NTRES 6152

Field Methods in Conservation Bioacoustics: Hawai'i Experience

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2023-2024.

This field methods course will consist of a 2-week experience in Hawaii that provides hands-on experience with conservation bioacoustics projects across marine and terrestrial ecosystems on the Big Island of Hawai'i. Activities will include the design and execution of field projects, presentations and meetings with local researchers and conservation practitioners, group discussions on how to maximize conservation outputs from the projects, and analysis of acoustic data. Students will learn acoustic data collection techniques through participating in ongoing monitoring projects with researchers from the Hawai'i Marine Mammal Consortium and the University of Hawai'i. Throughout the course, teams of students will execute their conservation bioacoustic projects, including question development spanning hypothesis testing, study design, data collection, analysis, and writing. At the close of the course, students will present their findings in a symposium and write up their project results as a chapter in our annual field course book.

When Offered Winter.

Prerequisites/Corequisites Prerequisite: NTRES 3150/6150 and NTRES 3151/6151.

• Apply theoretical and practical knowledge from NTRES 3150/6150.
• Operate acoustic devices in marine and terrestrial environments.
• Describe the threats to Hawai'ian biodiversity and how passive acoustic monitoring can support local conservation efforts.
• Design and execute conservation bioacoustics projects related to Hawai'ian biodiversity in marine and terrestrial habitats.
• Practice teamwork skills for designing, conducting, and presenting research, and providing constructive scientific feedback.
• Design, conduct, evaluate and discuss student-led scientific research, including written and verbal presentation of results.
• Design and refine research questions based on observations in the field.
• Teach the basic steps to conducting bioacoustics research.

View Enrollment Information