Research Techniques in Animal Ecology

by Boitani, Luigi; Fuller, Todd K.

• ISBN13: 9780231113403
• ISBN10: 0231113404
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2000-06-01
• Publisher: Columbia Univ Pr

Summary

The present biodiversity crisis is rife with opportunities to make important conservation decisions; however, the misuse or misapplication of the methods and techniques of animal ecology can have serious consequences for the survival of species. Still, there have been relatively few critical reviews of methodology in the field. This book provides an analysis of some of the most frequently used research techniques in animal ecology, identifying their limitations and misuses, as well as possible solutions to avoid such pitfalls. In the process, contributors to this volume present new perspectives on the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data. Research Techniques in Animal Ecology is an overarching account of central theoretical and methodological controversies in the field, rather than a handbook on the minutiae of techniques. The editors have forged comprehensive presentations of key topics in animal ecology, such as territory and home range estimates, habitation evaluation, population viability analysis, GIS mapping, and measuring the dynamics of societies. Striking a careful balance, each chapter begins by assessing the shortcomings and misapplications of the techniques in question, followed by a thorough review of the current literature, and concluding with possible solutions and suggested guidelines for more robust investigations.

Table of Contents

Authors	xv
List of Illustrations	xix
List of Tables	xxiii
Preface	xxv
Hypothesis Testing in Ecology	1	(14)
Charles J. Krebs
Some Definitions	1	(2)
What Is a Hypothesis?	3	(1)
Hypotheses and Models	4	(2)
Hypotheses and Paradigms	6	(2)
Statistical Hypotheses	8	(2)
Hypotheses and Prediction	10	(2)
Acknowledgments	12	(1)
Literature Cited	12	(3)
A Critical Review of the Effects of Marking on the Biology of Vertebrates	15	(50)
Dennis L. Murray
Mark R. Fuller
Review of the Literature	16	(24)
Which Markers to Use?	17	(1)
Effects of Markers Among Taxa	17	(18)
Critique of Marker Evaluation Studies	35	(2)
Review of Current Guidance Available for Choosing Markers	37	(2)
Critique of Guidelines Available for Choosing Markers	39	(1)
Survey of Recent Ecological Studies	40	(2)
Future Approaches	42	(4)
Study Protocols and Technological Advances	43	(1)
Marker Evaluation Studies	44	(2)
Acknowledgments	46	(1)
Literature Cited	46	(19)
Animal Home Ranges and Territories and Home Range Estimators	65	(46)
Roger A. Powell
Definition of Home Range	65	(5)
Territories	70	(4)
Estimating Animals' Home Ranges	74	(20)
Utility Distributions	75	(2)
Grids	77	(2)
Minimum Convex Polygon	79	(1)
Circle and Ellipse Approaches	80	(1)
Fourier Series	80	(1)
Harmonic Mean Distribution	81	(1)
Fractal Estimators	82	(4)
Kernel Estimators	86	(5)
Home Range Core	91	(3)
Quantifying Home Range Overlap and Territoriality	94	(6)
Static Interactions	95	(2)
Dynamic Interactions	97	(1)
Testing for Territoriality	98	(2)
Lessons	100	(3)
Acknowledgments	103	(1)
Literature Cited	103	(8)
Delusions in Habitat Evaluation: Measuring Use, Selection, and Importance	111	(54)
David L. Garshelis
Terminology	112	(2)
Methods for Evaluating Habitat Selection, Preference, and Quality	114	(4)
Use--Availability Design	114	(3)
Site Attribute Design	117	(1)
Demographic Response Design	118	(1)
Problems with Use--Availability and Site Attribute Designs	118	(26)
Defining Habitats	118	(2)
Measuring Habitat Use	120	(2)
Measuring Habitat Availability	122	(5)
Assessing Habitat Selection: Fatal Flaw 1	127	(12)
Inferring Habitat Quality: Fatal Flaw 2	139	(5)
Advantages and Problems of the Demographic Response Design	144	(3)
Applications and Recommendations	147	(6)
Acknowledgments	153	(1)
Literature Cited	153	(12)
Investigating Food Habits of Terrestrial Vertebrates	165	(1)
John A. Litvaitis
Conventional Approaches and Their Limitations	166	(1)
Direct Observation	166	(1)
Lead Animals	167	(1)
Feeding Site Surveys	167	(3)
Exclosures	170	(1)
Postingestion Samples	170	(5)
Evaluating the Importance of Specific Foods and Prey	175	(1)
Use, Selection, or Preference?	175	(1)
Availability Versus Abundance	175	(1)
Cafeteria Experiments	176	(1)
Innovations	176	(5)
Improvements on Lead Animal Studies	176	(1)
Use of Isotope Ratios	177	(1)
