Distinguishing technology from biology: a critical review of the use of GPS telemetry data in ecology

摘要

In the past decade, ecologists have witnessed vast improvements in our ability to collect animalmovement data through animal-borne technology, such as through GPS or ARGOS systems. How-ever, more data does not necessarily yield greater knowledge in understanding animal ecology andconservation. In this paper, we provide a review of the major benefits, problems and potentialmisuses of GPS/Argos technology to animal ecology and conservation. Benefits are obvious, andinclude the ability to collect fine-scale spatio-temporal location data on many previously impossibleto study animals, such as ocean-going fish, migratory songbirds and long-distance migratory mam-mals. These benefits come with significant problems, however, imposed by frequent collar failuresand high cost, which often results in weaker study design, reduced sample sizes and poorer statisticalinference. In addition, we see the divorcing of biologists from a field-based understanding of animalecology to be a growing problem. Despite these difficulties, GPS devices have provided significantbenefits, particularly in the conservation and ecology of wide-ranging species. We conclude by offer-ing suggestions for ecologists on which kinds of ecological questions would currently benefit themost from GPS/Argos technology, and where the technology has been potentially misused. Signifi-cant conceptual challenges remain, however, including the links between movement and behaviour,and movement and population dynamics.