Download - Motus Wildlife Tracking System [email protected] …The configuration of each telemetry station is described below, Figure 1 shows a picture of a typical telemetry station. Figure

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MotusWildlifeTrackingSystem

[email protected]://motus.org/

Introduction:Someofthelargestbarrierstoeffectiveconservationandmanagementofmigratoryanimalsisourabilitytodeterminetheimportanceofvariouslandscapesandhowtheyareutilizedthroughouttheirannualcycle.Ourlandscapeincludesnumerousgeographic(e.g.GulfofMexico,GreatLakes,mountains)andanthropogenicfeatures(majorurbancenters,industrial,utilityandtransportationinfrastructure)thatmightinfluencemigratoryanimalsuseofandmovementthroughthelandscape.Gainingabetterunderstandingoftheseprocesseswillhelpdecision-makersandotherstakeholdersmakeinformedandecologicallysounddecisionswithregardstowildlifemanagement,policy,andregulation.

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Automatedradio-telemetrysystemsallowresearcherstotrackthemovementsofradio-taggedbirds,batsandinsectsthroughoutthelandandseascapewithunprecedentedtemporalprecision.TheMotusWildlifeTrackingSystem(Motus|http://motus.org/)isacoordinatedhemisphericcollaborationofresearchersmaintaininganetworkofautomatedreceivingstationsthroughouttheAmericas,andrecentlyEurope.MotusisaprogramofBirdStudiesCanada(BSC),Canada'sleaderinbirdresearchandconservation,inpartnershipwithcollaboratingresearchersandorganizations.ThepurposeofMotusistofacilitatelandscape-scaleresearchandeducationontheecologyandconservationofmigratoryanimals.ThecurrentMotusarraycomprisesover375stationsacrosstheglobeoperatedbymorethan75collaborators.Theconfigurationofeachtelemetrystationisdescribedbelow,Figure1showsapictureofatypicaltelemetrystation.Figure2showsthecurrentdistributionofstations.Since2013,morethan10,000animalsofmorethan100specieshavebeenmonitoredusingthesystem.DatacollectedfromthesearraysfeedintoamasterdatabaseatBSC'sNationalDataCentrewhereitisarchived,visualized,anddistributedtoresearchersandthegeneralpublic.FormoredetailedinformationyoucanreadourresearchpaperinAvianConservationandEcology-http://www.ace-eco.org/vol12/iss1/art8/Landownercontributions:Weareseekingassistancefromindividuallandownersto:

• Grantpermissiontoinstalloneormoretelemetrystationsonsuitableland• Grantaccesstoprojectstaffforperiodicinspections,downloads,andmaintenance

throughoutthelifeoftheproject(minimumonceayear,max3timesayear)• Provideapointofcontacttofacilitatetheprocess• Sitespecific:Whenamenableandappropriate,allowtheuseofcurrentinfrastructureto

affixantennaandstorehardwareinlieuofindependenttowers• Sitespecific:Whenamenableandappropriate,supplyminimalpowerrequiredtorun

equipment• Sitespecific:Whenamenableandappropriate,supplyinternetaccesstoallow

automaticdatadownload• Whenpossible,fundtheequipment,installation,andmaintenanceofMotusstations.

FundingaMotusStation:

Thecostoftheequipmentrangesfromabout$3,000to$10,000dependingonthetypeofsetup(e.g.solarvs.power,towervs.building,numberofantenna,etc.).Annualmaintenance

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costsrangefrom$100to$5,000perstation/yeardependingontheremotenessofthestation,whetherornottheyarepoweredorhaveinternetaccess.

LandownersorinterestedpartiescanalsofundastationwhichenablesMotusandcollaboratorstoexpandandmaintainthesystemelsewhere,andhelptosupportthefundamentaldatabasemanagement,webtools,programandprojectcoordinationthatkeepthewholesystemoperating.

Formoreinformationvisithttps://motus.org/donate/,[email protected].

AveragecostofMotusstationcomponents,setup,andmaintenance.

Equipment Quantity Cost Total(typicalstation)

Receiver 1 ~$1500 $1500Tower/Mast 1 ~$800–pop-upmast

~$1-2,000bracketedtower$800

AntennaandCables

1-6perstation ~$600perantenna(pricewillvarydependingon

lengthofcable)

$1,200

SolarPower 1,100Wsolarpanel1,110amp/hrbattery1,chargecontroller1,wiringandfuses

~$750-1,000 $1,000

Miscellaneousparts

Waterproofing,hardware,cables,

fasteners,storagebox,rebar.

