Resource Distribution and Population Monitoring

该项目的目的是确定如何罚款- 群体规模的尺度模式，个体间距离，群体 羚羊的间距和群体运动受到细- 规模、空间分布和食物供应的斑块性。 该项目既解决了当前重要的理论问题 在行为生态学中， 用于牧场管理和保护。 该研究将重点 主要是汤姆森瞪羚，并将在肯尼亚进行 为期三年 基础研究问题包括 对目前几种动物定居点的测试和改进 最佳群体规模模型 计算机绘图技术 将被用来定义食物块模式。 分散体 以及瞪羚在这些地区的活动情况， 使用高度精确的激光测距仪和 计算机化导航系统 食物摄入率将是 测量和无线电跟踪选定的个人，空中 调查，控制粮食分配， 将对其他羚羊物种进行比较观察， 进行。 调查人员将密切合作， 与几位肯尼亚生物学家： 保护国际，KREMU的大卫安德雷博士（肯尼亚 牧场环境监测股）和一名研究生 来自内罗毕大学。 KREMU负责监测 野生和家养牲畜对牧场的利用， 农业用地。 随着肯尼亚人口的持续增长， 必须就这三个问题作出重要决定， 关键资源。 他们目前的大部分数据都依赖于航空 调查。 他们对地面特别感兴趣 在这个项目中开发的技术，用于监测细粒度 动物的分散。 畜群的规模和移动速度可能会证明， 是一个更敏感和即时的生境质量指数 比动物的总密度还要高 韦斯特博士是 安博塞利国家公园的大型哺乳动物群落以及 马赛部落人及其牲畜的行为生态学。 他 将对牛群规模和间距进行平行研究， 国内股票，其中畜群规模，畜群移动率，和间- 可以实验性地操纵各个间距。 的 这两项研究的综合结果将具有重要意义 用于管理家养和野生畜群。

The objective of this project is to determine how the fine- scale patterns of herd size, inter-individual distance, herd spacing, and herd movement in antelope are affected by the fine- scale spatial distribution and patchiness of their food supply. The project both addresses important current theoretical issues in behavioral ecology and provides highly relevant information for range management and conservation. The study will focus primarily on Thomson's gazelles and will be carried out in Kenya for a three-year period. The basic research questions involve the testing and refinement of several current animal settlement and optimal group size models. Computerized graphical techniques will be used to define the food patch pattern. The dispersion and movement of gazelles over these areas will be mapped at intervals using a highly accurate laser rangefinder and a computerized navigational system. Food intake rates will be measured and radio-tracking of selected individuals, aerial surveys, controlled manipulations of food distributions, and comparative observations on other antelope species will be conducted. The investigators will be working in close collaboration with several Kenyan biologists: Dr. Jonah Western of Wildlife Conservation International, Dr. David Andere of KREMU (Kenya Rangeland Environmental Monitoring Unit), and a graduate student from the University of Nairobi. KREMU is charged with monitoring rangeland use by both wild and domestic stock as well as agricultural land use. As Kenya's population continues to grow, important decisions will have to be made concerning these three critical resources. Most of their current data rely on aerial surveys. They are particularly interested in the ground-level techniques developed in this project for monitoring fine-grained dispersion of animals. Herd size and movement rates may prove to be a more sensitive and instantaneous index of habitat quality than overall animal densities. Dr. Western is an expert on the large mammal community of Amboseli National Park as well as the behavioral ecology of the Maasai tribesmen and their cattle. He will be conducting parallel studies of herd size and spacing on domestic stock, where herd size, herd movement rate, and inter- individual spacing can be experimentally manipulated. The combined results of both studies will have important implications for the management of domestic and wild herds.