Species distribution models: ecological explanation and prediction across space and time

This widely cited review synthesized the theory and practice of species distribution models (SDMs), the statistical tools that relate species occurrence to environmental predictors to map current and future habitat. It clarified the assumptions underlying SDMs, the distinction between explanation and prediction, the challenges of transferring models across space and time, and best practices for evaluation. For felid climate research, this review is foundational because nearly all projections of how warming will shift habitat for snow leopards, tigers, lynx, and other cats rest on SDM methods. It matters as the conceptual reference that defines what these models can and cannot reliably tell us about a species' shifting climate niche.