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Vander Pluym D, Mason NA. Toward a comparative framework for studies of altitudinal migration. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70240. [PMID: 39219567 PMCID: PMC11364985 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 08/07/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The study and importance of altitudinal migration has attracted increasing interest among zoologists. Altitudinal migrants are taxonomically widespread and move across altitudinal gradients as partial or complete migrants, subjecting them to a wide array of environments and ecological interactions. Here, we present a brief synthesis of recent developments in the field and suggest future directions toward a more taxonomically inclusive comparative framework for the study of altitudinal migration. Our framework centers on a working definition of altitudinal migration that hinges on its biological relevance, which is scale-dependent and related to fitness outcomes. We discuss linguistic nuances of altitudinal movements and provide concrete steps to compare altitudinal migration phenomena across traditionally disparate study systems. Together, our comparative framework outlines a "phenotypic space" that contextualizes the biotic and abiotic interactions encountered by altitudinal migrants from divergent lineages and biomes. We also summarize new opportunities, methods, and challenges for the ongoing study of altitudinal migration. A persistent, primary challenge is characterizing the taxonomic extent of altitudinal migration within and among species. Fortunately, a host of new methods have been developed to help researchers assess the taxonomic prevalence of altitudinal migration-each with their own advantages and disadvantages. An improved comparative framework will allow researchers that study disparate disciplines and taxonomic groups to better communicate and to test hypotheses regarding the evolutionary and ecological drivers underlying variation in altitudinal migration among populations and species.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Vander Pluym
- Department of Biological Sciences, Museum of Natural ScienceLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
| | - Nicholas A. Mason
- Department of Biological Sciences, Museum of Natural ScienceLouisiana State UniversityBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
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2
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Nieto-Claudín A, Palmer JL, Brenn-White M, Esperón F, Deem SL. Haematology and plasma biochemistry reference intervals of Española, San Cristobal and Eastern Santa Cruz Galapagos tortoise species. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae055. [PMID: 39148865 PMCID: PMC11325449 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2024] [Revised: 06/24/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
Normal reference intervals (RI) of hematologic and biochemical parameters are important for assessing and monitoring the health status of captive and free-living chelonians; however, such information is not available for most wildlife species. Giant Galapagos tortoises are one of the most iconic animals on earth and health information can make an important contribution to their conservation and management. This study provides formal RI of haematology and plasma biochemistry parameters and describes cell morphology along with morphometrics of free-living Eastern Santa Cruz (Chelonoidis donfaustoi), Española (Chelonoidis hoodensis) and San Cristóbal tortoises (Chelonoidis chathamensis). We explored differences in blood parameters between sexes, across the tortoise species in this study and with previously published RI of the Western Santa Cruz tortoise (Chelonoidis porteri). Biochemistry parameters of both Santa Cruz species were overall more similar to each other than to Española and San Cristobal tortoises. This research constitutes the first RI for these three Galapagos tortoise species and may be of value for advising captive-breeding and conservation plans. We recommend further research to establish RI in additional tortoise species so we may better understand and interpret haematology and biochemistry parameters as a valuable conservation tool for species of this critically endangered taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ainoa Nieto-Claudín
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Jamie L Palmer
- Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Maris Brenn-White
- Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Fernando Esperón
- INIA-CISA, Algete-El Casar Road, Valdeolmos 28130, Spain
- Veterinary Department, School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, 28670 Villaviciosa de Odón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
- Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
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3
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Blake S, Cabrera F, Rivas‐Torres G, Deem SL, Nieto‐Claudin A, Zahawi RA, Bastille‐Rousseau G. Invasion by Cedrela odorata threatens long distance migration of Galapagos tortoises. