Seminar by Louise Chiocchetti

Acoustic monitoring of frog choruses using a spherical microphone array network

During the breeding season, male Midwife Toads (Alytes obstetricans) vocalize to fight for their territory and attract females. From April to August, these calls form choruses of short, tonal sounds. This study aims to describe the spatial and temporal organization of one such chorus near Lyon, France. Initially tested in a semi-anechoic room using playback choruses of green tree frogs, a network of five spherical microphone arrays was deployed in the toads' territory. While imaging methods are typically used to localize sound sources in two dimensions, this work aims to extend the localization of the calls within a three-dimensional environment spanning approximately ten square meters. Detection reports in the temporal domain are then created to compile information on the timing, location, and frequency of specific events. Ultimately, it is possible to have a visual representation of the spatial and temporal distribution of Midwife Toad choruses.