Modeling the Daily Activities of Breeding Colonial Seabirds: Dynamic Occupancy Patterns in Multiple Habitat Patches

Authors

Andrea L. Moore, Andrews UniversityFollow
Smruti P. Damania, Andrews UniversityFollow
Shandelle M. Henson, Andrews UniversityFollow
James L. Hayward, Andrews UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-1-2008

Keywords

Animal behavior, Differential equation model, Diurnal distribution, Environmental forcine, Habitat patches, Larus qlaucescens, Steady-state dynamics

Abstract

We constructed differential equation models for the diurnal abundance and distribution of breeding glaucous-winged gulls (Larus glaucescens) as they moved among nesting and non-nesting habitat patches. We used time scale techniques to reduce the differential equations to algebraic equations and connected the models to field data. The models explained the data as a function of abiotic environmental variables with R2=0.57. A primary goal of this study is to demonstrate the utility of a methodology that can be used by ecologists and wildlife managers to understand and predict daily activity patterns in breeding seabirds.

Journal Title

Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering

Volume

5

Issue

4

First Page

831

Last Page

842

DOI

https://doi.org/10.3934/mbe.2008.5.831

First Department

Mathematics

Second Department

Biology

Recommended Citation

Moore, Andrea L.; Damania, Smruti P.; Henson, Shandelle M.; and Hayward, James L., "Modeling the Daily Activities of Breeding Colonial Seabirds: Dynamic Occupancy Patterns in Multiple Habitat Patches" (2008). Faculty Publications. 1960.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1960

Acknowledgements

Retrieved February 24, 2021 from https://www.andrews.edu/~henson/Moore2008reprint.pdf