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242 results for “occupancy data”
Data from: Long-term demographic surveys reveal a consistent relationship between average occupancy and abundance within local populations of a butterfly metapopulation
<p>Species distribution models are the tool of choice for large-scale population monitoring, environmental association studies, and predictions of range shifts under future environmental conditions. Available data and familiarity of the tools rather than the underlying population dynamics often dictate the choice of specific method — especially for the case of presence–absence data. Yet, for predictive purposes, the relationship between occupancy and abundance embodied in the models should reflect the actual population dynamics of the modelled species. To understand the relationship of occupancy and abundance in a heterogeneous landscape at the scale of local populations, we built a spatio-temporal regression model of populations of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) in a Baltic Sea archipelago. Our data comprised nineteen years of habitat surveys and snapshot data of land use in the region. We used variance partitioning to quantify relative contributions of land use, habitat quality, and metapopulation covariates. The model revealed a consistent and positive, but noisy relationship between average occupancy and mean abundance in local populations. Patterns of abundance were highly variable across years, with large uncorrelated random variation and strong local population stochasticity. In contrast, the spatio-temporal random effect, habitat quality, population connectivity, and patch size explained variation in occupancy, vindicating metapopulation theory as the basis for modelling occupancy patterns in fragmented landscapes. Previous abundance was an important predictor in the occupancy model, which points to a spillover of abundance into occupancy dynamics. While occupancy models can successfully model large-scale population structure and average occupancy, extinction probability estimates for local populations derived from occupancy-only models are overconfident, as extinction risk is dependent on actual, not average, abundance.</p>
Data from: Modelling misclassification in multi-species acoustic data when estimating occupancy and relative activity
<p>1. Surveying wildlife communities provides data for informing conservation and management decisions that affect multiple species. Autonomous recording units (ARUs) can efficiently gather community data for a variety of taxa, but generally require software algorithms to classify each recorded call to a species. Species classification errors are possible during this process and result in both false negative and false positive detections. Available approaches for analysing ARU data do not model the species classification probabilities, meaning erroneous detections are attributed to an omnibus source instead of the presence of another species. Additionally, counts of call recordings for each species are often summarized to binary detection data for analyses. Expanding statistical models to capture these nuances of ARU data would allow for improved inferences about occupancy and relative activity. 2. Motivated by bat acoustic surveys, we developed a model to analyse counts of call recordings from multiple species simultaneously while accounting for species classification errors. Our model expands on previously developed false positive occupancy models to better describe acoustic data. We used simulations to compare our model to other false positive occupancy models for an example scenario with ARU data from two species. We also analyse acoustic data for eight bat species in Montana using our model. 3. In simulations, single-species models resulted in biased estimates of occupancy and relative activity because they failed to associate false positives with the presence of the second species. Models analysing binary observations ignored available information on relative activity and led to less precise estimates. Applying our model to bat acoustic data from Montana allowed for species-specific estimates of occupancy and relative activity. This analysis illustrates the flexibility in our model framework while also highlighting the assumptions and data requirements for implementation. Specifically, additional information on the species classification probabilities is needed and we discuss considerations for reliably estimating these parameters. 4. Directly modelling the species classification probabilities allows for improved ecological inferences for both occupancy and relative activity using community ARU data. Our statistical framework helps address the challenges posed by acoustic data, allowing ecologists to better utilize this technology to monitor wildlife communities.</p>
Data from: Mapping and explaining wolf recolonization in France using dynamic occupancy models and opportunistic data
While large carnivores are recovering in Europe, assessing their distributions can help to predict and mitigate conflicts with human activities. Because they are highly mobile, elusive and live at very low density, modeling their distributions presents several challenges due to i) their imperfect detectability, ii) their dynamic ranges over time and iii) their monitoring at large scales consisting mainly of opportunistic data without a formal measure of the sampling effort. Here, we focused on wolves (Canis lupus) that have been recolonizing France since the early 90's. We evaluated the sampling effort a posteriori as the number of observers present per year in a cell based on their location and professional activities. We then assessed wolf range dynamics from 1994 to 2016, while accounting for species imperfect detection and time- and space-varying sampling effort using dynamic site-occupancy models. Ignoring the effect of sampling effort on species detectability led to underestimating the number of occupied sites by more than 50% on average. Colonization appeared to be negatively influenced by the proportion of a site with an altitude higher than 2500m and positively influenced by the number of observed occupied sites at short and longdistances , forest cover, farmland cover and mean altitude. The expansion rate, defined as the number of occupied sites in a given year divided by the number of occupied sites in the previous year, decreased over the first years of the study, then remained stable from 2000 to 2016. Our work shows that opportunistic data can be analyzed with species distribution models that control for imperfect detection, pending a quantification of sampling effort. Our approach has the potential for being used by decisionmakers to target sites where large carnivores are likely to occur and mitigate conflicts.
