Scientists used the same statistics that decide your "suggested friends" on Facebook to predict how well an endangered species population can travel from one habitat to the next.
The study, performed by scientists at UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, tested statistical models and compared them to actual movements of species.
For example, if you have a friend who has a friend, statistical models can predict the likelihood that you know that third person, determining "suggested friends," said Brian Reichert, a graduate research assistant and Ph.D. candidate who worked on the study.
Instead of using friends, the study took potential habitats of an endangered species and used the social network model to predict where a species would move. The ability to move, called connectivity, can help a species survive.
The predictions were very accurate when compared to the true movements a species made.
"Connectivity affects the long-term persistence of a population," Reichert said. "If a population is well-connected and can move throughout points easily, there's a chance it can interbreed better and be healthier. If it can't get from place to place, it will go extinct."
