Automated Telemetry System to Study Animal Interactions in Rainforests

用于研究雨林中动物相互作用的自动遥测系统

• 批准号: 0201307
• 负责人: Martin Wikelski
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Princeton University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-07-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0201307&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Automated; Telemetry; System; Study; Animal

A Multi-user Automated Telemetry System for the study of ecological interactions in a tropical rainforestA grant has been awarded to Dr. Martin Wikelski at Princeton University to purchase an automated telemetry system (ATS) that allows him to track position, activity and physiological data on up to 200 rainforest animals consecutively and in real time. His study site is on Barro Colorado Island (BCI) Panama, the premier research station of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). Wikelski's tracking system is planned around specialized automated receivers that utilize electrically steerable antenna arrays. Six of these units will operate above-canopy tower-mounted antenna arrays for general coverage of the entire BCI rainforest area supplemented with 10 portable units for below-canopy deployment in specific areas for special project needs. The tower-deployed units will communicate data through radio-transmission to a central laboratory and processing center. The maintenance and expansion of the ATS equipment will be financed by modest user fees. The ATS system is currently being constructed on BCI, with first field tests projected for June 2002. The PI envisions a future expansion of the system to include state of the art monitoring techniques (digitally encoded physiological or locomotor transmissions, GPS). The ATS will allow researchers from all over the world to pursue basic ecological, eco-physiological, applied management, and conservation questions that are currently beyond scientific reach. ATS research will start with the following exemplary projects: In basic ecology researchers will address the importance of species interactions for the maintenance of rainforest diversity. In particular, 'keystone' predators like ocelots may control population sizes of rodents, which in turn are thought to be major seed dispersers and predators for trees. ATS enables researchers to study the interactions among animals as well as between animals and seeds - a prerequisite for the understanding of these basic ecological principles. In eco-physiology, research projects will address why many tropical birds live longer than their temperate zone counterparts, using heart rate telemetry to quantify energy expenditure in the wild. Other research groups will study the neuro-endocrinology of year-round territoriality vs. commuter territoriality. Such territorial and associated aggression systems are currently largely elusive. Conservation projects include the reintroduction of Harpy Eagles and other locally extinct birds on BCI and a study of the influence of habitat fragmentation on species persistence and diversity.Tropical biodiversity, conservation, and management of tropical rainforests are key components of modern biology. Automated telemetry allows biologists to address key ecological and conservation questions that are presently beyond reach because of methodological inadequacies. The ATS will also enable field ecologists to conduct large-scale, controlled experiments. The ATS will be constructed at one of the world's premier rainforest study sites allowing researchers to build upon, and incorporate new data into the largest existing framework of botanical, zoological and conservation knowledge of a single tropical site. Researchers and students from 30 nations will have access to ATS. Such a pioneering effort is expected to be emulated by research groups on different continents to supplement existing rainforest research networks such as the rainforest canopy network.

普林斯顿大学（Princeton University）的Martin Wikelski博士授予了用于研究热带雨林赠款中生态相互作用的多用户自动遥测系统，以购买自动化的遥测系统（ATS），使他能够在最多可遵守200个雨林动物的位置，活动和生理数据，并实际上和实时无限制地追踪200个雨林动物。他的研究地点位于史密森尼热带研究所（Stri）的主要研究站巴拿马巴罗科罗拉多岛（BCI）巴拿马。 Wikelski的跟踪系统计划围绕使用电气可通的天线阵列的专门自动化接收器。这些单元中有六个将运行上面的塔式塔式天线阵列，以一般覆盖整个BCI雨林区，并补充了10个便携式单元，用于特定区域的特定区域，以适应特定项目的特定项目。塔式部署的单元将通过无线电传输将数据传达给中央实验室和加工中心。 ATS设备的维护和扩展将由适中的用户费用融资。 ATS系统目前正在BCI上构建，预计将于2002年6月进行第一场现场测试。PI设想该系统的未来扩展，以包括最先进的监测技术（数字编码的生理或运动传输，GPS）。 ATS将使来自世界各地的研究人员能够追求目前超出科学影响力的基本生态，生态生理，应用管理和保护问题。 ATS研究将从以下示例性项目开始：在基本生态学中，研究人员将解决物种相互作用对维持雨林多样性的重要性。特别是，像Ocelots这样的“ Keystone”掠食者可能会控制啮齿动物的人口大小，而啮齿动物的种群大小又被认为是树木的主要种子分散器和捕食者。 ATS使研究人员能够研究动物与种子之间的相互作用，这是理解这些基本生态原理的前提。在生态生理学中，研究项目将解决为什么许多热带鸟类的寿命比温带鸟类更长，而使用心率遥测来量化野外能量支出。其他研究小组将研究全年领土与通勤领土的神经内分泌学。这种领土和相关的侵略系统目前在很大程度上难以捉摸。保护项目包括重新引入Harpy Eagles和BCI上的其他局部灭绝的鸟类，以及研究栖息地破碎对物种持久性和多样性的影响。热带生物多样性，保护和热带雨林的管理是现代生物学的关键组成部分。自动遥测使生物学家能够解决由于方法论不足而无法到达的关键生态和保护问题。 ATS还将使现场生态学家能够进行大规模的受控实验。 ATS将在世界上主要的雨林研究站点之一构建，使研究人员能够建立研究，并将新数据纳入单个热带地点的植物，动物学和保护知识的最大现有框架。来自30个国家的研究人员和学生将可以使用ATS。预计将在不同大陆的研究小组中模仿这样的开创性努力，以补充现有的雨林研究网络，例如雨林树冠网络。