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Gunner RM, Wilson RP, Holton MD, Hopkins P, Bell SH, Marks NJ, Bennett NC, Ferreira S, Govender D, Viljoen P, Bruns A, van Schalkwyk OL, Bertelsen MF, Duarte CM, van Rooyen MC, Tambling CJ, Göppert A, Diesel D, Scantlebury DM. Decision rules for determining terrestrial movement and the consequences for filtering high-resolution global positioning system tracks: a case study using the African lion ( Panthera leo). J R Soc Interface 2022; 19:20210692. [PMID: 35042386 PMCID: PMC8767188 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The combined use of global positioning system (GPS) technology and motion sensors within the discipline of movement ecology has increased over recent years. This is particularly the case for instrumented wildlife, with many studies now opting to record parameters at high (infra-second) sampling frequencies. However, the detail with which GPS loggers can elucidate fine-scale movement depends on the precision and accuracy of fixes, with accuracy being affected by signal reception. We hypothesized that animal behaviour was the main factor affecting fix inaccuracy, with inherent GPS positional noise (jitter) being most apparent during GPS fixes for non-moving locations, thereby producing disproportionate error during rest periods. A movement-verified filtering (MVF) protocol was constructed to compare GPS-derived speed data with dynamic body acceleration, to provide a computationally quick method for identifying genuine travelling movement. This method was tested on 11 free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) fitted with collar-mounted GPS units and tri-axial motion sensors recording at 1 and 40 Hz, respectively. The findings support the hypothesis and show that distance moved estimates were, on average, overestimated by greater than 80% prior to GPS screening. We present the conceptual and mathematical protocols for screening fix inaccuracy within high-resolution GPS datasets and demonstrate the importance that MVF has for avoiding inaccurate and biased estimates of movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard M. Gunner
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies Radolfzell, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Rory P. Wilson
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies Radolfzell, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Mark D. Holton
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies Radolfzell, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Phil Hopkins
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies Radolfzell, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
| | - Stephen H. Bell
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Nikki J. Marks
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Nigel C. Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 002, South Africa
| | - Sam Ferreira
- Savanna and Grassland Research Unit, South African National Parks, Scientific Services Skukuza, Kruger National Park, Skukuza 1350, South Africa
| | - Danny Govender
- Savanna and Grassland Research Unit, South African National Parks, Scientific Services Skukuza, Kruger National Park, Skukuza 1350, South Africa
| | - Pauli Viljoen
- Savanna and Grassland Research Unit, South African National Parks, Scientific Services Skukuza, Kruger National Park, Skukuza 1350, South Africa
| | - Angela Bruns
- Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, 97 Memorial Road, Old Testing Grounds, 8301 Kimberley, South Africa
| | - O. Louis van Schalkwyk
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Government of South Africa, Skukuza, South Africa
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Mads F. Bertelsen
- Center for Zoo and Wild Animal Health, Copenhagen Zoo, Roskildevej 38, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Carlos M. Duarte
- Red Sea Research Centre, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Martin C. van Rooyen
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 002, South Africa
| | - Craig J. Tambling
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Fort Hare Alice Campus, Ring Road, Alice 5700, South Africa
| | - Aoife Göppert
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - Delmar Diesel
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
| | - D. Michael Scantlebury
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, 19 Chlorine Gardens, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK
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Dore KM, Hansen MF, Klegarth AR, Fichtel C, Koch F, Springer A, Kappeler P, Parga JA, Humle T, Colin C, Raballand E, Huang ZP, Qi XG, Di Fiore A, Link A, Stevenson PR, Stark DJ, Tan N, Gallagher CA, Anderson CJ, Campbell CJ, Kenyon M, Pebsworth P, Sprague D, Jones-Engel L, Fuentes A. Review of GPS collar deployments and performance on nonhuman primates. Primates 2020; 61:373-387. [PMID: 31965380 PMCID: PMC8118416 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00793-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/10/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 20 years, GPS collars have emerged as powerful tools for the study of nonhuman primate (hereafter, "primate") movement ecology. As the size and cost of GPS collars have decreased and performance has improved, it is timely to review the use and success of GPS collar deployments on primates to date. Here we compile data on deployments and performance of GPS collars by brand and examine how these relate to characteristics of the primate species and field contexts in which they were deployed. The compiled results of 179 GPS collar deployments across 17 species by 16 research teams show these technologies can provide advantages, particularly in adding to the quality, quantity, and temporal span of data collection. However, aspects of this technology still require substantial improvement in order to make deployment on many primate species pragmatic economically. In particular, current limitations regarding battery lifespan relative to collar weight, the efficacy of remote drop-off mechanisms, and the ability to remotely retrieve data need to be addressed before the technology is likely to be widely adopted. Moreover, despite the increasing utility of GPS collars in the field, they remain substantially more expensive than VHF collars and tracking via handheld GPS units, and cost considerations of GPS collars may limit sample sizes and thereby the strength of inferences. Still, the overall high quality and quantity of data obtained, combined with the reduced need for on-the-ground tracking by field personnel, may help defray the high equipment cost. We argue that primatologists armed with the information in this review have much to gain from the recent, substantial improvements in GPS collar technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerry M Dore
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX, 76798, USA.
