Linking space use, individual fitness, and population dynamics to quantify the conservation value of geographic areas

管理和保护水生动物是具有挑战性的。海洋和淡水动物迁徙，随着时间的推移改变它们的分布，很难监测。我的研究小组的主要目标将是开发工具来量化地理区域对水生物种的价值。为了做到这一点，我将运动数据与身体状况、压力水平、繁殖成功和种群数量数据联系起来。确定栖息地利用、繁殖条件和种群过程之间的关系，将使我的研究小组能够确定对水生物种生存至关重要的栖息地，这是制定保护和管理规划的关键一步。由于用于跟踪水生动物运动的技术带来了巨大的测量误差等技术挑战，我的研究计划的进一步重点将是开发能够应对这些挑战的新统计工具。虽然我将要开发的方法将适用于加拿大和其他地方的许多物种，但我将采取多物种的方法，重点关注加拿大北极和亚南极岛屿的三个极地研究系统。首先，我将使用声学遥测来确定本地斑马鱼的栖息地用途和影响引进褐鲑鱼传播的因素。保护斑马鱼的栖息地，阻止外来物种的传播，威胁到它们的灭绝，是福克兰群岛的保护重点。我的工作将直接有助于这些物种的管理。其次，我将使用卫星遥测来确定正图企鹅在福克兰群岛周围的海洋栖息地的用途，那里正在进行大量的渔业和石油开发。企鹅是福克兰群岛的标志性野生动物景点，那里的旅游业是

Managing and conserving aquatic animals is challenging. Marine and freshwater animals migrate, change their distribution through time, and are difficult to monitor. The primary goal of my research group will be to develop tools to quantify the value of geographic areas for aquatic species. To do so, I will link movement data with body condition, stress levels, breeding success, and population size data. Determining the relationships between habitat utilization, reproductive condition, and population processes will allow my research group to identify habitats important to the survival of aquatic species, which is a crucial step towards conservation and management planning. Because the technology used to track the movement of aquatic animals presents technical challenges such as large measurement errors, a further focus of my research program will be to develop new statistical tools that can handle these challenges. While the methods I will develop will be applicable to many species in Canada and elsewhere, I will take a multi-species approach focused on three polar study systems from the Canadian Arctic and sub-Antarctic islands. First, I will use acoustic telemetry to identify the habitat use of native zebra trout and factors affecting the spread of introduced brown trout. Protecting the habitat of zebra trout and stopping the spread of the introduced species threatening them with extirpation are conservation priorities in the Falkland Islands. My work will directly contribute to the management of these species. Second, I will use satellite telemetry to identify the marine habitat use of gentoo penguins around the Falklands, where substantial fishing and oil development is occurring. Penguins are an iconic wildlife attraction in the Falklands, where tourism is the 2