{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,23]],"date-time":"2026-03-23T04:36:59Z","timestamp":1774240619119,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"4","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]],"date-time":"2024-02-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1707868800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"USGS Ecosystems Mission Area funds"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Similar to other single-island endemic Hawaiian honeycreepers, the critically endangered \u2018\u0101kohekohe (Palmeria dolei) is threatened by climate-driven disease spread. To avert the imminent risk of extinction, managers are considering novel measures, including the conservation introduction (CI) of \u2018\u0101kohekohe from Maui to higher elevation habitats on the Island of Hawai\u2019i. This study integrated lidar-based habitat suitability models (LHSMs) and population viability analyses (PVAs) to assess five candidate sites currently considered by managers for CI. We first developed an LHSM for the species\u2019 native range on Maui. We then projected habitat suitability across candidate CI sites, using forest structure and topography metrics standardized across sensor types. Given the structural variability observed within the five candidate sites, we identified clusters of contiguous, highly suitable habitat as potential release sites. We then determined how many adult individuals could be supported by each cluster based on adult home range estimates. To determine which clusters could house the minimum number of \u2018\u0101kohekohe birds necessary for a stable or increasing future population, we conducted PVAs under multiple scenarios of bird releases. We found that canopy height and relative height 90 had the greatest effects on model performance, possibly reflecting \u2018\u0101kohekohe\u2019s preference for taller canopies. We found that a small release of at least nine pairs of equal sex ratios were sufficient for an 80% chance of success and a &lt;1% chance of extirpation in 20 years, resulting in a minimum release area of 4.5 ha in size. We integrated the results of the LHSM and PVA into an interactive web application that allowed managers to consider the caveats and uncertainties associated with both LHSMs and PVAs in their decision-making process. As climate change continues to threaten species worldwide, this research demonstrates the value of lidar remote sensing combined with species-specific models to enable rapid, quantitative assessments that can inform the increasing consideration of time-sensitive conservation introductions.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs16040680","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]],"date-time":"2024-02-14T09:30:18Z","timestamp":1707903018000},"page":"680","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Identifying Conservation Introduction Sites for Endangered Birds through the Integration of Lidar-Based Habitat Suitability Models and Population Viability Analyses"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7086-239X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Erica Marie","family":"Gallerani","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Geography, University of California Los Angeles, 1255 Bunche Hall, P.O. Box 951524, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA"},{"name":"Hawai\u2019i Cooperative Studies Unit, University of Hawai\u2019i at Hilo, 200 W. Kawili St., Hilo, HI 96720, USA"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5781-7295","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lucas","family":"Berio Fortini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 44, Hawai\u2019i National Park, HI 96718, USA"}]},{"given":"Christopher C.","family":"Warren","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Haleakal\u0101 National Park, National Park Service, P.O. Box 369, Makawao, HI 96768, USA"}]},{"given":"Eben H.","family":"Paxton","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center, U.S. Geological Survey, P.O. Box 44, Hawai\u2019i National Park, HI 96718, USA"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,2,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"401","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1251817","article-title":"Defaunation in the Anthropocene","volume":"345","author":"Dirzo","year":"2014","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Bubac, C.M., Johnson, A.C., Fox, J.A., and Cullingham, C.I. (2019). Conservation Translocations and Post-Release Monitoring: Identifying Trends in Failures, Biases, and Challenges from around the World. Biol. Conserv., 238.","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocon.2019.108239"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"796","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1526-100X.2010.00724.x","article-title":"From Reintroduction to Assisted Colonization: Moving along the Conservation Translocation Spectrum","volume":"18","author":"Seddon","year":"2010","journal-title":"Restor. 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