Model for: Characterizing long‐term population conditions of the elusive red tree vole with dynamic individual‐based modeling

Old growth forests are declining globally, threatening dependent wildlife. Many arboreal old‐growth obligates, such as the threatened red tree vole, are difficult to monitor for changes in habitat occupancy, and abundance. Yet, conservation planning relies on this information to prevent population declines. We integrated a range of species, habitat, and landscape change information to develop a dynamic habitat‐population model. The spatial individual‐based model simulated dynamic patterns of occupancy that responded to annual habitat maps, describing 36 years of observed change. We simulated population dynamics and local movement to characterize changes in occupancy and abundance, and the capacity of remaining habitat to support red tree voles. Red tree vole redistribution patterns strongly corresponded to wildfire footprints and timber extraction locations. Population strongholds are likely to exist in clumped pockets of old‐growth forest that were unaffected by wildfire and in protec..., We constructed a spatially explicit individual-based model (IBM) for tree voles across their range, using a time series of habitat maps and a range of empirical datasets. , We developed the model in the HexSim modeling platform: Available as a free download from www.HexSim.net