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Setyawan E, Erdmann MV, Mambrasar R, Ambafen O, Hasan AW, Izuan M, Mofu I, Putra MIH, Sianipar AB, Constantine R, Stevenson BC, Jaine FRA. Spatial connectivity of reef manta rays across the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:230895. [PMID: 38601035 PMCID: PMC11004681 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The reef manta ray Mobula alfredi is present throughout most island groups that form the Raja Ampat archipelago, Indonesia. The species is protected regionally and nationally and is currently managed as a single homogeneous population within the 6.7 million ha archipelago. However, scientific evidence is currently lacking regarding the spatial connectivity and population structure of M. alfredi within this archipelago. Using network analysis and an array of 34 acoustic receivers deployed throughout Raja Ampat between February 2016 and September 2021, we examined the movements of 72 subadult and adult M. alfredi tagged in seven regions of Raja Ampat. A total of 1094 M. alfredi movements were recorded and were primarily concentrated between nearby receiver stations, highlighting frequent local movements within, and limited long-distance movements between regional acoustic receiver arrays. Network analysis revealed highly connected nodes acting as hubs important for M. alfredi movements. A community detection algorithm further indicated clusters within the network. Our results suggest the existence of a metapopulation comprising three demographically and geographically distinct subpopulations within the archipelago. They also reveal the importance of Eagle Rock as a critical node in the M. alfredi movement network, justifying the urgent inclusion of this site within the Raja Ampat marine protected area network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edy Setyawan
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland1010, New Zealand
| | - Mark V. Erdmann
- Conservation International Aotearoa, University of Auckland, Auckland1010, New Zealand
| | - Ronald Mambrasar
- West Papua Program, Konservasi Indonesia, Sorong, Papua Barat98417, Indonesia
| | - Orgenes Ambafen
- BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat, Waisai, Papua Barat98417, Indonesia
| | - Abdi W. Hasan
- West Papua Program, Konservasi Indonesia, Sorong, Papua Barat98417, Indonesia
| | - Muhamad Izuan
- West Papua Program, Konservasi Indonesia, Sorong, Papua Barat98417, Indonesia
| | - Imanuel Mofu
- BLUD UPTD Pengelolaan KKP Kepulauan Raja Ampat, Waisai, Papua Barat98417, Indonesia
| | - Mochamad I. H. Putra
- Elasmobranch and Charismatic Species Program, Konservasi Indonesia, Jakarta12550, Indonesia
| | - Abraham B. Sianipar
- School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia6150, Australia
| | - Rochelle Constantine
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland1010, New Zealand
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland1010, New Zealand
| | - Ben C. Stevenson
- Department of Statistics, University of Auckland, Auckland1010, New Zealand
| | - Fabrice R. A. Jaine
- Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS) Animal Tracking Facility, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, New South Wales2088, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales2109, Australia
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2
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Ross CT, McElreath R, Redhead D. Modelling animal network data in R using STRAND. J Anim Ecol 2024; 93:254-266. [PMID: 37936514 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.14021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023]
Abstract
There have been recent calls for wider application of generative modelling approaches in applied social network analysis. At present, however, it remains difficult for typical end users-for example, field researchers-to implement generative network models, as there is a dearth of openly available software packages that make application of such models as simple as other, permutation-based approaches. Here, we outline the STRAND R package, which provides a suite of generative models for Bayesian analysis of animal social network data that can be implemented using simple, base R syntax. To facilitate ease of use, we provide a tutorial demonstrating how STRAND can be used to model proportion, count or binary network data using stochastic block models, social relation models or a combination of the two modelling frameworks. STRAND facilitates the application of generative network models to a broad range of data found in the animal social networks literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cody T Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Richard McElreath
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniel Redhead
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology, and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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3
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Subramanian A, Germain RM. Landscape use by large grazers in a grassland is restructured by wildfire. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297290. [PMID: 38349917 PMCID: PMC10863880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Animals navigate landscapes based on perceived risks vs. rewards, as inferred from features of the landscape. In the wild, knowing how strongly animal movement is directed by landscape features is difficult to ascertain but widespread disturbances such as wildfires can serve as natural experiments. We tested the hypothesis that wildfires homogenize the risk/reward landscape, causing movement to become less directed, given that fires reduce landscape complexity as habitat structures (e.g., tree cover, dense brush) are burned. We used satellite imagery of a research reserve in Northern California to count and categorize paths made primarily by mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in grasslands. Specifically, we compared pre-wildfire (August 2014) and post-wildfire (September 2018) image history layers among locations that were or were not impacted by wildfire (i.e., a Before/After Control/Impact design). Wildfire significantly altered spatial patterns of deer movement: more new paths were gained and more old paths were lost in areas of the reserve that were impacted by wildfire; movement patterns became less directed in response to fire, suggesting that the risk/reward landscape became more homogenous, as hypothesized. We found evidence to suggest that wildfire affects deer populations at spatial scales beyond their scale of direct impact and raises the interesting possibility that deer perceive risks and rewards at different spatial scales. In conclusion, our study provides an example of how animals integrate spatial information from the environment to make movement decisions, setting the stage for future work on the broader ecological implications for populations, communities, and ecosystems, an emerging interest in ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishwarya Subramanian
- Department of Biology, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rachel M. Germain
- Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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4
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Smith R, Hitkolok E, Loewen T, Dumond A, Swanson H. Migration timing and marine space use of an anadromous Arctic fish (Arctic Char, Salvelinus alpinus) revealed by local spatial statistics and network analysis. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:12. [PMID: 38310319 PMCID: PMC10837978 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00455-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The ice-free season (typically late-June to early-October) is crucial for anadromous species of fish in the Arctic, including Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus), which must acquire adequate resources for growth, reproduction, and survival during a brief period of feeding in the marine environment. Arctic Char is an important food fish for Inuit communities across the Arctic. Understanding drivers and patterns of migration in the marine environment is thus essential for conservation and management of the species. METHODS We used passive acoustic telemetry to characterize migration patterns of 51 individual anadromous Arctic Char during the ice-free season in the marine environment of Coronation Gulf (Nunavut, Canada; 2019-2022). Based on recent genetic evidence, some tagged individuals were likely Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma malma), a closely related species to Arctic Char. Using local Getis G* and network analysis, we described movement patterns and identified high-use locations in the marine environment. We also related freshwater overwintering location to migration timing and movement pattern. RESULTS Comparing groups of fish that overwintered in distinct locations, we found: (i) limited evidence that marine movements were associated with overwintering location; (ii) minor differences in use of marine space; and, (iii) timing of freshwater return differed significantly between overwintering groups, and was related to length and difficulty of the migratory pathway in freshwater. Results from both network analysis and local Getis G* revealed that, regardless of overwintering location, coastal locations were highly used by fish. CONCLUSIONS Overwintering locations, and the migratory routes to access overwintering locations, affect the timing of freshwater return. Preference of fish for coastal marine locations is likely due to abundance of forage and patterns in break-up of sea ice. Similarities in marine space use and movement patterns present challenges for managing this and other mixed stock fisheries of anadromous Salvelinus spp. Absences or periods of time when fish were not detected prevented comprehensive assessment of movement patterns. Local Getis G*, a local indicator of spatial association, is a helpful tool in identifying locations associated with absences in acoustic telemetry arrays, and is a complementary method to network analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosie Smith
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
| | - Eric Hitkolok
- Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers Organization, Kugluktuk, NU, Canada
| | - Tracey Loewen
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
| | - Amanda Dumond
- Kugluktuk Hunters and Trappers Organization, Kugluktuk, NU, Canada
| | - Heidi Swanson
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada.
