| In recent years, improved computing power and increased interest in bat conservation have generated numerous technological options to record and analyze the ultrasonic vocalizations of bats. A growing number of biologists and land managers use bat acoustic detection equipment and analysis software to inform impact assessments and mitigation approaches, support monitoring needs, enhance interpretive programs, and answer research questions. However, the physics of ultrasound, bat behavior, competing biotic and abiotic signals, weather conditions, the technologies themselves, and the knowledge level of the user all present potentially confounding elements that if not recognized could lead to spurious results in data collection and interpretation. As with other study methods, defensible results are most likely to arise when investigators have a thorough understanding of the powers and limitations of acoustic methods and combine this understanding with the best available science on the biology of the species in question. This presentation will provide an introductory overview of key elements in the bat acoustic detection puzzle and associated implications for survey choices, data interpretation, and management applications. |