Effects of study area size on home range estimates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
Effects of study area size on home range estimates of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus
复制标题
研究区域大小对普通宽吻海豚 Tursiops truncatus 活动范围估计的影响
作者：
S. R. Nekolny;M. Denny;G. Biedenbach;Elisabeth M. Howells;M. Mazzoil;W. N. Durden;Lydia Moreland;J. David Lambert;Q. Gibson
对动物栖息地的抽象了解是做出明智的管理决策的关键组成部分。然而，许多家庭范围研究受到研究区域大小的限制，因此可能低估了家庭范围的大小。在许多情况下，个人被证明在研究区域之外旅行，并利用比研究设计估计的更大的区域。在这项研究中，研究佛罗里达州东海岸宽吻海豚的多个研究小组收集的数据被结合在一起，以确定如何随着研究区域大小的增加而增加对栖息地的估计。Home Range分析利用了从圣约翰斯河(SJR；美国佛罗里达州杰克逊维尔)和邻近水道的6个研究区域收集的照片识别数据，总共延伸了253 公里，一直延伸到印第安河泻湖河口系统中蚊子泻湖的南端。对于有10次或更多目击事件的个体(n = 20)，计算了单变量核密度估计(KDEs)。首先计算主要研究区域(SJR)的核，然后通过组合SJR和下一个相邻的水道来计算额外的核；这以相加的方式继续，直到包括所有研究区域。仅就SJR计算的95%和50%KDEs的范围分别为21至35 公里和4至19 公里。对所有综合研究区域计算的95%和50%KDEs分别为116~217 公里和9~70 公里。这项研究说明了使用有限的研究区域可能在多大程度上低估了家庭范围，并展示了开展协作科学的好处。
Abstract Knowledge of an animal’s home range is a crucial component in making informed management decisions. However, many home range studies are limited by study area size, and therefore may underestimate the size of the home range. In many cases, individuals have been shown to travel outside of the study area and utilize a larger area than estimated by the study design. In this study, data collected by multiple research groups studying bottlenose dolphins on the east coast of Florida were combined to determine how home range estimates increased with increasing study area size. Home range analyses utilized photo-identification data collected from 6 study areas throughout the St Johns River (SJR; Jacksonville, FL, USA) and adjacent waterways, extending a total of 253 km to the southern end of Mosquito Lagoon in the Indian River Lagoon Estuarine System. Univariate kernel density estimates (KDEs) were computed for individuals with 10 or more sightings (n = 20). Kernels were calculated for the primary study area (SJR) first, then additional kernels were calculated by combining the SJR and the next adjacent waterway; this continued in an additive fashion until all study areas were included. The 95% and 50% KDEs calculated for the SJR alone ranged from 21 to 35 km and 4 to 19 km, respectively. The 95% and 50% KDEs calculated for all combined study areas ranged from 116 to 217 km and 9 to 70 km, respectively. This study illustrates the degree to which home range may be underestimated by the use of limited study areas and demonstrates the benefits of conducting collaborative science.