When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement
Abstract Animal movement is essential to our understanding of population dynamics, animal behavior, and the impacts of global change. Coupled with high-resolution biotelemetry data, exciting new inferences about animal movement have been facilitated by various specifications of contemporary models....
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ftbiomed:oai:biomedcentral.com:s40462-014-0021-6 2023-05-15T18:49:38+02:00 When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement McClintock, Brett T Johnson, Devin S Hooten, Mevin B Ver Hoef, Jay M Morales, Juan M 2014-10-15 http://www.movementecologyjournal.com/content/2/1/21 en eng BioMed Central Ltd. http://www.movementecologyjournal.com/content/2/1/21 Copyright 2014 McClintock et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. Animal location data Diffusion Movement model Random walk State-space model Switching behavior Telemetry Review 2014 ftbiomed 2014-10-25T23:54:22Z Abstract Animal movement is essential to our understanding of population dynamics, animal behavior, and the impacts of global change. Coupled with high-resolution biotelemetry data, exciting new inferences about animal movement have been facilitated by various specifications of contemporary models. These approaches differ, but most share common themes. One key distinction is whether the underlying movement process is conceptualized in discrete or continuous time. This is perhaps the greatest source of confusion among practitioners, both in terms of implementation and biological interpretation. In general, animal movement occurs in continuous time but we observe it at fixed discrete-time intervals. Thus, continuous time is conceptually and theoretically appealing, but in practice it is perhaps more intuitive to interpret movement in discrete intervals. With an emphasis on state-space models, we explore the differences and similarities between continuous and discrete versions of mechanistic movement models, establish some common terminology, and indicate under which circumstances one form might be preferred over another. Counter to the overly simplistic view that discrete- and continuous-time conceptualizations are merely different means to the same end, we present novel mathematical results revealing hitherto unappreciated consequences of model formulation on inferences about animal movement. Notably, the speed and direction of movement are intrinsically linked in current continuous-time random walk formulations, and this can have important implications when interpreting animal behavior. We illustrate these concepts in the context of state-space models with multiple movement behavior states using northern fur seal ( Callorhinus ursinus ) biotelemetry data. Review Callorhinus ursinus Northern fur seal BioMed Central |
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BioMed Central |
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ftbiomed |
language |
English |
topic |
Animal location data Diffusion Movement model Random walk State-space model Switching behavior Telemetry |
spellingShingle |
Animal location data Diffusion Movement model Random walk State-space model Switching behavior Telemetry McClintock, Brett T Johnson, Devin S Hooten, Mevin B Ver Hoef, Jay M Morales, Juan M When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
topic_facet |
Animal location data Diffusion Movement model Random walk State-space model Switching behavior Telemetry |
description |
Abstract Animal movement is essential to our understanding of population dynamics, animal behavior, and the impacts of global change. Coupled with high-resolution biotelemetry data, exciting new inferences about animal movement have been facilitated by various specifications of contemporary models. These approaches differ, but most share common themes. One key distinction is whether the underlying movement process is conceptualized in discrete or continuous time. This is perhaps the greatest source of confusion among practitioners, both in terms of implementation and biological interpretation. In general, animal movement occurs in continuous time but we observe it at fixed discrete-time intervals. Thus, continuous time is conceptually and theoretically appealing, but in practice it is perhaps more intuitive to interpret movement in discrete intervals. With an emphasis on state-space models, we explore the differences and similarities between continuous and discrete versions of mechanistic movement models, establish some common terminology, and indicate under which circumstances one form might be preferred over another. Counter to the overly simplistic view that discrete- and continuous-time conceptualizations are merely different means to the same end, we present novel mathematical results revealing hitherto unappreciated consequences of model formulation on inferences about animal movement. Notably, the speed and direction of movement are intrinsically linked in current continuous-time random walk formulations, and this can have important implications when interpreting animal behavior. We illustrate these concepts in the context of state-space models with multiple movement behavior states using northern fur seal ( Callorhinus ursinus ) biotelemetry data. |
format |
Review |
author |
McClintock, Brett T Johnson, Devin S Hooten, Mevin B Ver Hoef, Jay M Morales, Juan M |
author_facet |
McClintock, Brett T Johnson, Devin S Hooten, Mevin B Ver Hoef, Jay M Morales, Juan M |
author_sort |
McClintock, Brett T |
title |
When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
title_short |
When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
title_full |
When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
title_fullStr |
When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
title_full_unstemmed |
When to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
title_sort |
when to be discrete: the importance of time formulation in understanding animal movement |
publisher |
BioMed Central Ltd. |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://www.movementecologyjournal.com/content/2/1/21 |
genre |
Callorhinus ursinus Northern fur seal |
genre_facet |
Callorhinus ursinus Northern fur seal |
op_relation |
http://www.movementecologyjournal.com/content/2/1/21 |
op_rights |
Copyright 2014 McClintock et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. |
_version_ |
1766243236137926656 |