scholarly journals Comparing imaging, acoustics, and radar to monitor Leach’s storm-petrel colonies

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e6721 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachael A. Orben ◽  
Abram B. Fleishman ◽  
Abraham L. Borker ◽  
William Bridgeland ◽  
Amanda J. Gladics ◽  
...  

Seabirds are integral components of marine ecosystems and, with many populations globally threatened, there is a critical need for effective and scalable seabird monitoring strategies. Many seabird species nest in burrows, which can make traditional monitoring methods costly, infeasible, or damaging to nesting habitats. Traditional burrow occupancy surveys, where possible, can occur infrequently and therefore lead to an incomplete understanding of population trends. For example, in Oregon, during the last three decades there have been large changes in the abundance of Leach’s storm-petrels (Hydrobates leucorhoa), which included drastic declines at some colonies. Unfortunately, traditional monitoring failed to capture the timing and magnitude of change, limiting managers’ ability to determine causes of the decline and curtailing management options. New, easily repeatable methods of quantifying relative abundance are needed. For this study, we tested three methods of remote monitoring: passive acoustic monitoring, time-lapse cameras, and radar. Abundance indices derived from acoustics and imagery: call rates, acoustic energy, and counts were significantly related to traditional estimates of burrow occupancy of Leach’s storm-petrels. Due to sampling limitations, we were unable to compare radar to burrow occupancy. Image counts were significantly correlated with all other indices, including radar, while indices derived from acoustics and radar were not correlated. Acoustic data likely reflect different aspects of the population and hold the potential for the further development of indices to disentangle phenology, attendance of breeding birds, and reproductive success. We found that image counts are comparable with standard methods (e.g., radar) in producing annual abundance indices. We recommend that managers consider a sampling scheme that incorporates both acoustics and imaging, but for sites inaccessible to humans, radar remains the sole option. Implementation of acoustic and camera based monitoring programs will provide much needed information for a vulnerable group of seabirds.

2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (6) ◽  
pp. 571
Author(s):  
B. O. David ◽  
M. Lake ◽  
M. K. Pine ◽  
J. Smith ◽  
J. A. T. Boubée

Fish mortality through floodplain pumping stations is a recognised global issue, but few studies have quantified the degree of mortality that occurs during pumping. We investigated the potential of passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) as a tool to record sounds made by fish and their likely mortality as they passed through pumps during downstream migration. The acoustic properties made by freshly killed eels that were fed through an existing pump station were compared to those made by goldfish (Carassius auratus). Processing and analysis of acoustic data enabled the development of an ‘eel-specific’ algorithm for detecting eels passing through the pumping station. The duration of sound and filtered intensity were useful characteristics enabling reliable separation of the two fish species. The algorithm was then applied retrospectively to soundscape recordings obtained during a typical eel migration period at the test site. Although the tool is unlikely to be able to differentiate the sound of goldfish from ‘other’ potential sounds of short duration (e.g. sticks), differentiating eels from other sounds was demonstrated. We conclude that this tool has considerable potential for improving the understanding of the timing of eel migrations and likely mortality through pumping stations. The tool may also be used to inform the development of both remote and manual pump management options for reducing pump-related eel mortality.


2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elena Schall ◽  
Karolin Thomisch ◽  
Olaf Boebel ◽  
Gabriele Gerlach ◽  
Sari Mangia Woods ◽  
...  

AbstractHumpback whales are thought to undertake annual migrations between their low latitude breeding grounds and high latitude feeding grounds. However, under specific conditions, humpback whales sometimes change their migratory destination or skip migration overall. Here we document the surprising persistent presence of humpback whales in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean during five years (2011, 2012, 2013, 2017, and 2018) using passive acoustic data. However, in the El Niño years 2015 and 2016, humpback whales were virtually absent. Our data show that humpback whales are systematically present in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean and suggest that these whales are particularly sensitive to climate oscillations which have profound effects on winds, sea ice extent, primary production, and especially krill productivity.


