Reconciling resource utilization and resource selection functions. (9th April 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Hooten, Mevin B.; Hanks, Ephraim M.; Johnson, Devin S.; Alldredge, Mat W.
• Editors: Thogmartin, Wayne
• Is Part Of: Journal of animal ecology. Volume 82:Number 6(2013:Nov.)
• Page Start: 1146
• Page End: 1154
• Publication Date: 2013-04-09
• Subjects: kernel density estimation -- space use -- spatial statistics -- utilization distribution; Animal ecology -- Periodicals; 591.7
• DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.12080
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-8790

Abstract

Summary: Analyses based on utilization distributions (UDs) have been ubiquitous in animal space use studies, largely because they are computationally straightforward and relatively easy to employ. Conventional applications of resource utilization functions (RUFs) suggest that estimates of UDs can be used as response variables in a regression involving spatial covariates of interest. It has been claimed that contemporary implementations of RUFs can yield inference about resource selection, although to our knowledge, an explicit connection has not been described. We explore the relationships between RUFs and resource selection functions from a hueristic and simulation perspective. We investigate several sources of potential bias in the estimation of resource selection coefficients using RUFs (e.g. the spatial covariance modelling that is often used in RUF analyses). Our findings illustrate that RUFs can, in fact, serve as approximations to RSFs and are capable of providing inference about resource selection, but only with some modification and under specific circumstances. Using real telemetry data as an example, we provide guidance on which methods for estimating resource selection may be more appropriate and in which situations. In general, if telemetry data are assumed to arise as a point process, then RSF methods may be preferable to RUFs; however, modified RUFs may provide less biased parameter estimates when the data are subject to location error. Abstract : This paper compares and contrasts resource utilization and resource selection functions, showing that RUFs can actually out perform traditional RSFs in certain cases. This is the first paper to formally attempt to reconcile these two approaches for understanding animal resource selection.