities, but their interpretations can be used for different conservation actions. The distribution of a species describes its current geographic range, while its ecological niche describes the conditions and geographic locations it could possibly live but doesn’t currently inhabit. Watch this video for a deeper dive into the uses of and differences between SDMs and ENMs.
