Automated data analysis to rapidly derive and communicate ecological insights from satellite-tag data: A case study of reintroduced red kites

Rene Van Der Wal, Cheng Zeng, Danny Heptinstall, Kapila Ponnamperuma, Chris Mellish, Stuart Benn, Advaith Siddharthan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)
6 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Analysis of satellite-telemetry data mostly occurs long after it has been collected, due to the time and effort needed to collate and interpret such material. Delayed reporting reduces the usefulness of such data for nature conservation where timely information about animal movements is required. To counter this problem, we present a novel approach which combines automated analysis of satellite-telemetry data with rapid communication of insights derived from such data. A relatively simple algorithm (based on radial and angular velocity calculated from fixes) allowed instantaneous detection of excursions away from settlement areas and automated calculation of home ranges on the remaining data. Automating the detection of both excursions and home-range calculations enabled us to disseminate ecological insights from satellite-tag data instantaneously through a dedicated web portal. The automated analysis, interpretation, and communication of satellite-tag and other ecological data offer clear benefits to nature conservation research and practice.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S612-S623
Number of pages12
JournalAmbio
Volume44
Issue numberSuppl. 4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Oct 2015

Keywords

  • automated home-range calculation
  • red kite reintroduction
  • satellite-tag data
  • science communication

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