Simple bagged movement models for telemetry data

Ecology and Evolution
By: , and 

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Abstract

Determining which statistical methods are appropriate for data is both user and data dependent and prone to change as new methodology becomes available. This process encompasses model ideation, model selection, and determining appropriate use of statistical methods. Literature on models for animal movement emerging in the past two decades has yielded a rich collection of statistical methods garnering much deserved positive attention. Among such efforts, there is limited investigation of the broader place for simple machine learning methodology in animal movement modeling. We propose a bagged (i.e., bootstrap aggregated) animal movement model using simple, off-the-shelf machine learning algorithms. The model is intuitive, retains statistical inference about characteristics of animal movement (i.e., estimated from model-based summary statistics), and only requires knowledge of elementary statistical and machine learning analysis to understand. We show by simulation that our model can provide unbiased estimates of pertinent characteristics of animal movement (e.g., daily displacement) in the presence of large and realistic location error. We believe that increasing accessible literature on simple machine learning animal movement models provides valuable pedagogical and practical support for researchers using statistical models to study animal movement.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title Simple bagged movement models for telemetry data
Series title Ecology and Evolution
DOI 10.1002/ece3.72060
Volume 15
Issue 9
Publication Date September 07, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher Wiley
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Atlanta
Description e72060, 14 p.
Additional publication details