PTS: 3210APN.5.3 Title: FISC-SPP-New estimates of population parameters for Manatee population models, based on the multi-agency manatee photo-identification database (04-R4-01) Leaders: * Beck, Cathy A., cbeck@usgs.gov, 352-264-3550, FAX 352-374-8080, Crown Pointe 2201 NW 40th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32605-3574 * Hill, Ronald , ronaldhill@usgs.gov, 303-236-9747, FAX 303-236-9746, Box 25046 Denver Federal Center Mail Stop 303, Denver, CO 80225-0046 * Keay, Jeffrey A., jkeay@usgs.gov, 916-278-9561, FAX 916-278-9566, Modoc Hall, USGS 3020 State University Drive East Mail Stop Suite 3005, Sacramento, CA 95819 * Langtimm, Catherine A., clangtimm@usgs.gov, 508-867-8346, FAX , Crown Pointe 2201 NW 40th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32605-3574 * Lefebvre, Lynn W., llefebvre@usgs.gov, 352-264-3543, FAX 352-374-8080, Crown Pointe 2201 NW 40th Terrace, Gainesville, FL 32605-3574 * Marinello, Tracy A., tracy_marinello@usgs.gov, 352-264-3504, FAX , 7920 NW 71st Street, Gainesville, FL 32653 * Osborn, Ronald G., osbornr@usgs.gov, 970-226-9380, FAX 970-226-9230, 2150 Centre Avenue Building C, Fort Collins, CO 80526-8118 Accomplishments: In 2002, before the formal development of the multi-agency partnership, analyses of adult survival rates based on MIPS data were conducted for all four regional populations designated by USFWS as management units in Florida. This analysis included the first estimates calculated for the Southwest region as part of a collaborative effort among USGS-FISC Sirenia Project, the Florida Marine Research Institute of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Mote Marine Laboratory. Results were presented at the Manatee Population Ecology and Management Workshop in April 2002. A manuscript describing the research was published in Marine Mammal Science in July 2004. This is the first publication from this new multi-agency research collaboration.
FY 2004. Joint protocols were developed among the three institutions to begin taking photographs with digital cameras and incorporating new images into MIPS.
FWRI has migrated to the new MIPS access database. A copy of the database has been transfered to MML. This increases the efficiency of viewing images at the three institutions to make matches.
SQL server has been set up at Sirenia Project-FISC and FORT with communication and processing between locations.
Image scanning to digital format has been initiated.
May 2005. A Memorandum of Understanding and an Interconnectivity Security Agreement between the USGS-FISC, USGS-FORT, FWC-FWRI, and Mote Marine Laboratory to facilitate the integrated inter-agency MIPS and to estimate new survival rates from the integrated data was signed.
The 2005 Biological Population Assessment of the Florida Manatee was submitted to USFWS on 1 February 2005 by the Manatee Population Status Working Group under the Florida Manatee Recovery and Implementation Team. Analyses of survival rates and population dynamics published by USGS and its partners in July 2004 Marine Mammal Science provided the core of the information used to produce this assessment. Communication Plan: Periodic briefings on updated estimates and the status of progress toward new analyses will be provided as analyses are completed or upon request by FWS, FFWC, federal and state modelers using the estimates to develop population models, and the Working Groups serving as technical advisors to the Manatee Recovery Implementation Team.
Formal reports on analyses of parameter estimates will be provided as new analyses are completed.
Manuscripts will be prepared and submitted for peer review and publication in professional journals. Highlights and Key Findings: The first estimates of adult survival rates calculated for manatees in Southwest Florida as part of a collaborative effort among USGS-FISC Sirenia Project, the Florida Marine Research Institute of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Mote Marine Laboratory were presented at the Manatee Population Ecology and Management Workshop in April 2002. A coauthored paper describing the results was published in Marine Mammal Science in July 2004. Objectives: Objective 1: Ensure implementation of the new technology, completion of the merger of the data and compliance with QA/QC protocols. In collaboration with partners, cull the database for the data needed to estimate the population parameters.
Objective 2: Collaborate with FMRI and MML researchers to provide FWS and state partners with new estimates of survival, reproduction, movement, and emigration rates from analysis of the merged data from SW Florida. Collaborate with population modelers to integrate these parameter estimates into new models to support federal and state management in their decisions concerning population assessment, recovery, and management options.
