AUTHOR=Thums Michele , Fernández-Gracia Juan , Sequeira Ana M. M. , Eguíluz Víctor M. , Duarte Carlos M. , Meekan Mark G. 

TITLE=How Big Data Fast Tracked Human Mobility Research and the Lessons for Animal Movement Ecology

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=5

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2018.00021

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2018.00021

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=<p>The rise of the internet coupled with technological innovations such as smartphones have generated massive volumes of geo-referenced data (<italic>big data</italic>) on human mobility. This has allowed the number of studies of human mobility to rapidly overtake those of animal movement. Today, telemetry studies of animals are also approaching <italic>big data</italic> status. Here, we review recent advances in studies of human mobility and identify the opportunities they present for advancing our understanding of animal movement. We describe key analytical techniques, potential bottlenecks and a roadmap for progress toward a synthesis of movement patterns of wild animals.</p>