NC State CMAST Deploys Audio Video Array in the Galapagos

NC State CMAST research specialist, Melissa LaCroce, and PhD student, Mikayla Carrier, are pictured preparing to deploy an audio video array (AVA) in San Cristobal, Galapagos. This AVA system features multiple time-synced hydrophones and cameras mounted on a 3D frame. At night, when the acoustic activity of fish is often heightened, the field of view can be illuminated with red light. This data can aid in localizing the sounds originating within the field of view of the cameras. In addition to facilitating species-level identification, this in situ field-based approach provides important behavioral (feeding, mating, interaction) and demographic (size, age) information for each recorded sound.  This work is in collaboration with the Galapagos Science Center (permit number PC-13-25).  This is a collaborative research project between Drs. Del Bohnenstiehl and David Eggleston at NC State University, and Dr. Alex Hearn at the University of SanFrancisco-Quito, Ecuador.