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10994. [PMID: 38357592 PMCID: PMC10864728 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Invasive alien species are among the most pervasive threats to biodiversity. Invasive species can cause catastrophic reductions in populations of native and endemic species and the collapse of ecosystem function. A second major global conservation concern is the extirpation of large-bodied mobile animals, including long-distance migrants, which often have keystone ecological roles over extensive spatial extents. Here, we report on a potentially catastrophic synergy between these phenomena that threatens the endemic biota of the Galapagos Archipelago. We used GPS telemetry to track 140 migratory journeys by 25 Western Santa Cruz Island Galapagos tortoises. We plotted the spatial interaction between tortoise migrations and recently established non-native forest dominated by the invasive tree Cedrela odorata (Cedrela forest). We qualified (a) the proportion of migratory journeys that traversed Cedrela forest, and (b) the probability that this observed pattern occurred by chance. Tortoise migrations were overwhelmingly restricted to small corridors between Cedrela forest blocks, indicating clear avoidance of those blocks. Just eight of 140 migrations traversed extensive Cedrela stands. Tortoises avoid Cedrela forest during their migrations. Further expansion of Cedrela forest threatens long-distance migration and population viability of critically endangered Galapagos tortoises. Applied research to determine effective management solutions to mitigate Cedrela invasion is a high priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Blake
- Department of BiologySaint Louis UniversitySt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Max Planck Institute of Animal BehaviorRadolfzellGermany
- WildCare InstituteSaint Louis ZooSaint LouisMissouriUSA
- Charles Darwin FoundationPuerto AyoraGalapagosEcuador
| | | | - Gonzalo Rivas‐Torres
- Ecuador Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales and Galapagos Academic Institute for the Arts and SciencesUniversidad San Francisco de QuitoQuitoEcuador
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and ConservationUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleFloridaUSA
- GeographyUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel HillChapel HillNorth CarolinaUSA
| | - Sharon L. Deem
- Charles Darwin FoundationPuerto AyoraGalapagosEcuador
- Institute for Conservation MedicineSaint Louis ZooSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Ainoa Nieto‐Claudin
- Charles Darwin FoundationPuerto AyoraGalapagosEcuador
- Institute for Conservation MedicineSaint Louis ZooSaint LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Rakan A. Zahawi
- Charles Darwin FoundationPuerto AyoraGalapagosEcuador
- School of Life SciencesUniversity of Hawai'i at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
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4
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Ramon-Gomez K, Ron SR, Deem SL, Pike KN, Stevens C, Izurieta JC, Nieto-Claudin A. Plastic ingestion in giant tortoises: An example of a novel anthropogenic impact for Galapagos wildlife. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 340:122780. [PMID: 37863249 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023]
Abstract
The human population of Galapagos has rapidly increased in the last decades accelerating the anthropogenic pressures on the archipelago's natural resources. The growing human footprint, including inadequate management of garbage, may lead to conservation conflicts. Here, we assessed the ingestion of debris by Western Santa Cruz giant tortoises (Chelonoidis porteri) within human-modified and protected areas. Additionally, we characterized environmental debris and quantified tortoise abundance together with tortoise fecal samples. We processed a total of 6629 fecal samples along a gradient of anthropogenic disturbance based on human debris presence. We found 590 pieces of debris in samples within human-modified areas (mean of 3.97 items/kg of feces) and only two pieces in the protected area (mean of 0.08 items/kg of feces). Plastic waste was the predominant category in feces within the anthropic area (86.3%; n = 511), followed by cloth, metal, paper, synthetic rubber, construction materials, and glass. On average, the proportion of plastic was higher in feces (84%) than it was in environmental debris (67%), denoting that plastics are more readily ingested than other types of debris. We also found that green, white, and light blue plastics were consumed more often than their prevalence in the environment, suggesting color discrimination. Tortoise abundance was higher in the protected area when compared to the human-modified area; however, recapture rates were higher in anthropized landscapes which increases tortoise exposure to plastics and other human associated threats. Our results indicate that plastics are frequently consumed by tortoises in the polluted anthropic areas of western Santa Cruz, but scarce in protected areas. More research is needed to understand the negative impacts associated with plastics for Galapagos terrestrial species. We encourage local stakeholders to implement current policies limiting expansion of urban areas, plastic use, and improving waste management systems to minimize threats to human and animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Ramon-Gomez
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz, 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Santiago R Ron
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Sharon L Deem
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz, 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Kyana N Pike
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, 4810, Australia
| | - Colton Stevens
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz, 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Juan Carlos Izurieta
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz, 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador
| | - Ainoa Nieto-Claudin
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Charles Darwin Avenue, Santa Cruz, 200350, Galapagos Islands, Ecuador; Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation Medicine, One Government Drive, Saint Louis, MO, 63110, USA; Complutense University of Madrid, Veterinary Faculty, Puerta de Hierro Av, Madrid, 28040, Spain.
