Accelerometer-informed GPS telemetry : Reducing the trade-off between resolution and longevity

摘要: Tracking animal movement using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology is an increasingly popular method for studying ecology, behavior, and conservation. To date, most GPS location schedules have been set at regular intervals. If intervals are too long, they undersample the details of paths, if short, oversample resting sites deplete unit's battery without providing new information. We address this problem by creating a dynamic schedule that linked to activity level via accelerometer onboard tracking tag. deployed traditional accelerometer-informed tags on northern tamanduas anteater (Tamandua mexicana) in tropical forest Republic Panama (2009–2010), fisher (Martes pennanti) temperate New York, USA (2009–2011). These species medium-sized forest-dwellers frequently use tree cavities, ground burrows, thick vegetation foraging, all traits make them particularly challenging tracking. The performed better than tags: attempted 73.6% more locations per day, achieved 61.7% higher success rates, spent 28.2% less time searching satellites, made 67.4% fewer redundant attempts places where animals were inactive, ultimately provided data given size. resulting tracks had high temporal resolution, revealing aspects their behavior ecology would missed tags, especially fast-moving fisher. By dynamically linking rate, reduce trade-off between collecting detailed recording longer period time. © 2012 Wildlife Society.