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5
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Elings J, Bruneel S, Pauwels IS, Schneider M, Kopecki I, Coeck J, Mawer R, Goethals PLM. Finding navigation cues near fishways. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:313-327. [PMID: 37813384 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Many fish species depend on migration for various parts of their life cycle. Well-known examples include diadromous fish such as salmon and eels that need both fresh water and salt water to complete their life cycle. Migration also occurs within species that depend only on fresh water. In recent decades, anthropogenic pressures on freshwater systems have increased greatly, and have resulted, among other effects, in drastic habitat fragmentation. Fishways have been developed to mitigate the resulting habitat fragmentation, but these are not always effective. To improve fishway efficiency, the variety of navigation cues used by fish must be better understood: fish use a multitude of sensory inputs ranging from flow variables to olfactory cues. The reaction of a fish is highly dependent on the intensity of the cue, the fish species involved, and individual traits. Recently developed monitoring technologies allow us to gain insights into different combinations of environmental and physiological conditions. By combining fish behavioural models with environmental models, interactions among these components can be investigated. Several methods can be used to analyse fish migration, with state-space models, hidden Markov models, and individual-based models potentially being the most relevant since they can use individual data and can tie them to explicit spatial locations within the considered system. The aim of this review is to analyse the navigational cues used by fish and the models that can be applied to gather knowledge on these processes. Such knowledge could greatly improve the design and operation of fishways for a wider range of fish species and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelger Elings
- Aquatic Ecology Research Unit, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium
| | - Stijn Bruneel
- Aquatic Ecology Research Unit, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium
| | - Ine S Pauwels
- INBO, Team Aquatic Management, Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Havenlaan 88, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Matthias Schneider
- SJE Ecohydraulic Engineering GmbH, Dilleniusstrasse 13, Backnang, 71522, Germany
| | - Ianina Kopecki
- SJE Ecohydraulic Engineering GmbH, Dilleniusstrasse 13, Backnang, 71522, Germany
| | - Johan Coeck
- INBO, Team Aquatic Management, Research Institute for Nature and Forest, Havenlaan 88, Brussel, Belgium
| | - Rachel Mawer
- Aquatic Ecology Research Unit, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium
| | - Peter L M Goethals
- Aquatic Ecology Research Unit, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium
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6
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Jacoby DMP, Piper AT. What acoustic telemetry can and cannot tell us about fish biology. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2023. [PMID: 37837176 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic telemetry (AT) has become ubiquitous in aquatic monitoring and fish biology, conservation, and management. Since the early use of active ultrasonic tracking that required researchers to follow at a distance their species of interest, the field has diversified considerably, with exciting advances in both hydrophone and transmitter technology. Once a highly specialized methodology, however, AT is fast becoming a generalist tool for those wishing to study or conserve fishes, leading to diversifying application by non-specialists. With this transition in mind, we evaluate exactly what AT has become useful for, discussing how the technological and analytical advances around AT can address important questions within fish biology. In doing so, we highlight the key ecological and applied research areas where AT continues to reveal crucial new insights and, in particular, when combined with complimentary research approaches. We provide a comprehensive breakdown of the state of the art for applications of AT, discussing the ongoing challenges, where its strengths lie, and how future developments may revolutionize fisheries management, behavioral ecology and species protection. Through selected papers we illustrate specific applications across the broad spectrum of fish biology. By bringing together the recent and future developments in this field under categories designed to broadly capture many aspects of fish biology, we hope to offer a useful guide for the non-specialist practitioner as they attempt to navigate the dizzying array of considerations and ongoing developments within this diverse toolkit.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M P Jacoby
- Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
| | - Adam T Piper
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, UK
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7
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Monk CT, Aslak U, Brockmann D, Arlinghaus R. Rhythm of relationships in a social fish over the course of a full year in the wild. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:56. [PMID: 37710318 PMCID: PMC10502983 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-023-00410-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animals are expected to adjust their social behaviour to cope with challenges in their environment. Therefore, for fish populations in temperate regions with seasonal and daily environmental oscillations, characteristic rhythms of social relationships should be pronounced. To date, most research concerning fish social networks and biorhythms has occurred in artificial laboratory environments or over confined temporal scales of days to weeks. Little is known about the social networks of wild, freely roaming fish, including how seasonal and diurnal rhythms modulate social networks over the course of a full year. The advent of high-resolution acoustic telemetry enables us to quantify detailed social interactions in the wild over time-scales sufficient to examine seasonal rhythms at whole-ecosystems scales. Our objective was to explore the rhythms of social interactions in a social fish population at various time-scales over one full year in the wild by examining high-resolution snapshots of a dynamic social network. METHODS To that end, we tracked the behaviour of 36 adult common carp, Cyprinus carpio, in a 25 ha lake and constructed temporal social networks among individuals across various time-scales, where social interactions were defined by proximity. We compared the network structure to a temporally shuffled null model to examine the importance of social attraction, and checked for persistent characteristic groups over time. RESULTS The clustering within the carp social network tended to be more pronounced during daytime than nighttime throughout the year. Social attraction, particularly during daytime, was a key driver for interactions. Shoaling behavior substantially increased during daytime in the wintertime, whereas in summer carp interacted less frequently, but the interaction duration increased. Therefore, smaller, characteristic groups were more common in the summer months and during nighttime, where the social memory of carp lasted up to two weeks. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that social relationships of carp change diurnally and seasonally. These patterns were likely driven by predator avoidance, seasonal shifts in lake temperature, visibility, forage availability and the presence of anoxic zones. The techniques we employed can be applied generally to high-resolution biotelemetry data to reveal social structures across other fish species at ecologically realistic scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher T Monk
- Marine Evolutionary Ecology, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Düsternbrooker Weg 20, Kiel, 24105, Germany.
- Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany.
| | - Ulf Aslak
- DTU Compute, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, DK-2800 Kgs.., Denmark
| | - Dirk Brockmann
- Robert Koch-Institute, Nordufer 20, Berlin, D-13353, Germany
- Institute for Theoretical Biology and Integrative Research Institute for the Life Sciences, Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Robert Arlinghaus
- Department of Fish Biology, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Müggelseedamm 310, Berlin, 12587, Germany
- Integrative Research Institute on Transformations of Human-Environmental Systems, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
- Division of Integrative Fisheries Management, Department of Crop and Animal Sciences, Faculty of Life Science, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Invalidenstrasse 42, Berlin, 10115, Germany
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8
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Tosa MI, Biel MJ, Graves TA. Bighorn sheep associations: understanding tradeoffs of sociality and implications for disease transmission. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15625. [PMID: 37576510 PMCID: PMC10416771 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Sociality directly influences mating success, survival rates, and disease, but ultimately likely evolved for its fitness benefits in a challenging environment. The tradeoffs between the costs and benefits of sociality can operate at multiple scales, resulting in different interpretations of animal behavior. We investigated the influence of intrinsic (e.g., relatedness, age) and extrinsic factors (e.g., land cover type, season) on direct contact (simultaneous GPS locations ≤ 25 m) rates of bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) at multiple scales near the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park. During 2002-2012, male and female bighorn were equipped with GPS collars. Indirect contact (GPS locations ≤ 25 m regardless of time) networks identified two major breaks whereas direct contact networks identified an additional barrier in the population, all of which corresponded with prior disease exposure metrics. More direct contacts occurred between same-sex dyads than female-male dyads and between bighorn groups with overlapping summer home ranges. Direct contacts occurred most often during the winter-spring season when bighorn traveled at low speeds and when an adequate number of bighorn were collared in the area. Direct contact probabilities for all dyad types were inversely related to habitat quality, and differences in contact probability were driven by variables related to survival such as terrain ruggedness, distance to escape terrain, and canopy cover. We provide evidence that probabilities of association are higher when there is greater predation risk and that contact analysis provides valuable information for understanding fitness tradeoffs of sociality and disease transmission potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie I. Tosa
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, United States of America
| | - Mark J. Biel
- Glacier National Park, National Park Service, West Glacier, MT, United States of America
| | - Tabitha A. Graves
- Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, West Glacier, MT, United States of America
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9
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Teng J, Xia S, Liu Y, Duan H, Yu X, Chen J. An integrated model for prediction of hydrologic anomalies for habitat suitability of overwintering geese in a large floodplain wetland, China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2023; 331:117239. [PMID: 36638722 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.117239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate anomalies and increasing human activities cause a high frequency of extreme hydrological events in wetlands, which has put waterbirds under greater survival pressure than ever. Therefore, it is crucial to predict the impact of this phenomenon on the habitat suitability of waterbirds. This study investigated the response of the goose distribution probability to hydrological variations using the flood duration index (FD), enhanced vegetation index (EVI), and waterbirds GPS tracking data in Poyang Lake. An overwintering geese habitat suitability index (HSI) is built based on the FD, EVI, and threat index and verifies the accuracy of the model simulation. Then, the effects of drought and flood on the goose habitat especially sub-lakes with different connectivity were analyzed. The findings reveal that in dry and flood years, geese will broaden their range of feeding vegetation (more fresh or mature vegetation) in response to environmental deterioration. Both drought and flood can lead to a decline in the HSI, especially flood. Connected sub-lakes are more vulnerable to hydrological anomalies than controlled sub-lakes. This research establishes a scientific foundation for floodplain wetland hydrology management and waterbird conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakun Teng
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shaoxia Xia
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Yu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Houlang Duan
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiubo Yu
- Key Laboratory of Ecosystem Network Observation and Modeling, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Jiang Chen
- Office of Poyang Lake Water Control Project Construction of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330009, China
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10
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Candolin U, Fletcher RJ, Stephens AEA. Animal behaviour in a changing world. Trends Ecol Evol 2023; 38:313-315. [PMID: 36921577 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2023.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrika Candolin
- Organismal & Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Robert J Fletcher
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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11
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Kraft S, Gandra M, Lennox RJ, Mourier J, Winkler AC, Abecasis D. Residency and space use estimation methods based on passive acoustic telemetry data. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2023; 11:12. [PMID: 36859381 PMCID: PMC9976422 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-022-00364-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic telemetry has helped overcome many of the challenges faced when studying the movement ecology of aquatic species, allowing to obtain unprecedented amounts of data. This has made it into one of the most widely used methods nowadays. Many ways to analyse acoustic telemetry data have been made available and deciding on how to analyse the data requires considering the type of research objectives, relevant properties of the data (e.g., resolution, study design, equipment), habits of the study species, researcher experience, among others. To ease this decision process, here we showcase (1) some of the methods used to estimate pseudo-positions and positions from raw acoustic telemetry data, (2) methods to estimate residency and (3) methods to estimate two-dimensional home and occurrence range using geometric or hull-based methods and density-distribution methods, a network-based approach, and three-dimensional methods. We provide examples of some of these were tested using a sample of real data. With this we intend to provide the necessary background for the selection of the method(s) that better fit specific research objectives when using acoustic telemetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Kraft
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.
