: Ecological counts data are often characterized by an excess of zeros and spatial dependence. Excess zeros can occur in regions outside the range of the distribution of a given species. Here, the realization of the random field is interpreted to be a measure of habitat suitability. Their intent may be to obtain a better understanding of what environmental factors or habitat conditions are favorable to the species of interest. Zero-inflated data are not uncommon yet they are not handled well by standard models. In this thesis, we begin with the presentatio of some ltr"
