A new way to augment existing home range techniques

Time geography and wildlife home range delineation

Jed A. Long and Trisalyn A. Nelson

The Journal of Wildlife Management

Volume 76, Issue 2, pages 407–413, February 2012

In this paper the researchers introduce a new technique for delineating animal home ranges    : the potential path area (PPA) home range. The technique is simple and intuitive

PPA home ranges are based on existing theory from time geography. An animal's movement is constrained by known locations in space–time (i.e., n telemetry points) and a measure of mobility (e.g., maximum velocity).

Using the formulation the researchers provide, PPA home ranges can be easily implemented in a Geographic Information System (GIS).

The researchers say the advantage of the PPA home range is the explicit consideration of temporal limitations on animal movement. They identify the PPA home range as a stand-alone measure of animal home range or as a way to augment existing home range techniques.

Future developments are highlighted against the backdrop of the usefulness of time geography for wildlife movement analysis. To facilitate the adoption of this technique the researchers provide a tool for implementing the new method.

So guys go ahead and give it a try.