Acoustic propagation in heterogeneous environments and communication networks in rock ptarmigan

• Main Author: Guibard, Arthur
• Other Authors: Laboratoire de Mecanique des Fluides et d'Acoustique (LMFA), École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ecole Centrale de Lyon, Marie-Annick Galland, Sébastien Ollivier, Didier Dragna, Frédéric Sèbe
• Format: Doctoral or Postdoctoral Thesis
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: Acoustic communication; Heterogeneous environment; Outdoor sound propagation; Active space; Detection space; Rock ptarmigan; Bioacoustic; Ecoacoustic; Communication acoustique; Environnement hétérogène; Propagation atmosphérique; Espace actif; Espace de détection; Lagopède alpin; Bioacoustique; Éco-acoustique; [SPI.OTHER]Engineering Sciences [physics]/Other; rock ptarmigan
• Online Access: https://theses.hal.science/tel-04301057; https://theses.hal.science/tel-04301057/document; https://theses.hal.science/tel-04301057/file/TH_2023ECDL0027.pdf

Acoustic propagation supports long-distance animal communication. However, attenuation processes also constrain the range of vocalizations. In this regard, the active space is a central bioacoustic concept to understand animal communication networks in the wild. In parallel, detection space determines the possibilities of recording biological data in ecoacoustic studies. Propagation of animal acoustic signals has mostly been studied by considering the natural environment as an homogeneous propagation medium. This resulted in an simplified circular active space representation that is still widely used. Only few studies have assessed the variations of the active space due to environment heterogeneities and transmitter position. This thesis provides an integrative approach at the interface of bioacoustics and atmospheric propagation to robustly estimate active and detection spaces in rock ptarmigan, an emblematic species of the high mountains. For this purpose, we develop a stable and flexible tool to investigate the organization of communication networks as well as population densities and their dynamics. This tool is based on the numerical computation of the parabolic equation for acoustic propagation in the atmosphere, and takes into account topography, ground effects and weather conditions. This thesis work consists of three parts: (i) a validation of the acoustic propagation code in a heterogeneous environment, (ii) an application of the model to the study of a communication network, and (iii) an application to the detection spaces for passive acoustic monitoring. First of all, comparisons of numerical simulations with measurements performed during an experimental campaign in the French Alps confirms the capacity of the code to accurately predict sound levels. We then use this model to show how mountain conditions affect surface and shape of active spaces, with topography being the most significant factor. The model is then applied to an ecological context using field data including a site of known topography, ...