Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse
Abstract Global Positioning Systems (GPS) radio transmitters are increasingly used across taxa to monitor animal populations. However, GPS transmitters can be susceptible to malfunctions that may result in location errors or data loss causing potential inferential bias that can have important implic...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1566 |
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| author | Melissa S. Chelak Michel T. Kohl Justin R. Small Kurt T. Smith Aaron C. Pratt Jeffrey L. Beck Codi R. Backen M. Brandon Flack Hailey P. Wayment Jason A. Wood Ryan Howell Trevon D. Strange Lucian R. McDonald Kezia R. Manlove Shandra N. Frey Randy T. Larsen Brian A. Maxfield David K. Dahlgren Terry A. Messmer David C. Stoner |
| author_facet | Melissa S. Chelak Michel T. Kohl Justin R. Small Kurt T. Smith Aaron C. Pratt Jeffrey L. Beck Codi R. Backen M. Brandon Flack Hailey P. Wayment Jason A. Wood Ryan Howell Trevon D. Strange Lucian R. McDonald Kezia R. Manlove Shandra N. Frey Randy T. Larsen Brian A. Maxfield David K. Dahlgren Terry A. Messmer David C. Stoner |
| author_sort | Melissa S. Chelak |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Global Positioning Systems (GPS) radio transmitters are increasingly used across taxa to monitor animal populations. However, GPS transmitters can be susceptible to malfunctions that may result in location errors or data loss causing potential inferential bias that can have important implications for monitored species. Research using GPS transmitters on greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage‐grouse) has increased, but few sage‐grouse studies have evaluated GPS performance. Because sage‐grouse management has been subject to intense legal and political scrutiny with consequential economic implications, reliable data acquisition is central to informed decision‐making for the species. We evaluated differences in the performance of 2 commonly used solar‐powered GPS transmitters (Microwave Telemetry, Inc. [MTI], Columbia, MD, USA and GeoTrak, Inc., Apex, NC, USA) deployed on sage‐grouse throughout Wyoming from 2011 to 2017 and Utah from 2013 to 2019. Our investigation of GPS performance included daily fix inefficiency, the number of 1‐day fix gaps, and transmitter loss rate. We also evaluated transmitter functionality during the nesting period including daily nesting fix inefficiency, fix error distance mean and standard deviation (i.e., accuracy and precision), and mean fix error direction. New and refurbished MTI transmitters outperformed GeoTrak transmitters in daily fix inefficiency and day gaps during most seasons. Cumulatively redeployed MTI transmitters did not perform differently than GeoTrak transmitters. Transmitter loss, daily nesting fix inefficiency, and nest fix precision did not vary significantly between the 2 transmitters. GeoTrak performed better than MTI for nest fix accuracy across all latitudes (40–45° N). The mean error direction to the nest location ranged between 105° and 135° for GeoTrak and between 135° and 155° for MTI. We recommend refurbishing transmitters following deployment to retain higher fix efficiency than cumulatively redeploying transmitters. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-870a0747195b4adea769561e8d477e6d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2328-5540 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Wildlife Society Bulletin |
| spelling | doaj-art-870a0747195b4adea769561e8d477e6d2025-08-20T02:56:47ZengWileyWildlife Society Bulletin2328-55402025-03-01491n/an/a10.1002/wsb.1566Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouseMelissa S. Chelak0Michel T. Kohl1Justin R. Small2Kurt T. Smith3Aaron C. Pratt4Jeffrey L. Beck5Codi R. Backen6M. Brandon Flack7Hailey P. Wayment8Jason A. Wood9Ryan Howell10Trevon D. Strange11Lucian R. McDonald12Kezia R. Manlove13Shandra N. Frey14Randy T. Larsen15Brian A. Maxfield16David K. Dahlgren17Terry A. Messmer18David C. Stoner19Utah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAUniversity of Georgia 180 E Green St Athens 30602 GA USANevada Department of Wildlife 6980 Sierra Center Parkway Reno 89511 NV USAUniversity of Wyoming 1000 E University Ave Laramie 82071 WY USAUniversity of Wyoming 1000 E University Ave Laramie 82071 WY USAUniversity of Wyoming 1000 E University Ave Laramie 82071 WY USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAIdaho Department of Fish and Game 600 S Walnut St Boise 83712 ID USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USABrigham Young University 800 N 580 E St Provo 84604 UT USABrigham Young University 800 N 580 E St Provo 84604 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USABrigham Young University 800 N 580 E St Provo 84604 UT USAUtah Division of Wildlife Resources 318 N Vernal Ave Vernal 84078 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAUtah State University 5230 Old Main Hill Logan 84322 UT USAAbstract Global Positioning Systems (GPS) radio transmitters are increasingly used across taxa to monitor animal populations. However, GPS transmitters can be susceptible to malfunctions that may result in location errors or data loss causing potential inferential bias that can have important implications for monitored species. Research using GPS transmitters on greater sage‐grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; sage‐grouse) has increased, but few sage‐grouse studies have evaluated GPS performance. Because sage‐grouse management has been subject to intense legal and political scrutiny with consequential economic implications, reliable data acquisition is central to informed decision‐making for the species. We evaluated differences in the performance of 2 commonly used solar‐powered GPS transmitters (Microwave Telemetry, Inc. [MTI], Columbia, MD, USA and GeoTrak, Inc., Apex, NC, USA) deployed on sage‐grouse throughout Wyoming from 2011 to 2017 and Utah from 2013 to 2019. Our investigation of GPS performance included daily fix inefficiency, the number of 1‐day fix gaps, and transmitter loss rate. We also evaluated transmitter functionality during the nesting period including daily nesting fix inefficiency, fix error distance mean and standard deviation (i.e., accuracy and precision), and mean fix error direction. New and refurbished MTI transmitters outperformed GeoTrak transmitters in daily fix inefficiency and day gaps during most seasons. Cumulatively redeployed MTI transmitters did not perform differently than GeoTrak transmitters. Transmitter loss, daily nesting fix inefficiency, and nest fix precision did not vary significantly between the 2 transmitters. GeoTrak performed better than MTI for nest fix accuracy across all latitudes (40–45° N). The mean error direction to the nest location ranged between 105° and 135° for GeoTrak and between 135° and 155° for MTI. We recommend refurbishing transmitters following deployment to retain higher fix efficiency than cumulatively redeploying transmitters.https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1566Centrocercus urophasianusfix successGPS location errorGPS performancegreater sage‐grousesolar‐powered GPS transmitters |
| spellingShingle | Melissa S. Chelak Michel T. Kohl Justin R. Small Kurt T. Smith Aaron C. Pratt Jeffrey L. Beck Codi R. Backen M. Brandon Flack Hailey P. Wayment Jason A. Wood Ryan Howell Trevon D. Strange Lucian R. McDonald Kezia R. Manlove Shandra N. Frey Randy T. Larsen Brian A. Maxfield David K. Dahlgren Terry A. Messmer David C. Stoner Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse Wildlife Society Bulletin Centrocercus urophasianus fix success GPS location error GPS performance greater sage‐grouse solar‐powered GPS transmitters |
| title | Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse |
| title_full | Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse |
| title_fullStr | Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse |
| title_full_unstemmed | Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse |
| title_short | Refurbishing used GPS transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage‐grouse |
| title_sort | refurbishing used gps transmitters improves performance for subsequent deployments on greater sage grouse |
| topic | Centrocercus urophasianus fix success GPS location error GPS performance greater sage‐grouse solar‐powered GPS transmitters |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/wsb.1566 |
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