| | - M Gandra
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
| | - R J Lennox
- Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries at NORCE Norwegian Research Center, Bergen, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Trondheim, Norway
| | - J Mourier
- MARBEC, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, Ifremer, IRD, Sète, France
| | - A C Winkler
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Department of Ichthyology and Fisheries Science, Rhodes University, Makhanda, South Africa
| | - D Abecasis
- Center of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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12
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Cross TB, Tack JD, Naugle DE, Schwartz MK, Doherty KE, Oyler-McCance SJ, Pritchert RD, Fedy BC. The ties that bind the sagebrush biome: integrating genetic connectivity into range-wide conservation of greater sage-grouse. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:220437. [PMID: 36844808 PMCID: PMC9943888 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Conserving genetic connectivity is fundamental to species persistence, yet rarely is made actionable into spatial planning for imperilled species. Climate change and habitat degradation have added urgency to embrace connectivity into networks of protected areas. Our two-step process integrates a network model with a functional connectivity model, to identify population centres important to maintaining genetic connectivity then to delineate those pathways most likely to facilitate connectivity thereamong for the greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a species of conservation concern ranging across eleven western US states and into two Canadian provinces. This replicable process yielded spatial action maps, able to be prioritized by importance to maintaining range-wide genetic connectivity. We used these maps to investigate the efficacy of 3.2 million ha designated as priority areas for conservation (PACs) to encompass functional connectivity. We discovered that PACs encompassed 41.1% of cumulative functional connectivity-twice the amount of connectivity as random-and disproportionately encompassed the highest-connectivity landscapes. Comparing spatial action maps to impedances to connectivity such as cultivation and woodland expansion allows both planning for future management and tracking outcomes from past efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd B. Cross
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
| | - Jason D. Tack
- Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 32 Campus Drive, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - David E. Naugle
- W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
| | - Michael K. Schwartz
- USDA Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT, USA
| | | | | | - Ronald D. Pritchert
- Habitat and Population Evaluation Team, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 3425 Miriam Avenue, Bismarck, ND, USA
| | - Bradley C. Fedy
- School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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13
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Assessing neophobia and exploration while accounting for social context: an example application in scimitar-horned oryx. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00271-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
AbstractSpatial neophobia and exploration are often assessed in nonhuman animals by measuring behavioral responses to novel environments. These traits may especially affect the performance of individuals translocated to novel environments for conservation purposes. Here, we present methods to administer and analyze a minimally invasive novel environment test that accounts for the social context of focal individuals. We used an aerial platform to capture video footage of a captive herd of scimitar-horned oryx (Oryx dammah) entering an unfamiliar enclosure. We analyzed footage for seven individually identifiable oryx, scoring their behavioral responses (i.e., latency to enter the enclosure, and movement and posture after entering the enclosure) and social context (i.e., relative position and number of nearby animals). We performed a principal components analysis (PCA) to explore individual traits and responses, and used generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) to determine the effect of individual traits and social context on individual posture and movement behaviors. Both PCA and GLMMs supported our expectation that social context affects individual behavior: high neighbor density and relative position were negatively related to individual movement, and variation in social context was positively related with head-up postures and movement. Oryx were well differentiated along two principal components that reflected (1) vigilance or caution, and (2) changing social context and age. These methods provide a framework for assessing individual responses to a novel environment in a group setting, which can inform reintroduction and wildlife management efforts, while minimizing interference with animal behavior and management operations.
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14
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Perryman RJ, Mourier J, Venables SK, Tapilatu RF, Setyawan E, Brown C. Reef manta ray social dynamics depend on individual differences in behaviour. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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15
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Applying novel connectivity networks to wood turtle populations to provide comprehensive conservation management strategies for species at risk. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0271797. [PMID: 35960725 PMCID: PMC9374220 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0271797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetic diversity within and among populations is frequently used in prioritization processes to rank populations based on their vulnerability or distinctiveness, however, connectivity and gene flow are rarely considered within these frameworks. Using a wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) population graph, we introduce BRIDES as a new tool to evaluate populations for conservation purpose without focusing solely on individual nodes. BRIDES characterizes different types of shortest paths among the nodes of a subgraph and compares the shortest paths among the same nodes in a complete network. The main objectives of this study were to (1) introduce a BRIDES selection process to assist conservation biologists in the prioritization of populations, and (2) use different centrality indices and node removal statistics to compare BRIDES results and assess gene flow among wood turtle populations. We constructed six population subgraphs and used a stepwise selection algorithm to choose the optimal number of additional nodes, representing different populations, required to maximize network connectivity under different weighting schemes. Our results demonstrate the robustness of the BRIDES selection process for a given scenario, while inconsistencies were observed among node-based metrics. Results showed repeated selection of certain wood turtle populations, which could have not been predicted following only genetic diversity and distinctiveness estimation, node-based metrics and node removal analysis. Contrary to centrality measures focusing on static networks, BRIDES allowed for the analysis of evolving networks. To our knowledge, this study is the first to apply graph theory for turtle conservation genetics. We show that population graphs can reveal complex gene flow dynamics and population resiliency to local extinction. As such, BRIDES offers an interesting complement to node-based metrics and node removal to better understand the global processes at play when addressing population prioritization frameworks.