Data from: Effects of mountaintop removal mining and valley filling on the occupancy and abundance of stream salamanders
Human-induced land-use changes are among the primary causes of ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss. Across central Appalachia (USA), mountaintop removal mining and valley filling (MTR/VF) is the prevailing form of land-use change and represents a stressor to stream ecosystems. Salamanders are the dominant vertebrate in Appalachian headwater streams. Thus, we addressed the question: Is salamander occupancy and conditional abundance reduced in streams impacted by MTR/VF? We conducted repeated counts of adult and larval salamanders within 10-m reaches in 11 valley-filled streams and 12 reference streams in south-eastern Kentucky. Relationships between occupancy, conditional abundance, and site type (MTR/VF vs. reference) were modelled using the hurdle model (Ecology, 94, 2013 and 1472), where occupancy is modelled separately from abundance while accounting for differences in per-individual detection probabilities among groups. We found mean occupancy probabilities were >0·85 for all groups in reference reaches, whereas mean occupancy probabilities were relatively lower in MTR/VF reaches (ranging from 0·23 to 0·66). Posterior means of the difference in occupancy between site types were negative across all groups, although MTR/VF stream reaches were at least 95% less likely to be occupied by spring salamander Gyrinophilus porphyriticus, adult southern two-lined salamander Eurycea cirrigera and larval dusky salamanders Desmognathus compared to reference reaches. Posterior means of the difference in conditional abundance between MTR/VF and reference stream reaches were negative across all groups; 95% credible interval for difference in conditional abundance covered zero for only one species (red salamander Pseudotriton ruber). After adjusting for goodness-of-fit, point estimates of differences in occupancy and conditional abundance still remained below zero for most species. Additionally, MTR/VF reaches had higher ion concentrations, total organic carbon and specific conductance compared to reference reaches. Synthesis and applications. Our study concludes that mountaintop removal mining and valley filling (MTR/VF) reduces salamander occupancy and conditional abundance. Although the potential mechanisms responsible for reduction are numerous, our findings suggest a change in the current regulatory framework is needed to offset the impacts of MTR/VF on stream ecosystems and biota. Reclamation techniques that enhance conditions for vegetative succession within catchments may improve habitat on reclaimed surface mines.
Data from: A model for non-equilibrium metapopulation dynamics utilizing data on species occupancy, patch ages and landscape history
1. The distribution pattern of many species reflects the past rather than the current structure of landscapes. Consequently, species are most often not in equilibrium with the current landscape structure. Yet this is a well-known fact, there is no appropriate approach to estimate the colonization rate of non-equilibrium species based on only data on the species occurrence pattern in the landscape. 2. We present an approach to estimate the colonization rate of non-equilibrium metapopulations. The approach requires only data on species presence/absence among its patches (occurrence pattern), data on patch ages and data on the historic distribution of the patches in the landscape. By estimating the past occurrence patterns and colonization events leading to the current pattern of occupied and non-occupied patches, we estimate the colonization rate, including the dispersal kernel. We also show how to estimate effects of local patch conditions and how to include an independent estimate of the local extinction rate based on other data. We use nine epiphytic lichen species confined to beech trees to illustrate the method. 3. Five species had restricted dispersal range, between 200 and 4700 m, and their colonization rate decreased with increasing fragmentation. Species colonization rates were related to niche width. Among the demographic parameters, the force of colonization was more important than the dispersal range in explaining the colonization rates. Local patch conditions did not explain the colonization probability of any species. In metapopulation projections that did not account for restricted dispersal range, higher future metapopulation sizes were projected. 4. Synthesis. The presented approach uses data on only species occurrence, patch age and landscape history to estimate the species colonization rate and dispersal kernel. It can also utilize independent data on local extinction rate. Rather than identifying factors explaining the occurrence pattern, the model estimates the rate of change in the occurrence pattern. This dynamic modelling allows testing general and applied questions on the dynamics or viability of metapopulations of sessile species. The approach is applicable for species whose distribution pattern reflects the past rather than the current landscape structure, e.g. certain epiphytes and ground-floor plants.
