popcluster: Developing Hierarchical Population Monitoring Frameworks for mobile species with high site fidelity

The software "popcluster" constructs hierarchically nested groupings of similar habitats associated with field surveys while considering biological structure/connectedness (movements between habitats). This approach can support mobile species with high site fidelity where monitoring during surveys occurs on birthing grounds, breeding grounds, or stopovers/seasonal habitat for migratory species. Each nested level of the resulting hierarchical monitoring framework will represent an increasing number of similarly clustered survey observation sites allowing for comparisons of population changes across spatial and temporal scales. We applied these concepts to greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus), a lekking (breeding grounds) species of conservation concern, in two disparate ecological contexts (Nevada and Wyoming, USA).