Modelling the abundance and spatial distribution of the guanaco (Lama guanicoe) in Patagonia: a review and future perspectives

Abstract

Understanding the factors that influence the abundance and spatial distributionof wild species has been of primary interest to researchers worldwide. Thisinformation has been generally considered to assess the status of populations andtheir habitat requirements and to make management recommendations related to their conservation and use. In South America, a species of particular interest is theguanaco (Lama guanicoe), given its adaptations and flexibility to occupy a widevariety of environments, its ecological role in the ecosystem, and its economic valuein some regions. The guanaco has suffered a severe decline in numbers and areduction in its geographic range since the 1800s due to legal and illegal huntingand the introduction of livestock (especially sheep). Currently, it occupies around26% of its original range, and 81–86% of its global population remains in Argentina,with abundant numbers in Austral Patagonia. In this chapter, we review the differentmodeling tools that have been used to assess the status of guanaco populationsthroughout Patagonia, highlighting their advances, advantages, and limitations. Weuse study cases in different environmental conditions (e.g., spatial and temporalscales) to evaluate how local and regional contexts have impacted the abundance andspatial distribution of guanaco populations and to identify possible threats throughouttheir distributional range. Finally, we present some advances in innovativetechnologies that will improve detection during population surveys, which, in turn,will allow modeling with more accurate estimations.