Data from: Distribution models and a dated phylogeny for Chilean Oxalis species reveal occupation of new habitats by different lineages, not rapid adaptive radiation
Among the World's most challenging environments for plant life is the Atacama Desert, an arid zone extending over 1300 km and from sea level to 2000/3000 m along the southwestern Andean foothills. Plants there and in the adjacent Mediterranean zone exhibit striking adaptations, and we here use a species-rich such group to address the question whether adaptations arose in parallel, at different times, or simultaneously. Answering this type of question has been a major concern of evolutionary biology over the past few years, with a growing consensus that lineages tend to be conservative in their vegetative traits and niche requirements. Combined nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences for 112 species of Oxalidales (4900 aligned nucleotides) yielded a fossil-calibrated phylogeny that includes 43 of the 54 species of Oxalis occurring in Chile. Distribution models (SDMs) for these species that included precipitation, temperature, fog and/or vegetation types and the phylogeny were used to reconstruct ancestral habitat preferences, relying on likelihood and Bayesian techniques. Since uneven collecting can reduce the power of SDMs, we used a background sample from 1224 Chilean Oxalis collections to correct models for collecting effort. Models with just 10 of 19 bioclim parameters did as well as more parameter-rich models. Results reveal that the Oxalis flora of Chile consists of seven distant lineages that originated at different times prior to the last Andean uplift pulse and some of which had features pre-adapting them to seasonally arid or xeric conditions. The Mediterranean core zone, south of the Atacama, offered an ecological refuge for insufficiently arid-adapted species and harbors a mix of ancient and young groups. There is no evidence of rapid adaptive radiation.
Data from: Manipulating wetland hydroperiod to improve occupancy rates by an endangered amphibian: modelling management scenarios
Environmental managers have the difficult task of ensuring species persistence despite considerable uncertainty about their response to management. Spatially explicit population models provide one solution for simulating the dynamics of species and evaluating alternative management regimes. We used a Bayesian model to investigate wetland occupancy dynamics of the endangered growling grass frog Litoria raniformis at a wastewater treatment plant in southern Victoria, Australia. We coupled prior information from earlier research on this species with our survey data to quantify the effects of patch-scale variables and connectivity on the probabilities of occupancy, population extinction and colonization. Hydroperiods of 13 sites were experimentally enhanced to bolster occupancy rates by L. raniformis. We used simulations to assess the extent to which the enhanced hydroperiod regime improved the viability of the focal metapopulation. Occupancy rate increased by 15% among the enhanced sites in 2013–2014, whereas the rate of occupancy among unenhanced sites fell by 11% in that year. Forward simulation using the dynamic occupancy model suggested that the minimum occupancy rate across the metapopulation would be 18% higher if the enhanced hydroperiod regime was retained over the next 20 years. Mean posterior effects of patch-scale variables and connectivity on the occupancy dynamics of L. raniformis were consistent with the prior effect in all cases, with only small changes to the size of these effects. There was no clear effect of water chemistry on occupancy dynamics. Synthesis and applications. This work suggests that managing the hydroperiod of constructed wetlands can be an effective tool for the conservation of amphibians and demonstrates the utility of spatially explicit models for assessing metapopulation viability. We encourage managers to experimentally test the efficacy of manipulating patch-scale variables to improve occupancy rates within amphibian metapopulations.
