More than meets the eye: a laser-based platform for large scale biomonitoring of airborne animals

Contemporary ecosystems are struggling to cope with a myriad of anthropogenic stressors including different types of pollution and climate change. Many animal populations, both globally and in Flanders, are declining, but governments lack the resources to monitor these trends and fail to meet legal conservation targets. As such, there is a strong need for new technology to facilitate large scale autonomous monitoring of populations. We present LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) as an upcoming alternative method for autonomous monitoring of airborne animals. The procedure relies on interpreting the back-scattered signals of a laser-beam that is projected into a landscape. In this project, supported by a team of engineers and biologists, I plan to design and build a small-scale
affordable LiDAR sensor and explore three economically relevant applications of the technology in Flanders. I will use the sensor to investigate how 1.) insect communities respond to light pollution 2) quantify spatio-temporal changes in abundance of pest insects and 3) enhance current LiDAR technology to monitor bats. If these applications prove successful, the technology could revolutionize
monitoring of airborne animals, allowing for better management of target species and ecosystems that rely on them.