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Data Science
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Cutting-edge models for Conservation: Ensemble machine learning advances ecological forecasting and reveals 40 years of changing climatic suitability for an aridland bird

Using ensemble machine learning and spatial analysis applied to tens of thousands of eBird records together with NASA’s MERRA-2 reanalysis, NASA researchers documented shifts in climatic suitability for Cassin’s Sparrow across the past four decades. These shifts appear to be altering the timing of the species’ breeding cycle, suggesting that seasonal climatic change may be driving both behavioral and evolutionary responses.

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Cassin’s Sparrow (Peucaea cassinii) is an elusive resident of the southwestern United States. Notable for its desert adaptations and distinctive skylarking display, the species offers important insights into how aridland birds respond to a changing climate. Using ensemble machine learning and spatial analysis applied to tens of thousands of eBird records together with NASA’s MERRA-2 reanalysis, NASA researchers documented shifts in climatic suitability for Cassin’s Sparrow across the past four decades. These shifts appear to be altering the timing of the species’ breeding cycle, suggesting that seasonal climatic change may be driving both behavioral and evolutionary responses. Beyond improving understanding of Cassin’s Sparrow’s natural history, this work significantly advances ecological forecasting methods for aridland birds and highlights important implications for biodiversity monitoring, conservation practice, and ecosystem health under climate change.