Gap analysis as a geographic information system tool for conservation decision-making in Costa Ric

The loss of biological diversity is an environmental issue currently receiving significant international attention. Difficult decisions regarding changes in our approach to economic development are required even to slow the rate of species extinction. Policy is being formulated to reduce deforestation and to strengthen the conservation system of protected areas. However, conservation decision makers need better information to evaluate the existing network of protected areas and to identify strategies to enhance the network by adding buffers around parks and corridors between them.;Geographic choices between environmental conservation and economic development are facilitated by the use of a geographic information system (GIS). Gap analysis is a GIS technique which superimposes maps of species distributions with maps indicating boundaries of ecosystems and protected areas in order to identify gaps in the protection of species. The Habitat Conservation Decision Cube was developed in this dissertation to organize spatial information associated with the eight possible policy options which result from combining presence/absence data on the three variables of wildlife, habitat, and protection status.;The objective of this research is to evaluate an international application of the gap analysis model. A national gap analysis was performed for Costa Rica, and the results are interpreted in the context of the Habitat Conservation Decision Cube. Wildlife data for 21 vertebrate species were used. The habitat data were based upon a 1984 land use map which was updated using 1992 Landsat Thematic Mapper data.;Digital mapping technologies are reviewed with emphasis on the utility of the technologies in conservation mapping in developing tropical countries. Examples of image analysis are considered to determine the role of common sensor systems in habitat and regional conservation mapping. The methodology of gap analysis is examined, and the wildlife and habitat data are used to evaluate minimum data requirements for the international application of the gap analysis model.