@article {53413, title = {Integrating bioacoustics, DNA barcoding and niche modeling for frog conservation {\textendash} The threatened balloon frogs of Sri Lanka}, journal = {Global Ecology and Conservation}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-12-2018}, pages = {e00496}, abstract = {

Discovering and monitoring anuran populations that are in decline, and ascertaining boundaries for cryptic and rare species, is a challenge for their conservation management. Here, we integrate three techniques, bioacoustics (call), niche modeling and DNA barcoding as a test case to investigate how the combination of these methods can enhance search efficiency for previously unknown populations, especially for those species that are threatened. As a focal group, we considered a clade in the genus Uperodon earlier referred to as Ramanella, represented by four endemic species in Sri Lanka (U. nagaoi \– Endangered; U. palmatus \– Critically Endangered; U. obscurus \– Vulnerable and U. rohani \– possibly Least Concern); we focus on the two highly threatened species (U. nagaoi and U. palmatus). We used mitochondrial DNA barcodes (16S rRNA) to link species accurately to their call and subsequently predicted species distributions using MaxEnt-based niche modeling of known species locations and forest cover data to increase the efficiency of searching for new populations. Lastly, we analyzed call data for accurate and rapid identification of new and viable populations. Following enhanced predicted distribution models, we visited 14 potential sites and sampled for Uperodon calls of the two highly threatened species. Within a period of two weeks of fieldwork, we discovered two new populations of U. nagaoi and one population of U. palmatus by identifying their calls in areas predicted by niche modeling; we also confirm species identities at several previously unconfirmed locations. Finally, we included the new locations to enhance the distributional predictions for the threatened species. We discuss our results in the context of integrating methods to facilitate conservation of rare and threatened frog species.

}, keywords = {Anura, Distribution modeling, Exploration, population monitoring, Species boundaries, vocalization}, issn = {23519894}, doi = {10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00496}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2351989418301781https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2351989418301781?httpAccept=text/xmlhttps://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2351989418301781?httpAccept=text/plain}, author = {Wijayathilaka, Nayana and Senevirathne, Gayani and Bandara, Champika and Rajapakse, Sanath and Pethiyagoda, Rohan and Meegaskumbura, Madhava} } @article {53388, title = {Pairing camera traps and acoustic recorders to monitor the ecological impact of human disturbance}, journal = {Global Ecology and Conservation}, volume = {16}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-10-2018}, pages = {e00493}, abstract = {

Over the past two decades, the use of camera traps and acoustic monitoring in the investigation of animal ecology have grown rapidly, with each technique enhancing broad-scale wildlife surveying. Camera traps are a cost-effective, noninvasive means of sampling communities of mid-to large-terrestrial species, and acoustic recording devices capture human sounds and sound-producing animals, including species of mammals, birds, anurans, and insects. Rarely are these techniques combined, despite the advantages of merging their respective strengths. Namely, camera traps paired with acoustic recorders can evaluate the abundance, distribution, and behavior of multiple guilds and trophic levels across landscapes while concurrently monitoring multiple human stressors in real time. Moreover, integrating these approaches enhances detection accuracy and strengthens statistical inference at multiple survey scales. We conducted a literature review, and found only 13 studies that combine camera traps and acoustic recorders, 8 of which either compared the ability of each technique to detect species of interest or discussed the advantages of each technique. We outline potential questions that can be addressed by pairing acoustic recorders and camera traps, including enabling the simultaneous assessment of noise pollution and its impacts on mammal and avian communities. Furthermore, we discuss how the analysis of data from each technique face similar challenges; thus, simultaneous innovation offers the ability to apply solutions to both techniques and amplify their respective strengths. Digital technologies and big data are changing nature conservation in increasingly profound ways and integration of camera traps and acoustic recorders will facilitate new, transformative discoveries to meet modern conservation challenges.

}, keywords = {acoustic monitoring, Anthropogenic disturbance, biodiversity, Cameras, Community structure, Inventory and monitoring, Multiple stressors}, issn = {23519894}, doi = {10.1016/j.gecco.2018.e00493}, url = {https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2351989418303573https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2351989418303573?httpAccept=text/xmlhttps://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S2351989418303573?httpAccept=text/plain}, author = {Lendrum, Patrick E. and Crooks, Kevin R. and Wittemyer, George} } @article {47341, title = {Large-scale semi-automated acoustic monitoring allows to detect temporal decline of bush-crickets}, journal = {Global Ecology and Conservation}, volume = {6}, year = {2016}, month = {Jan-04-2016}, pages = {208 - 218}, abstract = {

Monitoring biodiversity over large spatial and temporal scales is crucial to assess the impact of global changes and environmental mitigation measures. However, large-scale monitoring of invertebrates remains poorly developed despite the importance of these organisms in ecosystem functioning. The development of new recording techniques and new methods of automatic species recognition based on sound detection and easily applicable within a citizen-science framework, offers interesting possibilities. However, the value of such protocols has not been tested for the study of temporal trends on a large spatial scale.

We used an acoustic region-wide citizen-monitoring program of Orthoptera, conducted along roads, to assess the relevance of automatic species recognition methods to detect temporal trends while taking into account spatial and seasonal patterns of two Orthoptera species activity (Tettigonia viridissima Linnaeus, 1758, and Ruspolia nitidula Scopoli, 1786) at a large scale. Additionally, we tested the effect of climate and land-use variables on spatio-temporal abundance patterns using generalized linear mixed models. We found negative temporal trends for the two species across the survey period (2006\–2012). The spatial variations were largely explained by the geoclimatic conditions and, to a lesser extent, by land use (negative effects of urbanization). The temporal variations were highly correlated to the climatic conditions of the year, and of the previous year (nonlinear effect of temperature, precipitation).

To our knowledge, this paper describes the first successful attempt to calculate large-scale temporal trends of insect populations on the basis of an automatic identification process of acoustic data. We argue that acoustic monitoring along roads, coupled with the automatic recognition of species sounds, offers several advantages for assessing Orthoptera biodiversity response to global changes and environmental measures.

}, keywords = {automated signal recognition, bioacoustics, citizen monitoring program, Climate, Tettigoniida, trends}, issn = {23519894}, doi = {10.1016/j.gecco.2016.02.008}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2351989415300329}, author = {Jeliazkov, Alienor and Bas, Yves and Kerbiriou, Christian and Julien, Jean-Fran{\c c}ois and Penone, Caterina and Le Viol, Isabelle} }