Experimental Manipulations	177	(2)
The Role of Foraging Theory in Understanding Food Habits	179	(2)
Lessons	181	(2)
Sample Resolution and Information Obtained	181	(1)
Improving Sample Resolution and Information Content	182	(1)
Literature Cited	183	(8)
Detecting Stability and Causes of Change in Population Density	191	(213)
Joseph S. Elkinton
Detection of Density Dependence	193	(6)
Analysis of Time Series of Density	193	(3)
Analysis of Data on Mortality or Survival	196	(3)
Detection of Delayed Density Dependence	199	(2)
Detection of Causes of Population Change	201	(4)
Key Factor Analysis	201	(4)
Experimental Manipulation	205	(3)
Conclusions	208	(1)
Literature Cited	209	(4)
Monitoring Populations	213	(40)
James P. Gibbs
Index-Abundance Relationships	214	(7)
Types of Indices	214	(1)
Index-Abundance Functions	215	(2)
Variability of Index-Abundance Functions	217	(3)
Improving Index Surveys	220	(1)
Spatial Aspects of Measuring Changes in Indices	221	(1)
Monitoring Indices Over Time	222	(7)
Power Estimation for Monitoring Programs	223	(1)
Variability of Indices of Animal Abundance	224	(3)
Sampling Requirements for Robust Monitoring Programs	227	(1)
Setting Objectives for a Monitoring Program	228	(1)
Conclusions	229	(3)
Acknowledgments	232	(1)
Appendix 7.1	233	(14)
Literature Cited	247	(6)
Modeling Predator-Prey Dynamics	253	(35)
Mark S. Boyce
Modeling Approaches for Predator-Prey Systems	254	(19)
Noninteractive Models	255	(5)
True Predator-Prey Models	260	(9)
Stochastic Models	269	(1)
Autoregressive Models	270	(3)
Fitting the Model to Data	273	(2)
Bayesian Statistics	273	(1)
Best Guess Followed by Adaptive Management	273	(2)
Choosing a Good Model	275	(4)
How Much Detail?	275	(2)
Model Validation	277	(2)
Recommendations	279	(2)
Remember the Audience	279	(2)
Conclusion	281	(1)
Acknowledgments	281	(1)
Literature Cited	282	(6)
Population Viability Analysis: Data Requirements and Essential Analyses	288	(44)
Gary C. White
Qualitative Observations About Population Persistence	290	(3)
Generalities	290	(2)
Contradictions	292	(1)
Sources of Variation Affecting Population Persistence	293	(10)
No Variation	293	(1)
Stochastic Variation	293	(2)
Demographic Variation	295	(2)
Temporal Variation	297	(3)
Spatial Variation	300	(1)
Individual Variation	300	(3)
Process Variation	303	(1)
Components of a PVA	303	(2)
Direct Estimation of Variance Components	305	(7)
Indirect Estimation of Variance Components	312	(1)
Bootstrap Approach	313	(1)
Basic Population Model and Density Dependence	314	(5)
Incorporation of Parameter Uncertainty into Persistence Estimates	319	(3)
Discussion	322	(3)
Conclusion	325	(2)
Literature Cited	327	(5)
Measuring the Dynamics of Mammalian Societies: An Ecologist's Guide to Ethological Methods	332	(57)
David W. Macdonald
Paul D. Stewart
Pavel Stopka
Nobuyuki Yamaguchi
Social Dynamics	332	(2)
Context	334	(1)
Why Study Social Dynamics?	335	(2)
Evolution of Sociality	335	(1)
Conservation Applications	335	(1)
Understanding Ourselves	336	(1)
How to Describe Social Dynamics	337	(3)
Action, Interaction, and Relationships	337	(1)
Social Networks	338	(1)
Social Structure, from Surface to Deep	339	(1)
Behavioral Parameters	340	(22)
The Bout	340	(3)
Stationarity	343	(1)
The Ethogram	343	(2)
Beware Teleology	345	(2)
Classifications of Behavioral Interactions	347	(15)
Methods for Behavioral Measurement	362	(7)
Identifying the Individual	362	(2)
Sampling and Recording Rules	364	(1)
Ad Libitum Sampling	365	(1)
Focal Sampling	365	(1)
Time Sampling	366	(2)
Techniques for Behavioral Measurement	368	(1)
Analysis of Observational Data	369	(11)
Statistical Rationality	370	(1)
Matrix Facilities: Analyzing Sequential Data	371	(3)
Lag Sequential and Nested Analysis	374	(1)
Searching for a Behavioral Pattern (Markov Chain)	375	(1)
Predictability of Behavior	376	(2)
Sequences Through the Mist	378	(2)
Acknowledgments	380	(1)
Literature Cited	380	(9)
Modeling Species Distribution with GIS	389	(46)
Fabio Corsi
Jan de Leeuw
Andrew K. Skidmore
Terminology	391	(1)
Habitat Definitions and Use	392	(4)
General Structure of GIS-Based Models	396	(7)
Literature Review	401	(2)
Modeling Issues	403	(19)
Clear Objectives	403	(2)
Assumptions	405	(3)
Spatial and Temporal Scale	408	(4)
Data Availability	412	(1)
Validation and Accuracy Assessment	413	(9)
Discussion	422	(2)
Conclusions	424	(1)
Acknowledgments	425	(1)
Notes	425	(1)
Literature Cited	426	(9)
Index	435