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16
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Lagassé BJ, Lanctot RB, Brown S, Dondua AG, Kendall S, Latty CJ, Liebezeit JR, Loktionov EY, Maslovsky KS, Matsyna AI, Matsyna EL, McGuire RL, Payer DC, Saalfeld ST, Slaght JC, Solovyeva DV, Tomkovich PS, Valchuk OP, Wunder MB. Migratory network reveals unique spatial-temporal migration dynamics of Dunlin subspecies along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0270957. [PMID: 35925977 PMCID: PMC9352067 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0270957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Determining the dynamics of where and when individuals occur is necessary to understand population declines and identify critical areas for populations of conservation concern. However, there are few examples where a spatially and temporally explicit model has been used to evaluate the migratory dynamics of a bird population across its entire annual cycle. We used geolocator-derived migration tracks of 84 Dunlin (Calidris alpina) on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF) to construct a migratory network describing annual subspecies-specific migration patterns in space and time. We found that Dunlin subspecies exhibited unique patterns of spatial and temporal flyway use. Spatially, C. a. arcticola predominated in regions along the eastern edge of the flyway (e.g., western Alaska and central Japan), whereas C. a. sakhalina predominated in regions along the western edge of the flyway (e.g., N China and inland China). No individual Dunlin that wintered in Japan also wintered in the Yellow Sea, China seas, or inland China, and vice-versa. However, similar proportions of the 4 subspecies used many of the same regions at the center of the flyway (e.g., N Sakhalin Island and the Yellow Sea). Temporally, Dunlin subspecies staggered their south migrations and exhibited little temporal overlap among subspecies within shared migration regions. In contrast, Dunlin subspecies migrated simultaneously during north migration. South migration was also characterized by individuals stopping more often and for more days than during north migration. Taken together, these spatial-temporal migration dynamics indicate Dunlin subspecies may be differentially affected by regional habitat change and population declines according to where and when they occur. We suggest that the migration dynamics presented here are useful for guiding on-the-ground survey efforts to quantify subspecies’ use of specific sites, and to estimate subspecies’ population sizes and long-term trends. Such studies would significantly advance our understanding of Dunlin space-time dynamics and the coordination of Dunlin conservation actions across the EAAF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin J. Lagassé
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Richard B. Lanctot
- Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, United States of America
| | - Stephen Brown
- Manomet, Inc., Saxtons River, VT, United States of America
| | | | - Steve Kendall
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - Christopher J. Latty
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | | | | | - Konstantin S. Maslovsky
- Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | | | | | - Rebecca L. McGuire
- Arctic Beringia Regional Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - David C. Payer
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | - Sarah T. Saalfeld
- Division of Migratory Bird Management, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Anchorage, AK, United States of America
| | - Jonathan C. Slaght
- Arctic Beringia Regional Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Fairbanks, AK, United States of America
| | | | | | - Olga P. Valchuk
- Federal Scientific Center of the East Asia Terrestrial Biodiversity, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Michael B. Wunder
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Colorado Denver, Denver, CO, United States of America
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17
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Wilber MQ, Yang A, Boughton R, Manlove KR, Miller RS, Pepin KM, Wittemyer G. A model for leveraging animal movement to understand spatio-temporal disease dynamics. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:1290-1304. [PMID: 35257466 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing explosion of fine-resolution movement data in animal systems provides a unique opportunity to empirically quantify spatial, temporal and individual variation in transmission risk and improve our ability to forecast disease outbreaks. However, we lack a generalizable model that can leverage movement data to quantify transmission risk and how it affects pathogen invasion and persistence on heterogeneous landscapes. We developed a flexible model 'Movement-driven modelling of spatio-temporal infection risk' (MoveSTIR) that leverages diverse data on animal movement to derive metrics of direct and indirect contact by decomposing transmission into constituent processes of contact formation and duration and pathogen deposition and acquisition. We use MoveSTIR to demonstrate that ignoring fine-scale animal movements on actual landscapes can mis-characterize transmission risk and epidemiological dynamics. MoveSTIR unifies previous work on epidemiological contact networks and can address applied and theoretical questions at the nexus of movement and disease ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Q Wilber
- Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries, Institute of Agriculture, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Anni Yang
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.,Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.,Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, USA
| | - Raoul Boughton
- Archbold Biological Station, Buck Island Ranch, Lake Placid, Florida, USA
| | - Kezia R Manlove
- Department of Wildland Resources and Ecology Center, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, USA
| | - Ryan S Miller
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Veterinary Service, Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Kim M Pepin
- United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, National Wildlife Research Center, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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18
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Suitable Habitat Dynamics of Wintering Geese in a Large Floodplain Wetland: Insights from Flood Duration. REMOTE SENSING 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/rs14040952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
The relationship between hydrological variation and the habitat use of waterbirds in wetland complexes is a significant field of ecological research. Quantification of the relationships between wetland hydrological attributes and waterbirds distribution is critical for the success of waterbird conservation. In this study, flood duration (FD) derived from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery was combined with geese GPS tracking data to quantify the optimal FD thresholds for identifying geese habitats. Based on the thresholds, we defined the suitable habitats of wintering geese and investigated the difference in the spatial distribution pattern of habitat from 2018 to 2020 in Poyang Lake, China. We also considered the role of sub-lakes in habitat protection. The results showed that the area of suitable habitats for wintering geese decreased in both dry and wet years, and the range of optimal FD threshold was wider in normal years than in both dry and wet years. The proportion of suitable habitats per unit area was greater in the sub-lakes than in the whole Poyang Lake. We concluded that FD indices extracted from SAR data are valuable for reflecting the influence of the pattern of hydrological variation on waterbird distribution and for the protection and rational use of wetland ecosystems.
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19
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Kot CY, Åkesson S, Alfaro‐Shigueto J, Amorocho Llanos DF, Antonopoulou M, Balazs GH, Baverstock WR, Blumenthal JM, Broderick AC, Bruno I, Canbolat AF, Casale P, Cejudo D, Coyne MS, Curtice C, DeLand S, DiMatteo A, Dodge K, Dunn DC, Esteban N, Formia A, Fuentes MMPB, Fujioka E, Garnier J, Godfrey MH, Godley BJ, González Carman V, Harrison A, Hart CE, Hawkes LA, Hays GC, Hill N, Hochscheid S, Kaska Y, Levy Y, Ley‐Quiñónez CP, Lockhart GG, López‐Mendilaharsu M, Luschi P, Mangel JC, Margaritoulis D, Maxwell SM, McClellan CM, Metcalfe K, Mingozzi A, Moncada FG, Nichols WJ, Parker DM, Patel SH, Pilcher NJ, Poulin S, Read AJ, Rees ALF, Robinson DP, Robinson NJ, Sandoval‐Lugo AG, Schofield G, Seminoff JA, Seney EE, Snape RTE, Sözbilen D, Tomás J, Varo‐Cruz N, Wallace BP, Wildermann NE, Witt MJ, Zavala‐Norzagaray AA, Halpin PN. Network analysis of sea turtle movements and connectivity: A tool for conservation prioritization. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
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20
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Temporal Graphs and Temporal Network Characteristics for Bio-Inspired Networks during Optimization. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12031315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Temporal network analysis and time evolution of network characteristics are powerful tools in describing the changing topology of dynamic networks. This paper uses such approaches to better visualize and provide analytical measures for the changes in performance that we observed in Voronoi-type spatial coverage, particularly for the example of time-evolving networks with a changing number of wireless sensors being deployed. Specifically, our analysis focuses on the role different combinations of impenetrable obstacles and environmental noise play in connectivity and overall network structure. It is shown how the use of (i) temporal network graphs, and (ii) network centrality and regularity measures illustrate the differences between various options developed for the balancing act of energy and time efficiency in network coverage. Last, we compare the outcome of these measures with the less abstract classification variables, such as percent area covered and cumulative distance traveled.