| | - Malene F Hansen
- Research and Conservation, Copenhagen Zoo, 2000, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
- Animal Behaviour Group. Section for Ecology and Evolution, University of Copenhagen, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Amy R Klegarth
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 230 Raitt Hall, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Flávia Koch
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Springer
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Joyce A Parga
- Department of Anthropology, California State University, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90032, USA
| | - Tatyana Humle
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Christelle Colin
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Estelle Raballand
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NR, UK
| | - Zhi-Pang Huang
- Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, 671003, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiao-Guang Qi
- College of Life Sciences, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shanxi, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xian, 710069, Shaanxi, China
| | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas Austin, Austin, TX, 78712, USA
| | - Andrés Link
- Department of Biological Science, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Pablo R Stevenson
- Department of Biological Science, University of Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | - Danica J Stark
- Danau Girang Field Centre, c/o Sabah Wildlife Department, 88100, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Organisms and Environment Division, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, CF10 3AX, UK
| | - Noeleen Tan
- Singapore National Parks Board, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Christa A Gallagher
- Department of Biomedical Science, Center for Conservation Medicine and Ecosystem Health, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, West Indies, Saint Kitts and Nevis
| | - C Jane Anderson
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Christina J Campbell
- Department of Anthropology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA
| | - Marina Kenyon
- Dao Tien Endangered Primate Species Centre, Tan Phu, Dong Nai Province, Vietnam
| | - Paula Pebsworth
- Department of Anthropology, Baylor University, One Bear Place, Waco, TX, 76798, USA
- National Institute of Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore, India
| | - David Sprague
- National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, 3-1-3 Kannondai, Tsukuba, 305-8604, Japan
| | - Lisa Jones-Engel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, 230 Raitt Hall, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
| | - Agustín Fuentes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, 648 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46656, USA
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Mitchell LJ, White PCL, Arnold KE. The trade-off between fix rate and tracking duration on estimates of home range size and habitat selection for small vertebrates. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219357. [PMID: 31291318 PMCID: PMC6619758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite advances in technology, there are still constraints on the use of some tracking devices for small species when gathering high temporal and spatial resolution data on movement and resource use. For small species, weight limits imposed on GPS loggers and the consequent impacts on battery life, restrict the volume of data that can be collected. Research on home range and habitat selection for these species should therefore incorporate a consideration of how different sampling parameters and methods may affect the structure of the data and the conclusions drawn. However, factors such as these are seldom explicitly considered. We applied two commonly-used methods of home range estimation, Movement-based Kernel Density Estimation (MKDE) and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) to investigate the influence of fix rate, tracking duration and method on home range size and habitat selection, using GPS tracking data collected at two different fix rates from a small, aerially-insectivorous bird, the European nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus. Effects of tracking parameters varied with home range estimation method. Fix rate and tracking duration most strongly explained change in MKDE and KDE home range size respectively. Total number of fixes and tracking duration had the strongest impact on habitat selection. High between- and within-individual variation strongly influenced outcomes and was most evident when exploring the effects of varying tracking duration. To reduce skew and bias in home range size estimation and especially habitat selection caused by individual variation and estimation method, we recommend tracking animals for the longest period possible even if this results in a reduced fix rate. If accurate movement properties, (e.g. trajectory length and turning angle) and biologically-representative movement occurrence ranges are more important, then a higher fix rate should be used, but priority habitats can still be identified with an infrequent sampling strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy J Mitchell
- Department of Environment and Geography, Wentworth Way, University of York, Heslington, York, United Kingdom
| | - Piran C L White
- Department of Environment and Geography, Wentworth Way, University of York, Heslington, York, United Kingdom
| | - Kathryn E Arnold
- Department of Environment and Geography, Wentworth Way, University of York, Heslington, York, United Kingdom
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Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0216223. [PMID: 31071155 PMCID: PMC6508664 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Satellite telemetry is an increasingly utilized technology in wildlife research, and current devices can track individual animal movements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. However, as we enter the golden age of satellite telemetry, we need an in-depth understanding of the main technological, species-specific and environmental factors that determine the success and failure of satellite tracking devices across species and habitats. Here, we assess the relative influence of such factors on the ability of satellite telemetry units to provide the expected amount and quality of data by analyzing data from over 3,000 devices deployed on 62 terrestrial species in 167 projects worldwide. We evaluate the success rate in obtaining GPS fixes as well as in transferring these fixes to the user and we evaluate failure rates. Average fix success and data transfer rates were high and were generally better predicted by species and unit characteristics, while environmental characteristics influenced the variability of performance. However, 48% of the unit deployments ended prematurely, half of them due to technical failure. Nonetheless, this study shows that the performance of satellite telemetry applications has shown improvements over time, and based on our findings, we provide further recommendations for both users and manufacturers.
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