Evaluation of the detection and acoustic discrimination capacity of bats in Cuba using Audiomoth recorders
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
In Cuba, the use of AudioMoth remote recorders is still incipient, but given their accessibility, portability and low cost, it is foreseeable that their application will expand in the coming years. However, its efficiency for detecting Cuban bat species has not been evaluated to date. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of the AudioMoth in the acoustic detection of bats, considering its recording capacity at different distances and its potential for the acoustic identification of species in natural environments. To this end, we carried out two evaluations. First, we tested the detectability of three species with different spectral characteristics in their echolocation calls was: Artibeus jamaicensis, Pteronotus parnellii and Nyctiellus lepidus. Secondly, we tested the ability of the device to distinguish the local and threatened endemic species Natalus primus from other species present in its natural environment, based on the spectro-temporal analysis of its calls. Our results showed that the detection ability of the AudioMoth varied significantly with distance. Saturated or noisy recordings predominated between 5 and 10 m, while between 15 and 25 m we obtained better quality recordings. From 30 m onwards, the quality decreased dramatically. Regarding acoustic identification, we found that the combination of three variables -call duration, peak frequency and peak frequency of the first harmonic- allowed to discriminate N. primus from other coexisting species in its diurnal refuge. In addition, N. primus presented a low variability in the duration and frequency of its calls, which suggests a high effectiveness of the device for its specific detection. In conclusion, AudioMoth devices are a useful tool for the detection and identification of Cuban bats. The results obtained may serve as a basis for the design of standardized acoustic sampling for inventories and ecological studies for conservation.
Article Details
Section
Los resultados publicados en la revista Poeyana se presentan bajo la Creative Commons Attribution License, que permite a cualquier lector hacer un uso libre de estos mientras refiera la fuente. No debe, por tanto, incluirse ningún material que no pueda ser publicado bajo estos términos, por ejemplo, fotografías con Copyright. Todos los datos o materiales extraídos de un trabajo escrito por otra persona, se deben identificar con claridad y atribuirse a sus autores, aunque no se hayan publicado o no se hayan citado palabra por palabra.