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Knight E, Rhinehart T, de Zwaan DR, Weldy MJ, Cartwright M, Hawley SH, Larkin JL, Lesmeister D, Bayne E, Kitzes J. Individual identification in acoustic recordings. Trends Ecol Evol 2024:S0169-5347(24)00118-6. [PMID: 38862357 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in bioacoustics combined with acoustic individual identification (AIID) could open frontiers for ecological and evolutionary research because traditional methods of identifying individuals are invasive, expensive, labor-intensive, and potentially biased. Despite overwhelming evidence that most taxa have individual acoustic signatures, the application of AIID remains challenging and uncommon. Furthermore, the methods most commonly used for AIID are not compatible with many potential AIID applications. Deep learning in adjacent disciplines suggests opportunities to advance AIID, but such progress is limited by training data. We suggest that broadscale implementation of AIID is achievable, but researchers should prioritize methods that maximize the potential applications of AIID, and develop case studies with easy taxa at smaller spatiotemporal scales before progressing to more difficult scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elly Knight
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E6, Canada.
| | - Tessa Rhinehart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
| | - Devin R de Zwaan
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, E4L 1E4, Canada; Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Matthew J Weldy
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5704, USA
| | - Mark Cartwright
- Department of Informatics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Scott H Hawley
- Chemistry and Physics Department, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
| | - Jeffery L Larkin
- Department of Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, 15705-1081, USA; American Bird Conservancy, The Plains, VA, 20198, USA
| | - Damon Lesmeister
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis Forestry Science Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Erin Bayne
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E6, Canada
| | - Justin Kitzes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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Spagnuolo OSB, Lemerle MA, Holekamp KE, Wiesel I. The value of individual identification in studies of free-living hyenas and aardwolves. Mamm Biol 2022; 102:1089-1112. [PMID: 36530605 PMCID: PMC9744671 DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00309-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
From population estimates to social evolution, much of our understanding of the family Hyaenidae is drawn from studies of known individuals. The extant species in this family (spotted hyenas, Crocuta crocuta, brown hyenas, Parahyaena brunnea, striped hyenas, Hyaena hyaena, and aardwolves, Proteles cristata) are behaviorally diverse, presenting an equally diverse set of logistical constraints on capturing and marking individuals. All these species are individually identifiable by their coat patterns, providing a useful alternative to man-made markings. Many studies have demonstrated the utility of this method in answering a wide range of research questions across all four species, with some employing a creative fusion of techniques. Despite its pervasiveness in basic research on hyenas and aardwolves, individual identification has rarely been applied to the conservation and management of these species. We argue that individual identification using naturally occurring markings in applied research could prove immensely helpful, as this could further improve accuracy of density estimates, reveal characteristics of suitable habitat, identify threats to population persistence, and help to identify individual problem animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ingrid Wiesel
- Brown Hyena Research Project, Lüderitz, 9000 Namibia
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