GARP is a computer program based on genetic algorithm that creates ecological niche models for species. A genetic algorithm (GA is a Search technique used in Computing to find exact or Approximate solutions to optimization and Search In Ecology, a niche (pronounced nich nēsh or nish A shorthand definition of niche is how an organism makes a living The generated models describe environmental conditions (precipitation, temperatures, elevation, etc. ) under which the species should be able to maintain populations. As input, local observations of species and related environmental parameters are used which describe potential limits of the species' capabilities to survive. Such environmental parameters are commonly stored in geographical information systems. A GARP model is a random set of mathematical rules which can be read as limiting environmental conditions. Each rule is considered as a gene; the set of genes is combined in random ways to further generated many possible models describing the potential of the species to occur.

References

• Stockwell, D. R. B. 1999. Genetic algorithms II. Pages 123-144 in A. H. Fielding, editor. Machine learning methods for ecological applications. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston
• Stockwell, D. R. B. , and D. P. Peters. 1999. The GARP modelling system: Problems and solutions to automated spatial prediction. International Journal of Geographic Information Systems 13:143-158

Software

• OpenModeller - (related GARP page)
• Lifemapper

Lifemapper is building a Species diversity map of the World. It is similar to the SETI@Home client in that it uses a distributed computing client running

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