The CSCF has available a significant amount of specific high quality information (precisely identified by geographical coordinates) but it is characterised by a strong space-time heterogeneity.  A cartographic representation of this information thus offers only a partial reflection of the concerned species distribution on the field.

The cross analysis of this punctual data with all of the geo-referenced data available to the CSCF (digital field model, meso-climatic and geological information, surface statistics...) carried out using specialised statistical tools (e.g GRASP.) which makes it possible to obtain a presence probability for each species in areas poorly or non-prospected.

The image which is thus obtained represents its potential habitat on the national territory.  The representation of this habitat obviously depends on the quality of the source data used to evaluate it.  The more data available, which is precise and biologically significant, the better the final result of the analysis and the broader its field of application will be:

• tool for planning the sampling fieldwork (prospective approach);
• tool for planning of ecological networks;
• tool for evaluation (the evolution of) of occupancy and occurrence area of the species, essential variables in the evaluation of their national status;
• tool for evaluating the subdivision factor of the area of species distribution, which is the first step towards the evaluation of the isolation factor of their populations.

Partners
CSCF-FAL, Agroscope Zurich Reckenholz (database of autecological data)
Swiss Centre of coordination for the protection of reptiles and amphibians (karch)
Centre of western coordination for the study and protection of bats (CCO, Geneva)
Foundation for the protection of bats of Switzerland (SSF, Zürich)