ENMs are routinely used as assessment tools to anticipate, and prevent the establishment and spread of non-native species 14. Though the entire invasion process is complex and multifaceted 8, ENMs follow ecological theory which suggest that abiotic conditions in the native range of species can be used to predict potential distribution in their introduced range 13. Under such data-poor settings, ecological niche models (ENMs) can play a crucial role in providing the best available information on potential distributions based on local and global geospatial information 12. In the Himalayas, there is a lack of baseline knowledge about freshwater ecosystems including primary biodiversity whereas datasets about suitable habitats at regional scale have been overlooked. Systematic conservation planning in developing countries is difficult to achieve due to limited understanding of freshwater ecosystem functioning, paucity of baseline research, limited professional infrastructure, and inadequate investment in research and monitoring 11. Many remote mountainous regions with pristine freshwaters are yet to be studied, including the Himalayas. Negative effects of introduced trout species have been documented in many regions including Japan 6, New Zealand 7, Chile 8, Pakistan 9, and India 10. The high adaptability of these species outside of their native ranges makes them top ranked in the IUCN’s (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) worst invasive species list 5. Globally, rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss, Walbaum, 1792), and brown trout ( Salmo trutta fario, Linnaeus, 1758), are the two most problematic invasive salmonids 4. Salmonids have been introduced globally for recreational and commercial purposes, with little regard to their effects on native species 3. Non-native fishes can modify recipient ecosystems, thereby negatively impacting the diversity and distribution of native fishes 2. Introduction of fishes has placed freshwater ecosystems among those most affected by biological invasions worldwide 1. Our workflow can be transferred to other basins and species for mapping freshwater biodiversity patterns in species-rich yet data-poor regions of the world. We generate high-resolution classified stream suitability maps as decision support tools to help managers in habitat allocation and policy formation to balance recreational fisheries with conservation of snow trout. Yet, the physiography of receiving basins could play a role minimizing the impacts of each non-native trout on native snow trout. ![]() There were substantial habitat overlaps (up to 96%) among snow trout and non-native trout. We adopted a similar procedure to map suitable habitats for snow trout species. ![]() We transferred maximum entropy (Ma圎nt) models developed with spatially continuous freshwater-specific environmental variables to map the distribution of potentially suitable habitats for rainbow and brown trout in the Himalayas. We aim to evaluate potential habitat overlap among snow trout and non-native trout in the Indus and Ganges River basins, Himalayan ecoregion. Rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss) and brown trout ( Salmo trutta fario) have been introduced to the Himalayan ecoregion where they are sympatric with vulnerable native snow trout Schizothorax plagiostomus and Schizothorax richardsonii. Fish invasions threaten native freshwater ecosystems worldwide, yet methods to map biodiversity in data-deficient regions are scarce.
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