Geographic Information System and Their Application in the Study of Animal Spatial Behavior

Spatial attributes are an important characteristic of animal behavior. They are also a difficult subject for researchers, as the study methods, techniques and equipment required to study them have been limited in past years. With the rapid development of their technique and function in the last twenty years, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) have been more often applied in the study of animal behavioral ecology, such as habitat selection, territory, migration route and so on. GIS is a computer?based system, capable of capturing, storing, analyzing, and displaying geographically referenced data with its powerful spatial analysis abilities. In this paper, we discuss the principles and concepts of GIS in studies of animal behavioral ecology. Approaches and development of recent animal behavioral ecology studies using GIS are also summarized.

Keywords
Geographic information systems (GIS); Spatial behavior; Spatial analysis; Satellite tracking