Supporting reintroduction planning: A framework integrating habitat suitability, connectivity and individual-based modelling. A case study with the Eurasian lynx in the Apennines

Aim: Reintroducing carnivores is a widely used approach to restore the natural integrity of ecosystems. Species distribution models (SDMs) and connectivity analyses are valuable tools for planning reintroductions and identifying release sites but are rarely combined. We propose a new framework combining SDMs, connectivity modelling and individual‐based models (IBMs) to assess the feasibility of various reintroduction scenarios. As a case study, we applied this framework to plan a potential reintroduction of the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) to the Apennines by: (i) assessing niche overlap between potential source and target populations; (ii) integrating habitat suitability and connectivity to select release sites and (iii) evaluating reintroduction outcomes through IBMs.
Location: Apennines, Peninsular Italy.
Methods: We combined niche overlap analysis, ensembles of fine‐tuned SDMs and circuit‐theory techniques to model connectivity. Then, we integrated suitability and connectivity predicti..., , # Supporting reintroduction planning: A framework integrating habitat suitability, connectivity and individual-based modelling. A case study with the Eurasian lynx in the Apennines

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.59zw3r2km](10.5061/dryad.59zw3r2km)

## Aim of the study

The aim of the study was to develop a framework able to support reintroduction planning through ecological modeling techniques.

Thus, we created the 'MDS' framework (Model, Define and Simulate), where niche overlap, species distribution models (SDMs), connectivity modeling, and individual-based models (IBMs) are integrated to model niche overlap between potential source and target populations, define potential release sites, and simulate several reintroduction scenarios to evaluate their outcomes.

The following data are related to a case study of a Eurasian lynx (*Lynx lynx*) reintroduction in the Apennines where we used the MDS framework.

### Recommended Citation

Serva, D., Krofel, M., Cerasoli, F., Biondi, M., & Ianne...,