High microphone signal-to-noise ratio enhances acoustic sampling of wildlife.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Automated sound recorders are a popular sampling tool in ecology. However, the microphones themselves received little attention so far, and specifications that determine the recordings' sound quality are seldom mentioned. Here, we demonstrate the importance of microphone signal-to-noise ratio for sampling sonant animals.

Methods

We tested 12 different microphone models in the field and measured their signal-to-noise ratios and detection ranges. We also measured the vocalisation activity of birds and bats that they recorded, the bird species richness, the bat call types richness, as well as the performance of automated detection of bird and bat calls. We tested the relationship of each one of these measures with signal-to-noise ratio in statistical models.

Resul

SUBMITTER: Darras KFA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7585376 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature