BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research
Abstract Bats represent a highly diverse group of mammals and are essential for ecosystem functioning. However, knowledge about their behaviour, ecology and conservation status is limited. Direct observation of marked individuals (commonly applied to birds) is not possible for bats due to their smal...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2021-10-01
|
| Series: | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13672 |
| _version_ | 1797271169528758272 |
|---|---|
| author | Jannis Gottwald Patrick Lampe Jonas Höchst Nicolas Friess Julia Maier Lea Leister Betty Neumann Tobias Richter Bernd Freisleben Thomas Nauss |
| author_facet | Jannis Gottwald Patrick Lampe Jonas Höchst Nicolas Friess Julia Maier Lea Leister Betty Neumann Tobias Richter Bernd Freisleben Thomas Nauss |
| author_sort | Jannis Gottwald |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Bats represent a highly diverse group of mammals and are essential for ecosystem functioning. However, knowledge about their behaviour, ecology and conservation status is limited. Direct observation of marked individuals (commonly applied to birds) is not possible for bats due to their small size, rapid movement and nocturnal lifestyle, while neither popular observation methods such as camera traps nor conventional tracking technologies sufficiently capture the behaviour of individuals. The combination and networking of different sensors in a single system can overcome these limitations, but this potential has been explored only to a limited extent. We present BatRack, a multi‐sensor device that combines ultrasonic audio recordings, automatic radio telemetry and video camera recordings in a single modular unit. BatRack facilitates the individual or combined scheduling of sensors and includes a mutual triggering mode. It consists of off‐the‐shelf hardware and both its hardware blueprints and the required software have been published under an open license to allow scientists and practitioners to replicate the system. We tested the suitability of radio telemetry and audio sensors as camera triggers and evaluated the detection of individuals in video recordings compared to radio telemetry signals. Specifically, BatRack was used to monitor the individual swarming behaviour of six members of a maternity colony of Bechstein's bat. Preliminary anecdotal results indicate that swarming intensity is related to reproductive state and roost switching. BatRack allows researchers to recognize individual bats and monitor their behavioural patterns using an easily deployed and scalable system. BatRack is thus a promising approach to obtaining detailed insights into the behavioural ecology of bats. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:15:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-38d5ae4f17e04ba89f9b59dafdfeccb1 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-210X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:15:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj.art-38d5ae4f17e04ba89f9b59dafdfeccb12024-03-07T08:56:54ZengWileyMethods in Ecology and Evolution2041-210X2021-10-0112101867187410.1111/2041-210X.13672BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife researchJannis Gottwald0Patrick Lampe1Jonas Höchst2Nicolas Friess3Julia Maier4Lea Leister5Betty Neumann6Tobias Richter7Bernd Freisleben8Thomas Nauss9Department of Geography Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Mathematics and Computer Science Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Mathematics and Computer Science Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Geography Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Biology Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Biology Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Biology Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyNational Park Berchtesgaden Berchtesgaden GermanyDepartment of Mathematics and Computer Science Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyDepartment of Geography Philipps‐University Marburg Marburg GermanyAbstract Bats represent a highly diverse group of mammals and are essential for ecosystem functioning. However, knowledge about their behaviour, ecology and conservation status is limited. Direct observation of marked individuals (commonly applied to birds) is not possible for bats due to their small size, rapid movement and nocturnal lifestyle, while neither popular observation methods such as camera traps nor conventional tracking technologies sufficiently capture the behaviour of individuals. The combination and networking of different sensors in a single system can overcome these limitations, but this potential has been explored only to a limited extent. We present BatRack, a multi‐sensor device that combines ultrasonic audio recordings, automatic radio telemetry and video camera recordings in a single modular unit. BatRack facilitates the individual or combined scheduling of sensors and includes a mutual triggering mode. It consists of off‐the‐shelf hardware and both its hardware blueprints and the required software have been published under an open license to allow scientists and practitioners to replicate the system. We tested the suitability of radio telemetry and audio sensors as camera triggers and evaluated the detection of individuals in video recordings compared to radio telemetry signals. Specifically, BatRack was used to monitor the individual swarming behaviour of six members of a maternity colony of Bechstein's bat. Preliminary anecdotal results indicate that swarming intensity is related to reproductive state and roost switching. BatRack allows researchers to recognize individual bats and monitor their behavioural patterns using an easily deployed and scalable system. BatRack is thus a promising approach to obtaining detailed insights into the behavioural ecology of bats.https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13672automatic radio trackingbatsbehavioural ecologycamera trapsmulti‐sensorpassive acoustic monitoring |
| spellingShingle | Jannis Gottwald Patrick Lampe Jonas Höchst Nicolas Friess Julia Maier Lea Leister Betty Neumann Tobias Richter Bernd Freisleben Thomas Nauss BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research Methods in Ecology and Evolution automatic radio tracking bats behavioural ecology camera traps multi‐sensor passive acoustic monitoring |
| title | BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research |
| title_full | BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research |
| title_fullStr | BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research |
| title_full_unstemmed | BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research |
| title_short | BatRack: An open‐source multi‐sensor device for wildlife research |
| title_sort | batrack an open source multi sensor device for wildlife research |
| topic | automatic radio tracking bats behavioural ecology camera traps multi‐sensor passive acoustic monitoring |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.13672 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT jannisgottwald batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT patricklampe batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT jonashochst batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT nicolasfriess batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT juliamaier batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT lealeister batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT bettyneumann batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT tobiasrichter batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT berndfreisleben batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch AT thomasnauss batrackanopensourcemultisensordeviceforwildliferesearch |