Objective 3: Modify the database structure and protocols as needed, to meet the requirements of the analyses and to facilitate future annual updates to estimates. Statement of Problem: The Manatee Individual Photo-identification System (MIPS) provides the data on individual manatee life histories used to estimate manatee population parameters and to model population dynamics for federal and state assessments of status and recovery. In 2004 FWS, USGS, the Florida Marine Research Institute (FMRI) of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) and Mote Marine Laboratory (MML) formed a partnership to merge the loosely associated agency databases into a single, fully integrated Multi-agency MIPS Database and to update technological aspects of data management. USGS is coordinating the effort and supplying technological expertise. With the realization of that database, new parameter estimates are possible for the population in the Southwest (SW), the USFWS manatee management region with the greatest uncertainty in quantitative assessments of status. Three parameters have been identified as critical to better efforts to model status and recovery in the SW: annual reproduction probabilities, annual movement probabilities between the Northwest (NW) and SW, and more detailed analysis of adult survival probabilities in the SW (dependent on season and location). Estimates of annual movement probabilities are most critical. Permanent emigration out of a region can produce a negative bias in estimates of survival, and at this point in time we do not know the magnitude of emigration from the SW or NW regions. Transfer of data among agencies to identify individuals sighted in more than one region has been inefficient and incomplete. With a concerted effort to complete integration of the databases and to cull the required data, new parameter estimates will provide new management insights and better assessments of population dynamics and status.
Estimation of new population parameters will focus on data collected for the Southwest Management Unit, one of four manatee management units identified by USFWS in the latest revision of Florida Manatee Recovery Plan. The population of manatees in this region, from approximately Tampa Bay south to Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, are considered the most vulnerable in the state because of the high numbers of manatees killed by collisions with watercraft, periodic red-tide events, and cold stress from periodic bouts of prolonged cold weather. 2004 Statement of Work: Complete merger and quality control of multi-agency MIPS data for the west coast of Florida.
Initiate the process to begin identification and verification of the photo-documented occurrences of individuals in more than one region of the state.
Coordinate with MML and FMRI staff to implement standard coding protocols for the formal reproductive analysis.
Collaborate with FMRI and MML analysts to design protocols to censor and structure the data for the various analyses.
Provide progress reports to the partner agencies, USFWS, and the Manatee Population Status Working Group under the USFWS Florida Manatee Recovery and Implementation Team.
2005 Statement of Work: Complete merger and quality control of multi-agency MIPS data for the west coast of Florida.
Initiate the process to begin identification and verification of the photo-documented occurrences of individuals in more than one region of the state.
Coordinate with MML and FMRI staff to implement standard coding protocols for the formal reproductive analysis.
Collaborate with FMRI and MML analysts to design protocols to censor and structure the data for the various analyses.
Provide progress reports to the partner agencies, USFWS, and the Manatee Population Status Working Group under the USFWS Florida Manatee Recovery and Implementation Team. Product: Other Delivered Langtimm, C. A., C. A. Beck. H. H. Edwards, K. J. Fick-Child, B. B. Ackerman, S. L. Barton, and W. C. Hartley. 2004. Survival estimates for Florida manatees from the photo-identification of individuals. Marine Mammal Science 20:438-463. Product: Other Delivered USGS-FISC, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and Mote Marine Laboratory, 2005, Manatee Individual Photo-identification System (MIPS)Memorandum of Understanding. Amendment 1. Data Sharing to Estimate Survival Rates in Southwest and Northwest Florida, USGS Product: Other Delivered USGS-FISC, USGS-FORT, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and Mote Marine Laboratory, 2005, Multi-agency Interconnection Security Agreement for the Manatee Individual Photo-identification System (MIPS) Integrated Database, USGS Product: Other Delivered USGS-FISC, USGS-FORT, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission-Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, and Mote Marine Laboratory, 2005, Multi-agency Memorandum of Understanding: Manatee Individual Photo-identification System (MIPS), USGS Product: Report Planned Report, Planned: Beck, C. A.(USGS), R. G. Osborn (USGS), K. Higgs (FMRI), and S. Barton (MML), Manatee Individual Photo-identification System (MIPS) Metadata Manual. Version 2.__, USGS Product: Report Planned Report, Planned: Langtimm, C. A. (USGS), Holly Edwards (FMRI), Status of progress toward updated parameter estimates for the SW region of Florida, USGS Product: Report Planned Report, Planned: Langtimm, C.A. (USGS), H. Edwards and Kari Higgs(FMRI), S. Barton (MML), C.A. Beck and R.G. Osborn (USGS), Estimates of adult survival, reproduction, and movement probabilities of manatees in southwest Florida., Marine Mammal Science Product: Report Planned Report, Planned: Langtimm, C.A. (USGS), H. Edwards and Kari Higgs(FMRI), S. Barton (MML), C.A. Beck and R.G. Osborn (USGS), Estimates of adult survival, reproduction, and movement probabilities of manatees in southwest Florida. Final Report., USGS
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