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 239
Author(s):  
Davide Scaccini ◽  
Enrico Ruzzier ◽  
Kent M. Daane

Grape cultivation is a billion-dollar agricultural sector in California, where invasive or novel pest species can disrupt management practices. We report herein on a new pest associated with California vineyards, the carpentermoth Givira ethela (Neumoegen and Dyar, 1893). Rather than an invasive species, G. ethela appears to be a newly recognized wood-boring pest of Vitis vinifera (L.) in regions of California’s Central Valley, where its initial occurrence has been dated back to, at least, the beginning of the 2000s. The habitus of adult, genitalia and pupa is illustrated. Givira ethela distribution in California is updated including published records and new data. Carpentermoth galleries seem to facilitate the access of Planococcus ficus Signoret, 1875 to vine sap and protection from natural enemies, environmental stresses, and pesticide treatments. Notes on pest status, life history, monitoring practices, natural enemies, and management options on grapes are also discussed. Tools for the Integrated Pest Management of G. ethela should include the correct identification of the insect and its damage, a full understanding of its biology and ecology, the application of monitoring methods, and the identification of economic thresholds and injury levels.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fuad Atakishiyev ◽  
Rizvan Ramazanov ◽  
Fergus Allan ◽  
Adrian Zett

Abstract Proactive well diagnostic surveillance helps with safe delivery of production by effective well management and risk mitigation. The objective of the paper is to demonstrate the data analytics approach utilizing passive acoustic technology in combination with conventional methods of detecting low magnitude dynamic events behind single or multiple casing strings. The results of integrated interpretation of passive acoustic wireline technology with the data from different sources helped to make optimal decision. Traditional well integrity diagnostic includes temperature and passive acoustic data analysis that are associated with high uncertainty. A newer generation of array passive acoustic technology with enhanced sensitivity capabilities was deployed offshore Azerbaijan. A combination of array passive acoustics data, single point temperature and distributed fiber optic data have been acquired during a multi-well campaign. Extensive review of well integrity history, downhole and surface gauge data incorporated with passive acoustic data from arrays of spectral sensors in time and depth domain helped to refine the process and evolve into a unique interpretation methodology. The comprehensive interpretation accounted for integration of all available static and dynamic data such as: fluids and formation pressure distribution along the borehole, cement bond logs evaluation, annuli pressure and temperature, production and downhole gauge measurements, fibre optic data, temperature and passive acoustic logs. This helped to understand the low scale dynamic events behind the casing and make an informed decision on safe and reliable well operations. The sensitivity of array passive acoustic technology proved successful in detecting subtle acoustic events where conventional methods failed or had limited success. Successful results have been achieved by customizing the logging program using a multiple well evolutionary approach that improved data quality and saved rig time. Interpretation and decisions derived from each well involved multi-disciplinary well review panel sessions with specialists from subsurface & geohazards, drilling & completions, production & operations departments. Case studies presented in this paper describe the interpretation approach of highly sensitive array passive acoustic sensors in combination with available static and dynamic point and distributed data. The logging program and interpretation approach used in this article could be considered as a basis for future applications in wells with similar design.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 3727-3748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa Angermann ◽  
Conrad Jackisch ◽  
Niklas Allroggen ◽  
Matthias Sprenger ◽  
Erwin Zehe ◽  
...  

Abstract. The phrase form and function was established in architecture and biology and refers to the idea that form and functionality are closely correlated, influence each other, and co-evolve. We suggest transferring this idea to hydrological systems to separate and analyze their two main characteristics: their form, which is equivalent to the spatial structure and static properties, and their function, equivalent to internal responses and hydrological behavior. While this approach is not particularly new to hydrological field research, we want to employ this concept to explicitly pursue the question of what information is most advantageous to understand a hydrological system. We applied this concept to subsurface flow within a hillslope, with a methodological focus on function: we conducted observations during a natural storm event and followed this with a hillslope-scale irrigation experiment. The results are used to infer hydrological processes of the monitored system. Based on these findings, the explanatory power and conclusiveness of the data are discussed. The measurements included basic hydrological monitoring methods, like piezometers, soil moisture, and discharge measurements. These were accompanied by isotope sampling and a novel application of 2-D time-lapse GPR (ground-penetrating radar). The main finding regarding the processes in the hillslope was that preferential flow paths were established quickly, despite unsaturated conditions. These flow paths also caused a detectable signal in the catchment response following a natural rainfall event, showing that these processes are relevant also at the catchment scale. Thus, we conclude that response observations (dynamics and patterns, i.e., indicators of function) were well suited to describing processes at the observational scale. Especially the use of 2-D time-lapse GPR measurements, providing detailed subsurface response patterns, as well as the combination of stream-centered and hillslope-centered approaches, allowed us to link processes and put them in a larger context. Transfer to other scales beyond observational scale and generalizations, however, rely on the knowledge of structures (form) and remain speculative. The complementary approach with a methodological focus on form (i.e., structure exploration) is presented and discussed in the companion paper by Jackisch et al.(2017).


