Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology

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Najafi A, Ashrafzadeh M R, Ranjbar N, Khosravi R. Comparative Modeling of the Biological Invasion Risk of the Red-Eared Slider Turtle (Trachemys Scripta Elegans) in Iran Using Climatic and Non-Climatic Predictors. Iranian Journal of Applied Ecology 2026; 15 (1) :15-30
URL: http://ijae.iut.ac.ir/article-1-1301-en.html

The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans) is one of the most dangerous invasive alien species in the world, first reported in Iran since the early 2000s. This study compared two modeling approaches, "solely climatic" and "climatic-non-climatic," to assess the potential habitats vulnerable to the invasion of this species. Findings revealed that in the first approach, approximately 5.18% of the country's area was identified as potentially suitable, whereas this value decreased to 2.17% in the second approach. The overlap of these habitats with protected areas was 14.2% and 14.7% for the two approaches, respectively. The largest area of vulnerable habitats is located in the southern Caspian regions within the provinces of Golestan, Gilan, and Mazandaran (approximately 80%) and Ardabil (approximately 10%). Although the minimum temperature of the coldest month was the most significant limiting factor for distribution in both models, the results emphasize the necessity of simultaneously using climatic and non-climatic variables in invasion risk modeling. These findings provide a scientific basis for prioritizing surveillance and the management of vulnerable habitats, particularly in northern Iran.