utilization distribution

A utilization distribution is a probability distribution giving the probability density that an animal is found at a given point in space. It is estimated from data sampling the location of an individual or individuals in space over a period of time using, for example, telemetry or GPS based methods.

Estimation of utilization distribution was traditionally based on histograms but newer nonparametric methods based on Fourier transformations,{{Cite journal|last=Anderson|first=D. John|date=February 1982|title=The Home Range: A New Nonparametric Estimation Technique|journal=Ecology|language=en|volume=63|issue=1|pages=103–112|doi=10.2307/1937036|issn=0012-9658|jstor=1937036}} kernel density{{Cite journal|last=Worton|first=B. J.|date=February 1989|title=Kernel Methods for Estimating the Utilization Distribution in Home-Range Studies|journal=Ecology|language=en|volume=70|issue=1|pages=164–168|doi=10.2307/1938423|issn=0012-9658|jstor=1938423}} and local convex hull methods have been developed.

The typical application for this distribution is estimating the home range distribution of animals. According to Lichti & Swihart (2011),{{Cite journal|last=Lichti|first=Nathanael I.|last2=Swihart|first2=Robert K.|date=February 2011|title=Estimating utilization distributions with kernel versus local convex hull methods|journal=The Journal of Wildlife Management|language=en|volume=75|issue=2|pages=413–422|doi=10.1002/jwmg.48|issn=0022-541X}} kernel density methods provided, in many cases, less biased home-range area estimates compared to convex hull methods.