Resource Distribution and Population Monitoring

资源分布和人口监测

• 批准号: 8717668
• 负责人: Sandra Vehrencamp
• 金额: $ 29.73万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1988
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1988-04-01 至 1992-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8717668&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Resource; Distribution; Population; Monitoring

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.

摘要本研究的目的是研究羚羊食物供应的空间分布和斑块性对种群规模、个体间距离、种群间距和种群运动的影响。该项目既解决了当前行为生态学中的重要理论问题，又为范围管理和保护提供了高度相关的信息。这项研究将主要关注汤姆逊瞪羚，并将在肯尼亚进行为期三年的研究。基础研究问题包括测试和改进几种现有的动物定居和最优群体规模模型。计算机图形技术将用于确定食品贴片的模式。利用高精度的激光测距仪和计算机导航系统，每隔一段时间就会绘制出瞪羚在这些地区的分布和运动情况。将测量食物摄取率，并对选定的个体进行无线电跟踪，进行空中调查，控制食物分配，并对其他羚羊物种进行比较观察。调查人员将与几位肯尼亚生物学家密切合作：国际野生动物保护组织的乔纳·韦斯特博士、肯尼亚牧场环境监测单位的戴维·安德雷博士和内罗毕大学的一名研究生。KREMU负责监测野生和家养牲畜对牧场的利用以及农业用地的利用。随着肯尼亚人口的持续增长，必须就这三种关键资源作出重要决定。他们目前的大部分数据依赖于航空调查。他们特别感兴趣的是在这个项目中开发的用于监测动物细粒度分散的地面技术。兽群大小和移动速度可能是比动物总密度更敏感和即时的栖息地质量指标。韦斯特博士是安博塞利国家公园（Amboseli National Park）大型哺乳动物群落以及马赛部落（Maasai）人和他们的牛的行为生态学方面的专家。他将对国内家畜进行畜群规模和间距的平行研究，畜群规模、畜群移动率和个体间间距可以通过实验进行操纵。这两项研究的综合结果将对家畜和野生兽群的管理产生重要影响。