Na. Slade et La. Russell, DISTANCES AS INDEXES TO MOVEMENTS AND HOME-RANGE SIZE FROM TRAPPING RECORDS OF SMALL MAMMALS, Journal of mammalogy, 79(1), 1998, pp. 346-351
Measurements of movements, such as the mean squared distance from the
center of activity (r(2)), do not provide estimates of home-range size
but are indices of use of space that can be compared among groups of
mammals. We analyzed trapping data from Microtus ochrogaster and Sigmo
don hispidus and found strong correlations among r(2) and several othe
r measurements of distances moved and home-range size. The first princ
ipal component of the correlation matrix retained from 77 to 91 % of t
otal variation in movement among individual rodents. The P-values and
coefficients of determination from analyses of variance among sex and
age groups generally agreed for all indices of home-range size. The r(
2) provided an index of home-range size that was unbiased with regard
to sample size, reflected tendency to localize movements, and could be
pooled among individuals with small sample sizes.