How I built Geolocator DP using open source code

This is a guest post written by Raphaël Nussbaumer.

Geolocators are essential tools for studying bird movement, enabling researchers to gain insights into migration and behavior. However, managing and sharing geolocator data consistently remains challenging. To address this, I developed the Geolocator Data Package (Geolocator DP), an extension of the Data Package standard, designed specifically for geolocator data.

The development of Geolocator DP was greatly facilitated by the Camera Trap Data Package (Camtrap DP), which is also build upon the Data Package standard. Camtrap DP provided a robust foundation that I could adapt to the needs of geolocator data. I was also inspired by the Camtrap DP website to create a Geolocator DP website, reusing the same free Petridish theme.

To further enhance usability, I developed the R package GeoLocatoR. Just like the R package camtrapdp, it makes use of the R package frictionless to read and manipulate data. GeoLocatoR allows researchers to seamlessly create, manage, and validate geolocator data packages. It is designed to work in tandem with the geolocator analysis R package GeoPressureR, which retrieves bird locations by combining light, activity, and pressure measurements. Together, GeoPressureR and GeoLocatoR provide a cohesive pipeline for analyzing geolocator data and publishing findings in movement ecology research.

I extend my gratitude to the individuals and teams behind the tools that made this work possible. In particular, I want to thanks the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Frictionless Data, and Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) for releasing their software open source. Diving into source code is a really useful way to learn how functionality can be implemented and build upon. I also wish to express my gratitude to Peter Desmet, whose advice and contributions have been instrumental.

These efforts exemplify the power of open science and collaboration, enabling researchers to address data challenges effectively and advance movement ecology research.

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