Analyzing Discrete Movement Data as a Correlated Random Walk

Correlated random walk models provide a framework for making quantitative predictions about an organism's rate of spread. In this paper we present an algorithm that calculates the variance in squared displacement for a correlated random walk model. This can be used to make statistical comparisons of observed displacements to the model and to approximate the expected net displacement of the model. We illustrate the techniques with examples of insect movement and the vegetative spread of clonal plants.