Journal article

Integrating research using animal-borne telemetry with the needs of conservation management

Jennifer McGowan, Maria Beger, Rebecca L Lewison, Rob Harcourt, Hamish Campbell, Mark Priest, Ross G Dwyer, Hsien-Yung Lin, Pia Lentini, Christine Dudgeon, Clive McMahon, Matt Watts, Hugh P Possingham

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY | WILEY | Published : 2017

Abstract

Animal‐borne telemetry has revolutionized our ability to study animal movement, species physiology, demography and social structures, changing environments and the threats that animals are experiencing. While there will always be a need for basic ecological research and discovery, the current conservation crisis demands we look more pragmatically at the data required to make informed management decisions. Here, we define a framework that distinguishes how research using animal telemetry devices can influence conservation. We then discuss two critical questions which aim to directly connect telemetry‐derived data to applied conservation decision‐making: (i) Would my choice of action cha..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

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Funding Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions. J.M. is supported on an International Postgraduate Research Award. R.H. is supported in part by a Sitka Sound Science Centre Scientist in Residency Fellowship, and C.M. by the Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS). R.L.L. is supported in part by the NASA Applied Science Ecoforecasting and Biodiversity Program. R.G.D. is funded by an ARC Linkage Grant. P.L. is funded by the Australian Government's National Environmental Research Program. H.P.P. is supported by an ARC Laureate Fellowship. We would like to thank Prof. Johan du Toit, Dr. Steven Cooke, an anonymous reviewer and Dr. Steffen Oppel for helpful comments on the draft.