Radiotelemetry is the standard method for monitoring wild turkey (Meleagris gallapavo) movements and habitat use. Spatial data collected using telemetry‐based monitoring are frequently inaccurate due to triangulation error. However, new technology, such as Global Positioning Systems (GPS) has increased ecologists' ability to accurately evaluate animal movements and habitat selection. We evaluated the efficacy of micro‐GPS backpack units for use on wild turkeys. We tested a micro‐GPS developed specifically for avian species that incorporated a GPS antenna with a lightweight rechargeable battery and a very high frequency (VHF) transmitter. We conducted a series of static tests to evaluate performance in varying types of vegetative canopy cover and terrain. After static testing, we deployed micro‐GPS on 8 adult male Rio Grande wild turkeys (M. g. intermedia) trapped in south Texas and 2 adult females trapped in the Texas panhandle. Micro‐GPS units collected 26,439 locations out of 26,506 scheduled attempts (99.7% fix rate) during static testing. Mean distance error across all static tests was 15.5 m (SE = 0.1). In summer 2009, we recovered micro‐GPS from 4 tagged males and both females to evaluate data collection. Units on males acquired approximately 2,500 locations over a 65‐day test period (94.5% fix rate). We recovered units from the 2 females after 19 days and 53 days; those units acquired 301 and 837 locations, respectively, for a 96% fix rate. Cost analysis indicated that VHF will be cost effective when 1 location per day is required up to 181 days, but micro‐GPS becomes less expensive as frequency of daily locations increases. Our results indicate that micro‐GPS have the potential to provide increased reliable data on turkey movement ecology and habitat selection at a higher resolution than conventional VHF telemetric methods. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.

Recent advances in animal tracking technology have increased interest in the field of animal movement ecology. Numerous methods have been developed to extract information from animal movement paths that can be used to link movement behavior to external stimuli such as habitat and climatic conditions. Given the recent development of Global Positioning System (GPS) technology suitable for use on wild turkeys (Meleagris gallapavo), we advocate the adoption of new methodologies to design novel research on wild turkey ecology. Here we provide a worked example using first-passage time on male Rio Grande wild turkeys (M. g. intermedia) tracked via GPS in South Texas, USA, during April 2009 to illustrate one methodological option on which research can be based. From our example, we infer behavioral decisions in response to habitat variables that varied during the diurnal cycle; turkeys were more likely to exhibit localized movements during midday in open areas near food and water resources. We contend that by taking advantage of GPS technology and focusing research questions on movement behavior, wild turkey research can progress toward answering mechanistic questions regarding turkey habitat use. This shift in research focus will provide much-needed information to managers that is currently lacking at both local and regional scales. Ó 2014 The Wildlife Society.

Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence which combines sophisticated algorithms and data to develop predictive models with minimal human interference. This chapter focuses on research that trains machine learning models to study antimicrobial resistance and to discover antimicrobial drugs. An emphasis is placed on applying machine learning models to detect drug resistance among bacterial and fungal pathogens. The role of machine learning in antibacterial and antifungal drug discovery and design is explored. Finally, the challenges and prospects of applying machine learning to advance basic research on and treatment of antimicrobial resistance are discussed. Overall, machine learning promises to advance antimicrobial resistance research and to facilitate the development of antibacterial and antifungal drugs.