2014 ◽  
Vol 135 (4) ◽  
pp. 2369-2369 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens C. Koblitz ◽  
Katharina Brundiers ◽  
Mario Kost ◽  
Louise Burt ◽  
Len Thomas ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (9) ◽  
pp. 4812-4840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genevieve E. Davis ◽  
Mark F. Baumgartner ◽  
Peter J. Corkeron ◽  
Joel Bell ◽  
Catherine Berchok ◽  
...  

2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (6) ◽  
pp. 1055-1064 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Galgani ◽  
G. Hanke ◽  
S. Werner ◽  
L. De Vrees

Abstract Galgani, F., Hanke, G., Werner, S., and De Vrees, L. 2013. Marine litter within the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 70: 1055–1064. There have been numerous anthropogenic-driven changes to our planet in the last half-century. One of the most evident changes is the ubiquity and abundance of litter in the marine environment. The EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD, 2008/56/EC) establishes a framework within which EU Member States shall take action to achieve or maintain good environmental status (GES) of their marine waters by 2020. GES is based on 11 qualitative descriptors as listed in Annex I of the MSFD. Descriptor 10 (D 10) concerns marine litter. As a follow-up to the related Commission Decision on criteria and methodological standards (2010/477/EU) in which 56 indicators for the achievement of GES are proposed, the EC Directorate-General for the Environment, on the request of the European Marine Directors, established a Technical Subgroup on Marine Litter (TSG ML) under the Working Group on GES. The role of TSG ML is to support Member States through providing scientific and technical background for the implementation of MSFD requirements with regard to D 10. Started in 2011, TSG ML provides technical recommendations for the implementation of the MSFD requirements for marine litter. It summarizes the available information on monitoring approaches and considers how GES and environmental targets could be defined with the aim of preventing further inputs of litter to, and reducing its total amount in, the marine environment. It also identifies research needs, priorities and strategies in support of the implementation of D 10. The work of TSG ML also focuses on the specification of monitoring methods through the development of monitoring protocols for litter in the different marine compartments, and for microplastics and litter in biota. Further consideration is being given to monitoring strategies in general and associated costs. Other priorities include the identification of sources of marine litter and a better understanding of the harm caused by marine litter.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann N. Allen ◽  
Matt Harvey ◽  
Lauren Harrell ◽  
Aren Jansen ◽  
Karlina P. Merkens ◽  
...  

Passive acoustic monitoring is a well-established tool for researching the occurrence, movements, and ecology of a wide variety of marine mammal species. Advances in hardware and data collection have exponentially increased the volumes of passive acoustic data collected, such that discoveries are now limited by the time required to analyze rather than collect the data. In order to address this limitation, we trained a deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to identify humpback whale song in over 187,000 h of acoustic data collected at 13 different monitoring sites in the North Pacific over a 14-year period. The model successfully detected 75 s audio segments containing humpback song with an average precision of 0.97 and average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) of 0.992. The model output was used to analyze spatial and temporal patterns of humpback song, corroborating known seasonal patterns in the Hawaiian and Mariana Islands, including occurrence at remote monitoring sites beyond well-studied aggregations, as well as novel discovery of humpback whale song at Kingman Reef, at 5∘ North latitude. This study demonstrates the ability of a CNN trained on a small dataset to generalize well to a highly variable signal type across a diverse range of recording and noise conditions. We demonstrate the utility of active learning approaches for creating high-quality models in specialized domains where annotations are rare. These results validate the feasibility of applying deep learning models to identify highly variable signals across broad spatial and temporal scales, enabling new discoveries through combining large datasets with cutting edge tools.


2009 ◽  
Vol 125 (4) ◽  
pp. 2547-2547 ◽  
Author(s):  
David K. Mellinger ◽  
Douglas Gillespie ◽  
Harold Figueroa ◽  
Kate Stafford ◽  
Tina Yack

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