Tracking the Rapid Pace of GIS-Related Capabilities and Their Accessibility

Abstract With the rapid expansion of geographic information systems (GIS) technology and its integration into the wildlife biology field, it is becoming increasingly clear that having access to the full scope of its analytical tools will greatly improve our ability to study, understand, and manage wildlife populations. We use our long-term, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) research project as a case study to highlight the significant advances in GIS that have been benefiting investigations of wildlife. From initiation of our research, we included early GIS capabilities and we attempted to take advantage of advances as they occurred. Herein, we document changes that occurred in “wildlife GIS” over the last 15 years and how we applied them in our work. We identify a list of sources of GIS tools and data that are currently available and discuss their potential value to wildlife researchers and managers.

[1]  W. H. Anderson,et al.  A guide to remote sensing information for wildlife biologists , 1980 .

[2]  Gordon B. Stenhouse,et al.  Removing GPS collar bias in habitat selection studies , 2004 .

[3]  R. Lord,et al.  A RADIO-TRACKING SYSTEM FOR WILD ANIMALS , 1963 .

[4]  R. Rempel,et al.  Effects of differential correction on accuracy of a GPS animal location system , 1997 .

[5]  Brian S. Cade,et al.  Spatial analysis of sandhill crane nesting habitat , 1995 .

[6]  Kimberly G. Smith,et al.  A multivariate model of female black bear habitat use for a geographic information system , 1993 .

[7]  Pete Bettinger,et al.  Application of spatial technologies in wildlife biology. , 2005 .

[8]  W. Hargrove,et al.  EFFECTS OF FIRE SIZE AND PATTERN ON EARLY SUCCESSION IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK , 1997 .

[9]  E. Work,et al.  Utilization of satellite data for inventorying prairie ponds and lakes , 1976 .

[10]  Charles J. Amlaner,et al.  A Practical Guide to Radio Tracking , 1980 .

[11]  M. Boyce,et al.  Evaluating resource selection functions , 2002 .

[12]  John Sessions,et al.  Using Tabu search to schedule timber harvests subject to spatial wildlife goals for big game , 1997 .

[13]  William White,et al.  Design of a Miniature Radio Transmitter for Use in Animal Studies , 1959 .

[14]  Daniel L. Leedy.  Aerial Photographs, Their Interpretation and Suggested Uses in Wildlife Management , 1948 .

[15]  Y. Cohen,et al.  Accuracy of GPS telemetry collar locations with differential correction , 1997 .

[16]  L. M. Cowardin,et al.  Geographic information systems , 1994 .

[17]  L. D. Mech,et al.  Testing releasable GPS radiocollars on wolves and white-tailed deer , 1999 .

[18]  Christopher O. Kochanny,et al.  GPS radiotelemetry error and bias in mountainous terrain , 2002 .

[19]  Gary C. White,et al.  Analysis of Wildlife Radio-Tracking Data , 1990 .

[20]  David R. Breininger,et al.  Mapping Florida Scrub Jay habitat for purposes of land-use management , 1991 .

[21]  JOHN FIEBERG,et al.  A Long-Term Age-Specific Survival Analysis of Female White-Tailed Deer , 2006 .

[22]  Monica G. Turner,et al.  Landscape Heterogeneity and Ungulate Dynamics: What Spatial Scales are Important? , 1997 .

[23]  Jeff Dozier,et al.  Information Analysis of a Spatial Database for Ecological Land classification , 1990 .

[24]  David S. Gilmer,et al.  Inventory of wintering geese with a multispectral scanner , 1991 .

[25]  W. Daniel Edge,et al.  Using Wildlife Communities to Improve Vegetation Classification for Conserving Biodiversity , 1995 .

[26]  T. E. Strikwerda,et al.  Bird-borne satellite transmitter and location program , 1986 .

[27]  Monica G. Turner,et al.  Scale and heterogeneity in habitat selection by elk in Yellowstone National Park , 2003 .

[28]  Barry A. Sampson,et al.  ASSESSING THE RELATIONSHIP OF CONIFER THERMAL COVER TO WINTER DISTRIBUTION , MOVEMENTS , AND SURVIVAL OF FEMALE WHITE-TAILED DEER IN NORTH CENTRAL MINNESOTA , 2008 .

[29]  D. Klein,et al.  Using GIS to predict potential wildlife habitat: A case study of muskoxen in northern Alaska , 2002 .

[30]  Yosef Cohen,et al.  Effects of moose movement and habitat use on GPS collar performance , 1996 .

[31]  Wei Pan,et al.  Winter severity, survival, and cause-specific mortality of female white-tailed deer in north-central Minnesota , 2002 .

[32]  John Sessions,et al.  Combinatorial optimization of elk habitat effectiveness and timber harvest volume , 1999 .

[33]  R. W. Cannon,et al.  Use of Landsat Data to Evaluate Lesser Prairie Chicken Habitats in Western Oklahoma , 1982 .

[34]  M. Boyce,et al.  WOLVES INFLUENCE ELK MOVEMENTS: BEHAVIOR SHAPES A TROPHIC CASCADE IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK , 2005 .

[35]  Arthur R. Rodgers,et al.  PERFORMANCE OF A GPS ANIMAL LOCATION SYSTEM UNDER BOREAL FOREST CANOPY , 1995 .