Search

The study of bat acoustic signals requires specialized equipment with microphones capable of recording high frequencies. There has been growing interest in bat acoustics and a rapid evolution in ultrasonic recording equipment, from the pioneering work using detectors weighing several kilograms, to the current pocket-sized and open source recorders. The increasing accessibility of bat detectors has extended the field of bat acoustics from simple activity detection to acoustic species identification and experimental research. Traditional call analysis was based on multivariate statistical techniques such as discriminant function analysis. However, technological improvements have led to expanding knowledge regarding the complexity and versatility of bat echolocation, and have kindled the evolution of signal processing methods with new approaches (i.e. deep learning) and more powerful computational techniques. Free access to reference libraries that permit adequate and extensive algorithm comparisons have emerged as a cornerstone for the refinement of automated acoustic analysis. Acoustic surveys have provided important insights into the effects of anthropogenic activities and urbanization on bat activity and diversity. Understanding how human activities affect biodiversity is a crucial prerequisite for the development and application of effective species conservation programs.

Bat acoustic libraries are important tools that assemble echolocation calls to allow the comparison and discrimination to confirm species identifications. The Sonozotz project represents the first nation‐wide library of bat echolocation calls for a megadiverse country. It was assembled following a standardized recording protocol that aimed to cover different recording habitats, recording techniques, and call variation inherent to individuals. The Sonozotz project included 69 species of echolocating bats, a high species richness that represents 50% of bat species found in the country. We include recommendations on how the database can be used and how the sampling methods can be potentially replicated in countries with similar environmental and geographic conditions. To our knowledge, this represents the most exhaustive effort to date to document and compile the diversity of bat echolocation calls for a megadiverse country. This database will be useful to address a range of ecological questions including the effects of anthropogenic activities on bat communities through the analysis of bat sound., The Sonozotz project represents the first nation‐wide library of bat echolocation calls for a megadiverse country.