Considering behavioral state when predicting habitat use: Behavior-specific spatial models for the endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle

Pay, James M.; Patterson, Toby A.; Proft, Kirstin; Cameron, Elissa Z.; Hawkins, Clare E.; Koch, Amelia J.; Wiersma, Jason M.; Katzner, Todd E.

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109743

Cited by 5 publications

(5 citation statements)

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“…Our use of path segmentation to develop behavior-specific step selection functions (i.e., by separating inactive movement periods from the step length distribution) may have made resulting functions more accurate and/or improved computational efficiencies and is one of the multiple approaches to separate tracks into specific behavior states (Roever et al, 2014;Mott, 2022;Pay et al, 2022). Without segmenting and removal of the inactive step lengths, 45% to 89% of our sample of available habitat would likely be at functionally the same location as the observed step and require a greater sample of available steps to obtain representation of other habitat types.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This can allow the identification of multiple behavior states or constituent activities and context-dependent analysis of resource use (Patterson et al, 2009;Bergen et al, 2022;Overton et al, 2022). It is often crucial to identify constituent behaviors within individual tracks since non-stationary processes (a time series that has statistical properties, metrics, or moments [such as mean or variance] that vary in time) resulting in imbalanced movement or habitat selection can bias selection analyses when quantifying use (Osborne et al, 2007) or identifying available habitats (Aarts et al, 2013;Pay et al, 2022). Methods to reduce the impact of non-stationary processes include data thinning (Schabenberger and Gotway, 2005), path segmentation (Patterson et al, 2009;Nathan et al, 2022), and autocorrelation weighting (Alston et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Movement behavior, habitat selection, and functional responses to habitat availability among four species of wintering waterfowl in California

Overton,

Casazza

2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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IntroductionHabitat selection analyses provide a window into the perceived value of habitats by animals and how those perceptions compare with other animals, change across time, or change in relation to availability (termed functional responses). Habitat selection analysis and functional responses can be used to develop strategies to avoid habitat limitations, guide habitat management, and set attainable conservation goals. GPS relocations of marked animals are the principal data used in habitat selection analysis. The accuracy and frequency with which tracking devices collect data are increasing and may result in non-stationary point processes that result from latent behaviors previously unidentifiable in sparse data.MethodsWe investigated non-stationary step length distributions and integrated a two-mixture model of animal movement with step selection analysis to identify patterns of activity among four species of co-occurring waterfowl that winter in the Central Valley of California, United States. We evaluated relative strength of selection and compared functional responses across a range of habitat types for two goose and two dabbling duck species.ResultsGoose species (greater white-fronted goose [Anser albifrons] and lesser snow goose [Anser caerulescens caerulescens]) used habitats similarly and displayed similar functional responses with habitat availability. Northern pintail (Anas acuta) displayed functional responses for habitats that provided primary food resources and sanctuary from hunting that were more similar to geese than to mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), which expressed a more generalist pattern of habitat selection.DiscussionOur results define conditions where food resource competition between geese and ducks could operate, which indicate that some species may be more impacted than others. Specifically, early season food limitation may manifest more strongly in snow geese due to longer movements and stronger functional response with rice availability. Late season limitations may manifest in northern pintail, which remain reliant on rice later but may not be reflected in habitat selection patterns due to a consistent functional response with rice availability. We show that multiple movement processes present in high-resolution data can be used to obtain a variety of information about animal behavior and that subsequent step selection analyses may demonstrate unique functional responses relative to alternate habitat selection methods that warrant additional investigation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Movement behavior, habitat selection, and functional responses to habitat availability among four species of wintering waterfowl in California

Overton,

Casazza

2023

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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“…Some Wedgetailed Eagles have been equipped with GPS trackers in Tasmania for various studies (e.g. Pay et al 2022) and several of these birds live on and around current windfarms but no data from this study appear to have been used in windfarm planning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Eagle deaths in Tasmania attributed to energy assets, with a precautionary appeal to future development

