A probabilistic algorithm to process geolocation data

Merkel, Benjamin; Phillips, Richard A.; Descamps, Sébastien; Yoccoz, Nigel G.; Moe, Børge; Strøm, Hallvard

doi:10.1186/s40462-016-0091-8

Movement Ecology

Table 1 Comparison of available methods to process geolocation data

From: A probabilistic algorithm to process geolocation data

	Hill 1994 [7], Hill & Braun 2001 [18]	Teo et al. 2004 [32]	Domeier et al. 2005 [33]	Royer et al. 2005 [34]	Ekstrom 2007 [21]	Nielsen et al. 2006 [24], Lam et al. 2008 [35]	Tremblay et al. 2009 [28]	Sumner et al. 2009 [26]	Nielsen & Sibert 2007 [25], Lam et al. 2010 [36]	Rakhimberdiev et al. 2015 [27]	this study
Principle to infer locations from light data	threshold	threshold (only longitude)	threshold (only longitude)	-	template fit	threshold	-	curve model	template fit	template fit	threshold
Data needed for method	twilight events	twilight events	twilight events	“raw” locations	full light range data	twilight events	“raw” locations	clipped light range data	full light range data	clipped light range data	twilight events
R package	GeoLight [23]					Ukfsst		SGAT, Trip Estimation	Trackit	FlightR	probGLS
Account for difference in shading					+			+		+	+
Account for movement between twilight events								+	+	+
Estimated locations during equinox		+	+		+	+		+	+	+	+
Uncertainty estimates				+	+	+	+	+	+	+	+
Spatial error structure			constant	constant	estimated through the geolocation process	ad hoc parametric model	constant	estimated through the geolocation process	estimated through the geolocation process	estimated through the geolocation process	estimated through the geolocation process
State space model				+		+		+	+	+
Optimisation		best match for latitude	least cost track	particle filter	least squares	unscented Kalman filter	probability sampling	MCMC (block update)	unscented Kalman filter	particle filter	probability sampling
Land scape mask		+		+			+	+		+	+
Optional/ mandatory environmental characteristics		/SST	/SST	/SST, depth		SST, depth/	SST/	SST/	SST, depth/	possible to implement/	SST, depth, sea ice …/
Optional/ mandatory speed input		+/	/+	/+				/+		+/	+/
Developed mainly for	all organisms	fish	fish	fish	all organisms	fish	marine organisms	marine organisms	fish	terrestrial birds	marine organisms

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ISSN: 2051-3933

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