Influence of camera model and alignment on the performance of paired camera stations

Abstract

The probability of obtaining images of target species may vary across camera models or relative position of cameras at survey locations. Alignment of cameras within paired camera stations (hereafter, stations) could affect species detection due to issues with image exposure. We quantified effects of 3 camera models and alignment (staggered, offset by a perpendicular distance of 4.6 m, and aligned, directly facing one another) on camera performance in a station design. Mean exposure events (flash from one camera overexposes or underexposes pictures) at aligned stations was 3.93 (SE = 1.01; n = 40), whereas no exposure events were documented at staggered (n = 36) stations. Overall frequency of exposure events of mammal images at aligned cameras was 44% (68 exposure events/153 images). On average, 8% (range 0−35%) of mammal images from aligned stations were exposure events. We detected no difference (P = 0.88) in exposure events among paired camera models. Further, we detected no overall differences (P ≥ 0.07) in paired camera performance (i.e., number of mammal images over survey interval) between aligned or staggered stations, though reliability (i.e., percentage of camera stations that lasted entire survey interval) varied (P ≤ 0.001) between model types. Research deploying 2 cameras within a camera station framework can eliminate exposure events by using a staggered camera alignment without affecting the number of usable

Shooting area of infrared camera traps affects recorded taxonomic richness and abundance of ground‐dwelling invertebrates

“…This study only evaluated the effects of one important factor (i.e., shooting area of ICTs) on the diversity of ground‐dwelling invertebrates. To be developed as a widely used method, more factors that may affect the results of ICT studies should be considered and evaluated, such as the spatial distribution of ICTs (Meek et al., 2012 ), camera alignment (Swearingen et al., 2023 ), the number of ICT repetitions, weather recording, other environmental factor recording, data management and analysis, and data storage, also need to be considered and further studied. Ultimately, a standard or protocol for using ICTs to monitor ground‐dwelling invertebrates needs to be established through the efforts of interested researchers.…”