Satellite telemetry is an increasingly utilized technology in wildlife research, and current devices can track individual animal movements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. However, as we enter the golden age of satellite telemetry, we need an in-depth understanding of the main technological, species-specific and environmental factors that determine the success and failure of satellite tracking devices across species and habitats. Here, we assess the relative influence of such factors on the ability of satellite telemetry units to provide the expected amount and quality of data by analyzing data from over 3,000 devices deployed on 62 terrestrial species in 167 projects worldwide. We evaluate the success rate in obtaining GPS fixes as well as in transferring these fixes to the user and we evaluate failure rates. Average fix success and data transfer rates were high and were generally better predicted by species and unit characteristics, while environmental characteristics influenced the variability of performance. However, 48% of the unit deployments ended prematurely, half of them due to technical failure. Nonetheless, this study shows that the performance of satellite telemetry applications has shown improvements over time, and based on our findings, we provide further recommendations for both users and manufacturers.

Hofman, M.P.G.; Hayward, M.W.; Heim, M.; Marchand, P.; Rolandsen, C.M.; Mattisson, J.; Urbano, F.; Heurich, M.; Mysterud, A.; Melzheimer, J.; Morellet, N.; Voigt, U.; Allen, B.L.; Gehr, B.; Rouco, C.; Ullmann, W.; Holand, O.; Jørgensen, N.H.; Steinheim, G.; Cagnacci, F.; Kroeschel, M.; Kaczensky, P.; Buuveibaatar, B.; Payne, J.C.; Palmegiani, I.; Jerina, K.; Kjellander, P.; Johansson, O.; La Point, S.; Bayrakcismith, R.; Linnell, J.D.C.; Zaccaroni, M.; Jorge, M.L.S.; Oshima, J.E.F.; Songhurst, A.; Fischer, C.; Mc Bride Jr., R.T.; Thompson, J.J.; Streif, S.; Sandfort, R.; Bonenfant, C.; Drouilly, M.; Klapproth, M.; Zinner, D.; Yarnell, R.; Stronza, A.; Wilmott, L.; Meisingset, E.; Thaker, M.; Vanak, A.T.; Nicoloso, S.; Graeber, R.; Said, S.; Boudreau, M.R.; Devlin, A.; Hoogesteijn, R.; May-Junior, J.A.; Nifong, J.C.; Odden, J.; Quigley, H.B.; Tortato, F.; Parker, D.M.; Caso, A.; Perrine, J.; Tellaeche, C.; Zieba, F.; Zwijacz-Kozica, T.; Appel, C.L.; Axsom, I.; Bean, W.T.; Cristescu, B.; Périquet, S.; Teichman, K.J.; Karpanty, S.; Licoppe, A.; Menges, V.; Black, K.; Scheppers, T.L.; Schai-Braun, S.C.; Azevedo, F.C.; Lemos, F.G.; Payne, A.; Swanepoel, L.H.; Weckworth, B.V.; Berger, A.; Bertassoni, A.; Mcculloch, G.; Šustr, P.; Athreya, V.; Bockmuhl, D.; Casaer, J.; Ekori, A.; Melovski, D.; Richard-Hansen, C.; van de Vyver, D.; Reyna-Hurtado, R.; Robardet, E.; Selva, N.; Sergiel, A.; Farhadinia, M.S.; Sunde, P.; Portas, R.; Ambarli, H.; Berzins, R.; Kappeler, P.M.; Mann, G.K.; Pyritz, L.; Bissett, C.; Grant, T.; Steinmetz, R.; Swedell, L.; Welch, R.J.; Armenteras, D.; Bidder, O.R.; González, T.M.; Rosenblatt, A.; Kachel, S.; Balkenhol, N. (2019). Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research. PLOS ONE, 14 (5): e0216223. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216223 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/55330

Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research

Cagnacci, F.;
2019-01-01

Abstract

Satellite telemetry is an increasingly utilized technology in wildlife research, and current devices can track individual animal movements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. However, as we enter the golden age of satellite telemetry, we need an in-depth understanding of the main technological, species-specific and environmental factors that determine the success and failure of satellite tracking devices across species and habitats. Here, we assess the relative influence of such factors on the ability of satellite telemetry units to provide the expected amount and quality of data by analyzing data from over 3,000 devices deployed on 62 terrestrial species in 167 projects worldwide. We evaluate the success rate in obtaining GPS fixes as well as in transferring these fixes to the user and we evaluate failure rates. Average fix success and data transfer rates were high and were generally better predicted by species and unit characteristics, while environmental characteristics influenced the variability of performance. However, 48% of the unit deployments ended prematurely, half of them due to technical failure. Nonetheless, this study shows that the performance of satellite telemetry applications has shown improvements over time, and based on our findings, we provide further recommendations for both users and manufacturers.
Movement ecology
GPS telemetry
Wildlife conservation
Bio-logging
Settore BIO/07 - ECOLOGIA
2019
Hofman, M.P.G.; Hayward, M.W.; Heim, M.; Marchand, P.; Rolandsen, C.M.; Mattisson, J.; Urbano, F.; Heurich, M.; Mysterud, A.; Melzheimer, J.; Morellet, N.; Voigt, U.; Allen, B.L.; Gehr, B.; Rouco, C.; Ullmann, W.; Holand, O.; Jørgensen, N.H.; Steinheim, G.; Cagnacci, F.; Kroeschel, M.; Kaczensky, P.; Buuveibaatar, B.; Payne, J.C.; Palmegiani, I.; Jerina, K.; Kjellander, P.; Johansson, O.; La Point, S.; Bayrakcismith, R.; Linnell, J.D.C.; Zaccaroni, M.; Jorge, M.L.S.; Oshima, J.E.F.; Songhurst, A.; Fischer, C.; Mc Bride Jr., R.T.; Thompson, J.J.; Streif, S.; Sandfort, R.; Bonenfant, C.; Drouilly, M.; Klapproth, M.; Zinner, D.; Yarnell, R.; Stronza, A.; Wilmott, L.; Meisingset, E.; Thaker, M.; Vanak, A.T.; Nicoloso, S.; Graeber, R.; Said, S.; Boudreau, M.R.; Devlin, A.; Hoogesteijn, R.; May-Junior, J.A.; Nifong, J.C.; Odden, J.; Quigley, H.B.; Tortato, F.; Parker, D.M.; Caso, A.; Perrine, J.; Tellaeche, C.; Zieba, F.; Zwijacz-Kozica, T.; Appel, C.L.; Axsom, I.; Bean, W.T.; Cristescu, B.; Périquet, S.; Teichman, K.J.; Karpanty, S.; Licoppe, A.; Menges, V.; Black, K.; Scheppers, T.L.; Schai-Braun, S.C.; Azevedo, F.C.; Lemos, F.G.; Payne, A.; Swanepoel, L.H.; Weckworth, B.V.; Berger, A.; Bertassoni, A.; Mcculloch, G.; Šustr, P.; Athreya, V.; Bockmuhl, D.; Casaer, J.; Ekori, A.; Melovski, D.; Richard-Hansen, C.; van de Vyver, D.; Reyna-Hurtado, R.; Robardet, E.; Selva, N.; Sergiel, A.; Farhadinia, M.S.; Sunde, P.; Portas, R.; Ambarli, H.; Berzins, R.; Kappeler, P.M.; Mann, G.K.; Pyritz, L.; Bissett, C.; Grant, T.; Steinmetz, R.; Swedell, L.; Welch, R.J.; Armenteras, D.; Bidder, O.R.; González, T.M.; Rosenblatt, A.; Kachel, S.; Balkenhol, N. (2019). Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research. PLOS ONE, 14 (5): e0216223. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0216223 handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10449/55330
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
50_Hofman_etal_2019_PloSONE.pdf

accesso aperto

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (Publisher’s layout)
Licenza: Dominio pubblico
Dimensione 1.95 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
1.95 MB Adobe PDF Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10449/55330
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 12
  • Scopus 50
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 50
social impact