Predicting the Ability of Marine Mammal Populations to Compensate for Behavioral Disturbances

Abstract

This project aims to develop new prospective analytical tools to determine the ability of marine mammal populations to compensate for behavioural disturbances. We aim for these tools to be generic and applicable in data-poor situations. To do so, we will extend on recent advances in behavioral ecological modelling in which behavioral strategies are defined using hierarchical models where behavior is a state emerging from a number of hidden processes. This hidden process is formalised as a system of linear equations in which motivations and condition influences behavior and behavior feeds back on motivation levels and condition. We focus on defining the state resilience of behavioral strategies by analyzing the transient dynamics of those behavioral strategies (system of linear equations). This will provide a framework to inform the propensity for population consequences to emerge from behavioral disturbances.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 2013
Accession Number
ADA598679

Entities

People

  • David Lusseau

Organizations

  • University of Aberdeen

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Agent-Based Simulations
  • Anatomy
  • Animal Behavior
  • Animals
  • Case Studies
  • Dynamics
  • Ecology
  • Eigenvalues
  • Elephants
  • Engineering
  • Equations
  • Mammals
  • Marine Mammals
  • Motivation
  • Perturbations
  • Resilience
  • Simulations

Fields of Study

  • Biology

Readers

  • Marine Mammal Biology
  • Psychological Intervention/Treatment for Stress, Anxiety, PTSD, and Related Emotional and Cognitive Health Symptoms.
  • Theoretical Analysis.