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A frequency distribution approach to hotspot identification

  • Original Article
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Population Ecology

Abstract

We present a new global method for the identification of hotspots in conservation and ecology. The method is based on the identification of spatial structure properties through cumulative relative frequency distributions curves, and is tested with two case studies, the identification of fish density hotspots and terrestrial vertebrate species diversity hotspots. Results from the frequency distribution method are compared with those from standard techniques among local, partially local and global methods. Our approach offers the main advantage to be independent from the selection of any threshold, neighborhood, or other parameter that affect most of the currently available methods for hotspot analysis. The two case studies show how such elements of arbitrariness of the traditional methods influence both size and location of the identified hotspots, and how this new global method can be used for a more objective selection of hotspots.

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Acknowledgments

We especially thank Nathan M. Bacheler for his helpful comments on an earlier draft of the manuscript, and two anonymous reviewers for a useful discussion.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Animal and Human Biology, Sapienza University of Rome, viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Valerio Bartolino, Luigi Maiorano & Francesco Colloca

  2. Marine Research Institute, Swedish Board of Fisheries, PO Box 4, 45321, Lysekil, Sweden

    Valerio Bartolino

  3. Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Biophore Building, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Luigi Maiorano

Authors
  1. Valerio Bartolino
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  2. Luigi Maiorano
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  3. Francesco Colloca
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Correspondence to Valerio Bartolino.

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Bartolino, V., Maiorano, L. & Colloca, F. A frequency distribution approach to hotspot identification. Popul Ecol 53, 351–359 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10144-010-0229-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10144-010-0229-2

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