Statistical Modeling of Multidimensional Movements of Free Ranging Animals

Brillinger, Kie， Preisler和Stewart 9704739这项跨学科研究的目的是基于海洋哺乳动物和陆地动物在其他运动实体中的记录轨迹来开发多维运动模型。一个中心目标是发展灵活的模型，以适应各种动物类群的运动，它们的种内和种间相互作用，以及它们与环境的相互作用。例如，描述动物在海洋中长距离旅行的轨迹需要球体上扩散过程的模型。随机微分方程必须适应这种情况，特别是要包括协变量、非参数系数和非高斯过程。扩散过程的基本推理方面，其中许多尚未研究，特别是在动物运动方面，也将在本研究中进行探讨。将分析两个主要数据集。其中一个是北太平洋海象3至8个月的迁徙期间的地理位置（每天确定）和潜水深度（每30至60秒确定）。第二个数据集包括落基山麋鹿和骡鹿每小时的位置，以及栖息地类型的地理信息。由于动物的运动是由环境的生物和物理特征决定的，并且可能会随着气候的变化而变化，因此本研究涉及国家科学基金会总体框架内的环境和全球变化战略领域。将要开发的运动模型将允许对变化的时间和空间方面以及野生动物对此的反应进行正式评估。

Brillinger, Kie, Preisler and Stewart 9704739 This interdisciplinary research is aimed toward developing multidimensional models of motion based on recorded trajectories of marine mammals and terrestrial animals among other moving entities. One central objective is the development of flexible models that can accommodate the movements of a variety of faunal taxa, their intra- and inter-specific interactions, and their interactions with the environment. Characterizing the trajectories of animals traveling great distances through the oceans for example requires models for diffusion processes on the sphere. Stochastic differential equations will have to be adapted to this situation and in particular to include covariates, nonparametric coefficients and non- Gaussian processes. Basic inferential aspects of diffusion processes, many of which are as yet unstudied particularly with respect to animal movement, will also be explored in this study. Two primary data sets will be analyzed. One consists of geographic locations (determined daily) and dive depth (determined every 30s to 60s) of northern elephant seals during their migrations of 3 to 8 months in the north Pacific. The second data set consists of hourly locations of Rocky Mountain elk and mule deer, together with geographic information on habitat types. Since animal movements are determined by biological and physical features of the environment and this may be anticipated to vary with the climate, this research relates to the Strategic Area of environment and global change within the general framework of the National Science Foundation. The movement models to be developed will allow formal assessment of temporal and spatial aspects of change and of wildlife responses to them.