[tlocoh-info] Parameter selection in a linear moving species

[Irene Weinberger]

Dear tlocoh-Group

I have followed the discussion with Anna and Thomas and it has clarified 
some questions. Unfortunately not all. I am working with otters that 
move along rivers and I think that LocoH's are a fine approach to 
estimate home range size as they are built nicely along the linear 
features. However, I am facing few problems and I wonder what you think 
about it:

a) I have data of only few animals but from them, I have a time span of 
radiotracking of 6 months to about 28 months. Following your advices to 
Thomas, I used an individuell varying s for each individual for the 
timespan of 6 months (as this is the shortest tracking period) using the 
"sfinder". So far, I did not subsample my data (I do have busts of 
locations of 2-16 hours every 15 min followed by days when the animal 
has not been tracked or just single locations within those days and all 
varies among the individuals).
I was wondering if I need to subsample of if I account for this when 
using s > 0.

b) My animals belong to a linear moving species that keeps to rivers and 
streams. I understand that I should be using the same k for all 
individuals for the estimation of the home range. However, while most of 
the LocoH's converge at around k=38, I have two individuals where the 
locoH's converge only at high ks (85 and 190, respectively) and if I use 
the highest k for all of the individuals, then I get much too large home 
ranges. I am here at a loss how to proceed and would like to hear if you 
have any suggestions.

Best wishes
Irene