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21
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Albery GF, Sweeny AR, Becker DJ, Bansal S. Fine‐scale spatial patterns of wildlife disease are common and understudied. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Amy R. Sweeny
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology University of Edinburgh Edinburgh UK
| | | | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology Georgetown University Washington DC USA
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22
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Bopp JJ, Sclafani M, Frisk MG, McKown K, Ziegler‐Fede C, Smith DR, Cerrato RM. Telemetry reveals migratory drivers and disparate space use across seasons and age‐groups in American horseshoe crabs. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Justin J. Bopp
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University 145 Endeavour Hall Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
| | - Matthew Sclafani
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University 145 Endeavour Hall Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
- Cornell University Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County 23 Griffing Avenue # 100 Riverhead New York 1190 USA
| | - Michael G. Frisk
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University 145 Endeavour Hall Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
| | - Kim McKown
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 205 North Belle Meade Road, Suite 1 East Setauket New York 11733 USA
| | - Catherine Ziegler‐Fede
- New York State Department of Environmental Conservation 205 North Belle Meade Road, Suite 1 East Setauket New York 11733 USA
| | - David R. Smith
- United States Geological Survey Eastern Ecological Science Center 11649 Kearneysville Road Kearneysville West Virginia 25430 USA
| | - Robert M. Cerrato
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University 145 Endeavour Hall Stony Brook New York 11794 USA
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23
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Bailey H, Fandel AD, Silva K, Gryzb E, McDonald E, Hoover AL, Ogburn MB, Rice AN. Identifying and predicting occurrence and abundance of a vocal animal species based on individually specific calls. Ecosphere 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- H. Bailey
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Solomons Maryland 20688 USA
| | - A. D. Fandel
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Solomons Maryland 20688 USA
| | - K. Silva
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Solomons Maryland 20688 USA
| | - E. Gryzb
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Solomons Maryland 20688 USA
| | - E. McDonald
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Solomons Maryland 20688 USA
| | - A. L. Hoover
- Chesapeake Biological Laboratory University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science Solomons Maryland 20688 USA
| | - M. B. Ogburn
- Smithsonian Environmental Research Center 647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater Maryland 21037 USA
| | - A. N. Rice
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York 14850 USA
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24
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Baremore IE, Graham RT, Burgess GH, Castellanos DW. Movements and residency of Caribbean reef sharks at a remote atoll in Belize, Central America. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:201036. [PMID: 34430037 PMCID: PMC8355683 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated spatial use patterns of 77 Caribbean reef sharks (Carcharhinus perezi) at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Belize over 7 years using residency patterns, kernel density (KD) estimation and network analysis. We found a high degree individual variation in spatial use of the atoll, but there were significant differences in residency and activity space between sexes, with females being overall more resident. Ontogenetic shifts in movement and residency were largely limited to females, as the residency index increased and activity space estimates decreased as females matured, while for males there was no relationship between space use or residency and size. KD analysis revealed many mature females were highly resident to discrete locations, and average activity space of the intermediate-sized sharks was significantly larger than that of the adults, but not the smallest sharks. Markov chain analyses indicated that the southwestern portion of the atoll was the most important movement corridor for all sharks. Both the Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye Natural Monuments provide some protection for larger Caribbean reef sharks; however, a gear ban on longlines on the southwestern forereef between Long Caye and the channel entrance to the Blue Hole would maximize the benefits for all sharks.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - George H. Burgess
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Dickinson Hall, Museum Road, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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25
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de Guinea M, Estrada A, Nekaris KAI, Van Belle S. Cognitive maps in the wild: revealing the use of metric information in black howler monkey route navigation. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:271801. [PMID: 34384101 PMCID: PMC8380465 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
When navigating, wild animals rely on internal representations of the external world – called ‘cognitive maps’ – to take movement decisions. Generally, flexible navigation is hypothesized to be supported by sophisticated spatial skills (i.e. Euclidean cognitive maps); however, constrained movements along habitual routes are the most commonly reported navigation strategy. Even though incorporating metric information (i.e. distances and angles between locations) in route-based cognitive maps would likely enhance an animal's navigation efficiency, there has been no evidence of this strategy reported for non-human animals to date. Here, we examined the properties of the cognitive map used by a wild population of primates by testing a series of cognitive hypotheses against spatially explicit movement simulations. We collected 3104 h of ranging and behavioural data on five groups of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) at Palenque National Park, Mexico, from September 2016 through August 2017. We simulated correlated random walks mimicking the ranging behaviour of the study subjects and tested for differences between observed and simulated movement patterns. Our results indicated that black howler monkeys engaged in constrained movement patterns characterized by a high path recursion tendency, which limited their capacity to travel in straight lines and approach feeding trees from multiple directions. In addition, we found that the structure of observed route networks was more complex and efficient than simulated route networks, suggesting that black howler monkeys incorporate metric information into their cognitive map. Our findings not only expand the use of metric information during route navigation to non-human animals, but also highlight the importance of considering efficient route-based navigation as a cognitively demanding mechanism. Highlighted Article: Black howler monkeys rely on route-based cognitive maps, which constrain their movement decisions, but likely incorporate metric information to navigate more efficiently along frequently used routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel de Guinea
- School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.,Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Alejandro Estrada
- Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, CP 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Sarie Van Belle
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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26
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Lennox RJ, Westrelin S, Souza AT, Šmejkal M, Říha M, Prchalová M, Nathan R, Koeck B, Killen S, Jarić I, Gjelland K, Hollins J, Hellstrom G, Hansen H, Cooke SJ, Boukal D, Brooks JL, Brodin T, Baktoft H, Adam T, Arlinghaus R. A role for lakes in revealing the nature of animal movement using high dimensional telemetry systems. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:40. [PMID: 34321114 PMCID: PMC8320048 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00244-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Movement ecology is increasingly relying on experimental approaches and hypothesis testing to reveal how, when, where, why, and which animals move. Movement of megafauna is inherently interesting but many of the fundamental questions of movement ecology can be efficiently tested in study systems with high degrees of control. Lakes can be seen as microcosms for studying ecological processes and the use of high-resolution positioning systems to triangulate exact coordinates of fish, along with sensors that relay information about depth, temperature, acceleration, predation, and more, can be used to answer some of movement ecology's most pressing questions. We describe how key questions in animal movement have been approached and how experiments can be designed to gather information about movement processes to answer questions about the physiological, genetic, and environmental drivers of movement using lakes. We submit that whole lake telemetry studies have a key role to play not only in movement ecology but more broadly in biology as key scientific arenas for knowledge advancement. New hardware for tracking aquatic animals and statistical tools for understanding the processes underlying detection data will continue to advance the potential for revealing the paradigms that govern movement and biological phenomena not just within lakes but in other realms spanning lands and oceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Lennox
- Laboratory for Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (LFI) at NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, Nygårdsporten 112, 5008, Bergen, Norway.
| | - Samuel Westrelin
- INRAE, Aix Marseille Univ, Pôle R&D ECLA, RECOVER, 3275 Route de Cézanne - CS 40061, 13182 Cedex 5, Aix-en-Provence, France
| | - Allan T Souza
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Šmejkal
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Říha
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Prchalová
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, Alexander Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 102 Berman Bldg, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Barbara Koeck
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Shaun Killen
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Ivan Jarić
- Institute of Hydrobiology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, Department of Ecosystem Biology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Karl Gjelland
- Norwegian Institute of Nature Research, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jack Hollins
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
- University of Windsor, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Gustav Hellstrom
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Henry Hansen
- Karlstads University, Universitetsgatan 2, 651 88, Karlstad, Sweden
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Bergen, Germany
| | - Steven J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - David Boukal
- Faculty of Science, Department of Ecosystem Biology, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Entomology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jill L Brooks
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Tomas Brodin
- Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Henrik Baktoft
- Technical University of Denmark, Vejlsøvej 39, Building Silkeborg-039, 8600, Silkeborg, Denmark
| | - Timo Adam
- Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Robert Arlinghaus
- Department of Biology and Ecology of Fishes, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Bergen, Germany
