Igatahes, kel on lähiajal plaan jätkata õpinguid doktorantuuris, siis võiks kaalumise alla võtta Otago Ülikooli Zooloogia osakonna PhD-õpingu pakkumise. Nimelt on võimalik Dr. Philip Seddoni käe all tegeleda uudse süsteemiga, mille eesmärgiks on loendada linde. Loodame, et potentsiaalse tudengi õpingute lõpuks on meil lahendus, kuidas linde loendada akustilise süsteemi abil.
Loe ka..
Title: Novel acoustic systems for bird counting
Description:
Bird populations are a key indicator of biodiversity, but common methods for counting birds by standing at a point and listening have been portrayed as crude and unscientific. Distance sampling, in which the distance to each bird is recorded and used to estimate population density, is subject to major errors from inaccurate distance estimation, intermittent singing, and movement during the count. There is great practical value and international interest in new ways to address these problems.
Digital acoustic recording is now relatively cheap and can provide a mass of relevant data on the species present and the locations of individuals. The challenge is to model bird behaviour (movements and singing) and the detection of song cues at an array of microphones to obtain estimates of population density. This is a technically difficult task, but not as daunting as it might seem: algorithms and software for song localisation are freely available, and the broad structure needed in the model is understood.
The PhD project we have in mind would combine statistical modelling of acoustic data and field testing of an acoustic system, alongside collection of detailed behavioural data by radiotelemetry of target species (possibly tui, bellbird, song thrush and blackbird). The work would be undertaken in collaboration with biologists from the US Geological Survey, and potentially other leading US agencies.
Allikas: http://www.otago.ac.nz/zoology/
