Nicholas Burdick, & Dr. Allison Alvarado
In the last decade, remote bioacoustic monitoring has gained traction among wildlife researchers as it offers several advantages over traditional survey methods, especially for endangered or threatened species. Benefits include detecting wildlife with fewer site visits, less habitat disturbance, and the ability to survey multiple sites concurrently. California has several sensitive anuran (frog and toad) species that are in decline presenting a challenge for local wildlife agencies to regularly monitor new populations.
We are developing techniques and protocols to use autonomous recording units (ARUs) to potentially monitor four anuran species listed as species of special concern by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) – Anaxyrus californicus, Rana draytonii, and Spea hammondii – and by the SMMNRA – Anaxyrus boreas – as well one Federaly Endangered Species – Rana boylii. We will also be listening for 3 invasive species in the area including Pseudacris hypochondriaca, Xenopus laevis, and a new potential invasive Eleutherodactylus coqui.
Our goal is to document the presence of any sensitive anuran species around Ventura County and compare detection methods by placing Audio Moth ARUs above ground, and Hydro Moth ARUs underwater in pools surrounding CSUCI campus and in the Santa Monica Mountains. Rainforest Connection, a nonprofit, makes these recorders and offers a companion sound analysis service called Arbimon. In this poster, we highlight the automated sound detection methodology of pattern matching that we utilize in Arbimon to recognize species of interest, and we evaluate the utility of different recording and analytical techniques.
The results of this study will allow us to follow up on efforts by SMMNRA biologists to reintroduce Rana draytonii to locations in the Santa Monica Mountains and to see if these populations as well as others have dispersed to the edges of historical habitats surrounding CSUCI.