Robson Creek Rainforest Acoustic Data Collection - A2O Project 

This dataset contains audio files from Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite. The 25 hectare site lies on the Atherton Tablelands in the wet tropical rainforests of Australia at 680-740 m elevation. It is situated in Danbulla National Park within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The forest is classified as Regional Ecosystem (RE) 7.3.36a, complex mesophyll vine forest. The climate is seasonal with approximately 60% of rain falling between January and March and the landform is moderately inclined with a low relief. There are 208 species in the site, and maximum canopy height is 44 m. All stems ≥ 10 cm diameter are measured, tagged and mapped. For additional site information, see Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite In 2020 four acoustic recorders were set up to collect audio data continuously as part of the Australian Acoustic Observatory (A2O) project. Two recorders were placed in relatively wet habitats and two in relatively dry habitats. 

We at TERN acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians throughout Australia, New Zealand and all nations. We honour their profound connections to land, water, biodiversity and culture and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Robson Creek Rainforest SuperSite is located Danbulla National Park within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area administered by the Wet Tropics Management Authority, and Queensland Parks and Wildlife. James Cook University manages the site. Australian Acoustic Observatory: A Network to Monitor Biodiversity Project Team, with funding from the Australian Government through the Australian Research Council (LE170100033) (2018). Brisbane, QLD: QUT [www.acousticobservatory.org]  

Long-term acoustic recordings are collected to characterise the acoustic sources in the ecosystem. Recordings can be used to estimate biodiversity, monitor temporal changes in the soundscape, compare the acoustic characteristics of different locations, and assess the effect of particular events such as bushfires and floods. 

Four acoustic sensors are set up to collect audio data continuosly as part of the A2O project. Sensors are Frontier Labs Solar BAR. Each sensor has a Primo EM172 microphone with an 80 dB signal-to-noise ratio, 14 dBA self-noise, -28 dB sensitivity, and a flat response (+2 dB between 80 Hz and 20 kHz). Sensors have a gain of 50 dB. They are mounted on 1.8 m star pickets and powered by solar panels. Data are recorded continuously. Recordings are made as single channel, two-hour long flac files. They have a sampling rate of 22,050 Hz and a depth of 16 bits. The four sensors are deployed in pairs. Each pair contains a wet and a dry sensor. Wet sensors are located within 50 m from the edge of a body of water. Dry sensors are located between 500 m and 5 km from their corresponding wet sensors. Wet–wet and dry–dry sensor points are at a distance between 500 m and 5 km.