We are pleased to share our newly published article in Royal Society Open Science entitled “Comparing acoustic and satellite telemetry: an analysis quantifying the space use of Chelonia mydas in Bimini, Bahamas.” In this study, we simultaneously tracked juvenile green turtles in a foraging area with both passive acoustic and Argos satellite telemetry to comprehensively compare the two tracking technologies and the ecological interpretations that can be made from each. We compare the temporal durations, spatial resolutions, financial costs, and estimates of occurrence and range distributions, as well as provide a discussion on selecting the best tracking method to address specific research questions.
We found that:
- Passive acoustic and Argos satellite telemetry did not provide the same inferences of juvenile marine turtle space use within our study site.
- Satellite telemetry produced larger occurrence and range distribution estimates than acoustic telemetry.
- Acoustic telemetry provided data at a finer spatial resolution and accuracy than satellite telemetry.
It’s our hope that this study provides researchers with the information necessary to make an informed decision on which tracking method is best to address their specific research questions as well as the context needed for researchers and managers to properly interpret results from telemetry studies to implement meaningful and successful conservation measures.
Citation: Hardin Emily E., Cullen Joshua A. and Fuentes Mariana M.P.B.. 2024 Comparing acoustic and satellite telemetry: an analysis quantifying the space use of Chelonia mydas in Bimini, Bahamas. R. Soc. Open Sci. 11:231152. 231152. http://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.23115
