Resistance Surface Modeling in Landscape Genetics

The basic framework for using resistance surfaces in landscape genetics involves the steps of variable selection, parameterizing values for resistance surfaces, correlating resistance with genetic data, and, in many cases, employing the best supported resistance surfaces in downstream analyses. Resistance surfaces represent a single landscape variable, or several variables can be combined into a single surface representing multiple variables. The resistance surface has become a widely used tool in landscape genetics due to its applicability to multiple types of predictive models such as least‐cost paths or circuit theory. There is a general process involved in any landscape genetic study using resistance surfaces, although the methodology at each step certainly varies. This process occurs in 4‐5 steps. This chapter focuses on the various methods that have been used to achieve each of these steps and provides guidance on the benefits and drawbacks of each method depending on study objectives.