Radio Tracking Deer and GIS Software

1. Radio Tracking Deer and GIS Software By Brian Foley Dept of Computer Science UW-Platteville WI

2. Global Information Systems • Revolutionizes the study of wildlife animals • GIS Software allows researchers to see patterns and visualize data to give them a better understanding of the facts.

3. Topics to Cover • Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) • UW-Madison CWD White-Tailed Deer Research Project • GIS Software such a Location Of A Signal (LOAS) and Arcview

4. What is CWD? • CWD is related to a group of diseases known as Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs). • TSEs are fatal diseases of the nervous system that creates lesions in the brain. • The causative agent is a modified Protein called a Prion which is found in the nervous system and lymphatic tissues.

5. Other Examples of TSEs • Scrapie in sheep • Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle. Also known as “Mad Cow Disease”. • Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans

6. Symptoms of Deer with CWD • Become lean through loss of flesh • Display of Abnormal Behavior • Loss of Bodily Functions • Eventually Death

7. Concerns of CWD • It is unknown whether humans can become infected with CWD. • To be safe, people should not consume or handle the brain, eyes, tonsils, and spinal cord. • The meat should be de-boned before consumption.

8. On February 28, 2002, three deer in Mount Horeb WI were found to have CWD. White-Tailed deer appear more susceptible to CWD than elk and mule deer. Much more deer per square mile in WI CWD in Wisconsin

9. CWD Zone

10. CWD White-tailed Deer Research Project • Seeks to determine the movement patterns of deer. • Collect data to determine home-ranges and dispersal movements. • Examine behavior that may contribute to the spread of the disease • By learning the above, it may be possible to determine the rate at which CWD spreads throughout the landscape.

11. Gathering of Data • VHF radio collars are placed on deer • Technicians track the signals • LOAS Determines The Location of Deer • Arc View uses the results of LOAS to make other unique comparisons

12. Deer are captured using various techniques VHF radio collars are placed on deer Each collar is set to a unique frequency Deer are tracked through radio telemetry Deer are tracked 3-10 times per week at various times of the day Radio Collars

13. Radio Collared Deer

14. Locating A Specific Animal • Technicians are sent to at least 4 waypoints • The frequency of a specific deer is dialed-in • Once a signal is detected, data is recorded

15. Data To Be Recorded • Direction of the signal in degrees (this is called a “Bearing”) • Strength of a signal • Whether or not an animal is active • Temp, precipitation, date, time of bearing, and relative wind speed

16. LOAS requires at least 2 “Bearings” All “Bearings” must be taken within 20 minutes of each other A minimum of 6 hours must pass between sets of bearings “The Error Polygon” needs to be less than 50,000 square meters “Bearing” Constraints

17. The Error Polygon • “The polygon formed where all the bearings intersect” • The more “Bearings” take, the smaller the polygon becomes. • The smaller the Error Polygon, the more accurate LOAS becomes • The Deer’s location is within this polygon

18. A Problem Called “Bounce” • Occurs in Hilly Terrain • Signal comes from behind the direction the technician is facing • Beacons to test the effects of Bounce

19. Global Coordinate System • Called the “Universal Transverse Mercator” • Developed by the Dept. Of Defense • Divides the world into 60 different North-South longitudinal zones

20. Problem For UW-Madison Research Project • Radio-Collared deer in Iowa and Dane Cty • Zone 15 and 16 meet in Iowa Cty • Wisconsin Transverse Mercator (WTM) is developed by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

21. LOAS Software • Only used for estimating locations • A minimum of 2 “Bearings” needed • Incorporates graphical representations • Works hand in hand with Arc View

22. LOAS Interface

23. Data Spreadsheet • Spreadsheet of the data to be used by LOAS. The user may modify the data by double clicking a cell and changing the contents.

24. Results Spreadsheet • This file is read only, however it can be copied into other programs.

25. Error Log • If LOAS encounters any kind of an error in processing, the errors are listed here. Examples include bearing lines that do not intersect or data of the wrong type.

26. Legend • This will give alternative graphing options such as changing the way lines and points are displayed.

27. PolygonID • Data of the click ellipses appear here

28. LOAS and Databases • Can open database files and text files • Converts a text file into a character based database • Able to link databases Example: Parent file may contain bearing data while the child file may contain receiver locations

29. Selecting Bearing Estimators to Calculate Locations • 7 different estimators • Each estimator differs in accuracy and required data • Desired estimator depends on many factors *desired accuracy *number of bearings taken *quality of bearings

30. 7 Bearing Estimators • Maximum Likelihood Estimator • Huber Estimator • Andrew Estimator • Best Biangulation • Arithmetic Mean • Geometric Mean • Harmonic Mean

31. Maximum Likelihood Estimator • Finds the least angular error • Iterative algorithm • No outliers

32. Estimator Selection

33. Huber and Andrew Estimators • Known as the “M” Methods • Bearing outliers exist • Recursive iterations • 5 bearings are needed

34. Best Biangulation Estimator • Used if only 2 bearings are available • Picks the angle closest to 90 degees

35. Arithmetic Mean • The old standby • Adds all coordinate points and averages • Can be “skewed”

36. Logarithmic method is used More accurate than Arithmetic Mean Still outlier sensitive Similar to Arithmetic and Geometric Mean Less outlier sensitive Geometric Mean | Harmonic Mean

37. LOAS Graphics • Label use • Font and Color • Point and Line properties

38. LOAS Data • Automatically creates other files • Results sent to spreadsheet • Filtering of Data is allowed • Sorting Capability

39. ArcView • Allows user to determine other relationships besides location • Creates shapefiles or maps • Comes with 8 CD-ROMS • Multimedia links can be incorporated • Many additional extensions

40. Other ArcView Extensions • ArcView Spatial Analyst • ArcView 3D Analyst • ArcView Image Analysis • ArcView Tracking Analyst • ArcView StreetMap • ArcView Movement Analysis

41. UW-Madison CWD Research Project • Spatial Analyst = allows users to analyze specific cell based raster maps, and to infer new information based on current data • Movement Analysis = used to analyze movement data

42. Movement Extension • Calculates Home-Range • Kernel Home-Range and MCP Home-Range • Calculates distances

43. Kernel Home Range View • Utilization distribution grid • A Shapefile for each probability is created • Calculations for each probability is shown • Research Project uses 95% probabilities

44. Raw Data

45. Removing 5% of the Outliers

46. Converted to Kernel Home-Range

47. Minimum Convex Polygon

48. Other ArcView Calculations • Center of a deer’s home-range • Variance • Mean distance of dispersal • Distance traveled daily in meters

49. Questions ?