Data from: Adding fossil occupancy trajectories to the assessment of modern extinction risk
Besides helping to identify species traits that are commonly linked to extinction risk, the fossil record may also be directly relevant for assessing the extinction risk of extant species. Standing geographical distribution or occupancy is a strong predictor of both recent and past extinction risk, but the role of changes in occupancy is less widely assessed. Here we demonstrate, based on the Cenozoic fossil record of marine species, that both occupancy and its temporal trajectory are significant determinants of risk. Based on extinct species we develop a model on the additive and interacting effects of occupancy and its temporal changes on extinction risk. We use this model to predict extinction risk of extant species. The predictions suggest a moderate risk for marine species on average. However, some species seem to be on a long-term decline and potentially at a latent extinction risk, which is not considered in current risk assessments.
Data from: Factors associated with possession of accurate knowledge regarding occupational health management among operations leaders of radiation decontamination workers in Fukushima, Japan: a cross-sectional study
Objectives: An operations leader (OL) takes an important role in occupational health management for radiation decontamination workers in Japan, and candidates for the position must participate in a training session to acquire the necessary knowledge as required by law. However, it has not been clarified whether the candidates for the OL position actually possess accurate knowledge regarding occupational health management for such work after the training session. We therefore aimed at examining the current occupational health management knowledge among the candidates and investigating factors related to the knowledge, with hypothesis that possession of accurate knowledge is associated with prior experience of having worked in radiation decontamination. Design: A cross-sectional study. Setting: The training sessions held by Fukushima Prefecture Labor Standard Associations in Fukushima, Japan, in 2017. Participants: Eighty male candidates participated in the training sessions. Outcome: The number/proportion of correct answers to the questions regarding occupational health management such as those on working environment management, control of operations, and health management. Results: The proportion of those who possessed accurate knowledge regarding working environment management, control of operations, and health management, was 68.8%, 55.0%, and 51.2%, respectively. Experience of radiation decontamination work was associated with the possession of inaccurate knowledge regarding working environment management (OR 0.140 [95% CI 0.042, 0.464]), and the uncertainty of future radiation decontamination work schedules in difficult-to-return zones was associated with the possession of accurate knowledge regarding health management (OR 4.382 [95% CI 1.525, 12.591]). Conclusions: Previous experience in radiation decontamination work may hinder the ability to acquire accurate information regarding working environment management among candidates for an OL position. To promote adequate occupational health management for radiation decontamination workers, it is required to establish an effective instructional method for the OL candidate training sessions with consideration of previous relevant experience.
Data from: Human activities influence the occupancy probability of mammalian carnivores in the Brazilian Caatinga
The Caatinga is a semi-arid domain, characterized by reduced humidity and high rates of anthropogenic impact. In addition to the low availability of water, carnivorous mammals are still exposed to a number of threats related to landscape modifications. We used data from camera traps and occupancy models to investigate the habitat use by carnivores in an area of Caatinga in northeastern Brazil. We found a negative correlation between the presence of wind farms and the occupancy probability of the jaguar, and a positive relationship with the presence of the jaguarundi. Puma and jaguarundi occupied primarily sites near watercourses, whereas the occupancy of the crab-eating fox was correlated positively with the presence of poachers. The ocelot was detected more frequently at sites distant from human settlements, whereas the jaguar was detected more often in areas far from wind farms. We found a negative correlation between the distance of water and the detection of the ocelot. The detection of the crab-eating fox was influenced positively by the detection of cattle. In addition to the negative influence of some anthropic activities, our results indicate that water is a very important resource for species, and the few permanent sources of this resource available in the area must be preserved. The replication of our research in other systems, worldwide, that are experiencing similar pressures, should permit a systematic evaluation of the management and conservation strategies needed to rebuild or maintain populations, restore ecosystems, and support conservation policies in human-altered landscapes.
