Multiple Animals of Single Species Performing Various Activities?
-
by
MGHogue
Example: I see a photo of 4 zebras. One is standing, one resting, one eating, one walking. Do I select 4 Zebras and toggle "resting", "eating", "moving", and "standing", or should I enter 1 Zebra Resting (go back to species selection list), then 1 Zebra Eating (back to selection list), 1 Zebra moving, etc?
It seems to me the latter 'format' would give more accurate results of animal behavior, but sometimes with the bigger herd it's hard to tell - it's up to you researchers what you want 'me' to do. List the behaviors per animal? Or the mix of behaviors of the group as a whole?
Thanks. Just trying to improve your data sets without garbling or giving too much/little information.
Posted
-
by
kosmala
scientist
Good question. While either method would be acceptable, I recommend you use the method you mention first. That is, select 4 Zebra and toggle on all of "resting", "eating", "moving", and "standing." You're right that the second method would give us more detailed data. (And in fact, I know of a camera trap project in Kenya uses this amount of detail in their analyses.) But none of our analyses require that much detail, and we don't want you to have to make quite so many clicks to tell us what each individual animal is doing. So just tell us what the group as a whole is doing.
Posted
-
by
MGHogue
Thanks for the quick reply (given our time differences - USA vs SA). Saves me time and speeds up the process for everyone.
BTW, Nice note on the results of the aardwolf vs. hyena "interactions" (apparently none) - I had wondered if perhaps the two might be in competition (as USA wolves vs. coyotes used to be). Glad to see that they are not. Means a more diverse environmental. Wish you all had more biodiversity there. What can I say: a pining old former biologist/engineer . . . miss doing studies, but not the risks of bites, LOL - insect and otherwise.
Posted