A self-calibrating array for the acoustical monitoring of bats.

Many bat species are being monitored by placing a sound triggered recorder in the field. Such recorders register the echolocation calls of passing bats over long periods of time. The current bat recorders suffer from a number of shortcomings. In this project, we address these by developing an array system consisting of independent recording devices instead of the single microphone recorders that are currently used. The aim of this project is to build a proof-of-concept of this array system consisting of five units, and to deploy them in the field where their performance will be compared to a number of existing bat recorder systems that are currently the 'gold standard' of bat surveying. The project will also result in a business plan for marketing the array system.

Keywords:SURVEYS, BIOACOUSTICS, ECOLOGICAL IMPACT STUDY, BATS

Disciplines:Animal biology, Ecology, Environmental science and management, Other environmental sciences