Data from: Using camera trapping and hierarchical occupancy modelling to evaluate the spatial ecology of an African mammal community
Emerging conservation paradigms have shifted from single to multi-species approaches focused on sustaining biodiversity. Multi-species hierarchical occupancy modelling provides a method for assessing biodiversity while accounting for multiple sources of uncertainty. We analysed camera trapping data with multi-species models using a Bayesian approach to estimate the distributions of a terrestrial mammal community in northern Botswana and evaluate community, group, and species-specific responses to human disturbance and environmental variables. Groupings were based on two life-history traits: body size (small, medium, large and extra-large) and diet (carnivore, omnivore and herbivore). We photographed 44 species of mammals over 6607 trap nights. Camera station-specific estimates of species richness ranged from 8 to 27 unique species, and species had a mean occurrence probability of 0·32 (95% credible interval = 0·21–0·45). At the community level, our model revealed species richness was generally greatest in floodplains and grasslands and with increasing distances into protected wildlife areas. Variation among species' responses was explained in part by our species groupings. The positive influence of protected areas was strongest for extra-large species and herbivores, while medium-sized species actually increased in the non-protected areas. The positive effect of grassland/floodplain cover, alternatively, was strongest for large species and carnivores and weakest for small species and herbivores, suggesting herbivore diversity is promoted by habitat heterogeneity. Synthesis and applications. Our results highlight the importance of protected areas and grasslands in maintaining biodiversity in southern Africa. We demonstrate the utility of hierarchical Bayesian models for assessing community, group and individual species' responses to anthropogenic and environmental variables. This framework can be used to map areas of high conservation value and predict impacts of land-use change. Our approach is particularly applicable to the growing number of camera trap studies world-wide, and we suggest broader application globally will likely result in reduced costs, improved efficiency and increased knowledge of wildlife communities.
Data from: Intraspecific niche variation drives abundance-occupancy relationships in freshwater fish communities
A positive relationship between occupancy and average local abundance of species is found in a variety of taxa, yet the mechanisms driving this association between abundance and occupancy are still enigmatic. Here we show that freshwater fishes exhibit a positive abundance-occupancy relationship across 125 Swedish lakes. For a subset of 9 species from 11 lakes, we estimated species-specific diet breadth from stable isotopes, within-lake habitat breadth from catch data for littoral and pelagic nets, adaptive potential from genetic diversity, abiotic niche position, and dispersal capacity. Average local abundance was mainly positively associated with both within-lake habitat and diet breadth, that is, species with larger intraspecific variation in niche space had higher abundances. No measure was a good predictor of occupancy, indicating that occupancy may be more directly related to abundance or abiotic conditions than to niche breadth per se. This study suggests a link between intraspecific niche variation and a positive abundance-occupancy relationship and implies that management of freshwater fish communities, whether to conserve threatened or control invasive species, should initially be aimed at niche processes.
Data from: Novel application of explicit dynamics occupancy models to ongoing aquatic invasions
1. Identification of suitable habitat where invasive species can establish is an important step towards controlling their spread. Accurate identification is difficult for new or slow invaders because unoccupied habitats may be suitable given enough time for dispersal and occupied habitats may prove to be unsuitable for establishment. 2. To identify suitable habitat of a recent invader, I used an explicit dynamics occupancy modeling framework to evaluate habitat covariates related to successful and failed establishments of American bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) within the Yellowstone River floodplain of Montana, USA from 2012-2016. 3. During this 5-year period, bullfrogs failed to establish at most sites they colonized. Bullfrog establishment was most likely to occur and least likely to fail at sites closest to human-modified ponds and lakes and those with emergent vegetation. These habitat covariates were generally associated with the presence of permanent water. 4. Suitable habitat for bullfrog establishment is abundant in the Yellowstone River floodplain, though many sites with suitable habitat remain uncolonized. Thus, the maximum distribution of bullfrogs is much greater than their current distribution. 5. Synthesis and applications. Focused control efforts on habitats with or proximate to permanent waters are most likely to reduce the potential for bullfrog establishment and spread. The novel application of explicit dynamics occupancy models is a useful and widely applicable tool for guiding management efforts towards those habitats where new or slow invaders are most likely to establish and persist.07-Aug-2017
Data from: Identifying drivers of spatial variation in occupancy with limited replication camera trap data
Occupancy models are widely used in camera trap studies to analyze species presence, abundance, and geographic distribution, among other important ecological quantities. These models account for imperfect detection using a latent variable to distinguish between true presence/absence and observed detection of a species. Under certain experimental setups, parameter estimation in a latent variable framework can be challenging. Several studies have issued guidelines on the number of independent replicated observations (surveys) needed for each unchanging occupancy field (season) to ensure reliable estimation. In this paper we present a spatio-temporal occupancy model, and show through a simulation study that it can be fit to data obtained from a \textit{single} survey per season, so long as the number of seasons is sufficiently large. We include an application using camera-trap data on the Thomson's gazelle in the Serengeti in Tanzania.