Pullen

2023

AFO

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The Tasmanian subspecies of the Wedge-tailed Eagle <em>Aquila audax fleayi</em> is listed as Endangered under both federal and state threatened species legislation, with an estimated population of <1000 individuals, and ongoing threats. The species is vulnerable to injury and mortality from wind-power infrastructure. The same is true of the similarly sized White-bellied Sea-Eagle <em>Haliaeetus leucogaster</em>, which is listed as Vulnerable under Tasmanian threatened species legislation. This paper summarises research undertaken on the number of documented Tasmanian eagle deaths and injuries from energy assets in the period 2010–2022. Information about eagle deaths and injuries is not readily available nor readily made available. Hence, the information comes from searching primary sources such as annual reports. I provide evidence of 272 individual Wedge-tailed Eagles injured or killed plus 49 White-bellied Sea-Eagles. In addition to the 321 reported cases of eagle deaths and injuries, it is likely that unrecorded casualties are higher since most are recorded anecdotally and are not the result of systematic survey.

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“…Zhang et al investigated red bamboo forest habitat conditions and determined that altitude and slope are the primary factors affecting red bamboo distribution in Qu County [28]. James et al discovered during his research on the wedge-tailed eagle in Tasmania that they have a preference for steep and undulating terrains, as such topography offers superior vertical aerodynamic advantages during flight [29]. Consequently, terrain significantly impacts hydrological processes, material flow, and energy distribution in ecosystems [23], and is closely related to habitat quality.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comprehensive Evaluation of Island Habitat Quality Based on the Invest Model and Terrain Diversity: A Case Study of Haitan Island, China

et al. 2023

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The assessment of habitat quality is instrumental in preserving regional species diversity and ecosystem health, thereby forming the theoretical foundation for sustainable urban development. While the Invest model is a commonly employed tool for habitat quality evaluation, it fails to consider the terrain. This study, centered on Haitan Island, introduces the terrain diversity index to rectify the Invest model’s lack of terrain evaluation. The terrain diversity index, encompassing indices for terrain slope, undulation, and humidity, combined with the Invest model, was applied for a comprehensive assessment of the study area’s habitat quality. Furthermore, the distribution characteristics of habitat quality on Haitan Island, China, were examined using Moran’s I and LISA indices. The research indicates that forest land is the primary land cover type on Haitan Island, with blue-green space comprising forests, farmland, water bodies, and grassland, making up 66.8% of the island’s area, thus implying a positive overall ecological base. Habitat quality distribution within the study area displays spatial heterogeneity, with regions of superior habitat quality primarily found in the northeast areas such as Junshan. Compared to the standalone Invest model, the combined method considering terrain and vegetation cover types yields a more sensitive impact on habitat quality evaluation and improves the precision of identifying superior habitat quality by 56.7%. Spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed that the comprehensive habitat quality index in the study area exhibited clustered distribution. Hotspots were mainly identified in areas like Junshan and the western mangrove wetland, regions with a high concentration of habitat quality values, while low-value clusters were mostly found in the central city and southwestern plains. This study offers a novel methodology for habitat quality evaluation, compensating for the traditional Invest model’s neglect of terrain factors, and enriching the research on island habitat quality. It can provide fresh approaches and references for future habitat-related studies.

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Considering behavioral state when predicting habitat use: Behavior-specific spatial models for the endangered Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle

Cited by 5 publications

References 43 publications

Movement behavior, habitat selection, and functional responses to habitat availability among four species of wintering waterfowl in California

Movement behavior, habitat selection, and functional responses to habitat availability among four species of wintering waterfowl in California

Eagle deaths in Tasmania attributed to energy assets, with a precautionary appeal to future development

Comprehensive Evaluation of Island Habitat Quality Based on the Invest Model and Terrain Diversity: A Case Study of Haitan Island, China

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