Lauren Dobie
Projet
Acoustically Sampling Bats with a Miniature DroneI developed a new method of acoustically sampling bats by suspending a recording device from a miniature drone. The drone used in this experiment was previously shown to have no significant impact on bat presence. This drone technique expands monitoring capabilities to remote areas inaccessible to traditional handheld recording devices, such as over bodies of water and forest canopies. The efficiencies of the drone method and the handheld method of acoustic sampling were compared across various habitat types. I hypothesized that bat richness and abundance would change with altitude and habitat. I also hypothesized that the drone method would be more efficient in forest and lake habitats, whereas the two methods would be equally as efficient in wetland and building habitats. This research aims to optimize bat population monitoring, crucial for bat conservation efforts given the threat of white-nose syndrome and the critical state of North American bats.