Data from: Not all surveillance data are created equal – a multi‐method dynamic occupancy approach to determine rabies elimination from wildlife
1. A necessary component of elimination programs for wildlife disease is effective surveillance. The ability to distinguish between disease freedom and non‐detection can mean the difference between a successful elimination campaign and new epizootics. Understanding the contribution of different surveillance methods helps to optimize and better allocate effort and develop more effective surveillance programs. 2.We evaluated the probability of rabies virus elimination (disease freedom) in an enzootic area with active management using dynamic occupancy modeling of 10 years of raccoon rabies virus (RABV) surveillance data (2006‐2015) collected from three states in the eastern USA. We estimated detection probability of RABV cases for each surveillance method (e.g., strange acting reports, road‐kill, surveillance‐trapped animals, nuisance animals, and public health samples) used by the USDA National Rabies Management Program. 3.Strange acting, found dead, and public health animals were the most likely to detect RABV when it was present, and generally detectability was higher in the fall‐winter compared to the spring‐summer. Found dead animals in the fall‐winter had the highest detection at 0.33 (95% CI: 0.20, 0.48). Nuisance animals had the lowest detection probabilities (~0.02). 4.Areas with oral rabies vaccination (ORV) management had reduced occurrence probability compared to enzootic areas without ORV management. RABV occurrence was positively associated with deciduous and mixed forests and medium to high developed areas, which are also areas with higher raccoon (Procyon lotor) densities. By combining occupancy and detection estimates we can create a probability of elimination surface that can be updated seasonally to provide guidance on areas managed for wildlife disease. 5.Synthesis and applications. Wildlife disease surveillance is often comprised of a combination of targeted and convenience‐based methods. Using a multi‐method analytical approach allows us to compare the relative strengths of these methods, providing guidance on resource allocation for surveillance actions. Applying this multi‐method approach in conjunction with dynamic occupancy analyses better informs management decisions by understanding ecological drivers of disease occurrence.
Data from: Assessing changes in distribution of the endangered snow leopard Panthera uncia and its wild prey over 2 decades in the Indian Himalaya through interview-based occupancy surveys
Understanding species distributions, patterns of change and threats can form the basis for assessing the conservation status of elusive species that are difficult to survey. The snow leopard Panthera uncia is the top predator of the Central and South Asian mountains. Knowledge of the distribution and status of this elusive felid and its wild prey is limited. Using recall-based key-informant interviews we estimated site use by snow leopards and their primary wild prey, blue sheep Pseudois nayaur and Asiatic ibex Capra sibirica, across two time periods (past: 1985–1992; recent: 2008–2012) in the state of Himachal Pradesh, India. We also conducted a threat assessment for the recent period. Probability of site use was similar across the two time periods for snow leopards, blue sheep and ibex, whereas for wild prey (blue sheep and ibex combined) overall there was an 8% contraction. Although our surveys were conducted in areas within the presumed distribution range of the snow leopard, we found snow leopards were using only 75% of the area (14,616 km2). Blue sheep and ibex had distinct distribution ranges. Snow leopards and their wild prey were not restricted to protected areas, which encompassed only 17% of their distribution within the study area. Migratory livestock grazing was pervasive across ibex distribution range and was the most widespread and serious conservation threat. Depredation by free-ranging dogs, and illegal hunting and wildlife trade were the other severe threats. Our results underscore the importance of community-based, landscape-scale conservation approaches and caution against reliance on geophysical and opinion-based distribution maps that have been used to estimate national and global snow leopard ranges.
