Fig. 1
Why the Resmo approach can be useful is illustrated by graphics that show: (I) mobile organisms RESide and MOve; (II) data-driven trajectories show complex distribution patterns of RESidence and MOvement; and (III) testable hypotheses with multiple alternate outcomes emerge from the Resmo approach. (A,B) By looking at changes in location (Y axis) through time (X axis), simplified trajectories show organisms change location through time (A) rarely (high-residence low-movement), (B) frequently (low-residence high-movement), or in intermediate combinations. (C) An empirical organismal trajectory depicts a much more complex pattern of residence (multi-color dots) and movement (lines) across stationary receiver locations (red squares). Tagged Striped Bass #57,566 moves both south-north (Y axis) and west–east (X axis) in Plum Island Estuary, MA, from June–September (Z axis) with the third temporal dimension emerging from the water (or graphic). Our Resmo approach proposes that by quantifying patterns of site-specific residence (Y axis) and site-specific movement (X axis) within a system, testable alternative outcomes to new hypotheses emerge (D–I). For hypothesis 1 (i.e., whether Striped Bass exhibit similar or different patterns of residence and movement at individual sites within the same system), alternative outcomes include (D) low-residence low-movement sites only (H1a; filled circles); (E) low-residence high-movement sites only; (H1b; stars); (F) high-residence low-movement sites only (H1c; open squares); (G) high-residence high-movement sites only (H1d; thunderbolts); or (H) tagged organisms reside and move differently at different locations within a system (H1e). In (D–H), each symbol represents a site within a system, each panel represents a system, and symbols represent different patterns in different quadrats of Resmo space. (I) Once site function patterns are identified, a second testable hypothesis emerges (i.e., whether site-specific residence-movement patterns of Striped Bass are linked to specific foraging conditions). Specifically, in hypothesis 2, we ask are Resmo patterns related to eight site-specific foraging-related drivers (X axis in separate plots). The eight types of potential foraging-related drivers include: (1) location (edge, center of the estuary); (2) prey amount (biomass, number); (3) predictable timing of prey presence; (4) prey type (fish or invertebrate); (5) ease with which a Striped Bass can capture prey; (6) specific abiotic variables that increase foraging success (drop-offs, current velocity, other habitat characteristics); (7) other biotic variables that affect foraging (competitors); and (8) foraging behavior (learned or opportunistic).
