Determination of habitat requests and potential distribution mapping of calosoma sycophanta L.

This thesis was conducted to investigate the relationships between the pine processionary moth (PPM) (Thaumetopoea pityocampa Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775 and T. wilkinsoni Tams, 1926; Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae) and its predator Calosoma sycophanta Linnaeus, 1758 (Coleoptera: Carabidae) with environmental variables, and to generate habitat suitability maps based on these variables. The study area was divided into 2×2 km grid cells for systematic sampling, and field surveys were conducted in 191 sampling plots to collect presence/absence data for both C. sycophanta and the PPM. A statistically sufficient number of presence data points was reached. The relationships between the environmental variables and species presence were analyzed and mapped using the Maxent method. To select the most suitable species distribution model for C. sycophanta and PPM species, the standard deviation between the ROC values of the training and test datasets was taken into consideration. The model with the lowest standard deviation was selected as the optimal model. In the habitat suitability model obtained for C. sycophanta (ROC: 0.917–0.916), the environmental factors affecting the species'distribution were identified as aok_ibreli, Bio17, Bio4, Bio7, slope_class, jeo, AYSİ, ri, and elevation. The environmental variables that constituted the habitat suitability model of the PPM (ROC: 0.900–0.897) were identified as aok_ibreli, aok_yas_sin, Bio1, Bio4, Bio7, slope_class, and jeo. The findings provide significant insights into the habitat preferences of both species within the study area. Moreover, the generated data may serve as a guide for predicting the potential distribution of C. sycophanta in other regions and for planning future biological control strategies.