ABSTRACT
Guidelines for qualitative habitat models, such as habitat suitability index models,
emphasize the importance of verification and validation exercises as part of the model
development and evaluation process. However, guidelines for effective verification
procedures are lacking. Several factors associated with verification, including random
versus targeted sampling, sample size requirements, analysis scale, field methods,
personnel qualifications, and methods of comparing model predictions to field data can
dramatically affect study design and interpretation of results. In this paper I discuss key
issues associated with each of these factors and provide methods and guidance to assist
others in the development of effective verification projects. I focus on verification using
field ratings by species experts but these guidelines can be adapted to other types of
verification data, such as index or sign data.