- Division of Integrative Fisheries Management, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Bergen, Germany
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27
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Kaup M, Trull S, Hom EFY. On the move: sloths and their epibionts as model mobile ecosystems. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:2638-2660. [PMID: 34309191 PMCID: PMC9290738 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Sloths are unusual mobile ecosystems, containing a high diversity of epibionts living and growing in their fur as they climb slowly through the canopies of tropical forests. These epibionts include poorly studied algae, arthropods, fungi, and bacteria, making sloths likely reservoirs of unexplored biodiversity. This review aims to identify gaps and eliminate misconceptions in our knowledge of sloths and their epibionts, and to identify key questions to stimulate future research into the functions and roles of sloths within a broader ecological and evolutionary context. This review also seeks to position the sloth fur ecosystem as a model for addressing fundamental questions in metacommunity and movement ecology. The conceptual and evidence-based foundation of this review aims to serve as a guide for future hypothesis-driven research into sloths, their microbiota, sloth health and conservation, and the coevolution of symbioses in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya Kaup
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677-1848, U.S.A
| | - Sam Trull
- The Sloth Institute, Tulemar Gardens, Provincia de Puntarenas, Manuel Antonio, 60601, Costa Rica
| | - Erik F Y Hom
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Research, University of Mississippi, University, MS, 38677-1848, U.S.A
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28
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He P, Montiglio PO, Somveille M, Cantor M, Farine DR. The role of habitat configuration in shaping animal population processes: a framework to generate quantitative predictions. Oecologia 2021; 196:649-665. [PMID: 34159423 PMCID: PMC8292241 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-04967-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
By shaping where individuals move, habitat configuration can fundamentally structure animal populations. Yet, we currently lack a framework for generating quantitative predictions about the role of habitat configuration in modulating population outcomes. To address this gap, we propose a modelling framework inspired by studies using networks to characterize habitat connectivity. We first define animal habitat networks, explain how they can integrate information about the different configurational features of animal habitats, and highlight the need for a bottom–up generative model that can depict realistic variations in habitat potential connectivity. Second, we describe a model for simulating animal habitat networks (available in the R package AnimalHabitatNetwork), and demonstrate its ability to generate alternative habitat configurations based on empirical data, which forms the basis for exploring the consequences of alternative habitat structures. Finally, we lay out three key research questions and demonstrate how our framework can address them. By simulating the spread of a pathogen within a population, we show how transmission properties can be impacted by both local potential connectivity and landscape-level characteristics of habitats. Our study highlights the importance of considering the underlying habitat configuration in studies linking social structure with population-level outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng He
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany. .,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. .,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany. .,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | | | - Marius Somveille
- Birdlife International, The David Attenborough Building, Cambridge, UK.,Department of Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Mauricio Cantor
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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29
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Williamson MJ, Tebbs EJ, Dawson TP, Curnick DJ, Ferretti F, Carlisle AB, Chapple TK, Schallert RJ, Tickler DM, Harrison XA, Block BA, Jacoby DM. Analysing detection gaps in acoustic telemetry data to infer differential movement patterns in fish. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2717-2730. [PMID: 33767831 PMCID: PMC7981221 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 01/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
A wide array of technologies are available for gaining insight into the movement of wild aquatic animals. Although acoustic telemetry can lack the fine-scale spatial resolution of some satellite tracking technologies, the substantially longer battery life can yield important long-term data on individual behavior and movement for low per-unit cost. Typically, however, receiver arrays are designed to maximize spatial coverage at the cost of positional accuracy leading to potentially longer detection gaps as individuals move out of range between monitored locations. This is particularly true when these technologies are deployed to monitor species in hard-to-access locations.Here, we develop a novel approach to analyzing acoustic telemetry data, using the timing and duration of gaps between animal detections to infer different behaviors. Using the durations between detections at the same and different receiver locations (i.e., detection gaps), we classify behaviors into "restricted" or potential wider "out-of-range" movements synonymous with longer distance dispersal. We apply this method to investigate spatial and temporal segregation of inferred movement patterns in two sympatric species of reef shark within a large, remote, marine protected area (MPA). Response variables were generated using network analysis, and drivers of these movements were identified using generalized linear mixed models and multimodel inference.Species, diel period, and season were significant predictors of "out-of-range" movements. Silvertip sharks were overall more likely to undertake "out-of-range" movements, compared with gray reef sharks, indicating spatial segregation, and corroborating previous stable isotope work between these two species. High individual variability in "out-of-range" movements in both species was also identified.We present a novel gap analysis of telemetry data to help infer differential movement and space use patterns where acoustic coverage is imperfect and other tracking methods are impractical at scale. In remote locations, inference may be the best available tool and this approach shows that acoustic telemetry gap analysis can be used for comparative studies in fish ecology, or combined with other research techniques to better understand functional mechanisms driving behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J. Williamson
- Department of GeographyKing’s College LondonLondonUK
- Institute of ZoologyZoological Society of LondonLondonUK
| | - Emma J. Tebbs
- Department of GeographyKing’s College LondonLondonUK
| | | | | | - Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Fish and Wildlife ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVaUSA
| | - Aaron B. Carlisle
- Hopkins Marine StationStanford UniversityPacific GroveCAUSA
- School of Marine Science and PolicyUniversity of DelawareLewesDEUSA
| | | | | | - David M. Tickler
- Marine Futures LabSchool of Biological SciencesUniversity of Western AustraliaPerthWAAustralia
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30
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Albery GF, Morris A, Morris S, Pemberton JM, Clutton-Brock TH, Nussey DH, Firth JA. Multiple spatial behaviours govern social network positions in a wild ungulate. Ecol Lett 2021; 24:676-686. [PMID: 33583128 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The structure of wild animal social systems depends on a complex combination of intrinsic and extrinsic drivers. Population structuring and spatial behaviour are key determinants of individuals' observed social behaviour, but quantifying these spatial components alongside multiple other drivers remains difficult due to data scarcity and analytical complexity. We used a 43-year dataset detailing a wild red deer population to investigate how individuals' spatial behaviours drive social network positioning, while simultaneously assessing other potential contributing factors. Using Integrated Nested Laplace Approximation (INLA) multi-matrix animal models, we demonstrate that social network positions are shaped by two-dimensional landscape locations, pairwise space sharing, individual range size, and spatial and temporal variation in population density, alongside smaller but detectable impacts of a selection of individual-level phenotypic traits. These results indicate strong, multifaceted spatiotemporal structuring in this society, emphasising the importance of considering multiple spatial components when investigating the causes and consequences of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory F Albery
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.,Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Alison Morris
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sean Morris
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Tim H Clutton-Brock
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Daniel H Nussey
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Josh A Firth
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.,Merton College, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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31
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Social Network Analysis in Farm Animals: Sensor-Based Approaches. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11020434. [PMID: 33567488 PMCID: PMC7914829 DOI: 10.3390/ani11020434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Social behaviour of farm animals significantly impacts management interventions in the livestock sector and, thereby, animal welfare. Evaluation and monitoring of social networks between farm animals help not only to understand the bonding and agonistic behaviours among individuals but also the interactions between the animals and the animal caretaker. The interrelationship between social and environmental conditions, and the subtle changes in the behaviours of farm animals can be understood and precisely measured only by using sensing technologies. This review aims to highlight the use of sensing technologies in the investigation of social network analysis of farm animals. Abstract Natural social systems within animal groups are an essential aspect of agricultural optimization and livestock management strategy. Assessing elements of animal behaviour under domesticated conditions in comparison to natural behaviours found in wild settings has the potential to address issues of animal welfare effectively, such as focusing on reproduction and production success. This review discusses and evaluates to what extent social network analysis (SNA) can be incorporated with sensor-based data collection methods, and what impact the results may have concerning welfare assessment and future farm management processes. The effectiveness and critical features of automated sensor-based technologies deployed in farms include tools for measuring animal social group interactions and the monitoring and recording of farm animal behaviour using SNA. Comparative analyses between the quality of sensor-collected data and traditional observational methods provide an enhanced understanding of the behavioural dynamics of farm animals. The effectiveness of sensor-based approaches in data collection for farm animal behaviour measurement offers unique opportunities for social network research. Sensor-enabled data in livestock SNA addresses the biological aspects of animal behaviour via remote real-time data collection, and the results both directly and indirectly influence welfare assessments, and farm management processes. Finally, we conclude with potential implications of SNA on modern animal farming for improvement of animal welfare.
