The Problem of Linear Home Range Estimation

ABSTRACT:Typically, in resource selection studies, the spatial extent of a home range is estimated first and then the available resources within that home range are quantified. For animals whose habitat is constrained by linear environmental features, such as Blakiston's fish owl (Ketupa blakistoni), traditional home range estimators often overestimate home range size, which can lead to spurious analysis of resource availability and selection. As part of our resource selection study between 2006-2011 we used a synoptic model to estimate Blakiston's fish owl home ranges that explicitly accounts for resource selection and compared these results to traditional home range estimators. Mean annual home range size (± standard error) for all fish owls was 10.4±1.1 square km (n = 7) using the synoptic model, and 24.5±4.7 square km using kernel density estimators. Fish owls selected areas that were within valleys , were closer to water, and had more river channels than available sites. The synoptic model provided a more biologically-realistic home range estimate for this river-dependent species than traditional home range estimators, which allowed estimation of specific resources to guide conservation efforts. This model has broad application for species using habitats that are linear in form.

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