Identifying the variation in utilization density estimators and home ranges of elephant clans in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesi
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE
Identifying the variation in utilization density estimators and home ranges of elephant clans in Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia Gaius Wilson 1,2
&
Russell J. Gray 3 & Hizir Sofyan 1
Received: 6 May 2020 / Revised: 9 September 2020 / Accepted: 30 September 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Movement ecology is fundamental to understanding animal home ranges or utilization distribution (UD), and is an important aspect in conservation management strategies. Over the years, there have been several new developments and some contention on which methods are best in determining animal movement and UD. Using data from Global Positioning System (GPS)-tracked Sumatran elephants, minimum convex polygon values (MCP), various Kernel Density Estimator bandwidths (KDE), and dynamic Brownian Bridge Movement Models (dBBMM) were compared to identify the most suitable estimators of spaceuse. Models were analyzed for variability of home range, goodness of fit, isopleth contour complexity, and precision in representing habitat features. dBBMM was shown to be the most efficient in their representation of elephant home range estimations when compared to other methods in terms of trade-off between type I and type II errors and their ability to classify high- and low-use areas, along with insight into variation of movement. We further discuss the implications of variability in home range estimation regarding conservation and provide recommendations for future studies using similar data. Keywords Area-under-the-curve . Brownian bridge movement models . Elephants . Home range estimators . Isopleth . Kernel density
Introduction An important step in establishing and maintaining protected areas is understanding movement and spatial requirements or utilization distribution (UD) of any animal which merits conservation action. Estimates of home range sizes are widely used in spatial ecology studies, as they provide basic measurements of animal space-use patterns (Powell 2000; Powell 2012). Home range size and space-use can be influenced by the distribution of resources, human development, physical land features, presence of other conspecifics, as well as
* Gaius Wilson [email protected] 1
Syiah Kuala University, Jl. Teuku Nyak Arief No.441, Kopelma, Darussalam, Banda Aceh, Aceh 23111, Indonesia
2
M. Philip Kahl Postdoctoral Research Fellow, (funded by) International Elephant Foundation, P.O. Box 366, Azle, TX 76098, USA
3
705 Alligator Ranch Rd. New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32168, USA
competitors and predators (Powell and Mitchell 2012). Various home range estimators provide contrasting information regarding how animals use space, including those areas which are avoided (Fieberg and Kochanny 2005; Powell 2000). Animals have a cognitive map of their home ranges which allows them to exploit areas with concentrated resources while avoiding areas which may pose risks or disadvantages (Powell 2012; Powell and Mitchell 2012; Spencer 2012). Thus, understanding the complex, dynamic interact
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