A Raspberry Pi‐based camera system and image processing procedure for low cost and long‐term monitoring of forest canopy dynamics

Wilkinson, Matthew; Bell, Michael; Morison, J. I. L.

doi:10.1111/2041-210x.13610

Cited by 16 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Finally, this study additionally highlights the potential of low-cost video cameras, built with off-the-shelf components, as a powerful monitoring tool (Droissart et al, 2021;Klemens et al, 2021;Wilkinson et al, 2021), particularly in conservation projects with limited budget. The self-built, Raspberry Pi-based infrared cameras used in this study can be adapted to a wide range of contexts with minimal technical and programming skills.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Camera traps with white flash are a minimally invasive method for long‐term bat monitoring

Krivek

Schulze

Pölöskei³

et al. 2021

Remote Sens Ecol Conserv

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Camera traps are an increasingly popular survey tool for ecological research and biodiversity conservation, but studies investigating their impact on focal individuals have been limited to only a few mammal species. In this context, echolocating bats are particularly interesting as they rely less on vision for navigation, yet show a strong negative reaction to constant illumination. At hibernacula, camera traps with white flash could offer an efficient alternative method for monitoring threatened bat species, but the potential negative impact of white flash on bat behavior is unknown. Here, we investigate the effect of camera traps emitting white flash at four hibernation sites fitted with infrared light barriers, infrared video cameras, and acoustic recorders over 16 weeks. At each site, the flash was turned off every second week. We quantified whether flash affected (1) nightly bat passes using generalized linear mixed models, (2) flight direction of entering bats using permutational multivariate analyses, and (3) latency of the first echolocation call after the camera trap trigger using randomization tests. Additionally, we quantified and corrected for the potential impact of confounding factors, such as weather and social interactions. Overall, white flash did not influence short‐ or long‐term bat activity, flight direction or echolocation behavior. A decrease in nightly bat activity was observed with an increasing proportion of hours with rain. Moreover, flight direction was affected by the presence of other bats, likely due to chasing and avoidance behavior. Our findings highlight the potential of camera traps with white flash triggered by infrared light barriers as a minimally invasive method for long‐term bat population monitoring and observation of species‐specific phenology. Such automated monitoring technologies can improve our understanding of long‐term population dynamics across a wide range of spatial‐temporal scales and taxa and consequently, contribute to data‐driven wildlife conservation and management.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 80%

Camera traps with white flash are a minimally invasive method for long‐term bat monitoring

Krivek

Schulze

Pölöskei³

et al. 2021

Remote Sens Ecol Conserv

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“…More powerful camera monitoring systems capable of higher quality images could also be used (e.g., Kromer et al, 2019;Brezzi et al, 2020;Giacomini et al, 2020;Blanch et al, 2023). However, the acquisition costs, complexity of installation and maintenance are significantly higher, making the instruments less suitable for long-term unattended measurements (Wilkinson et al, 2021). In addition, our system has been built using universal components, all of which are commercially available (no in-house printed circuit boards have been used), which facilitates system expansion and acts as a proof of concept.…”

Section: Overall Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Images captured by Raspberry Pi Cameras are primarily utilized for 2D monitoring nowadays (Wilkinson et al, 2021), but they can also be used for advanced 3D monitoring through the application of Structure-From-Motion with Multi-View Stereo (SfM-MVS) photogrammetry techniques. The application of 3D monitoring has been recently applied across different environmental contexts, further emphasizing its potential as a cost-effective and versatile solution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Cost-Effective Image-Based System for 3d Geomorphic Monitoring: An Application to Rockfalls

Blanch

Guinau

Eltner³

et al. 2023

Preprint

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“…At the ecosystem-scale, solar-powered Raspberry Pis, cameras, and microphones have enabled the fully autonomous acoustic and visual monitoring of ecosystems with remote data transmission for <$320 USD ( Sethi et al 2018 ), and the long-term visual, high-frequency monitoring of forest canopy cover ( Wilkinson et al 2021 ). Experimental biologists tested the impact of light spectral quality and intensity on plant host–parasite interaction using an Arduino-controlled LED array ( Johnson et al 2016 ) (Arduino, Somerville, MA, SUS), and soil ecologists developed a “smart electronics nose” to monitor soil organic richness using Arduino-read gas sensors and IoT ZigBee boards to stream data from the field to the lab ( Dorji et al 2017 ).…”

Section: Application Potential For Open Electronicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics

Oellermann

Jolles

Ortiz

et al. 2022

Integrative and Comparative Biology

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Openly shared low-cost electronic hardware applications, known as open electronics, have sparked a new open-source movement, with much untapped potential to advance scientific research. Initially designed to appeal to electronic hobbyists, open electronics have formed a global “maker” community and are increasingly used in science and industry. In this perspective article we review the current costs and benefits of open electronics for use in scientific research ranging from the experimental to the theoretical sciences. We discuss how user-made electronic applications can help (I) individual researchers, by increasing the customization, efficiency, and scalability of experiments, while improving data quantity and quality; (II) scientific institutions, by improving access to customizable high-end technologies, sustainability, visibility, and interdisciplinary collaboration potential; and (III) the scientific community, by improving transparency and reproducibility, helping decouple research capacity from funding, increasing innovation, and improving collaboration potential among researchers and the public. We further discuss how current barriers like poor awareness, knowledge access and time investments can be resolved by increased documentation and collaboration and provide guidelines for academics to enter this emerging field. We highlight that open electronics are a promising and powerful tool to help scientific research to become more innovative and reproducible and offers a key practical solution to improve democratic access to science.

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A Raspberry Pi‐based camera system and image processing procedure for low cost and long‐term monitoring of forest canopy dynamics

Cited by 16 publications

References 26 publications

Camera traps with white flash are a minimally invasive method for long‐term bat monitoring

Camera traps with white flash are a minimally invasive method for long‐term bat monitoring

A Cost-Effective Image-Based System for 3d Geomorphic Monitoring: An Application to Rockfalls

Open Hardware in Science: The Benefits of Open Electronics

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