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32
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Bastille-Rousseau G, Wittemyer G. Characterizing the landscape of movement to identify critical wildlife habitat and corridors. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:346-359. [PMID: 32323365 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 03/12/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Landscape planning that ensures the ecological integrity of ecosystems is critical in the face of rapid human-driven habitat conversion and development pressure. Wildlife tracking data provide unique and valuable information on animal distribution and location-specific behaviors that can serve to increase the efficacy of such planning. Given the spatiotemporal complexity inherent to animal movements, the interaction between movement behavior and a location is often oversimplified in commonly applied analyses of tracking data. We analyzed GPS-tracking-derived metrics of intensity of use, structural properties (based on network theory), and properties of the movement path (speed and directionality) with machine learning to define homogeneous spatial movement types. We applied our approach to a long-term tracking data set of over 130 African elephants (Loxodonta africana) in an area under pressure from infrastructure development. We identified 5 unique location-specific movement categories displayed by elephants, generally defined as high, medium, and low use intensity, and 2 types of connectivity corridors associated with fast and slow movements. High-use and slow-movement corridors were associated with similar landscape characteristics associated with productive areas near water, whereas low-use and fast corridors were characterized by areas of low productivity farther from water. By combining information on intensity of use, properties of movement paths, and structural aspects of movement across the landscape, our approach provides an explicit definition of the functional role of areas for movement across the landscape that we term the movescape. This combined, high-resolution information regarding wildlife space use offers mechanistic information that can improve landscape planning.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
- Save the Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya
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33
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Sosa S, Jacoby DMP, Lihoreau M, Sueur C. Animal social networks: Towards an integrative framework embedding social interactions, space and time. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Sosa
- IPHC UMR 7178 CNRS Université de Strasbourg Strasbourg France
| | | | - Mathieu Lihoreau
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA) Center for Integrative Biology (CBI) CNRS University Paul Sabatier – Toulouse III Toulouse France
| | - Cédric Sueur
- IPHC UMR 7178 CNRS Université de Strasbourg Strasbourg France
- Institut Universitaire de France Paris France
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34
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Silk MJ, McDonald RA, Delahay RJ, Padfield D, Hodgson DJ. CMR
net
: An
r
package to derive networks of social interactions and movement from mark–recapture data. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Silk
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall UK
| | - Robbie A. McDonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall UK
| | | | - Daniel Padfield
- Environment and Sustainability Institute University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall UK
| | - David J. Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall UK
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35
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Smith JE, Pinter-Wollman N. Observing the unwatchable: Integrating automated sensing, naturalistic observations and animal social network analysis in the age of big data. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:62-75. [PMID: 33020914 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In the 4.5 decades since Altmann (1974) published her seminal paper on the methods for the observational study of behaviour, automated detection and analysis of social interaction networks have fundamentally transformed the ways that ecologists study social behaviour. Methodological developments for collecting data remotely on social behaviour involve indirect inference of associations, direct recordings of interactions and machine vision. These recent technological advances are improving the scale and resolution with which we can dissect interactions among animals. They are also revealing new intricacies of animal social interactions at spatial and temporal resolutions as well as in ecological contexts that have been hidden from humans, making the unwatchable seeable. We first outline how these technological applications are permitting researchers to collect exquisitely detailed information with little observer bias. We further recognize new emerging challenges from these new reality-mining approaches. While technological advances in automating data collection and its analysis are moving at an unprecedented rate, we urge ecologists to thoughtfully combine these new tools with classic behavioural and ecological monitoring methods to place our understanding of animal social networks within fundamental biological contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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36
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Albery GF, Kirkpatrick L, Firth JA, Bansal S. Unifying spatial and social network analysis in disease ecology. J Anim Ecol 2020; 90:45-61. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Josh A. Firth
- Department of Zoology Edward Grey Institute University of Oxford Oxford UK
- Merton College Oxford University Oxford UK
| | - Shweta Bansal
- Department of Biology Georgetown University Washington DC USA
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37
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38
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Kheirkhah Ghehi N, MalekMohammadi B, Jafari H. Integrating habitat risk assessment and connectivity analysis in ranking habitat patches for conservation in protected areas. J Nat Conserv 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2020.125867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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39
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Pasquaretta C, Dubois T, Gomez‐Moracho T, Delepoulle VP, Le Loc’h G, Heeb P, Lihoreau M. Analysis of temporal patterns in animal movement networks. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Pasquaretta
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA) Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS University Toulouse III‐Paul Sabatier Toulouse France
| | - Thibault Dubois
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA) Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS University Toulouse III‐Paul Sabatier Toulouse France
| | - Tamara Gomez‐Moracho
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA) Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS University Toulouse III‐Paul Sabatier Toulouse France
| | | | | | - Philipp Heeb
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB UMR 5174) Université de Toulouse, CNRS, IRD Toulouse cedex 9 France
| | - Mathieu Lihoreau
- Research Center on Animal Cognition (CRCA) Center for Integrative Biology (CBI), CNRS University Toulouse III‐Paul Sabatier Toulouse France
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40
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Scherer C, Radchuk V, Franz M, Thulke H, Lange M, Grimm V, Kramer‐Schadt S. Moving infections: individual movement decisions drive disease persistence in spatially structured landscapes. OIKOS 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.07002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cédric Scherer
- Leibniz Inst. for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Alfred‐Kowalke‐Str. 17 DE‐10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Viktoriia Radchuk
- Leibniz Inst. for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Alfred‐Kowalke‐Str. 17 DE‐10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Mathias Franz
- Leibniz Inst. for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Alfred‐Kowalke‐Str. 17 DE‐10315 Berlin Germany
| | | | - Martin Lange
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research–UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Volker Grimm
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research–UFZ Leipzig Germany
| | - Stephanie Kramer‐Schadt
- Leibniz Inst. for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW) Alfred‐Kowalke‐Str. 17 DE‐10315 Berlin Germany
- Dept of Ecology, Technische Univ. Berlin Berlin Germany
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41
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Streib L, Kattwinkel M, Heer H, Ruzika S, Schäfer RB. How does habitat connectivity influence the colonization success of a hemimetabolous aquatic insect? - A modeling approach. Ecol Modell 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2019.108909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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42
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Camera traps provide a robust alternative to direct observations for constructing social networks of wild chimpanzees. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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43
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Griffin LP, Finn JT, Diez C, Danylchuk AJ. Movements, connectivity, and space use of immature green turtles within coastal habitats of the Culebra Archipelago, Puerto Rico: implications for conservation. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2019. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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44
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45
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Silk MJ, Hodgson DJ, Rozins C, Croft DP, Delahay RJ, Boots M, McDonald RA. Integrating social behaviour, demography and disease dynamics in network models: applications to disease management in declining wildlife populations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180211. [PMID: 31352885 PMCID: PMC6710568 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence and spread of infections can contribute to the decline and extinction of populations, particularly in conjunction with anthropogenic environmental change. The importance of heterogeneity in processes of transmission, resistance and tolerance is increasingly well understood in theory, but empirical studies that consider both the demographic and behavioural implications of infection are scarce. Non-random mixing of host individuals can impact the demographic thresholds that determine the amplification or attenuation of disease prevalence. Risk assessment and management of disease in threatened wildlife populations must therefore consider not just host density, but also the social structure of host populations. Here we integrate the most recent developments in epidemiological research from a demographic and social network perspective, and synthesize the latest developments in social network modelling for wildlife disease, to explore their applications to disease management in populations in decline and at risk of extinction. We use simulated examples to support our key points and reveal how disease-management strategies can and should exploit both behavioural and demographic information to prevent or control the spread of disease. Our synthesis highlights the importance of considering the combined impacts of demographic and behavioural processes in epidemics to successful disease management in a conservation context. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J. Silk
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - David J. Hodgson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
| | - Carly Rozins
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Darren P. Croft
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Richard J. Delahay
- National Wildlife Management Centre, Animal and Plant Health Agency, Nympsfield, UK
| | - Mike Boots
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Robbie A. McDonald
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Penryn, UK
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46
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Staveley TAB, Jacoby DMP, Perry D, van der Meijs F, Lagenfelt I, Cremle M, Gullström M. Sea surface temperature dictates movement and habitat connectivity of Atlantic cod in a coastal fjord system. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9076-9086. [PMID: 31463005 PMCID: PMC6706200 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