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Peterson CJ, DeCesare NJ, Hayes TA, Bishop CJ, Mitchell MS. Consequences of migratory strategy on habitat selection by mule deer. J Wildl Manage 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.22135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Collin J. Peterson
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula 59812 MT USA
| | - Nicholas J. DeCesare
- Montana Department of Fish Wildlife, and Parks 3201 Spurgin Road Missoula 59804 MT USA
| | - Teagan A. Hayes
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula 59812 MT USA
| | - Chad J. Bishop
- Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula 59812 MT USA
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Barker KJ, Xu W, Van Scoyoc A, Serota MW, Moravek JA, Shawler AL, Ryan RE, Middleton AD. Toward a new framework for restoring lost wildlife migrations. Conserv Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/conl.12850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Barker
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Wenjing Xu
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Amy Van Scoyoc
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Mitchell W. Serota
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Jessie A. Moravek
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Avery L. Shawler
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Rachael E. Ryan
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
| | - Arthur D. Middleton
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management University of California—Berkeley Berkeley California
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Temperature and Prey Species Richness Drive the Broad-Scale Distribution of a Generalist Predator. DIVERSITY 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/d13040169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The ongoing climate change and the unprecedented rate of biodiversity loss render the need to accurately project future species distributional patterns more critical than ever. Mounting evidence suggests that not only abiotic factors, but also biotic interactions drive broad-scale distributional patterns. Here, we explored the effect of predator-prey interaction on the predator distribution, using as target species the widespread and generalist grass snake (Natrix natrix). We used ensemble Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) to build a model only with abiotic variables (abiotic model) and a biotic one including prey species richness. Then we projected the future grass snake distribution using a modest emission scenario assuming an unhindered and no dispersal scenario. The two models performed equally well, with temperature and prey species richness emerging as the top drivers of species distribution in the abiotic and biotic models, respectively. In the future, a severe range contraction is anticipated in the case of no dispersal, a likely possibility as reptiles are poor dispersers. If the species can disperse freely, an improbable scenario due to habitat loss and fragmentation, it will lose part of its contemporary distribution, but it will expand northwards.
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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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Fandos G, Rotics S, Sapir N, Fiedler W, Kaatz M, Wikelski M, Nathan R, Zurell D. Seasonal niche tracking of climate emerges at the population level in a migratory bird. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201799. [PMID: 32962549 PMCID: PMC7542805 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal animal migration is a widespread phenomenon. At the species level, it has been shown that many migratory animal species track similar climatic conditions throughout the year. However, it remains unclear whether such a niche tracking pattern is a direct consequence of individual behaviour or emerges at the population or species level through behavioural variability. Here, we estimated seasonal niche overlap and seasonal niche tracking at the individual and population level of central European white storks (Ciconia ciconia). We quantified niche tracking for both weather and climate conditions to control for the different spatio-temporal scales over which ecological processes may operate. Our results indicate that niche tracking is a bottom-up process. Individuals mainly track weather conditions while climatic niche tracking mainly emerges at the population level. This result may be partially explained by a high degree of intra- and inter-individual variation in niche overlap between seasons. Understanding how migratory individuals, populations and species respond to seasonal environments is key for anticipating the impacts of global environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillermo Fandos
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, D-14469, Potsdam, Germany.,Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
| | - Shay Rotics
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nir Sapir
- Department Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 3498838 Haifa, Israel
| | - Wolfgang Fiedler
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Michael Kaatz
- Vogelschutzwarte Storchenhof Loburg e.V., Loburg, Germany
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ran Nathan
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus at Givat Ram, 91904 Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Damaris Zurell
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, D-14469, Potsdam, Germany.,Geography Department, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-10099 Berlin, Germany
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10
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Environmental Predictability as a Cause and Consequence of Animal Movement. Trends Ecol Evol 2019; 35:163-174. [PMID: 31699411 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The impacts of environmental predictability on the ecology and evolution of animal movement have been the subject of vigorous speculation for several decades. Recently, the swell of new biologging technologies has further stimulated their investigation. This advancing research frontier, however, still lacks conceptual unification and has so far focused little on converse effects. Populations of moving animals have ubiquitous effects on processes such as nutrient cycling and seed dispersal and may therefore shape patterns of environmental predictability. Here, we synthesise the main strands of the literature on the feedbacks between environmental predictability and animal movement and discuss how they may react to anthropogenic disruption, leading to unexpected threats for wildlife and the environment.
