Degree Name
MS (Master of Science)
Program
Biology
Date of Award
8-2022
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Richard Carter
Committee Members
Gerardo Arceo-Gomez, Aaron Corcoran
Abstract
Roosts provide an opportunity to census philopatric populations of bats. Comparing the efficacy of traditional methods with novel methods can provide guidance on the use of new technologies in the field. This project aims to compare the count efficacy of external emergence methodologies, i.e., drone-acquired thermal imagery, acoustic estimates, and visual counts. Surveys were conducted ten nights at two emergence sites and synchronized to compare counts. Acoustic estimates could not be established as there was a weak prediction of the linear relationship between root-mean-square pressure and emergence count; therefore, this method was removed from the comparative analysis. A linear mixed-effects model and Bonferroni correction found a significant difference in visual and thermal methods at the eastern Tennessee site. Additionally, there was an overall median similarity of 92% from counts obtained from the compared methods. This study supports the validity of drone-acquired thermal imagery for external emergence counts.
Document Type
Thesis - embargo
Recommended Citation
Jaffe, Karah, "Evaluating Bat Roost Abundance: A Comparison of Drone-Acquired Thermal Imagery and Acoustic Estimates with Visual Observations" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 4123. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/4123
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.