~$500 $500

Total $5,000Approximateprocurementandsetupcost~$2,000 $2,000ApproximateannualMaintenancecost~$500 $500

Total $7,500*Procurement,setup,andannualmaintenancecostscanvarysubstantiallydepending

onthespecificsofeachinstallation.*

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TelemetryStationEquipment,Setup,andMaintenance:

Projecttechnicianswillneedtoaccessequipmentthroughouttheyearforroutineinspections,downloadsofdata,andmaintenance.BSCtakesfullresponsibilityforthesetupandmaintenanceofthetelemetrystations.

Thededicatedandapprovedfrequencyusedfortheprojectis166.380MHz.

Specificdetailsregardingourautomatedtelemetrysystemscanbefoundatwww.sensorgnome.org.

BasicSystemComponents:

1)SensorGnomeReceiver-seewww.SensorGnome.org/https://compudata.ca/sensorgnome/

2)Antenna-acombinationof5or9-elementYagiantennaandassociatedcables.

3)PowerSource:Eithersolarpanelsandbatteries,or120/240Vstandardelectricsupply.

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4)Connectivity:Ifthereceiverhaswiredorwirelessinternetaccess,thendatawillstreamautomaticallytotheMotusserver.Otherwisemanualdownloadswillhavetooccurevery3-4months.

Existinginfrastructure:

Howantennaareaffixedtoexistinginfrastructurevarieswitheachlocation.Typically,theyareaffixedtoasteelpolethatissecuredtotheinfrastructurewithu-bolts.Avarietyofexamplesofstationsetupsoncurrentinfrastructurecanbefoundhere-https://sensorgnome.org/Automated_VHF_Telemetry/4._Receiver_Station_Set-up

Free-standingTower:

Telemetrystationscomprisea20-30'pop-uptower,2-4,9'yagiantenna,guylines,SensorGnomereceiverandhardware,powersupplyandsolarpanels.Thetowersarenotpermanentstructuresandcanbetakendownormovedatanytime.

Thefootprintofthetowertripod,powersupplyandcomputerboxisabout3'x3'.Dependingontheheightofthetower,theguy-linesextendfromaminimumof14'toamaximumof20'fromthetripod,whichcoveragroundareaofapproximately98to220squarefeet.Guylineswillbemarkedwithreflectivetapeandappropriateyellowwirecovers.

Timeline:

Telemetrystationinstallationscanbeginassoonasallpermissionsaregranted.Itisourpreferencethatpermanentstationsbeestablishedforatleast5-10years.Atanypointtheagreementcanberevaluatedandstationstakendownormoved.

PreferredSites:

Siteswithhighelevation(highestlocationswithin~20kmineachdirection)andopenareaswithdirectline-of-sighttointendedtargetsarestronglypreferred.Secluded,somewhatruralareasarehelpful,butnotessential.Wewelcomesuggestionsaboutpotentiallocations.Specificdetailsareuniquetoeachsiteandwillbedeterminedafterconsultationandapprovaloflandowners.

Insurance:

BirdStudiesCanadaholds$5millionpublicliabilityinsurancetocoverstaffandvolunteersduringtheinstallationoftheequipment,aswellasallpublicandprivatelandownersfromliabilitycreatedbyinstalledequipmentthroughoutthedurationoftheproject.

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BenefitstotheLandowner:

• Supportingoneofthelargestmigratoryanimalconservationscienceandresearchinitiativesintheworld

• Accesstovisualizationsofanimalmovementdatacollectedfromyourandothersites• Opportunitiestoutilizethesystemtocollaborateorparticipateonlocalorbroad

researchandmonitoringprojects• Opportunitiesformutualoutreach,promotionandcommunityengagementin

collaborationwithBSC.• Conversationstarter/piece• Decorativelandscapeart

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Figure1.Examplesofautomatedradiotelemetrystations.

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Figure2.CurrentconfigurationofMotusstations.ActivenodesinColombia,Texas,andSaskatchewanarenotdisplayed.By2016stationswillbeactiveinthesouth-eastUSA,includingFloridaandtheBahamas.