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11
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Bampoh D, Earl JE, Zollner PA. Examining the relative influence of animal movement patterns and mortality models on the distribution of animal transported subsidies. Ecol Modell 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2019.108824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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12
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Feng M, Shaw SL, Fang Z, Cheng H. Relative space-based GIS data model to analyze the group dynamics of moving objects. ISPRS JOURNAL OF PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND REMOTE SENSING (ISPRS) 2019; 153:74-95. [PMID: 32288231 PMCID: PMC7111340 DOI: 10.1016/j.isprsjprs.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The relative motion of moving objects is an essential research topic in geographical information science (GIScience), which supports the innovation of geodatabases, spatial indexing, and geospatial services. This analysis is very popular in the domains of urban governance, transportation engineering, logistics and geospatial information services for individuals or industrials. Importantly, data models of moving objects are one of the most crucial approaches to support the analysis for dynamic relative motion between moving objects, even in the age of big data and cloud computing. Traditional geographic information systems (GIS) usually organize moving objects as point objects in absolute coordinated space. The derivation of relative motions among moving objects is not efficient because of the additional geo-computation of transformation between absolute space and relative space. Therefore, current GISs require an innovative approach to directly store, analyze and interpret the relative relationships of moving objects to support their efficient analysis. This paper proposes a relative space-based GIS data model of moving objects (RSMO) to construct, operate and analyze moving objects' relationships and introduces two algorithms (relationship querying and relative relationship dynamic pattern matching) to derive and analyze the dynamic relationships of moving objects. Three scenarios (epidemic spreading, tracker finding, and motion-trend derivation of nearby crowds) are implemented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model. The experimental results indicates the execution times of the proposed model are approximately 5-50% those of the absolute GIS method for the same function of these three scenarios. It's better computational performance of the proposed model when analyzing the relative relationships of moving objects than the absolute methods in a famous commercial GIS software based on this experimental results. The proposed approach fills the gap of traditional GIS and shows promise for relative space-based geo-computation, analysis and service.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxiang Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, Hubei, PR China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, 129 LuoyuRoad, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Shih-Lung Shaw
- Department of Geography, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Zhixiang Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing, Wuhan University, 129 Luoyu Road, Wuhan 430079, Hubei, PR China
- Collaborative Innovation Center of Geospatial Technology, 129 LuoyuRoad, Wuhan 430079, PR China
| | - Hao Cheng
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Wuhan University of Technology, 122 Luoshi Road, Wuhan, Hubei, PR China
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13
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Barker KJ, Mitchell MS, Proffitt KM. Native forage mediates influence of irrigated agriculture on migratory behaviour of elk. J Anim Ecol 2019; 88:1100-1110. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kristin J. Barker
- Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula Montana
| | - Michael S. Mitchell
- U.S. Geological Survey Montana Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit Wildlife Biology Program University of Montana Missoula Montana
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14
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Bastille-Rousseau G, Yackulic CB, Gibbs JP, Frair JL, Cabrera F, Blake S. Migration triggers in a large herbivore: Galápagos giant tortoises navigating resource gradients on volcanoes. Ecology 2019; 100:e02658. [PMID: 30998258 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Revised: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
To understand how migratory behavior evolved and to predict how migratory species will respond to global environmental change it is important to quantify the fitness consequences of intra- and inter-individual variation in migratory behavior. Intra-individual variation includes behavioral responses to changing environmental conditions and hence behavioral plasticity in the context of novel or variable conditions. Inter-individual variation determines the degree of variation on which selection can act and the rate of evolutionary responses to changes in average and extreme environmental conditions. Here we focus on variation in the partial migratory behavior of giant Galápagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.) and its energetic consequences. We evaluate the extent and mechanisms by which tortoises adjust migration timing in response to varying annual environmental conditions, and integrate movement data within a bioenergetic model of tortoise migration to quantify the fitness consequences of migration timing. We find strong inter-individual variation in the timing of migration, which was not affected by environmental conditions prevailing at the time of migration but rather by average expectations estimated from multi-annual averaged conditions. This variation is associated with an average annual loss in efficiency of ~15% relative to optimal timing based on year-specific conditions. These results point towards a limited ability of tortoises to adjust the timing of their migrations based on prevailing (and, by extension, future) conditions, suggesting that the adaptability of tortoise migratory behavior to changing conditions is predicated more by past "normal" conditions than responses to prevailing, changing conditions. Our work offers insights into the level of environmental-tuning in migratory behavior and a general framework for future research across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
- Roosevelt Wild Life Station, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
| | - Charles B Yackulic
