The application of species distribution models ecology and evolution is rapidly increasing. Frequently applied in a geographic information system (GIS) environment, species distribution models are being used to identify areas for conservation prioritization, identify regions susceptible to invasion by exotic species, and to test whether the niches of species are conserved in evolutionary time.
In this dissertation, the author reviews recent developments in the species distribution modeling literature, compares several newer algorithms and critically evaluates standard procedures for assessing predictive model accuracy.