While movements of organisms have been studied across a myriad of environments, information is often lacking regarding spatio-seasonal patterning in complex temperate coastal systems. Highly mobile fish form an integral part of marine food webs providing linkages within and among habitats, between patches of habitats, and at different life stages. We investigated how movement, activity, and connectivity patterns of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) are influenced by dynamic environmental conditions. Movement patterns of 39 juvenile and subadult Atlantic cod were assessed in two coastal sites in the Swedish Skagerrak for 5 months. We used passive acoustic telemetry and network analysis to assess seasonal and spatial movement patterns of cod and their relationships to different environmental factors, using statistical correlations, analysis of recurrent spatial motifs, and generalized linear mixed models. Temperature, in combination with physical barriers, precludes significant connectivity (complex motifs) within the system. Sea surface temperature had a strong influence on connectivity (node strength, degree, and motif frequency), where changes from warmer summer waters to colder winter waters significantly reduced movement activity of fish. As the seasons changed, movement of fish gradually decreased from large-scale (km) linkages in the summer to more localized movement patterns in the winter (limited to 100s m). Certain localized areas, however, were identified as important for connectivity throughout the whole study period, likely due to these multiple-habitat areas fulfilling functions required for foraging and shelter. This study provides new knowledge regarding inshore movement dynamics of juvenile and subadult Atlantic cod that use complex, coastal fjord systems. The findings show that connectivity, seasonal patterns in particular, should be carefully considered when selecting conservation areas to promote marine stewardship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A. B. Staveley
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- AquaBiota Water ResearchStockholmSweden
| | | | - Diana Perry
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- Department of Aquatic ResourcesSwedish University of Agricultural SciencesLysekilSweden
| | - Felix van der Meijs
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
| | - Ingvar Lagenfelt
- The County Administrative Board of Västra GötalandGothenburgSweden
| | - Mikael Cremle
- The County Administrative Board of Västra GötalandGothenburgSweden
| | - Martin Gullström
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant SciencesStockholm UniversityStockholmSweden
- Department of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of GothenburgFiskebäckskilSweden
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47
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Lamb JS, Paton PWC, Osenkowski JE, Badzinski SS, Berlin AM, Bowman T, Dwyer C, Fara LJ, Gilliland SG, Kenow K, Lepage C, Mallory ML, Olsen GH, Perry MC, Petrie SA, Savard JL, Savoy L, Schummer M, Spiegel CS, McWilliams SR. Spatially explicit network analysis reveals multi-species annual cycle movement patterns of sea ducks. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 29:e01919. [PMID: 31141283 PMCID: PMC6851985 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 03/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Conservation of long-distance migratory species poses unique challenges. Migratory connectivity, that is, the extent to which groupings of individuals at breeding sites are maintained in wintering areas, is frequently used to evaluate population structure and assess use of key habitat areas. However, for species with complex or variable annual cycle movements, this traditional bimodal framework of migratory connectivity may be overly simplistic. Like many other waterfowl, sea ducks often travel to specific pre- and post-breeding sites outside their nesting and wintering areas to prepare for migration by feeding extensively and, in some cases, molting their flight feathers. These additional migrations may play a key role in population structure, but are not included in traditional models of migratory connectivity. Network analysis, which applies graph theory to assess linkages between discrete locations or entities, offers a powerful tool for quantitatively assessing the contributions of different sites used throughout the annual cycle to complex spatial networks. We collected satellite telemetry data on annual cycle movements of 672 individual sea ducks of five species from throughout eastern North America and the Great Lakes. From these data, we constructed a multi-species network model of migratory patterns and site use over the course of breeding, molting, wintering, and migratory staging. Our results highlight inter- and intra-specific differences in the patterns and complexity of annual cycle movement patterns, including the central importance of staging and molting sites in James Bay, the St. Lawrence River, and southern New England to multi-species annual cycle habitat linkages, and highlight the value of Long-tailed Ducks (Calengula haemalis) as an umbrella species to represent the movement patterns of multiple sea duck species. We also discuss potential applications of network migration models to conservation prioritization, identification of population units, and integrating different data streams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliet S. Lamb
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode Island02881USA
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management277 Great Neck RoadWest KingstonRhode Island02892USA
| | - Peter W. C. Paton
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode Island02881USA
| | - Jason E. Osenkowski
- Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management277 Great Neck RoadWest KingstonRhode Island02892USA
| | | | - Alicia M. Berlin
- U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center12100 Beech Forest RoadLaurelMaryland20708USA
| | - Tim Bowman
- Sea Duck Joint VentureU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service1011 East Tudor RoadAnchorageAlaska99503 USA
| | - Chris Dwyer
- Migratory Birds DivisionU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service300 Westgate Center DriveHadleyMassachusetts01035 USA
| | - Luke J. Fara
- U.S. Geological SurveyUpper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center2630 Fanta Reed RoadLa CrosseWisconsin54603USA
- Cooperative Wildlife Research LaboratoryDepartment of ZoologySouthern Illinois University251 Life Science II, Mail Code 6504CarbondaleIllinois62901 USA
| | | | - Kevin Kenow
- U.S. Geological SurveyUpper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center2630 Fanta Reed RoadLa CrosseWisconsin54603USA
| | - Christine Lepage
- Canadian Wildlife Service801‐1550 Ave D'EstimauvilleQuebec CityQuebecG1J 0C3Canada
| | - Mark L. Mallory
- Department of BiologyAcadia University15 University AvenueWolfvilleNova ScotiaB4N 3J2 Canada
| | - Glenn H. Olsen
- U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center12100 Beech Forest RoadLaurelMaryland20708USA
| | - Matthew C. Perry
- U.S. Geological Survey Patuxent Wildlife Research Center12100 Beech Forest RoadLaurelMaryland20708USA
| | - Scott A. Petrie
- Delta Waterfowl1312 Basin AvenueBismarckNorth Dakota58504 USA
| | - Jean‐Pierre L. Savard
- Sciences and Technology, Environment Canada1141 Route de l’ÉgliseSainte‐FoyQuebecG1V 4H5Canada
| | - Lucas Savoy
- Biodiversity Research Institute276 Canco RoadPortlandMaine04103 USA
| | - Michael Schummer
- Department of Environmental and Forest BiologyState University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry1 Forestry DriveSyracuseNew York13210USA
| | - Caleb S. Spiegel
- Migratory Birds DivisionU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service300 Westgate Center DriveHadleyMassachusetts01035 USA
| | - Scott R. McWilliams
- Department of Natural Resources ScienceUniversity of Rhode IslandKingstonRhode Island02881USA
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Prima M, Duchesne T, Fortin A, Rivest L, Drapeau P, St‐Laurent M, Fortin D. A landscape experiment of spatial network robustness and space‐use reorganization following habitat fragmentation. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry Duchesne
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics Université Laval Québec QC Canada
| | - André Fortin
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics Université Laval Québec QC Canada
| | - Louis‐Paul Rivest
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics Université Laval Québec QC Canada
| | - Pierre Drapeau
- Department of Biological Sciences Université du Québec à Montréal Montréal QC Canada
| | - Martin‐Hugues St‐Laurent
- Department of Biology, Chemistry and Geography Université du Québec à Rimouski Rimouski QC Canada
| | - Daniel Fortin
- Department of Biology Université Laval Québec QC Canada
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49
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Williams JJ, Papastamatiou YP, Caselle JE, Bradley D, Jacoby DMP. Mobile marine predators: an understudied source of nutrients to coral reefs in an unfished atoll. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 285:rspb.2017.2456. [PMID: 29563260 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.2456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal movements can facilitate important ecological processes, and wide-ranging marine predators, such as sharks, potentially contribute significantly towards nutrient transfer between habitats. We applied network theory to 4 years of acoustic telemetry data for grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) at Palmyra, an unfished atoll, to assess their potential role in nutrient dynamics throughout this remote ecosystem. We evaluated the dynamics of habitat connectivity and used network metrics to quantify shark-mediated nutrient distribution. Predator movements were consistent within year, but differed between years and by sex. Females used higher numbers of routes throughout the system, distributing nutrients over a larger proportion of the atoll. Extrapolations of tagged sharks to the population level suggest that prey consumption and subsequent egestion leads to the heterogeneous deposition of 94.5 kg d-1 of nitrogen around the atoll, with approximately 86% of this probably derived from pelagic resources. These results suggest that sharks may contribute substantially to nutrient transfer from offshore waters to near-shore reefs, subsidies that are important for coral reef health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Williams
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Silwood Park Campus, Buckhurst Road, Ascot, Berkshire SL5 7PY, UK
| | - Yannis P Papastamatiou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Jennifer E Caselle
- Marine Science Institute, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - Darcy Bradley
- Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
| | - David M P Jacoby
- Zoological Society of London, Institute of Zoology, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
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50
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Zonana DM, Gee JM, Bridge ES, Breed MD, Doak DF. Assessing Behavioral Associations in a Hybrid Zone through Social Network Analysis: Complex Assortative Behaviors Structure Associations in a Hybrid Quail Population. Am Nat 2019; 193:852-865. [PMID: 31094596 DOI: 10.1086/703158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Behavior can strongly influence rates and patterns of hybridization between animal populations and species. Yet few studies have examined reproductive behaviors in natural hybrid zones within the fine-scale social context in which they naturally occur. We use radio-frequency identification tags with social network analyses to test whether phenotypic similarity in plumage and mass correlate with social behavior throughout a breeding season in a California and Gambel's quail hybrid zone. We use a novel approach to partition phenotypic variation in a way that does not confound differences between sexes and species, and we illustrate the complex ways that phenotype and behavior structure the social environment, mating opportunities, and male-male associations. Associations within the admixed population were random with respect to species-specific plumage but showed strong patterns of assortment based on sexually dimorphic plumage, monomorphic plumage, and mass. Weak behavioral reproductive isolation in this admixed population may be the result of complex patterns of phenotypic assortment based on multiple traits rather than a lack of phenotypic discrimination. More generally, our results support the utility of social network analyses for analyzing behavioral factors affecting genetic exchange between populations and species.
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