Promoting species persistence through spatial association optimization in nature reserve design

An important concern for certain species in reserve network design is ensuring that selected sites are either clustered or dispersed. The task of structuring a clustered or dispersed reserve system is often achieved without considering the spatial distribution of the species involved. To address this issue, we develop a probabilistic design model that considers species-specific persistence in selecting reserve sites in order to enhance survival probability. The application results illustrate how the model accounts for spatial association between reserve sites. Differences to related approaches are discussed, focusing on how long-term species representation in reserve design is promoted.