Using acoustic remote sensing to monitor biodiversity at coffee plantations

The use of technology to monitor biodiversity has rapidly increased, and its implementation has helped researchers to monitor wildlife without having to be present. This project aims to put out acoustic listening devices on coffee plantations and to then analyse the output to detect present biodiversity. One end-goal is to have acoustic devices in the field that can record sounds and send data to a server for analysis, hence becoming a remote sensing tool.
Coffee is a highly demanded crop but is at risk from climate change as well as market forces. Speciality crops can demand higher prices, but what qualifies as a speciality crop is not clearly defined. This project hopes to be able to use the results of its biodiversity detection analysis to create a system of certification that can be used by Fairtrade and other organizations to categorize farms by their biodiversity levels. Another potential use for this data would be to detect pests or pollinators, and relay this information wirelessly to farmers, who could then respond through altered management.
This project will require some field-work at study sites in order to measure biodiversity while recording so the acoustic analysis can be validated using the observations. One pilot study will monitor biodiversity along an altitudinal gradient, along which the farming management strategies will also differ. This can inform on how different management strategies affect the biodiversity levels, in particular levels of pollinators, as it is hypothesized that there are fewer pollinator species at higher altitudes.
Ultimately, this project will not only design a method of biodiversity quantification, but it may result in an effective tool for farmers with which to manage their property.