Application of a high‐resolution animal‐borne remote video camera with global positioning for wildlife study: Observations on the secret lives of woodland caribou

Thompson, Ian D.; Bakhtiari, Mehdi; Rodgers, Arthur R.; Baker, James Α.; Fryxell, John M.; Iwachewski, Edward

doi:10.1002/wsb.130

Cited by 33 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…When combined with GPS units, these sensors allow scientists to spatially and temporally reference a suite of co-registered data. For example, cameras have been used to record short videos on pre-programmed schedules, yielding qualitative data on ground conditions (Thompson et al 2012), with potential for remote documentation of a suite of vegetation and snowpack characteristics. In an analogous application, oceanographic sensors have been deployed on narwhals (Monodon monoceros) to make deep-water observations in Arctic waters that were otherwise unobtainable (Laidre and Heide-Jørgensen 2007).…”

Section: Ground-based Measurements Of Snowscape Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating snow science and wildlife ecology in Arctic-boreal North America

Boelman

Liston

Gurarie

et al. 2019

Environ. Res. Lett.

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Snow covers Arctic and boreal regions (ABRs) for approximately 9 months of the year, thus snowscapes dominate the form and function of tundra and boreal ecosystems. In recent decades, Arctic warming has changed the snowcover's spatial extent and distribution, as well as its seasonal timing and duration, while also altering the physical characteristics of the snowpack. Understanding the little studied effects of changing snowscapes on its wildlife communities is critical. The goal of this paper is to demonstrate the urgent need for, and suggest an approach for developing, an improved suite of temporally evolving, spatially distributed snow products to help understand how dynamics in snowscape properties impact wildlife, with a specific focus on Alaska and northwestern Canada. Via consideration of existing knowledge of wildlife-snow interactions, currently available snow products for focus region, and results of three case studies, we conclude that improving snow science in the ABR will be best achieved by focusing efforts on developing data-model fusion approaches to produce fitfor-purpose snow products that include, but are not limited to, wildlife ecology. The relative wealth of coordinated in situ measurements, airborne and satellite remote sensing data, and modeling tools being collected and developed as part of NASA's Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment and SnowEx campaigns, for example, provide a data rich environment for developing and testing new remote sensing algorithms and retrievals of snowscape properties.

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Section: Ground-based Measurements Of Snowscape Propertiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Integrating snow science and wildlife ecology in Arctic-boreal North America

Boelman

Liston

Gurarie

et al. 2019

Environ. Res. Lett.

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“…Feeding and other activities were recorded by the remote video camera units (Thompson et al 2012). We programmed the video cameras to record 10 s video segments every 5 min on a duty cycle from 0800 to 1000 and again from 1500 to 1700 each day.…”

Section: Study Areas and Radio-collaring Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We downloaded the video data from the camera cards and GPS locations and activity data from the radio collars to a spreadsheet program. Other technical details about the video camera units were provided in Thompson et al (2012).…”

Section: Study Areas and Radio-collaring Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Factors influencing the seasonal diet selection by woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in boreal forests in Ontario

