https://www.bsg-ecology.com/use-of-technology-to-enhance-ecological-data-collection-footage-from-recent-survey-work/
Article by BSG Ecology on the use of technology to enhance ecological data collection. In some circumstances the use of technology such as remote-activated cameras can significantly improve the quality of ecological data collected and the confidence in the outcome of mitigation, while also saving money for clients through a more cost-effective and less labour-intensive approach to work. This footage was captured by Eire Ecology while carrying out large scale post construction monitoring in collaboration with BSG Ecology to investigate bat fatality levels at an operational wind farm. Part of this work involves the deployment of mouse carcasses (as a more available proxy for bat carcasses) to determine scavenger removal rates. This, in combination with site-specific data on the efficiency of the search dogs that are used to find bats beneath turbines, allows us to model the number of animals likely to be being killed (based on survey data). The use of cameras allows a precise time of removal of each carcass and an indication of the scavenger likely to have been responsible to be captured, improving the quality of the data set and our understanding of the situation.