- U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Science Center, Flagstaff, Arizona, 86001, USA
| | - James P Gibbs
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
- Roosevelt Wild Life Station, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
| | - Jacqueline L Frair
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
- Roosevelt Wild Life Station, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
| | - Freddy Cabrera
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galápagos, Ecuador
| | - Stephen Blake
- Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, 13210, USA
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galápagos, Ecuador
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell, Germany
- Whitney Harris World Ecology Center, University of Missouri-St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, 63121, USA
- Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, 3507 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103, USA
- WildCare Institute, Saint Louis Zoo, 1 Government Drive, Saint Louis, Missouri, 63110, USA
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15
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Webb MH, Heinsohn R, Sutherland WJ, Stojanovic D, Terauds A. An Empirical and Mechanistic Explanation of Abundance-Occupancy Relationships for a Critically Endangered Nomadic Migrant. Am Nat 2019; 193:59-69. [PMID: 30624105 DOI: 10.1086/700595] [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
The positive abundance-occupancy relationship (AOR) is a pervasive pattern in macroecology. Similarly, the association between occupancy (or probability of occurrence) and abundance is also usually assumed to be positive and in most cases constant. Examples of AORs for nomadic species with variable distributions are extremely rare. Here we examined temporal and spatial trends in the AOR over 7 years for a critically endangered nomadic migrant that relies on dynamic pulses in food availability to breed. We predicted a negative temporal relationship, where local mean abundances increase when the number of occupied sites decreases, and a positive relationship between local abundances and the probability of occurrence. We also predicted that these patterns are largely attributable to spatiotemporal variation in food abundance. The temporal AOR was significantly negative, and annual food availability was significantly positively correlated with the number of occupied sites but negatively correlated with abundance. Thus, as food availability decreased, local densities of birds increased, and vice versa. The abundance-probability of occurrence relationship was positive and nonlinear but varied between years due to differing degrees of spatial aggregation caused by changing food availability. Importantly, high abundance (or occupancy) did not necessarily equate to high-quality habitat and may be indicative of resource bottlenecks or exposure to other processes affecting vital rates. Our results provide a rare empirical example that highlights the complexity of AORs for species that target aggregated food resources in dynamic environments.
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Oudman T, Piersma T, Ahmedou Salem MV, Feis ME, Dekinga A, Holthuijsen S, ten Horn J, van Gils JA, Bijleveld AI. Resource landscapes explain contrasting patterns of aggregation and site fidelity by red knots at two wintering sites. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2018; 6:24. [PMID: 30598823 PMCID: PMC6300905 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-018-0142-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Space use strategies by foraging animals are often considered to be species-specific. However, similarity between conspecific strategies may also result from similar resource environments. Here, we revisit classic predictions of the relationships between the resource distribution and foragers' space use by tracking free-living foragers of a single species in two contrasting resource landscapes. At two main non-breeding areas along the East-Atlantic flyway (Wadden Sea, The Netherlands and Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania), we mapped prey distributions and derived resource landscapes in terms of the predicted intake rate of red knots (Calidris canutus), migratory molluscivore shorebirds. We tracked the foraging paths of 13 and 38 individual red knots at intervals of 1 s over two and five weeks in the Wadden Sea and at Banc d'Arguin, respectively. Mediated by competition for resources, we expected aggregation to be strong and site fidelity weak in an environment with large resource patches. The opposite was expected for small resource patches, but only if local resource abundances were high. RESULTS Compared with Banc d'Arguin, resource patches in the Wadden Sea were larger and the maximum local resource abundance was higher. However, because of constraints set by digestive capacity, the average potential intake rates by red knots were similar at the two study sites. Space-use patterns differed as predicted from these differences in resource landscapes. Whereas foraging red knots in the Wadden Sea roamed the mudflats in high aggregation without site fidelity (i.e. grouping nomads), at Banc d'Arguin they showed less aggregation but were strongly site-faithful (i.e. solitary residents). CONCLUSION The space use pattern of red knots in the two study areas showed diametrically opposite patterns. These differences could be explained from the distribution of resources in the two areas. Our findings imply that intraspecific similarities in space use patterns represent responses to similar resource environments rather than species-specificity. To predict how environmental change affects space use, we need to understand the degree to which space-use strategies result from developmental plasticity and behavioural flexibility. This requires not only tracking foragers throughout their development, but also tracking their environment in sufficient spatial and temporal detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Oudman
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9TF UK
| | - Theunis Piersma
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
- Rudi Drent Chair in Global Flyway Ecology, Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, PO Box 11103, 9700 CC Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mohamed V. Ahmedou Salem
- EBIOME Ecobiologie Marine et Environnement, Département de Biologie, L’université de Nouakchott Al-Aasriya, BP. 880 Nouakchott, Mauritania
| | - Marieke E. Feis
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
- Present Address: Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Laboratoire Adaptation et Diversité en Milieu Marin, UMR 7144, CS90074, 29688 Roscoff Cedex, France
| | - Anne Dekinga