Data from: Impact of prey occupancy and other ecological and anthropogenic factors on tiger distribution in Thailand's Western Forest Complex
1. Despite conservation efforts, large mammals such as tigers and their main prey, gaur, banteng, and sambar, are highly threatened and declining across their entire range. The only large viable source population of tigers in mainland Southeast Asia occurs in Thailand's Western Forest Complex (WEFCOM), an approximately 19,000 km2 landscape of 17 contiguous protected areas. 2. We used an occupancy modeling framework, which accounts for imperfect detection, to identify the factors that affect tiger distribution at the approximate scale of a female tiger's home range, 64 km2, and site use at a scale of 1 km2 in WEFCOM. At the larger scale, we estimated the proportion of sites occupied by tigers; at the finer scale, we identified the key variables that influence site-use and developed a predictive distribution map. At both scales, we examined key ecological and anthropogenic factors that help explain distribution and preferred habitat use. 3. WEFCOM is virtually only "half full" of tigers, it occupied 37% or 5,858 km2 of the landscape which was largely influenced by the combined presence of all three large prey species; in contrast, site use was most strongly influenced by presence of sambar. 4. By modeling occupancy while accounting for imperfect probability of detection, we established reliable benchmark data on the distribution of tigers. This study also identified factors that limit tiger distributions; which managers can then target to expand tiger distribution in WEFCOM and guide recovery elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
SITE OCCUPANCY AND ABUNDANCE MODELS FOR ANALYZING MULTIPLE-VISIT DETECTION/NONDETECTION DATA
<p>Data and R codes for the paper: Site occupancy and abundance models for analyzing multiple-visit detection/nondetection data.</p>
AN EXTENSION OF N-MIXTURE OCCUPANCY MODELS FOR COUNT DATA
Open the record for dataset details and reuse information.
Collaboration for conservation: assessing country-wide carnivore occupancy dynamics from sparse data
<p><strong>Aim:</strong> Assessing the distribution and persistence of species across their range is a crucial component of wildlife conservation. It demands data at adequate spatial scales and over extended periods of time, which may only be obtained through collaborative efforts, and the development of methods that integrate heterogeneous datasets. We aimed to combine existing data on large carnivores to evaluate population dynamics and improve knowledge on their distribution nationwide.</p> <p><strong>Location:</strong> Botswana</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> Between 2010 – 2016, we collated data on African wild dog, cheetah, leopard, brown and spotted hyaena, and lion gathered with different survey methods by independent researchers across Botswana. We used a multi-species, multi-method dynamic occupancy model to analyse factors influencing occupancy, persistence, and colonisation, while accounting for imperfect detection. Lastly, we used the gained knowledge to predict the probability of occurrence of each species countrywide.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Wildlife areas and communal rangelands had similar occupancy probabilities for most species. Large carnivore occupancy was low in commercial farming areas and where livestock density was high, except for brown hyaena. Lion occupancy was negatively associated with human density; lion and spotted hyena occupancy was high where rainfall was high, while the opposite applied to brown hyaena. Lion and leopard occupancy remained constant countrywide over the study period. African wild dog and cheetah occupancy declined over time in the south and north, respectively, whereas both hyaena species expanded their ranges. Countrywide predictions identified the highest occupancy for leopards and lowest for the two hyaena species.</p> <p><strong>Main Conclusions:</strong> We highlight the necessity of data sharing and propose a generalisable analytical method that addresses the challenges of heterogeneous data common in ecology. Our approach, which enables a comprehensive multi-species assessment at large spatial and temporal scales, supports the development of data-driven conservation guidelines and the implementation of evidence-based management strategies nationally and internationally.</p>
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Allen Brain Atlas
Allen Brain Atlas is an Allen Institute collection of brain map atlases, datasets, APIs, and analysis tools covering mouse, human, and non-human primate brain resources.
Annotated Behaviour and Observability Dataset (ABODe)
ABODe is a University of Edinburgh DataShare dataset for behavior classification in group-housed mice using home-cage video, identities, bounding boxes, ground-plate positions, and annotator labels.
DANDI Archive for NWB datasets
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The International Brain Laboratory public data releases expose standardized mouse decision-making experiments, including Neuropixels recordings, widefield calcium imaging, behavior, and session metadata accessed through the ONE API.
OpenNeuro
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