% pubman genre = article
@article{item_3486449,
title = {{Evaluating the efficacy of a consumer{-}centric method for ecological sampling: Using bonobo (Pan paniscus) feeding patterns as an instrument for tropical forest characterization}},
author = {Wessling, Erin G. and Samuni, Liran and Mundry, Roger and Pascual, Miguel Adan and Lucchesi, Stefano and Kambale, Bienfait and Surbeck, Martin},
language = {eng},
issn = {2045-7758; 2045-7758},
doi = {10.1002/ece3.9606},
year = {2022},
date = {2022},
abstract = {{Characteristics of food availability and distribution are key components of a species{\textquotesingle}{\textless}br{\textgreater}ecology. Objective ecological surveying used in animal behavior research does not{\textless}br{\textgreater}consider aspects of selection by the consumer and therefore may produce imprecise{\textless}br{\textgreater}measures of availability. We propose a method to integrate ecological sampling of an{\textless}br{\textgreater}animal{\textquotesingle}s environment into existing behavioral data collection systems by using the{\textless}br{\textgreater}consumer as the surveyor. Here, we evaluate the consumer-centric method (CCM){\textless}br{\textgreater}of assessing resource availability for its ability to measure food resource abundance,{\textless}br{\textgreater}distribution, and dispersion. This method catalogs feeding locations observed during{\textless}br{\textgreater}behavioral observation and uses aggregated data to characterize these ecological{\textless}br{\textgreater}metrics. We evaluated the CCM relative to traditional vegetation plot surveying{\textless}br{\textgreater}using accumulated feeding locations across 3 years visited by a tropical frugivore, the{\textless}br{\textgreater}bonobo (Pan paniscus), and compared it with data derived from over 200 vegetation{\textless}br{\textgreater}plots across their 50 km2+ home ranges. We demonstrate that food species abundance{\textless}br{\textgreater}estimates derived from the CCM are comparable to those derived from traditional{\textless}br{\textgreater}vegetation plot sampling in less than 2 years of data collection, and agreement improved{\textless}br{\textgreater}when accounting for aspects of consumer selectivity in objective vegetation plot{\textless}br{\textgreater}sampling (e.g., tree size minima). Density correlated between CCM and plot-derived{\textless}br{\textgreater}estimates and was relatively insensitive to home range inclusion and other species{\textless}br{\textgreater}characteristics, however, it was sensitive to sampling frequency. Agreement between{\textless}br{\textgreater}the methods in relative distribution of resources performed better across species than{\textless}br{\textgreater}expected by chance, although measures of dispersion correlated poorly. Once tested{\textless}br{\textgreater}in other systems, the CCM may provide a robust measure of food availability for use{\textless}br{\textgreater}in relative food availability indices and can be incorporated into existing observational{\textless}br{\textgreater}data collection. The CCM has an advantage over traditional sampling methods as it{\textless}br{\textgreater}incorporates sampling biases relevant to the consumer, thereby serving as a promising{\textless}br{\textgreater}method for animal behavioral research}},
journal = {{Ecology and Evolution}},
volume = {12},
eid = {e9606},
}