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
| | - Sander Holthuijsen
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
| | - Job ten Horn
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
| | - Jan A. van Gils
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
| | - Allert I. Bijleveld
- NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Department of Coastal Systems, and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel The Netherlands
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Bastille-Rousseau G, Douglas-Hamilton I, Blake S, Northrup JM, Wittemyer G. Applying network theory to animal movements to identify properties of landscape space use. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 28:854-864. [PMID: 29420867 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2017] [Revised: 01/18/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Network (graph) theory is a popular analytical framework to characterize the structure and dynamics among discrete objects and is particularly effective at identifying critical hubs and patterns of connectivity. The identification of such attributes is a fundamental objective of animal movement research, yet network theory has rarely been applied directly to animal relocation data. We develop an approach that allows the analysis of movement data using network theory by defining occupied pixels as nodes and connection among these pixels as edges. We first quantify node-level (local) metrics and graph-level (system) metrics on simulated movement trajectories to assess the ability of these metrics to pull out known properties in movement paths. We then apply our framework to empirical data from African elephants (Loxodonta africana), giant Galapagos tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.), and mule deer (Odocoileous hemionus). Our results indicate that certain node-level metrics, namely degree, weight, and betweenness, perform well in capturing local patterns of space use, such as the definition of core areas and paths used for inter-patch movement. These metrics were generally applicable across data sets, indicating their robustness to assumptions structuring analysis or strategies of movement. Other metrics capture local patterns effectively, but were sensitive to specified graph properties, indicating case specific applications. Our analysis indicates that graph-level metrics are unlikely to outperform other approaches for the categorization of general movement strategies (central place foraging, migration, nomadism). By identifying critical nodes, our approach provides a robust quantitative framework to identify local properties of space use that can be used to evaluate the effect of the loss of specific nodes on range wide connectivity. Our network approach is intuitive, and can be implemented across imperfectly sampled or large-scale data sets efficiently, providing a framework for conservationists to analyze movement data. Functions created for the analyses are available within the R package moveNT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guillaume Bastille-Rousseau
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
- Save the Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Stephen Blake
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell, Germany
- Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, Galapagos, Ecuador
| | - Joseph M Northrup
- Wildlife Research and Monitoring Section, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 1Z8
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, 80523, USA
- Save the Elephants, Nairobi, Kenya
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Keiser CN, Pinter-Wollman N, Ziemba MJ, Kothamasu KS, Pruitt JN. The primary case is not enough: Variation among individuals, groups and social networks modify bacterial transmission dynamics. J Anim Ecol 2018; 87:369-378. [PMID: 28692130 PMCID: PMC5871623 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The traits of the primary case of an infectious disease outbreak, and the circumstances for their aetiology, potentially influence the trajectory of transmission dynamics. However, these dynamics likely also depend on the traits of the individuals with whom the primary case interacts. We used the social spider Stegodyphus dumicola to test how the traits of the primary case, group phenotypic composition and group size interact to facilitate the transmission of a GFP-labelled cuticular bacterium. We also compared bacterial transmission across experimentally generated "daisy-chain" vs. "star" networks of social interactions. Finally, we compared social network structure across groups of different sizes. Groups of 10 spiders experienced more bacterial transmission events compared to groups of 30 spiders, regardless of groups' behavioural composition. Groups containing only one bold spider experienced the lowest levels of bacterial transmission regardless of group size. We found no evidence for the traits of the primary case influencing any transmission dynamics. In a second experiment, bacteria were transmitted to more individuals in experimentally induced star networks than in daisy-chains, on which transmission never exceeded three steps. In both experimental network types, transmission success depended jointly on the behavioural traits of the interacting individuals; however, the behavioural traits of the primary case were only important for transmission on star networks. Larger social groups exhibited lower interaction density (i.e. had a low ratio of observed to possible connections) and were more modular, i.e. they had more connections between nodes within a subgroup and fewer connections across subgroups. Thus, larger groups may restrict transmission by forming fewer interactions and by isolating subgroups that interacted with the primary case. These findings suggest that accounting for the traits of single exposed hosts has less power in predicting transmission dynamics compared to the larger scale factors of the social groups in which they reside. Factors like group size and phenotypic composition appear to alter social interaction patterns, which leads to differential transmission of microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl N. Keiser
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
- Biosciences Department, Rice University, Academy of Fellows, Rice University, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Noa Pinter-Wollman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Michael J. Ziemba
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Krishna S. Kothamasu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan N. Pruitt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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