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SAFE Acoustics: An open‐source, real‐time eco‐acoustic monitoring network in the tropical rainforests of Borneo
Author(s) -
Sethi Sarab S.,
Ewers Robert M.,
Jones Nick S.,
Signorelli Aaron,
Picinali Lorenzo,
Orme Christopher David L.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
methods in ecology and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.425
H-Index - 105
ISSN - 2041-210X
DOI - 10.1111/2041-210x.13438
Subject(s) - rainforest , upload , open source , computer science , citizen science , data science , ecology , database , environmental resource management , environmental science , world wide web , software , botany , biology , programming language
Abstract Automated monitoring approaches offer an avenue to unlocking large‐scale insight into how ecosystems respond to human pressures. However, since data collection and data analyses are often treated independently, there are currently no open‐source examples of end‐to‐end, real‐time ecological monitoring networks. Here, we present the complete implementation of an autonomous acoustic monitoring network deployed in the tropical rainforests of Borneo. Real‐time audio is uploaded remotely from the field, indexed by a central database, and delivered via an API to a public‐facing website. We provide the open‐source code and design of our monitoring devices, the central web2py database, and the ReactJS website. Furthermore, we demonstrate an extension of this infrastructure to deliver real‐time analyses of the eco‐acoustic data. By detailing a fully functional, open source, and extensively tested design, our work will accelerate the rate at which fully autonomous monitoring networks mature from technological curiosities, and towards genuinely impactful tools in ecology.