et al. 2015

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We used remote video cameras to assess seasonal diet composition of woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus tarandus (L., 1758)) at three areas across the boreal forest of Ontario. Caribou consume lichens in winter, but we expected they would significantly reduce lichen consumption in favour of higher protein levels in green plants in summer. We sampled videos from 23 caribou, from 2 years, to derive seasonal diet composition. Diet differed among seasons and study areas, except in winter when lichens dominated. Diet breadth doubled from winter to summer, but overlap between seasons was still >60%. Green plants were less commonly eaten than we expected, only three genera were preferred, and few species constituted more than 2% of the diet. Preferred foods varied by land-cover types. Diet differed between managed and unmanaged landscapes but did not result from use of plant species found in successional habitats. Caribou selected a nonoptimal diet in the snow-free seasons, especially with respect to protein, suggesting factors other than nutrition influenced diet choice, and indicating the possibility of bottom-up limitation on production.Résumé : Nous avons utilisé des caméras vidéo à distance pour évaluer la composition saisonnière du régime alimentaire du caribou forestier (Rangifer tarandus tarandus (L., 1758)) dans trois régions de la forêt boréale ontarienne. Les caribous consomment des lichens en hiver, mais il était attendu qu'ils réduiraient significativement leur consommation de lichens en été, pour se tourner vers les plantes vertes, qui offrent de plus fortes teneurs en protéines. Nous avons échantillonné des vidéos de 23 caribous sur 2 ans, afin de déterminer la composition saisonnière du régime alimentaire. Ce dernier variait selon la saison et la région étudiée, sauf en hiver, quand les lichens prédominaient. L'étendue du régime alimentaire était deux fois plus grande en été qu'en hiver, mais le chevauchement entre les saisons était néanmoins de >60 %. Les plantes vertes étaient moins largement consommées que prévu, seuls trois genres étaient privilégiés, et peu d'espèces constituaient plus de 2 % de l'alimentation. Les aliments privilégiés variaient selon le type de couverture du sol. Le régime alimentaire variait selon que le paysage faisait ou non l'objet d'une gestion, mais aucune différence ne découlait de l'utilisation d'espèces de plantes présentes dans les habitats de succession. Les caribous choisissaient un régime alimentaire non optimal durant les saisons sans neige, particulièrement en ce qui concerne les protéines, donnant à penser que des facteurs autres que la nutrition influencent les choix alimentaires et indiquant la possibilité d'une limitation ascendante de la production. [Traduit par la Rédaction] Mots-clés : caribou forestier, boréal, choix du régime alimentaire, lichens, limitation ascendante, Rangifer tarandus tarandus.

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“…Walker et al () developed a software package termed Framework4 to analyze the sensor data collected by smart sensors in the daily diary. Thompson et al () used high resolution video cameras and GPS telemetry collars to successfully document feeding habits and parturition sites of caribou in Ontario, Canada. They were able to accurately locate browsing sites and time spent on different daily behaviors.…”

Section: Biologging and Positional Technologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Avoiding the scale sampling problem: A consilient solution

Bissonette

2016

J Wildl Manag

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What if there was a way to solve one of the most complex and important scale challenges that ecologists face: the selection of the appropriate sampling scale resolution and extent when conducting studies. To date, the investigator conducting any study has been tasked with this challenge. Qualitatively different patterns arise as the scale resolution or extent of the observation is changed. Likewise, different patterns arise as the scales of the sampling are changed. Too often, data at one resolution are aggregated or interpretations of patterns at smaller scale resolutions and extents are extrapolated to larger extents. When this is done, either modifiable areal unit problems or extrapolation errors arise. I argue that consilient developments in movement ecology, graph (network) theory and analyses, and important technical advances in biologging can be linked synergistically to directly address the sampling scale problem, particularly in studies where understanding animal response to changing landscapes is the goal. The essence of the solution is that rather than having to decide the spatial extent and resolution to use, the issue is avoided by allowing the telemetered animal to show the relevant scales it uses as it moves during its daily, seasonal, and annual activities. The consilient result is that big data at the appropriate scales can be extracted rather than aggregated as is now the rule. Without data aggregation, no modifiable areal unit problems are involved because the dynamics are network based. Additionally, use of first passage time methodology and measurement of area‐restricted movements allow assessments of the scales of activity and the effects of environmental covariates on animal movement. I begin with a brief history of the concept of scale, describing what is considered to be the essence of the problem. I follow with a brief explanation of the developments in movement ecology, graph theory and analysis, and the technical advancements in biologging with examples from studies of wildlife species that are using these new developments. I then describe how their consilient integration can provide a different way of thinking about scale resolution and extent in ecology and suggest how ecologists can avoid the observer sampling scale complication by making a critical scale distinction and by using first passage time analyses. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

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Application of a high‐resolution animal‐borne remote video camera with global positioning for wildlife study: Observations on the secret lives of woodland caribou

Cited by 33 publications

References 14 publications

Integrating snow science and wildlife ecology in Arctic-boreal North America

Integrating snow science and wildlife ecology in Arctic-boreal North America

Factors influencing the seasonal diet selection by woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in boreal forests in Ontario

Avoiding the scale sampling problem: A consilient solution

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